Packaging & Cellar - Brewer (Full Time)

※Updated 2025/06/02

*Note

for this role, we are open to both experienced brewers and people who are looking to become a brewer
initial responsibilities will be tailored based upon the relevant experience of the applicant
the areas of responsibility listed are not what you are expected to know coming into the role but what you will be eventually tasked with doing

Company Overview

Kyoto Brewing Co (herein KBC) is a craft beer brewery, based south-west of Kyoto station, that started making beer in 2015. Heavily inspired by traditional Belgian methods and the modern American craft beer movement, we have focused on crafting a wide range of styles, whilst looking for ways to positively impact our community.

Company Context

KBC recently welcomed its new head brewer, James, an American with over 10 years of experience working in the brewing industry, including at craft brewing giants Stone Brewing and Ballast Point. More recently, James worked at a regional brewery based out of New Jersey called Cape May Brewing and helped steer their production from 3.6 million to 8.7 million litres over the span of 4 years.

James joined KBC in early 2024.Since James’ arrival, we’ve significantly changed our beer portfolio, adding beers to our lineup that take advantage of his deep knowledge and experience. For the beers that we did keep, the idea has been to not only improve the shelf life of those beers, but to update the recipes to make them even more impactful. For the beers that we said goodbye to, the idea has been to free-up our calendar with the goal of introducing beers that encapsulate what we call “KBC2.0”.

Position Background

1 individual on our 6-person production team recently left to start up their own brewery project in Kobe. We couldn’t be happier for them.

We now have an opportunity for an enthusiastic brewer to join our production team.

We are open to both an experienced or non-experienced individual to join us (refer to below)

About the Team and Brewing Facilities

6-person team, including a Head and Lead Brewer
15 US barrel (1750L) brewhouse; w/ +300,000 litres production (in 2023)
7 single batch fermenters, 6 double batch fermenters
Semi-automated keg washer/filler, semi-automated 6-head can filler
Centrifuge w/ inline CO2 doser, deaerated water system and dry hop unit
Quality Assurance, Quality Control (herein QAQC) lab outfitted with PCR machine, cellometer, CO2 & Dissolved Oxygen (herein DO) metre and soon a state-of-the-art can seam inspection system

About Responsibilities

With the goal of allowing people to eventually take full ownership of an area of production and to be able to learn about that area to a higher level of skill and become a resident in all things related to that area, we divide production responsibilities into 4 areas:

Brewhouse
Cellar
Packaging
QAQC

For this specific opening, we are looking for someone who will begin packaging (primary) and cellaring (secondary) operations
Your primary area will not rotate until you are you fully trained up in that area
Based upon level of experience, you will either start off as or eventually become lead of your primary area
The lead will be responsible for the tasks assigned to that area and will be the one ultimately responsible for ensuring that tasks are completed correctly
You will be expected to assist in the secondary area once you’ve completed your primary area tasks
Based upon achieving a high level of proficiency in your primary area, switching to a different area of production is possible based upon the needs of the team

Main Areas of Responsibility

Primary - Packaging-Related Operations:

This position is responsible for the day-to-day management of assigned packaging shifts, overseeing the cleanliness, safety, quality, efficiency, process, execution, and team development of the packaging team (1-2x part-timers). This position will be responsible for packaging all production, including but not limited to: canning, labeling, bottling, and/or kegging, ensuring the product is ready as needed for distribution. This position is also responsible for the supervision of packaging staff.

Work with the head brewer and team lead to schedule, operate and supervise packaging runs of all products including canning, kegging, labeling and on occasion bottling.
Perform quality QC checks such as seam inspections, carbonation, and dissolved oxygen measurements before and during run.
Assist with the Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Sanitise-in-Place (SIP) of all fillers, pipes/hoses, bright tanks, and other equipment.
Perform ATP swab tests on vessels and equipment to validate CIP and sanitisation cycles of packaging equipment.
Setup and ensure the Markem Imaje date coder is updated for each run and positioned correctly and is printing legibly.
Ensure the PackLeader label applicator is supplied with label rolls and adjusted to apply smooth and straight labels.
Stage packaging materials for beginning of each run ensuring material availability for scheduled packaging.
Lead packaging runs on our Cask Canning Line
Develop and maintain a detailed SOP for the Cask Canning Line and Lambrechts keg cleaner/filler.
Maintain strict attention to detail to ensure beer is packaged properly and efficiently with regard to fill-height, can weight, dissolved oxygen levels and seaming specifications.
Maintain meticulous packaging notes, collect production data and process this info to support QAQC and troubleshooting efforts.
Ensure the packaging area is clean and organised.
Oversee maintenance of the canning and kegging line with a focus on preventative maintenance.
Identify critical spare parts and maintain a parts inventory that supports preventative and corrective maintenance activities to minimise line downtime.
Identify process related production issues, develop data driven solutions, implement improvements, and communicate the changes to the greater operations team.
Forecast and order packaging material needs in advance to avoid costly production disruptions and save on bulk purchases when necessary.
Maintain and coordinate cleaning of all kegs as needed.
Receive, maintain, and verify inventory on all labels.

