May 23, 2020
If you're as old as dirt like Brian and me then there's a good chance Brewery Ommegang was part of your craft beer journey. The late 90s to the early 2000s where was when I really started to explore craft beer. Mainly because I got my tail out of Arkansas where there was a bit more to explore.
Ommegang's estery and spicy beers we're a welcome change of pace from the typical Ambers, Golden Ales, and too-bitter-for-me IPAs of the time. I love Belgian beers. Back in the old days, a brewery could offer just 3-4 beers and be successful. Times have changed, and Ommegang is well aware of those changes. In the last few years they've introduced Blenderie Ommegang and collaborations with their sibling breweries Boulevard and Firestone Walker, and parent Duvel Moortgat. They've also got a Belgian Pilsner in the mix and a handful of IPAs. Beer nerds fret no more, Ommegang has you covered.
We talk with Ommegang Brewmaster Phil Leinhart about his background and long brewing career, the new stuff happening at Ommegang, hop farming in New York state, how they partnered to brew the Game of Thrones series of beers, and more.