Frequently Asked Questions about Link Up

What is Link Up?

Link Up is a non-profit organization with a goal to solve a long-standing problem in the craft beer industry. “If you walk into any given brewery, almost anywhere in the world, one thing you’ll notice is that both the folks enjoying a beer in the bar, and the people running the place typically don’t look that much like the world outside.”

What is Link Up’s mission?

“Our mission is to connect talented and passionate individuals from underrepresented communities within the craft beer industry. Whether our BIPOC applicants want to take part in an apprenticeship in a brewery, become a Cicerone®, work in agriculture, or eventually become an owner, we’re ready to help with financial assistance and our wide industry network.”

Who is behind Link Up?

Link Up was founded by Aylmer, Québec brewery 5e Baron, and BAOS Podcast. The organization was created out of a mutual belief that it is possible for the beer industry to look like the world around it, and that bringing BIPOC into every level of the craft beer scene can only make the industry better.

Link Up’s board members are:

Jacob Barrette - Co-Founder, 5e Baron

Tiffany Davey - Producer, BAOS Podcast

Danielle Duchesne - Events Coordinator, 5e Baron

Christophe Paquette - Brand Ambassador, 5e Baron

Craig Thorn - Founder, BAOS Podcast

Stephen Washer - Co-Founder, 5e Baron

How does it work?

Link Up’s mission is to bring talented and passionate individuals from under-represented communities into every aspect of the craft beer industry, and they’ve partnered with breweries and organizations across the continent to make it happen, beginning with their home markets of Ontario and Québec.

If you’re seeking beer expertise, Link Up can help you with funding for a Cicerone certification. If you want to learn how to brew, or get other skills in a brewery setting, Link Up can connect you with an apprenticeship. If you want to get into beer media or marketing, Link Up can connect you with the right partners. If you want to get into hop growing or yeast microbiology, Link Up can connect you with an apprenticeship at a hop farm or yeast lab. Maybe you’d like to own your own brewery! Link Up can get you started on your journey, making the right connections and even helping with financing. These are just a few examples. If you’re a BIPOC individual looking to get into the beer industry in any way, Link Up wants to help make it happen.

What does it mean to be a Link Up partner brewery?

Partnering with Link Up is about more than just brewing a collab beer and slapping Link Up’s logo on it. Every brewery that partners with Link Up is making a commitment to be part of the solution, by taking on a BIPOC co-op student or apprenticeship applicant from the program, and sharing their open job opportunities on Link Up’s The Plug job board.

What if I’m already in the craft beer industry?

Link Up are working on a job board for their website called The Plug, which will list all current open roles in the craft beer industry in one convenient location. Breweries and other industry-adjacent companies are encouraged to send links to open positions to social@linkupbeer.org.

How can I apply?

If you are a BIPOC individual who wants to get involved in the craft beer industry, Link Up wants to hear from you! Regardless of your experience, or which area of the scene interests you, we want to help you get there. Apply here!

What happens once I apply?

After you've filled out our application form, Danielle will get in touch to arrange an interview where we’ll discuss the direction you’d like to take in craft beer and the options that are available to you. Danielle will make a recommendation to the team, who will take the next steps with you - whether that will be connecting you with a brewery for an open role or an apprenticeship, setting you up with a Cicerone scholarship, or another path that aligns best with your goals.

Who are Link Up’s partners?

Cicerone Certification Program

The list of breweries partnering with Link Up is growing. So far, our brewery partners are:

5e Baron Microbrasserie - Aylmer, QC

Dominion City Brewing Company - Ottawa, ON

Town Brewery - Whitby, ON

Pub BreWskey - Montreal, QC

Third Moon Brewing Company - Milton, ON

Brasserie du Bas Canada - Gatineau, QC

Nickel Brook Brewing Company - Burlington, ON

Microbrasserie 4 Origines - Montreal, QC

Blood Brothers Brewing - Toronto, ON

FAQ by Nathan Lefebvre and Craig Thorn.

Find Link Up online:

Nathan

Nathan is a craft beer enthusiast from Ottawa, ON. He is the Co-Founder of @TeamLactose, he’s passionate about travelling for beer and he loves talking about beer from Ontario, Quebec and beyond.

