Portrait: Moritz Krech, Master Brewer
PROFILE
- Site: Mönchengladbach
- Qualification: Apprenticeship as a Brewer and Maltster in Dortmund; qualified as a Master Brewer in Munich
- Department: Beer Production
- At OeTTINGER: since 2003, at the site since 1988
A MASTER BREWER DOES MORE THAN JUST DRINK BEER
Naturally part of my work involves tasting beer. But my work really begins much earlier – really when the raw materials, such as the hops, are delivered to the factory. We have given consumers a guarantee since the spring that our range of beer is free from genetically modified organisms. That requires extremely strict monitoring of the raw materials we are supplied – and, by that, I mean that every single lorry has to be checked. During the brewing process itself I supervise production progress – from the production of the beer right through to bottling. This also includes performing a number of tests on the drinks in our in-house laboratories where we check whether the various products meet the required quality parameters, such as color, foam and hops content. Only when the composition is perfect, do we approve the beer for bottling. I’m not just interested in what our machines produce and bottle – I also take an interest in what is going on around the plant: Part of my day-to-day tour around the plant is to check that the equipment is operating correctly and that the production area is also clean and tidy. Having said that, one of my favourite jobs is the check that I have to do in person: tasting the beer. You simply need gut feel, instinct and experience for this.
PROGRESS DRIVES US ON – BUT NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU COME FROM
At OeTTINGER I really appreciate the generosity and friendship that exists between members of staff – from management level down to the employees who work on the equipment. You’re not just a number here: people actually know who you are. Each and every member of staff feels part of the company and is committed to the quality and taste of the products. By that I mean that we don’t just produce beer as a product but are constantly thinking about new features, trying out new equipment and always trying to keep the brewery as up-to-date as possible.
I can remember that we had a piece of equipment in our old brewhouse that was no longer performing at its best. When we were taken over by the OeTTINGER Brewery, the Chief Executive visited us. He reacted in a very relaxed way to this information and commented casually: “Don’t worry about that at all – we’ll get rid of the old water heater.” And today here in Mönchengladbach, we have one of Germany’s most modern brewhouses and, most recently, an innovative waste water treatment plant. The biogas that this generates can be reused as renewable energy in the production plant. Stagnation is an alien concept to us. Without losing sight of our traditional values, we are constantly on the move, conscious of the needs of our consumers and aware of our responsibility to the environment.
NATURALLY BEER
As a Master Brewer I don’t just drink beer – I savor it. Now our extensive product range has the perfect drink for every occasion: For instance, I might drink an Original OeTTINGER Weizen & Grapefruit when I’m mowing the lawn, but then help myself to an Original OeTTINGER Bock in the evening, relaxing in front of the open fire. However, as a native of the Lower Rhine region, my favorite for every occasion always has to be an Original OeTTINGER Alt.
