It’s always a welcome sign when Ommegang comes to town. We’re usually just getting back into the swing of things after a fun-filled over indulgent holiday season. It’s great to have a brewery that brings us back to what it’s really all about: community and beer.
From the beginning in 1997 when Don Feinberg and Wendy Littlefield started Ommegang as a Belgian–inspired brewery here in New...
[read more] It’s always a welcome sign when Ommegang comes to town. We’re usually just getting back into the swing of things after a fun-filled over indulgent holiday season. It’s great to have a brewery that brings us back to what it’s really all about: community and beer.
From the beginning in 1997 when Don Feinberg and Wendy Littlefield started Ommegang as a Belgian–inspired brewery here in New York, to today under the ownership of Duvel Moortgat, Ommegang has not only made some of the best Belgian-style beers around, they have also helped foster community among the beer world.
One of the best ways to foster community is to provide a gathering place where everyone is encouraged to attend. This happens every year at Belgium Comes to Cooperstown, or BCTC as it is usually referred to. There have been endless stories of good times, usually surrounding excellent, and/or rare beer that has been consumed. People camp, wander around, taste all kinds of beer, and have the time to relax and enjoy the company. Friendships are forged, new beers are conceived of, and everyone has a grand old time, all thanks to the hospitality of the folks at Ommegang.
But, of course, community is made up of people. Phil Leinhart, the Brewmaster since 2007, has worked in various small and large American and European breweries and brings not only his considerable skill and talent, but also the network of people he has met and worked with. By the way, everyone likes Phil. Look for him at the event and chat with him, you’ll see why. Then there’s the President and CEO Simon Thorpe who you can tell is a barrel of fun by that impish smile always lurking on his face. Jason Parrish is the Director of Beer Development. Can I just say, “Dream job!” And from the Duvel Moortgat side of things is Herbert De Loose who I first met way-back-when at the Collins Bar. Now, for those of you who don’t know, this was a time and place where you could find someone drinking a delightful craft beer sitting next to a someone who had never had anything more flavorful than a Bud Light, and didn’t care to. Herbie would inevitably strike up a conversation with the Bud Light drinker and end up pouring them a Duvel and by the end, he had them. One Duvel at a time he would educate and delight. When I knew he was coming to town I used to immediately stock the cold box with two extra cases of Duvel. Oh, and by the way, if you do ever hear he’s coming to town, try and join him. He not only makes the party, he is the party.
The beer, well, it speaks for itself. Come try some of Ommegang’s delicious offerings on Wednesday the 25th at 3PM. We are adding a new wrinkle by kicking off the event with our VSK Monday offering of 2008 N’ice Chouffe on Monday the 23rd. As always with our VSK Mondays we’ll tap the keg at 5PM.
Cheers,
Katherine Kyle
The List:
OMMEGANG ABBEY
OMMEGANG 3 PHILOSOPHERS
OMMEGANG ADORATION
OMMEGANG APHRODITE
OMMEGANG SEDUCTION
OMMEGANG GNOMEGANG
HOUBLON CHOUFFE
OMMEGANG BPA
OMMEGANG HENNEPIN
LIEFMANS CUVEE BRUT
CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE
TRIPLE PERFECTION
BUFFALO BOURBON BARREL AGED OMMEGANG ADORATION (2009)
OMMEGANG WITTE
