1. Brewers Association Mentorship Program

Participant

In this program, aspiring and advancing craft beer professionals will form focused mentoring relationships with a group of skilled craft brewing professionals with diverse expertise and experience. Participants in the program will:

  • Gain practical knowledge that is universally valuable in brewery environments
  • Develop relationships
  • Receive access to Brewers Association resources
  • Gain exposure to the “community and culture” of the craft beer industry

Participants will complete a 12-week mentorship program. The program begins with a one-week orientation, and includes structured mentoring with a group of experienced industry leaders. The mentorship period is divided into three, three-week rotations. Each rotation is spent with a different mentor in specific areas of expertise.

More Information:

Mentorship Tracks

The Brewers Association mentorship program offers three different tracks to support aspiring and advancing craft beer professionals at multiple stages of career development.

Aspiring Professionals

The Aspiring Professionals track is for those who are new to the craft beer community and have little to no work experience in the industry. This mentorship track pairs participants with experienced professionals that will provide a broad introduction to the craft brewing industry.

Participants in the aspiring professionals can choose to receive mentorship in three of the following areas:

  • Craft Brewing Industry 101
  • Tasting Craft Beer: Styles and Evaluation
  • Careers in the Craft Brewing Industry
  • How Beer is Made: Production 101
  • Guest Experience: Taprooms, Events, Tours and More
Apply to the aspiring professionals track

Advancing Professionals

The Advancing Professionals track is for those who currently work in the industry and seek to advance, expand, or change their career trajectories. This mentorship track pairs participants with experienced professionals that will provide tailored mentorship in one of three areas of specialization: production, guest experience, and brewery administration.

Participants in the advancing professionals track will chose one of three specializations within the track, in production, guest experience, or brewery administration. Within each area of specialization, participants can choose to receive mentorship in three of the following areas:

  • Production Specialization
    • Technical Brewing
    • Recipe Formulation
    • Brewery Safety
    • Quality
    • Tasting and Evaluating Beer
    • Brewhouse / Production Management
  • Guest Experience Specialization
    • Tasting and Evaluating Beer
    • Event Planning and Management
    • Marketing and Branding
    • Draught Quality
    • Front of House/Taproom Management
  • Brewery Administration Specialization
    • Brewery Finance and Accounting
    • Human Resources
    • Sales and Distribution
    • Marketing and Branding
    • Brewery Administration Management
apply to the advancing professionals track

Brewery Start-up

The Brewery Start-up track is for those who aspire to start a brewery and have taken tangible steps toward doing so, and for breweries that have operated for less than one year. This mentorship track pairs participants with experienced professionals that will provide intensive start-up-focused mentorship.

Participants in the brewery start-up track can choose to receive mentorship in three of the following areas:

  • Business Plan Review
  • Brewery Finance and Accounting
  • Human Resources
  • Sales and Distribution
  • Marketing and Branding
  • Brewery Operations
Apply to the Brewery Start-up Track

Program Guidelines

Program eligibility:

  • Must be at least 21 years of age with a government issued ID
  • Access to internet and a computer
  • Currently, the program is restricted to U.S. residents

Training and support:

  • Participants will participate in a one-week orientation and training program.  
  • Participants will participate in periodic video conference calls with the program director and other participants to discuss experiences, challenges, successes, and to network. 
  • Participants will have the support of and access to the program director.

Time commitment

  • 2-5 hours per week. (Time will vary depending on the type of contact/activity planned.)

Duration of commitment:

  • 12 weeks

Timeline

2025 Spring Cohort 2024 Fall Cohort
Applications Open: TBD Applications Open: April 21, 2024
Application Deadline: TBD Application Deadline: July 28, 2024
Program Start: TBD Program Start: September 9, 2024
Program End: TBD Program End: December 1, 2024