Overview
Head Cidermaker – Fermentation Production Lead Jobs in Alexandria at Lost Boy Cider
Head Cidermaker / Fermentation Production Lead
Lost Boy Cider — Alexandria, VA
Full-Time | In Person
Compensation: Approximately $70,000 annually, depending on experience and fit
About Lost Boy Cider
Lost Boy Cider is an award-winning urban cidery located in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. We produce modern, dry, ingredient-driven ciders made from high-quality Virginia and Shenandoah Valley apples.
We are looking for a full-time Head Cidermaker / Fermentation Production Lead to lead our production program and help guide the next chapter of Lost Boy Cider.
This role is ideal for someone with hands-on experience in cider, wine, beer, fermentation, cellar work, beverage production, or food/beverage manufacturing who is ready to take ownership of a serious craft production environment.
Position Summary
The Head Cidermaker / Fermentation Production Lead will oversee cider production from raw juice through finished product. This includes fermentation management, blending, product development, cellar operations, packaging, sanitation, quality control, inventory, equipment, production planning, and day-to-day leadership in the production space.
This is a hands-on role. You will be expected to work directly in the cellar, manage tanks, monitor fermentations, support packaging, troubleshoot production issues, maintain equipment, and keep the production area clean, organized, safe, and inspection-ready.
We are open to candidates from cider, wine, beer, kombucha, spirits, food science, fermentation, or broader beverage manufacturing backgrounds, provided they have the right technical ability, work ethic, attention to detail, and willingness to learn cider production.
Responsibilities
- Lead cider production from juice receiving through finished product.
- Manage fermentation tracking, yeast activity, nutrient additions, racking, aging, blending, stabilization, filtration, carbonation, and packaging readiness.
- Monitor production markers such as Brix, pH, TA, SO2, ABV, sensory development, and product stability.
- Maintain consistency across core products while supporting seasonal, specialty, and experimental releases.
- Lead product development, bench trials, blending trials, and sensory evaluation.
- Oversee cellar operations, including tank cleaning, transfers, kegging, canning, bottling, filtration, and carbonation.
- Maintain excellent cleanliness, sanitation, organization, and safety standards.
- Develop, follow, and improve SOPs for cleaning, production, packaging, equipment use, and quality control.
- Operate and maintain pumps, hoses, tanks, valves, filters, canning line, keg washer, forklift, pallet jack, and related production equipment.
- Manage raw materials, juice, packaging materials, chemicals, finished goods, kegs, and warehouse organization.
- Maintain accurate production, inventory, cleaning, batch, and compliance records.
- Help ensure compliance with applicable OSHA, FDA, TTB, Virginia ABC, and food/beverage safety expectations.
- Lead, train, and support production/cellar staff.
- Communicate clearly with ownership, tasting room staff, sales, events, suppliers, and distribution partners.
- Support occasional customer-facing events, tastings, distributor visits, or educational opportunities.
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of hands-on experience in cider, wine, beer, fermentation, cellar operations, beverage production, food/beverage manufacturing, or a related production environment.
- Strong understanding of sanitation, cleanliness, organization, and production discipline.
- Experience working with tanks, hoses, pumps, transfers, packaging, or similar production equipment.
- Ability to follow and maintain production records, SOPs, inventory logs, and quality control processes.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to identify problems before they become larger issues.
- Mechanical aptitude and willingness to troubleshoot equipment and production challenges.
- Ability to work independently and make sound decisions.
- Ability to lead people respectfully and hold high standards.
- Comfortable working in a wet, cold, hot, loud, and physically demanding production environment.
- Ability to lift 55–75 lbs. and perform strenuous work throughout the day.
- Must be 21 years of age or older.
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
- Must be able to reliably commute to Alexandria, VA, or relocate before starting.
Preferred Qualifications
- Direct cider-making, winemaking, brewing, or cellar leadership experience.
- Experience as a cidermaker, winemaker, brewer, cellar lead, production lead, cellar master, assistant winemaker, assistant brewer, packaging lead, or production manager.
- Formal training in cider, wine, brewing, fermentation science, food science, chemistry, microbiology, or a related field.
- Experience with sensory evaluation, blending, fining, filtration, carbonation, and product development.
- Familiarity with TTB, FDA, OSHA, Virginia ABC, HACCP, or food safety compliance.
- Experience with canning lines, keg washers, filtration systems, brite tanks, pressurized vessels, forklifts, and production software.
- Forklift experience or certification.
- Experience managing or training production staff.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone who is serious about quality, cleanliness, and consistency.
The right person understands that great cider depends on both creativity and discipline. You should be comfortable with physical work, production details, sanitation, equipment, records, and problem-solving.
You do not need to have spent your entire career in cider. A strong wine, beer, cellar, fermentation, or beverage production background can translate well if you are curious, organized, hardworking, and excited to learn cider.
We need someone who can take ownership, communicate clearly, stay calm under pressure, and help lead a small production team with professionalism and pride.
Compensation & Benefits
Compensation is expected to be approximately $70,000 annually, depending on experience and overall fit.
Benefits may include:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Employee discounts
- Professional development opportunities
- Cider education opportunities
- Potential future compensation growth based on company performance and expanded responsibilities
- Opportunity to help lead an award-winning craft beverage production program
Schedule
This is a full-time, in-person role. The typical schedule is primarily weekday production hours, but occasional evenings, weekends, packaging days, harvest periods, events, or urgent production needs may be required.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and a brief note explaining your relevant production, fermentation, cellar, wine, beer, cider, or beverage manufacturing experience.
We are especially interested in hearing about:
- Your hands-on production background
- Your experience with fermentation, cellar work, packaging, sanitation, or quality control
- Any leadership or training experience
- Why this role at Lost Boy Cider interests you
Lost Boy Cider strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $60,000.00 – $70,000.00 per year
Experience:
- brewery, winery, cidery: 1 year (Required)
Work Location: In person
Title: Head Cidermaker – Fermentation Production Lead
Company: Lost Boy Cider
Location: Alexandria
