Lead Production Brewer

Badger State Brewing Co.; Green Bay (WI); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k with Safe Harbor matching

Paid Time Off: Up to 21 days PTO

14 paid holidays annually

Paid parental leave

Staff discounts: 25% off beer and 40%

Mileage and expense reimbursement

Milestone-based sabbaticals

Equity potential for tenured Brewer

Job summary

Badger State Brewing Company in Green Bay, WI, is seeking an experienced Lead Production Brewer to guide our 30bbl production system, canning line, and wholesale distribution readiness.

You will lead brewing and beverage production, manage a team across two locations, drive recipe development and QA, and ensure safety, quality, and efficiency while maintaining our community-focused culture.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional brewing experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership or lead brewer role within a production environment.
• Formal brewing education preferred but equivalent practical experience will be heavily valued.
• Experience operating 30bbl+ production systems and pilot systems.
• Deep understanding of brewing chemistry, microbiology, sensory evaluation, and recipe development.
• Proficiency in brewery management software (e.g., Ekos).
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage logistics across split geographic locations.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to attend events and activations.
• Ability to lift up to 55 lbs repeatedly and maneuver 165 lb kegs safely.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Manage, train, and inspire brewing staff across both locations.
• Operations & Scheduling: Coordinate and manage schedules for brewing, cellaring, and packaging to optimize capacity and fulfill wholesale and taproom demands.
• Recipe Development & Innovation: Maintain consistency for flagships and lead R&D on the 15bbl system.
• Quality Assurance & Control: Establish and maintain QA/QC protocols for yeast management, sensory analysis, shelf-life testing, SOPs.
• Inventory & Procurement: Oversee raw materials tracking, hop contracts, and chemical inventory.
• Maintenance & Troubleshooting: Oversee preventive maintenance for brewhouse equipment, cellars, boilers, glycol systems and packaging lines.

Skills

Team Leadership

Operations & Scheduling

Recipe Development

Quality Assurance

Inventory & Procurement

Maintenance & Troubleshooting

Brewing Chemistry

Education

Brewing education (Siebel, UC Davis, IBD) or equivalent

Tools

Ekos

Job description

Badger State Brewing Company Lead Production Brewer Green Bay, WI·Full time Apply for Lead Production Brewer

30bbl production system focused on high-efficiency core brands in beer/cider/seltzer, our canning line, and wholesale distribution readiness. We are looking for an experienced, passionate leader to guide our brewing and beverage production operations into the future.

About Badger State Brewing Company

Independent and family owned beverage company located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Searching for the best people to help us bring people together over beer.

Description

Get to Know Us

Badger State Brewing was built in Wisconsin with a simple belief: when you take pride in where you're from, the work feels better. Founded in 2013 by Green Bay residents Andrew Fabry and Sam Yanda, what started as a local brewery has grown into a craft beverage company rooted in community, creativity, and doing things the right way.

We believe great beverages (and great workplaces) come from people who care deeply about their craft, their teammates, and the communities they serve. That means showing up curious, pushing for better ideas, and respecting different perspectives- an experience that makes us stronger. We're not interested in standing still. Whether we're innovating in the brewhouse, launching new beverages like cider and seltzer, or finding smarter, more sustainable ways to operate, we're always building toward what's next- without losing sight of where we came from.

We're here to invest in our people and in our surroundings. If you take pride in your work, value teamwork over ego, and want to help shape a brand that represents Wisconsin with purpose and authenticity, you'll feel at home here.

Get to Know The Role

Key Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Manage, train, and inspire brewing staff across both locations. Foster a culture of safety, cleanliness, continuous learning, and shared accountability.
• Operations & Scheduling: Coordinate and manage the brewing, cellaring, and packaging schedules for both facilities to optimize capacity, prevent bottlenecks, and fulfill wholesale and taproom demands.
• Recipe Development & Innovation: Maintain strict consistency for established flagships while also spearheading an inventive R&D pipeline on the 15bbl system.
• Quality Assurance & Control: Establish, implement, and maintain rigorous QA/QC protocols (yeast management, sensory analysis, shelf-life testing, SOP adherence) to ensure every drop of beer meets absolute gold standards.
• Inventory & Procurement: Oversee raw materials tracking, hop contracts, chemical inventory using brewery management software.
• Maintenance & Troubleshooting: Oversee preventative maintenance programs for all brewhouse equipment, cellars, boilers, glycol systems, and occasional packaging line.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of professional brewing experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership or lead brewer role within a production environment.
• Formal brewing education (Siebel, UC Davis, IBD, etc.) is highly preferred but equivalent practical experience will be heavily valued and taken into consideration.
• Proven experience operating and troubleshooting both mid-sized semi-automated production systems (30bbl+) and smaller manual/semi-automated pilot systems.
• Deep understanding of brewing chemistry, microbiology, sensory evaluation, and recipe development.
• Proficiency in brewery management software (e.g., Ekos).
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to seamlessly manage logistics across split geographic locations.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to attend occasional events and activations.
• Ability to lift up to 55 lbs repeatedly and maneuver 165 lb kegs safely.
• Passion for beer, craft beverages, and the social nature of communal imbibing.

Competitive Pay: Base salary commensurate with experience, plus incentive-based bonus potential.

Retirement: 401k with Safe Harbor matching contributions.

Paid Time Off: Up to 21 days PTO with tenure, paid sick leave, and 14 paid holidays annually.

Paid Leave: Enhanced paid parental leave.

Staff Discounts: 25% off beer and 40% off merchandise- we want you to rep the brand with pride and keep your fridge stocked.

Travel & Perks: Mileage and expense reimbursement, beer destination trips, and milestone-based sabbaticals.

Shift Bevvys: A good day's work deserves a good beer (or beverage).

There is opportunity for a tenured Brewer to receive potential equity as part of long-term compensation.