Apprentice Brewer
Hadrian Border Brewery
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE (NE15 9RT)
Closes in 10 days (Friday 18 September 2026)
Posted on 4 September 2026
Contents
Summary
Start your brewing career with Hadrian Border Brewery! As an Apprentice Brewer, you will gain hands-on experience across the complete production process - from mashing and fermentation to packaging cask, keg, and craft beers. Delivered by HIT Training in partnership with Nottingham University.
- Wage
-
£18,000 a year
- Training course
- Brewer (level 4)
- Hours
-
Operating primarily 8am - 4pm, Monday to Friday. Occasional earlier starts or later finishes may be required depending on the brew schedule, with time off in lieu provided.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Thursday 1 October 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Carry out cask washing, mashing, brewing, fermentation, and conditioning across cask, keg, and can packaging lines
- Help develop new beer recipes and brew existing recipes to exact company standards
- Maintain brewery records in accordance with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and SALSA audit requirements
- Work alongside the team, liaising with sales and marketing on special brews and coordinating with cellarmen and drivers on stock transfers
- Follow all company policies, quality assurance protocols, and safe production practices
- Keep a clean, organised workspace, maintaining brewery equipment and monitoring product quality throughout the brewing cycle
- Log training hours, complete portfolio evidence, and attend Level 4 learning sessions with HIT Training and Nottingham University
Where you'll work
UNIT 5
NEWBURN IND ESTATE
SHELLEY ROAD
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE15 9RT
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
THE OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER LTD
Training course
Brewer (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Comply with industry legislation and regulations.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for fermentation and conditioning.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for raw material and ingredient handling, including storage management and rotation of brewing ingredients and raw materials.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the raw material handling stage of brewing.
- Apply planning, prioritising and time management techniques
- Select and use brewing ingredients according to beer recipes.
- Adjust recipes to limit batch to batch variance.
- Maintain records for existing beer recipes.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for brewing.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the brewhouse stage of brewing.
- Monitor and maintain yeast hygiene, vitality, and viability.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the yeast and fermentation stage of brewing.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for beer finishing and maturation (stabilisation).
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the beer finishing and maturation stage of brewing.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for beer packaging.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the packaging stage of brewing.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for transport and storage of bulk beer.
- Control and operation of automated or manual plant and equipment required for transport and storage of packaged beer.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the product stability and retail trade quality stage of brewing.
- Apply and document product assurance checks. For example, microbiological, chemical, physical, sensory.
- Apply quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) procedures.
- Conduct and document food safety and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) checks.
- Apply sustainability and circular economy principles.
- Promote the beer industry and the brewery they are employed at.
- Apply problem solving and continuous improvement (CI) tools and techniques.
- Communicate and network with others verbally and visually, for example internal and external colleagues and stakeholders.
- Communicate in writing with others for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, and managers.
- Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion principles.
- Comply with industry legislation and regulations.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for fermentation and conditioning.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for raw material and ingredient handling, including storage management and rotation of brewing ingredients and raw materials.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the raw material handling stage of brewing.
- Apply planning, prioritising and time management techniques
- Select and use brewing ingredients according to beer recipes.
- Adjust recipes to limit batch to batch variance.
- Maintain records for existing beer recipes.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for brewing.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the brewhouse stage of brewing.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for fermentation and conditioning.
- Monitor and maintain yeast hygiene, vitality, and viability.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the yeast and fermentation stage of brewing.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for beer finishing and maturation (stabilisation).
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the beer finishing and maturation stage of brewing.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for beer packaging.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the packaging stage of brewing.
- Control and operate automated or manual plant and equipment required for transport and storage of bulk beer.
- Control and operation of automated or manual plant and equipment required for transport and storage of packaged beer.
- Clean down plant and equipment on completion of the product stability and retail trade quality stage of brewing.
- Apply and document product assurance checks. For example, microbiological, chemical, physical, sensory.
- Apply quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) procedures.
- Conduct and document food safety and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) checks.
- Apply sustainability and circular economy principles.
- Promote the beer industry and the brewery they are employed at.
- Apply problem solving and continuous improvement (CI) tools and techniques.
- Communicate and network with others verbally and visually, for example internal and external colleagues and stakeholders.
- Communicate in writing with others for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, and managers.
- Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion principles.
Training schedule
More training information
Your Level 4 Brewing Apprenticeship will be delivered by HIT Training. The technical academic knowledge for this qualification is delivered in partnership with Nottingham University.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- Combined Science (grade 5)
- English (grade 5)
- Maths (grade 5)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
Public transport access to the brewery is limited from some areas, so non-drivers should ensure they have a reliable route to work for an 8am start. Occasional earlier starts or later finishes may also be required depending on the brew schedule.
About this employer
We are an independent family-run company with a friendly and outgoing team. Established in 1994, we now reside 5 miles west of Newcastle on the banks of the Tyne on the Newburn Industrial Estate. We are well known in the local area, specialising in cask and traditional ales, but with a growing craft and keg offering. We are a 40-barrel brewing facility, operating to the highest standard under our SALSA plus Beer accreditation. Our brewery team of 10 has an excellent presence in our company, with longevity and staff retention being a particular point of pride. We also have an off-site taproom, Station East Gateshead, with another fabulous team committed to providing great beer, hospitality, and fun in their customer-facing roles.
https://www.hadrian-border-brewery.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- 29 days annual leave (26 days plus Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day)
- On-site parking
- Free tea, coffee, and company fruit bowl
- Statutory workplace pension (or option in your 2nd year of employment regardless of age)
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Upon successful completion of the Level 4 Brewing Apprenticeship, you will be well positioned to progress into permanent brewing roles within the business or wider industry.
Higher academic routes in brewing are available in future, but these are entirely optional. The longevity and high retention rate of the 10-person team at Hadrian Border Brewery means you will build a solid foundation for a long-term career in the brewing sector.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THE OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER LTD
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000049587.
Apply now
Closes in 10 days (Friday 18 September 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.