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Ó Flannagáin
02-18-2009, 07:35 PM
Update: We WILL be filming at Ommegang on March 24th

It is looking very likely that we will be filming at Ommegang brewery (http://www.ommegang.com) very soon.

Please list some questions you might like to see answered in this episode. No promises on what will make it, though.

Submitted so far:
Do you use different strains of yeast for the different styles?

Where did these strains evolve from?

How many generations do you use the yeast?

How many tons of hops used per year?

Any new or unusual brews planned for the upcoming year?

All of their sugar additions are dextrose, but originally they used candi sugar/syrup. Aside from the obvious economics involved, I'd be interested if they've seen a difference in flavor with the different additions.

how they pilot beers like Rogue, how they decide what markets to ship limited stuff too...ect.

how breweries deal w/ trying to get a product into the consumer's hand in good condition when they have so little control over the distribution chain yet suffer so much of the negative consequence.

What kind of impact did the recent hop situation have on them? Any interesting or off the wall fixes (ie substitutions) that they had to do in order to maintian their level of consitancy?

Future brews? That they are allowed to talk about.

Fermentation Temps. They ferment all their beers at the same temp, IIRC, was wondering if they had specific resoning for that, and what type of impact (or non impact) that has on the variation of styles they produce.

why they make it in Belgium now (a portion of it) and ship it back here.

What spices in what? Where do they use those Szechuan peppercorns? What proportions per barrel?

yeast source



Their cave-aging program.
Which beers are fermented in their open fermenter and whether they need to do anything additional to prevent infection when using that fermenter.
If they've had any concerns about cross contamination from the brett strain they use in ommegeddon.
How they go about formulating new recipes.

What is the best piece of advice that you could give to homebrewers?

If someone wanted to get into the brewing industry what are the initial steps they could take?

bigjohnmilford
02-18-2009, 07:58 PM
How did the first tour / interview go? Is it posted up on your brew cast site?

PseudoChef
02-18-2009, 08:00 PM
Do you use different strains of yeast for the different styles?
Where did these strains evolve from?
How many generations do you use the yeast?

Ó Flannagáin
02-18-2009, 08:02 PM
How did the first tour / interview go? Is it posted up on your brew cast site?

I have a meeting with Empire tomorrow. Actually hoping to get Ommegang and Empire as the first episodes now.

bigjohnmilford
02-18-2009, 08:04 PM
I have a meeting with Empire tomorrow. Actually hoping to get Ommegang and Empire as the first episodes now.

Nice

How many tons of hops used per year?

Any new or unusual brews planned for the upcoming year?

Barley-Davidson
02-18-2009, 08:05 PM
All of their sugar additions are dextrose, but originally they used candi sugar/syrup. Aside from the obvious economics involved, I'd be interested if they've seen a difference in flavor with the different additions.

The switch to dextrose pre-dates the current brewmaster, so he might not have any direct experience, but I'd still be interested if he has any insight.

Lerxst
02-18-2009, 08:15 PM
Ommegang has been profiled a few times in pubs like BYO and of course just about every article about belgian styles brewed in the US (IIRC there is some tidbits in BLAM too). Their connection w/ Duvel Moortgat is always mentioned so I'd pass on that. Dig all that up and avoid the same old stuff.

I'd be curious about how they pilot beers like Rogue, how they decide what markets to ship limited stuff too...ect.

Ó Flannagáin
02-18-2009, 08:21 PM
Good call, k4. Will try to avoid any questions I find have been answered before

Lerxst
02-18-2009, 08:25 PM
You know, one thing I thing I'm always curious about is how breweries deal w/ trying to get a product into the consumer's hand in good condition when they have so little control over the distribution chain yet suffer so much of the negative consequence.

You see commercials about SA going around and buying back old beer but really, how many breweries just figure that it's the retailer's problem or let their regional rep deal with it. (and honestly, how many don't really give it a second thought)

MrMarbleHead
02-18-2009, 09:09 PM
What kind of impact did the recent hop situation have on them? Any interesting or off the wall fixes (ie substitutions) that they had to do in order to maintian their level of consitancy?

Future brews? That they are allowed to talk about.

Fermentation Temps. They ferment all their beers at the same temp, IIRC, was wondering if they had specific resoning for that, and what type of impact (or non impact) that has on the variation of styles they produce.

Kai
02-19-2009, 04:31 AM
What makes Ommegang interesting me is their spicing. What spices in what? Where do they use those Szechuan peppercorns? What proportions per barrel?

I'd also be curious about their yeast source, although I doubt they'd spill.

Do they bottle with a second yeast? No, that's probably been answered elsewhere.

Barley-Davidson
02-19-2009, 01:13 PM
I'd also be curious about their yeast source, although I doubt they'd spill.

Do they bottle with a second yeast? No, that's probably been answered elsewhere.

Their house yeast is from a Belgian yeast bank, and they repitch at bottling with the same strain.

I don't think repeat questions can or should be completely avoided. People ask the same questions because that's what everyone wants to know.

Ó Flannagáin
02-20-2009, 03:12 PM
Ommegang is in!! We will be shooting a brewday on the 24th of March. They are gonna arrange time to talk to different people involved with the process around the brewery as well :)

So keep the questions coming, I need to submit them to the guys over there in a few days.

zoebisch01
02-20-2009, 05:35 PM
I'll never forget the tour I took. Brewmaster came in a lab coat. Took some samples from the fermenter and went home. What a great job :D

I know it has been suggested to avoid the subject...but it has always baffled me why they make it in Belgium now (a portion of it) and ship it back here. I bought an Abby last year or something and it was made in Belgium. Cooperstown is not terribly far from here. *shrug*

At the time when they started, they were really breaking new ground as a Belgian 'style' brewery in America. I'd ask what were they thinking at the time. I would wonder if it was mostly just inspiration or market analysis was involved. Sorry if all this seems rambling, I have a cold today. :(

zbeeblebrox
02-20-2009, 07:46 PM
would it be possible to edit the first post with the questions to ask? maybe allow for more feedback

Ó Flannagáin
02-23-2009, 01:02 AM
Would love about 10 more interview questions to choose from. Will give props in the show to the people who posted them here!

Barley-Davidson
02-23-2009, 01:27 AM
You could ask about:

Their cave-aging program.
Which beers are fermented in their open fermenter and whether they need to do anything additional to prevent infection when using that fermenter.
If they've had any concerns about cross contamination from the brett strain they use in ommegeddon.
How they go about formulating new recipes.

MrMarbleHead
02-23-2009, 04:26 AM
Something that you could ask in all the interviews you do:

What is the best piece of advice that you could give to homebrewers?
If someone wanted to get into the brewing industry what are the initial steps they could take?

Those questions have been asked before, but if you need more content to fill space, you could use something like that.