Archive Monthly Archives: August 2015

On the Road at Old Mecklenburg Brewery

August 25, 2015

At Dogwood Southern Table & Bar, we go crazy for fresh, local beer. So this month we’re on the road to The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (OMB) in Charlotte, NC.

What can you expect when you visit OMB? Fresh, great-tasting beer, of course, and a whole lot more!

  • The Brewery—Free tours of the brewery are available on Saturdays & Sundays at 2, 3, and 4. The tour lasts about 40 minutes. Private tours are $10 per person and includes a sampling of the beers.
  • The Brauhaus—At this favorite local gathering place, you can relax and enjoy the fresh flavors of OMB as well as their delicious menu of soft German pretzels, Currywurst with french fries, and traditional sausages. They also serve salads, pizza, wings, and Angus beef burgers.
  • The Biergarten—The 8-acre OMB Biergarten is “reminiscent of the world famous Biergartens of Munich, OMB’s garten is a natural oasis just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of real life.” Lose yourself in nature as you enjoy a cold beer and meal with family and friends.

Josh Brigham is the Uptown Sales Representative for OMB. We spoke with him recently about the brewery.

What OMB beers do Dogwood and Dressler’s offer their customers? “Dressler’s sells Copper, which is an authentic Dusseldorf style Altbier and Dogwood sells our Captain Jack Pilsner, which is a German style Pilsner,” explains Josh.

Please describe the relationship between Dogwood and OMB. “Since Dogwood is a John Dressler’s concept, we’ve already been working together for years at his other 2 restaurants,” says Josh. “I’d like to think we get along very well with the Dressler’s group. They sell a lot of our beer and personally, I couldn’t be happier with their SouthPark location.  It’s half a mile from my house so I often find myself at the bar having a drink with their mixologists Brian and Brittany (who make some of the best cocktails in town).”

What’s it like working at the Brewery? “Working at OMB has been a great experience,” says Josh. “I got hired on with the company back in June of 2010, so I just passed my 5 year mark with the brewery. It’s been a lot of hard work to get OMB to where it is today, but we are all very proud of how far the company has come in the last 5 years and how well received our brand has been throughout town.”

What are your customers’ top 3 favorite beers and why? “I’m gonna base this answer on the percentage of beer sold by the company. Copper is first, Pilsner is second, and then it’s a toss up between the Hornets Nest Hefeweizen and our Marzen style beer, Mecktoberfest. Those 2 are battling it out for 3rd place.”

What can you say about the OMB staff? “Our staff are hardworking individuals that share 2 common goals–to grow our brand and have fun. I can’t speak for every individual in the company, but this is far and away the best “real job” I’ve ever had.”

Describe a typical day at the brewery. “For me, a typical work day is out in the field,” explains Josh. “I’m the rep for Uptown, Southend, Dilworth, Elizabeth, and Plaza-Midwood. Most of my time is checking in with current customers to make sure they have what they need and then looking for new opportunities in the growing restaurant industry. I spend very little time onsite at OMB, but when I do, I’m typically giving tours, which is my favorite part of working here.”

What can people expect from the tours? “Our tours are a mix of the history of the company and a very general description of our processes. From the origin and type of ingredients we use, through the actual brewing/cleaning equipment, to the packaging and future packaging machines that we use to get our product to market. Overall you get a lot of info and you have a good time doing it!”

Working on any new beers? “We have limited capacity to experiment,” says Josh. “Right now we are using every tank to keep up with current production rates. With our constant reinvestment, next year should see the arrival of lots more tanks, which will allow our brewers to pursue their creative passion and make new beer!”

Josh’s expert advice for Dogwood guests: “If you are at Dogwood, I would ask the mixologists for an awesome one-of-a-kind cocktail, then downshift to a Captain Jack. Tell them OMB sent ya!! Cheers!!”