Role Title: Head Brewer (Fermentation & Quality - Soft Drinks)
Location: North Farm, Washington, West Sussex Salary: £35 - 40,000 (Depending On Experience) Hours: Full time, 40 hrs/week (Mon–Fri) Start Date: Oct 2026
Reporting To: Production Manager
About Holos
Holos is an award-winning kombucha brewery, producing authentic, small-batch kombucha for nationwide distribution. We’re known for our innovative products, multiple Great Taste awards and excellence in kombucha brewing methods - and this is where you come in! Holos is growing fast - and this is a genuinely exciting opportunity to join a friendly, welcoming team that are building a scaling business together, all whilst maintaining the quality of small batch brewing methods to create unrivalled taste. Holos is expanding at pace and our drinks can now be found in Waitrose, Whole Foods Market, Ocado, Abel & Cole, Selfridges and many independent stockists.
Holos is Brewed for Good™. We provide paid work placements for survivors of exploitation and trauma in our packing team, and donate a portion of sales to our charity, The Holos Foundation.
We’re looking for an exceptional and dedicated Brewer to lead fermentation, quality control and production of our kombucha. Reporting to the Production Manager, you will own all aspects of brewing- from the day to day brewing schedule and batch release, through to brewing documentation, recipes, fermentation records and more. This hands-on role is responsible for ensuring every batch meets the highest standards of flavour, safety and consistency. You’ll oversee cleaning and compliance, manage recipes & SOPs and play a vital role in scaling our brewing operation. In the short term, you may need to support the packaging line when required, working closely with the rest of the team to ensure operations run smoothly.
Key ResponsibilitiesBrewing & Fermentation
- Oversee the end-to-end brewing process, including brewing, fermenting, blending and flavouring of kombucha
- Plan and manage the weekly brewing schedule in line with production requirements and demand
- Monitor fermentation parameters including pH, Brix, temperature and fermentation time, ensuring batches are consistent and within specification
- Maintain and manage our kombucha cultures and starter tea to ensure healthy, reliable fermentation
- Conduct regular sensory and lab testing to maintain consistency, quality and flavour
- Identify, investigate and resolve fermentation issues and deviations
Quality, Food Safety & Compliance
- Complete batch records and QC checks accurately, ensuring batches meet specification prior to release
- Maintain rigorous cleaning, hygiene and sanitation standards across the brewery
- Uphold HACCP, SALSA and wider food safety and QC compliance across the brewery, ensuring the site remains audit-ready
- Identify, investigate and escalate quality or food safety issues, supporting corrective and preventative actions where required
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date production documentation, including recipes, specifications and SOPs
- Ensure full traceability of production inputs, batches and finished product
- Maintain safe working practices, including appropriate use of PPE, chemicals, equipment and manual handling procedures
Production Planning & Stock
- Plan and manage production efficiently against demand and agreed production schedules
- Monitor ingredient usage, batch yields and wastage, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce waste
- Monitor raw material requirements and flag purchasing needs in good time
- Maintain accurate production reporting using inventory management software (Unleashed)
- Ensure production records and stock information are accurate and up to date
Equipment & Brewery Operations
- Carry out routine checks and basic maintenance of brewing equipment
- Keep brewing equipment and the wider production environment clean, safe and in good working order
- Identify equipment issues and coordinate servicing and repairs where required
- Support the smooth running of the brewery day to day, proactively identifying and resolving operational issues
Continuous Improvement & Scale-Up
- Contribute to continuous improvement as we scale up and increase volumes
- Help develop more efficient, robust and repeatable brewing processes
- Identify opportunities to improve yield, consistency, quality and production efficiency
- Support the development and implementation of new recipes, processes and products
- Play an active role in building the systems and processes needed for Holos' next stage of growth
Packaging & Wider Production
- Work closely with the wider team to ensure production runs smoothly from brewing through to packaging
- Support packaging operations as and when required, particularly during periods of increased demand
- Be willing to get stuck in wherever needed to ensure the operation runs smoothly
Team & Future Development
- Work independently and proactively, taking ownership of brewing and quality
- Support and train new production team members as Holos grows
- Share knowledge and help establish strong, consistent production practices across the team
- As the brewery scales, take increasing responsibility for the production team and day-to-day brewery operation
What We're Looking ForExperience & Technical Knowledge
- 3+ years' experience in brewing, fermentation, soft drinks, beer, cider or another relevant food and drink production environment
- Kombucha or other fermentation experience is essential
- Strong understanding of quality control, and food safety
- Experience with HACCP and ideally SALSA or another recognised food safety standard
- Brewing accreditation desirable
Personal Qualities
- Excellent attention to detail and a genuine passion for consistent, high-quality processes
- Comfortable working independently and taking ownership of production and quality
- Organised and adaptable, with the ability to problem-solve calmly under pressure
- A practical, hands-on approach and willingness to get stuck in wherever needed
- A genuine interest in fermentation, product quality and continuous improvement
- Excited by the opportunity to help build and improve a growing production operation
Practical Requirements
- Comfortable with the physical demands of a hands-on brewery environment, including lifting, standing for extended periods and working with brewing equipment
- Good record-keeping and organisational skills, with confidence working with production data and systems
- Must have the right to work in the UK
- Must have means to access our rural site location for daily work (public transport extremely limited).
What Success Looks Like
- Consistently producing high-quality kombucha to specification
- Fermentations are controlled, documented and repeatable
- Quality issues are identified and resolved proactively
- Brewing is delivered efficiently against the production plan
- Production records, QC documentation and stock information are accurate and up to date
- Waste is minimised and yields are continually improved
- The brewery remains clean, safe, compliant and audit-ready
- Equipment and production processes are well maintained
- Food safety and quality standards are consistently upheld
- Processes continually improve as Holos grows
- The brewing operation becomes increasingly robust, efficient and scalable
- The role develops alongside the business, with the potential to take on greater responsibility for the brewery and production team
Training & Development
- HACCP certification to Level 3
- Specialist fermentation and microbiology training as required
- Opportunities to develop expertise in brewing, quality control and production management
- As Holos scales, the opportunity to take on greater responsibility for the brewery and production team
- Potential progression towards a Brewery / Production Lead role as the team and operation grow
Salary & Benefits
- Around £35 - 40,000 FTE depending on experience (discretionary relocation package)
- Company Pension Scheme
- Health plan
- 24 days annual leave FTE
- Free award-winning kombucha to drink anytime!
To apply, email:
With your CV and cover email.
Pay: £35,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Relocation assistance
- Sick pay
- Store discount
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Pulborough RH20 4BB: reliably commute or be willing to relocate with an employer-provided relocation package (required)
Experience:
- Brewing & Manufacturing: 3 years (required)
Language:
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
