Paying Dues and Rising through the Ranks

Brian Thorson, the head brewer of Chapman Crafted Beer (Orange, California) has spent his career rising through the ranks and going through the paces of brewery life. Aspiring brewers often ask him what they can do to break into the industry and find a rewarding career path.

Thorson has worked for some of the country’s better-known and well-respected breweries, including Trumer Brauerei (Berkeley, California), Harpoon Brewery (Boston, Massachusetts), and Drake’s Brewing Co. (San Leandro, California).

To the curious, he says it really “depends on where you’re coming from, how old you are, and what you’re expecting to get out of the industry. It’s not easy. It’s a slugfest. And while it’s changed over the past few decades, even if you start off pushing around kegs, it’s going to be a tough life. The pay isn’t great either.”

He compares rising through the ranks to that of a chef’s career. There’s education, the grunt work as practical experience, the eventual taking on of responsibility, and then opportunities to strike out on your own or be part of something bigger. But, there are always proving grounds.

“It has to be about the love and passion because there’s a lot of paying your dues,” he says.

The other aspect is getting a rounded education. At all of the various breweries where he worked, Thorson was able to immerse himself in different styles, from the early American craft IPAS on the East Coast to the hoppier versions on the West Coast, and then the discipline that comes with making the same Pilsner over and over again, hitting specs each time.

“Getting good at making one style, learning about the whole process of just one beer, is incredibly valuable,” he says. “Exploring different styles is good, but knowing how to make at least one beer exceptionally well is enormously valuable.”