Brewery Operations Manager

Career Guide

A Brewery Operations Manager oversees day-to-day brewery production and packaging, making sure beer is made safely, consistently, on schedule, and within budget. The role blends people leadership, process improvement, quality standards, and coordination across brewing, packaging, warehousing, and maintenance.

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Key Responsibilities

Plan production schedules based on demand forecasts and tank capacity
Lead brewing and packaging teams through daily priorities and shift handoffs
Maintain quality standards across raw materials, fermentation, filtration, and packaging
Own food safety practices and sanitation programs
Track yields, losses, downtime, and production costs
Coordinate maintenance work to reduce unplanned equipment outages
Manage inventory levels for malt, hops, yeast, chemicals, and packaging materials
Improve processes to increase throughput and reduce waste
Support regulatory compliance related to alcohol production and workplace safety
Coach supervisors and operators through training, feedback, and performance management
Partner with sales and distribution teams to align output with market needs
Work with suppliers to ensure reliable delivery and consistent material quality

Top Skills for Success

People Leadership

Production Planning

Process Improvement

Quality Management

Food Safety

Sanitation Management

Safety Management

Inventory Management

Cost Management

Root Cause Analysis

Equipment Reliability

Vendor Management

Documentation

Team Training

Data Fluency

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Director of Brewery Operations

Head Brewer

Operations Director Plant Manager Supply Chain Manager Quality Manager

Transition Opportunities

Continuous Improvement Manager Manufacturing Operations Manager Production Manager

Beverage Operations Manager

Facilities Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Formal safety program ownershipStructured production schedulingCost tracking disciplinePreventive maintenance planningQuality system documentationLabor planningBasic financial forecasting

Development SuggestionsBuild a simple operating rhythm with daily production meetings, weekly capacity planning, and monthly cost reviews. Learn the core safety and food safety standards used in beverage plants. Strengthen measurement habits by tracking a small set of metrics such as output, yield, downtime, and customer quality issues.

Market Intelligence Report

Brewery Operations Manager is part of the Plant & Line Supervision category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 60,000 to 80,000

Mid LevelUSD 80,000 to 105,000

Senior LevelUSD 105,000 to 140,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, strongest in established craft breweries, regional breweries, and beverage groups expanding capacity. Hiring is most active where operations teams need stronger consistency, cost control, and safety leadership.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Anheuser-Busch InBevMolson CoorsConstellation BrandsHeinekenDiageoThe Boston Beer CompanySierra Nevada Brewing Co.New Belgium BrewingStone BrewingBrewDog

Industry Sectors

Craft BreweriesRegional BreweriesLarge BrewersContract BrewingHard Seltzer ProducersCider ProducersNon Alcoholic Beer ProducersBeverage Co Packers

Recommended Next Steps

Update your resume with measurable results such as yield improvements, downtime reduction, and quality wins

Create a one page production dashboard using output, efficiency, waste, and safety metrics

Document a sanitation program and an audit checklist you can bring to interviews

Practice explaining how you balance quality, throughput, and cost when capacity is tight

Take training in food safety and workplace safety relevant to beverage production

Build a simple preventive maintenance calendar with clear ownership and follow through

Network with regional brewers guilds and attend local industry events