Tim Ohst's brewing career got off to a pretty strong start.
One of the first beers he ever brewed — an oatmeal stout for John Harvard's Brew House — won a gold medal at the 2000 Great American Beer festival.
- Brewer's Choice is an new occasional series where PhillyVoice asks local brewers to build six-packs using our prompts. Look for it on Fridays or follow along on social media with #brewerschoice.
"I took that first job at John Harvard's as I was looking for a job before I got a real job," Ohst said. "And I like to say that I never got a real job."
Ohst is the director of brewery operations at Sly Fox Brewing Co., where he celebrated his 20-year anniversary this month. The longtime brewer has come a long way since making that award-winning stout, for which he said he "was merely following somebody else's directions and recipe."
At Sly Fox, Ohst oversees a production facility that typically has over a dozen different beers in its tanks. And while the fermenters house a wide variety of styles, the Pottstown, Montgomery County, brewery embraces a kind that's identifiable to this region.
"Philly is a great area for lager beer, and Sly Fox has definitely been one of the breweries that has been at the forefront of that," he said.
The first lager in America was brewed in Philadelphia in 1840, and Sly Fox honors the style with its annual Bock Fest and Goat Race. This year, there are more than 50 goats registered run in the May 5 event. Sly Fox names its German-style Maibock after the winning goat and ceremoniously taps the first keg directly after the final race.
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If you're interested in experiencing the festivities, buy tickets now because Bock Fest has become a staple for many residents and it is expected to sell out. (Some VIP tickets are already unavailable.) The Goat Races have grown so much in popularity that a few years ago Sly Fox bought the field next its production facility in Pottstown to host the event.
Here's Tim Ohst's handpicked six-pack. Each beer choice is based on prompts provided by PhillyVoice, and we asked him to limit selections of Sly Fox's beers. The answers have been edited for length and clarity.
1. What would you have on tap at Jason Kelce's retirement party?
Blitz Vienna Lager, Sly Fox, 5.4% ABV
Sly Fox Blitz seems like the perfect beer for such an occasion. It would be one last opportunity for Kelce to (most likely repeatedly) "pick up the Blitz," and at a smooth and quaffable 5.4% ABV, slamming some pints (which appears to be something he enjoys) with the rest of the team wouldn't be an issue.
2. In honor of Sly Fox's upcoming Goat Race, what beer do you consider the GOAT (greatest of all time)?
Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada, 5.6% ABV
This is definitely one of those, "Which of your children do you like best?" questions, but I guess if I had to pick just one, I would go with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. In addition to just being an all-around delicious beer, what that beer did for the craft beer industry overall launches it into that status. It was the beer that got a lot of present-day brewers hooked on craft beer, probably the first craft brand to go national in its distribution, and has now endured for decades as the craft market has exploded and evolved.
3. What are you drinking at Subaru Park for a Philadelphia Union game?
Shoat Pilsner, Sterling Pig, 5.0% ABV
When I walked in the stadium a month ago, the Sterling Pig stand was directly in front of me, and I immediately ordered a pilsner.
4. You said Philly is known for its lagers, which do you recommend?
Too many good ones to choose!
We've got so many fantastic options here in the Philadelphia market that it's tough to narrow down. Pilsners from Victory, Troegs and Sly Fox have been my go-tos forever, but I'm also a fan of Love City Lager, Mainstay, Human Robot, von C, the Czech Pils at Troubles End, and I'm sure I'm leaving a bunch more out.
5. What are you drinking if you want something above 8% abv?
Abt 12, St. Bernardus, 10% ABV
I'm definitely sticking to more session-style beers these days, but if I'm going for something stronger it would probably be a Belgian style like Duvel or something from St. Bernardus.
6. A friend comes over tonight, what beer do you offer them that's in your fridge right now?
Bohemian Gold, Sly Fox, 3.9% ABV
Working at a brewery, you have the luxury of bringing home the products you make at very wallet-friendly prices. So my fridge tends to be stocked with whatever we've just released, or whatever I know is about to go away and I won't be able to get any more of it for a while. We recently packaged our Bohemian Gold, a Czech pilsner, and ended up with a few filled cans without labels and then managed to drop some while re-packaging them into a variety case. Quality control is a critical part of the operation, so if someone came over tonight it would very likely be a dented-up can of Bohemian Gold I was sharing.