The best internship ever? Get paid to drink beer

Lots of college students spend the summer drinking beer and traveling the world, but few enjoy those memorable experiences while also getting paid.

Yet that's what one Tampa, Florida-based chain is promising to the three lucky applicants selected to become its "Drink It Interns."

World of Beer, which operates 77 restaurants and bars in 20 states, will pay the interns $12,000 each, in addition to food, lodging and travel expenses, to write about their beer-tasting adventures for Draft magazine.

"Whether you're a photographer or writer, social media maverick or beer blog surfer, we are looking for you. Adventure seekers and storytellers, beer experts or novices, brewery nerds and foodie fans all open to apply. So if you want to live, drink and tell the tale to the world, get ready to apply for the chance to share your experience as a Drink It Intern," World of Beer said on its website.

Company spokeswoman Alyssa Ahern said the first-of-its-kind internship fits World of Beer's emphasis on providing customers a global experience. "Our mantra is 'drink it in,' and so 'drink it intern' was just a natural extension of what WOB stands for," she told Vice.com.

It turns out a beer-tasting internship that concentrated just on the U.S. could easily be a lifetime's occupation. The Brewers Association on Tuesday reported that the U.S. is now home to more breweries than at any time in the country's history. Thanks to the rise of craft brewers, the association said 4,269 companies are now making and selling beer, a 15 percent rise in 2015 alone.

Applicants hoping to land what WOB calls the "internship of a lifetime" must be 21 years old. The deadline for online submissions is March 26, though many of the live interviews have already taken place.

If you live near Tampa, Florida; Tempe, Arizona; or College Station, Texas, however, you're still in luck. Live "in-tavern" interviews are scheduled for those locales on Saturday -- and there will be beer.

Whether you enjoy beer or not, an internship that provides travel to unique locations sure beats making copies.