Follow Nathan on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Blog, Industry Talk, Podcast CompanionNathanDoesBeerOctober 12, 2021NathanDoesBeer, Nathan Lefebvre, Ottawa craft beer, toronto beer, Toronto craft beer, canadian beer, Canadian craft beer, Team Lactose, Beyond The Pale, Diversity, craft beer diversity, craft breweries, LCBO, how beer is sold, online beer store, beer inclusion, beer conversations, Ontario beer, Ontario craft beer, Quebec beer, Quebec craft beer, hazy ipa, lost in the haze, classic beer styles, Beer Diversity, Crowns & Hops, Beer Kulture, Black Mermaid, Ale Sharpton, diversity in craft beer, inclusion, Echo Session Ales, low abv beer, session craft beer, session beer, beer review, Henderson, Export Stout, Foreign Export Stout, brown ale, rooibos tea, vanilla, vanilla brown ale, pumpkin beer, pumpkin craft beer, pumpkin ale, Great Lakes Brewery, anderson brewery, Half Hours On Earth, lake of bays brewing, Flying Monkeys, Big Rig Brewery, St Ambroise Brewery, McCauslan Brewery, Microbrasserie 4 Origines, 4 origines, torque brewing, parallel 49 brewing, canadian craft beer, canadian pumpkin beer, canadian pumpkin ale, Anderson Craft Ales, London Ontario, craft beer, Fall beer, Autumn beer, hazy IPA, IPA, stout, Brut IPA, saison, ontario craft beer, Dominion City Brewery, Dominion City, support local, hops & bros, drive thru beer, drive through, drive thru, covid-19, coronavirus, corona virus, dominion city craft beer, Henderson Brewing Company, Henderson Picnic, Henderson West Coast Lager, Henderson x Honest Ed's Wayne Reuben, Society of beer drinking ladies, we must stand alone to win together, table beer, Toronto beer, Craft Brand Co, Bodega Sessions, Mikkeller, Omnipollo, Superflux, colour and shape, aura, konx, non alcoholic beer, 5e Baron, Cinquieme Baron, Aylmer Quebec, helles lager, double neipa, india pale lager, breakfast stout, coffee stout, Vox Populi in LCBO, Microbrasserie Vox Populi, Vox populi berliner weisse kettle sour, vox populi kettle sour, kettle sour brunch, beer mimosa, Henderson Brewing, Henderson Ides, henderson the city, english pale ale, Radicle, Ides of July 2020, Henderson Ides of July 2020, Henderson Radicle, hopfenweisse, hybrid beer style, hazy hopfenweisse, german weizen, cinquieme baron, 5e baron celeste, 5e baron two tales pils, 5e baron nectar, 5e baron sous le soleil de amalfi, aylmer quebec, Henderson beer, toronto craft beer, foreign export stout, witbier, cream ale, new england ipa, society of beer drinking ladies, pearson express ipa, 5e baron, 5e baron brewery, gatineau quebec, gatineau beer, double ipa, gose, quebec's best new brewery, Loop Mission, gose beer, berliner weisse, sour beers, sour beer, montreal sour beer, montreal beer, beer reviewz, Sober Carpenter, NA beer, non-alcoholic beer, NA craft beer, craft non alcoholic beer, craft non-alcoholic beer, The George Brewery, The King George Hotel, Newmarket Ontario, kolsch style ale, kolsch, pina colada, pina colada sour, kettle sour, holiday beer, holiday spice beer, spiced beer, oatmeal stout, avling toronto, avling brewery and kitchen, avling sangfroid, barrel aged sour beer, barrel aged sours, toronto craft beers, avling amarelle, avling spinning yarn, imperial stout, barrel aged stout, imperial coffee stout, Nickel Brook Brewing, Nickel Brook Brewery, nickel brook, Nickel Brook Mystery Pack, Nickel Brook Mystery Pack 2020, Karbon Brewing Company, carbon neutral, carbon negative, carbon negative canada, junction brewery, nathandoesbeer, Tooth & Nail, Tooth & Nail Brewing, Ottawa beer, ottawa craft beer, Nathan Lefevbre, Nathan Does Beer, St. Patrick's Day, stout extravaganza, podcast companion, la souche, la souche quebec city, quebec city beer, la souce loup des saules, la souche crise existentielle, Microbrasserie La Souche, la souche frutto del rizoma, la souche franc brett, wild ale, smoothie rous, smoothie sour beers, Microbrasserie Le Castor, Le Caster Yakima IPA, Le Castor West Coast Lager, Le Castor NEIPA, New England IPA, Old Flame, Old Flame Brewery, lagers, craft lager pack, vienna lager, munich dunkel, black lager, Port Perry ON, ontario lager, Cured Craft Brewing, Leamingto, Leamington, Leamington ON, Windsor-Essex County, Cured Pelee Pilsner, Cured Honey Badget, Cured Honey Badger, Cured Colonel G's, Cured Triple 'A' IPA, Cured 42nd Parallel, Cured Southern Ontario Stout, 5e Baron Citadin, 5e Baron Sequoia, 5e Baron Third Moon 3e Baron, 5e Baron Mixtape Pink, 5e Baron Bill In A Barrel, barleywine, barrel aged beer, barrel aged barleywine, gatineau quebec beer, L'Octant Microbrasserie, Rimouski Quebec, L'Octant Géante Rouge, L'Octant Oatcream IPA, L'Octant Double Crush stout, L'Octant Kiwi, L'Octant Nébuleuse, Link Up, Link Up Beer, Link Up beer non profit, link up, link up non profit, link up faq, link up beer faq, link up frequently asked questionsComment