The trial shift: what a brewery tests on your first day
Many breweries ask candidates to work a trial shift before hiring. It can feel like a test of brewing knowledge. Mostly it is a test of how you work. Here is what head brewers watch for and how to prepare.
Why breweries use trial shifts
An interview tells a head brewer what you say. A trial shift shows what you do. In a small brewery, one unreliable person can ruin a batch, damage equipment or cause an injury. So many head brewers want to see a candidate working before they make an offer.
A trial shift usually lasts a few hours to a full day. You will probably clean, help with a brew or a transfer, move kegs and watch how the brewery runs. Some breweries pay for the shift and some do not. Ask in advance so there is no awkwardness later. Our guide to the brewer CV and interview covers the steps before this one.
What they are really watching
- Timekeeping: arriving on time or early, ready to work.
- Attitude: willingness to do dull jobs without complaint. Cleaning is most of the job.
- Listening: following instructions exactly and asking when unsure.
- Safety awareness: wearing protective gear, handling chemicals carefully and not rushing near hot liquids.
- Cleanliness: keeping your area tidy and noticing when something is dirty.
- Fitting in: how you get on with the team in a small, busy space.
Brewing knowledge matters less than people expect at assistant level. Head brewers can teach the process. They cannot easily teach reliability or care.
The tasks you are likely to do
Expect cleaning. You may be asked to clean a fermenter, kegs, hoses or the brewhouse floor. You may help with a brew day: weighing malt, milling, mashing in, digging out spent grain or monitoring the boil. You may help with a transfer or kegging.
One small test catches many candidates. When connecting a hose to a tank, a careful brewer sanitises the fitting, checks the valve positions twice and opens valves slowly. A careless one connects and opens in one move, sometimes spraying beer or caustic across the floor. The head brewer is watching which one you are. Our guide to standard work on brew day explains why breweries care so much about steps like these.
Questions they may ask on the floor
During the shift, the head brewer may ask simple questions to check your understanding:
- Why do we clean with caustic and then acid?
- Why do we sanitise after cleaning?
- What would happen if this tank was not cooled after fermentation?
- How do you calculate ABV from gravity readings?
- What does this beer smell like to you?
If you do not know, say so honestly and ask. That is better than guessing. For the ABV question, the standard answer is to subtract the final gravity from the original gravity and multiply by 131.25.
How to prepare
- Visit the brewery as a customer first and taste the beers.
- Read about their beers and their equipment if they share details online.
- Brush up on basic brewing steps, cleaning and safety.
- Bring work clothes, closed shoes or boots and a change of clothes.
- Eat well and bring water. It is a physical day.
- Get a good night's sleep.
Do not drink during the shift unless the head brewer invites you to taste. Keep tastes small. You are being assessed on working safely.
During the shift
Be early. Introduce yourself to everyone. Listen carefully to instructions and repeat them back if they are complicated. Ask questions at sensible moments, not while someone is concentrating on a critical step.
Look for work without being asked: rinse a bucket, coil a hose, sweep water towards the drain. At the end, thank the team and ask if there is anything you could have done better. That question alone leaves a good impression.
After the shift
Send a short thank-you message. If you get the job, ask what you should read or learn before you start. If you do not, ask for feedback politely. Many head brewers will tell you what to improve. Some will remember you for the next opening.
Trial shifts reward people who arrive understanding the basic process. Knowing what happens in the mash, the kettle and the fermenter lets you follow instructions faster and ask better questions, which is exactly what the head brewer is looking for.
Common questions
Are brewery trial shifts paid?
It depends on the brewery. Some pay and some do not. Ask in advance so you know what to expect.
What should I wear to a brewery trial shift?
Work clothes you do not mind getting wet or dirty, closed waterproof boots or shoes and a change of clothes. The brewery should provide gloves and goggles for chemical work.
Do I need to know how to brew before a trial shift?
Basic knowledge helps, but head brewers mainly watch for reliability, safety awareness, cleaning and willingness to learn.
