Hopping around CT Order of Eccentric Boilers

Hopping Around CT. opping

Photos & profile by Jim Lalumiere

OEC Brewery

Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores (Order of the Eccentric Boilers)

Set in the woods of Oxford, Connecticut, is a brewery like no other in the state. Possibly like no other in the country. OEC Brewing is the brainchild of Ben Neidhart, and it sets itself apart from all other traditional breweries by brewing almost exclusively sour and lager beers. Founded in 2014, the brewery is the sister company of B. United, an import company specializing in niche alcohol products from over 17 countries. Ben’s father, Matthias Neidhart, started the company in 1994 and in 2010 began bringing draft beer in special tank containers to be kegged on US soil. In 2011, Ben began the Zymatory Project, barrel aging and blending the draft beers for smaller breweries who didn’t have the space or financial means. Teaming up with brewer Tony Pellino, the next natural step in that progression was to brew their own beers. That step became OEC Brewing.

Most craft breweries brew on conventional systems. Instead of staying traditional, the team ordered a 15-barrel brewhouse from Kaspar Schulz out of Bamberg Germany. This company has been making very specialized brewhouses since the 1400’s, and only a handful exist in the United States. Not to conform to other brewery norms, OEC installed a coolship in which to cool and naturally inoculate all of their beers. A baudelot was also brought in to act as a heat exchanger and added to the aeration process. This baudelot was the first one built by Kaspar Schulz in over 100 years. According to Tony, “Our vision was to build a unique brewhouse that would result in unique liquids.”

Those unique liquids don’t come from the customary brewing practice of today. They come from the 400-500 wooden barrels

OEC has on-site to blend, sour and age their beers in. The brewers look at themselves as “yeast wranglers” according to Tony. “We create an environment for the yeast to do its thing well, and it’s up to us as brewers to find it at the right time.” Aging their beers in wine and spirit casks creates “live” beer. They are not forced carbonated and are ever changing, “for better or worse”.

Clark Johnson, is the “barrel shepherd” of OEC. He documents the entire inventory, tasting and testing to see where the beer is along its aging journey. He then combines different beers in certain ratios and uses his artistic vision to get what he wants from each blend. Starting with 8 batches of beer could eventually turn into 20 different beers after careful aging and blending.

Most breweries today start pumping out IPAs as fast as they can get water into their mash tun. Ben and Tony’s vision led them in a different direction. Launching a full line of sour beers when opening a brewery is very risky, but that’s exactly what they did. The fastest sour OEC makes takes about a year to age. This is not great for fast turnover or quick return on their investment, but they believe in what they do.

Tempus, Exilis, and Phantasma were the beers that started it all. Tempus is an old-world sour Saison, an ever-changing blend, of which no two batches will ever taste exactly the same. Exilis is a Berliner Weisse ale, lower in alcohol content, but big in flavor. Phantasma is the darkest beer OEC makes and is not your traditional Baltic Porter. Brewed with molasses and licorice root, it is an 8.5% dark-as-night sour that clings to your glass.

It wasn’t until four years had passed that the team at OEC brewed their first non-sour beer. Their Coolship Lager is clean and refreshing, a full-flavored lager that has caught on so well, it has become OEC’s flagship beer. Even though it is not a sour, it still has the OEC “vibe” to it, benefitting from the environment and equipment it was brewed on. Located on the sprawling grounds that house OEC and B. United, you will find two vineyards (growing eight grape varieties), two barrel houses, and three greenhouses. These greenhouses are filled with crops to be used in OEC’s abstract ales. The nursery produces strawberries, raspberries, rosemary, and lavender, but really shines when it comes to eccentric produce. Figs, Rangpur Limes and Buddha’s Hand grow alongside olive trees, cumquats and Meyer Lemons. Using these hyper-local fruits and herbs gives OEC’s beers a certain terroir that wouldn’t exist otherwise.

OEC’s taproom is as esoteric as their beers. Part brewery, part tasting room, part highend package store. You’re more likely to hear Scandinavian death metal cranking instead of the milquetoast tunes of Dave Matthews that gets played at every other brewery. The 12 draft lines are an ever-rotating lineup of sour and clean beers and shelf units house not only OEC beers for sale, but also many imports from B. United’s portfolio. The brewery itself takes up a small portion of the large room, with the coolship behind a glass wall, visible to everyone.

OEC is a dynamic brewery that should be on every beer drinker’s bucket list. Their attention to detail in every aspect of their beers makes them stand out in a sea of IPAs.

OEC Brewing 7 Fox Hollow Rd. Oxford, CT Hours: Tuesday- Friday, Sunday: Noon- 6:00 pm Saturday: Noon- 8:00 pm