Leinhart replaces Thiel at Brewery Ommegang
Phil Leinhart, currently director of production at Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, will replace Randy Thiel as brewmaster.
Thiel is returning to his home state of Wisconsin to become director of quality control at the New Glarus Brewing in New Glarus.
Thiel has been at Ommegang since the brewery opened in 1997.
In 2004 he became the first American brewer knighted by the Belgian brewers’ organization Chevalerie de Fourquet (”Knights of the Mashing Fork”), receiving the award during a celebration held annually in Brussels. An hour-long parade blocks traffic around the busy Grand’Place, with members of the Knights of the Mashing Fork marching in colorful robes to the ceremony, which itself goes on for some time.
Leinhart has worked in the brewing industry for more than 20 years, in England, Germany and the United States. He has experience in breweries of all sizes, from brewpubs to production microbreweries to the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Newark, N.J. He joined the Ommegang staff in January of 2007 to develop increased brewing capacity and manage installation of new packaging and brewhouse equipment.