Secondary - Cellar-Related Operations:

Learn and perform all cellar processes including beer finishing, yeast handling, dry hopping, and tank spicing as assigned.
Perform CIP and SIP on all equipment, piping according to standard operating procedures (herein SOPs).
Carryout daily tank checks by measuring and recording the temperature and pressure of each tank. Ensuring to report and address any unexpected deviations and log all results.
Perform tank crashes, spunding, harvests and crops as scheduled or assigned by QC or the team lead.
Operate and maintain a centrifuge and de-aerated water unit with the goal of optimising yields based on certain control set points depending on style.
Correctly and accurately weigh and stage hops, adjuncts for direct use or with the dry hop unit as required.
Complete all scheduled tank transfers while adhering to all KBC-mandated beer quality checkpoints.
Reduce DO pickup by ensuring all SOPs are followed.
Assist in pulling additional QC samples as required.
Ensure all interactions with tanks and raw materials are recorded in the system at the end of each day.
Clean and maintain cellar floors, tanks and drains in a sanitary manner.
Maintain a clean and orderly parts area ensuring all parts and hoses are returned to their proper storage locations at the end of each day.

Qualifications (experienced individual)

Ideally have 2 years of experience working on the production floor of a brewery, packaging or manufacturing environment in the food and beverage industry
Mechanical proficiency sufficient to perform routing preventative maintenance and manageable repairs

Qualifications (non-experienced individual)

Min 2 years of work experience in any field
Must be a strong team player and have experience with working in a team to achieve a common goal
Effective independent time management
Excellent communication skills with peers and managers

Qualifications (all)

Must maintain a high level of attention to detail while juggling multiple tasks
Ability to maintain a positive mental attitude even in the face of setbacks and schedule changes
Excellent written and verbal communication skills:

Japanese language ability:

Preferred – highly proficient in spoken and written (JLPT N2 equivalent)
At minimum – worked at a company in Japan and therefore know basic level (know simple words and phrases) in Japanese

English language ability:

Preferred – highly proficient in spoken and written (Eiken Grade2 equivalent)
At minimum – conversational level (you can communicate on everyday topics) English

Must currently reside in Japan or have ability to quickly get working visa
Ability to use Excel

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

Manual labour: lifting bags of grains (25kg), moving heavy equipment and transferring large volumes of liquid; all requiring physical strength and proper lifting techniques
Standing for extended periods: stand for long periods of time while performing tasks necessitating endurance.
Operating machinery and equipment: operate various types of brewing (ex: fermenters) and logistical-related equipment (ex: forklift); requiring training, focus and adherence to safety protocols.
Exposure to hot and cold temperatures: depending on the season and task required of you, adaptability to varying environmental conditions (6C to 45C) is a must.
Handling chemicals: Brewing involves the use of chemicals and cleaning agents for sanitisation and maintenance of equipment, necessitating knowledge of safety protocols and proper handling techniques.
Noise exposure: depending on the task, you will be required to wear hearing protection and have an ability to communicate effectively admidst the din
Working at heights: some tasks may require employees to work at heights, such as inspecting fermentation tanks or accessing storage areas, necessitating caution and adherence to fall protection measures.
Shift work: Brewing operations often run around the clock, requiring employees to work shifts that include early mornings (ex: 6am), evenings (ex: 9pm), weekends, and holidays to maintain production schedules and meet demand.

Employee Benefits and Job Details

Contract Type: Full-Time
Contract period: initial 6-month training period, followed by a long-term contract upon consent by both parties
Monthly Salary: 250,000 – 500,000yen (dependent on experience; includes up to 20 hours of overtime)
Work Schedule:

Regular Schedule: 9:00-18:00
Shift Schedule: 8-hour shift between 6:30-22:00
Overtime required as needed

Time Off: 2 days/week (normally Saturday/Sunday), National Holidays, Paid Leave (12+ days), Summer Vacation (3 days), Year End (2-3 days), Sick Leave (5 days)
Benefits and Perks:

Health and Social Insurance
Multicultural work environment
Monthly stipend + discounts on beer and merchandise

How to Apply

Please send a resume, cover letter, and CV to recruit@kyotobrewing.com. Please clearly state what it is about KBC that makes you want to work here and why you are the best fit for the position.

Timelines

Given that our brew team is down 1 person, we are ideally looking for someone to join our team soon. However, depending upon the quality of the candidate (whether they bring a lot of experience to the table or seem to be a good personality fit to the company), we will gladly wait to have the right person join our team.