What I do

I oversee the brewing process for making craft beer. Once a month I get to design a new recipe. It’s a privilege to do that but I have worked hard to get to that level and my company has a lot of trust in me.

The other part of my role involves working on the packaging of our beer, in the packaging line or transferring the big volume of beer from the tanks into the small packs of cans. It’s a manual and technical job and worked my way up to being able to run the machinery and troubleshoot any issues that arise.

Hear more about Seb's role by watching the video below...

How I became a technician

I studied sciences at high school in my home country, Italy, which is definitely helpful in my current job. I came to the UK to do my degree but, when I finished it, I decided that the world of craft beer was going to be my main interest and I wanted to pursue a career as a brewer. This was mainly because I wanted to do something practical rather than theoretical - I wanted to produce something. I am passionate about beer and it is something I can share with friends!

I decided to start at the bottom and learn about British craft beer culture. I worked in bars and volunteered at breweries whilst studying for my General Certificate of Brewing, which proves you have the necessary knowledge to work in a brewery, as well as health & safety training. I then managed to land a job in my current brewery as a packaging operator and have worked my way up since then.

A typical day in my
working life

My schedule is Monday to Friday but it’s not nine to five - it varies day-to-day depending on the working schedule. If I come in early on a Monday, I will check the beer in the tanks. Some are still fermenting and some are finishing fermenting, so I have to screen this. I’ll take a sample and calculate the amount of sugars left in the beer, as well as taste the beer to see if there is anything wrong.

I then report all the data on to our online system so the Head Brewer has an overview of what’s going on. Throughout the week, there are plenty more things I need to do. I’ll add ingredients to the fermenters if they need it; transfer a beer from one tank to another; clean tanks according to the brewery’s health & safety standards. 

My advice is to be humble, but be sure of yourself. Never give up!

A little more about
my everyday role

The most exciting thing I’ve achieved so far in my job

One specific beer I had brewed from my own recipe was rated the highest amongst beers that were ever produced on a famous app called Untapped. The beer I developed is the highest rated from the brewery’s list. I am very proud of it - it’s called Citadel Double IPA.

The best bits about working in a team

There are people more experienced than me here so it’s great watching and learning from experts in their field. I found it difficult in the beginning as I wasn’t used to this way of working, but when I learned how to fit in and work together, it’s been really rewarding achieving results together.

The next steps in my career journey

Professionally, I would like to move up the ladder, take on more responsibility, design more beers and collaborate with other breweries. I am working to achieve my diploma and I might start studying for something else, like judging beers, tasting and maybe even starting to learn about wine.

My hobbies

I do home brewing, which allows me to experiment more. In my professional career I follow my company’s instructions, whereas at home I can brew and do my own research.

Find out more about this role

Discover what qualifications you’ll need, how much you can earn, and what the next steps are.

Nine apprentices sitting on sofas socialising

Meet other technicians

Read more real life technicians stories, see what they do every day, and how they got started.