Today is the 49th birthday of Mitch Steele, production manager/head brewer at Stone Brewing. Mitch started out at the tiny San Andreas Brewery in Hollister, California but spent a number of years at one of the much larger Budweiser breweries when he brewed for Anheuser-Busch, before finding a home at Stone. He’s obviously a terrific brewer but is also a great person and close friend, too. A big advocate for craft beer and always willing to help out a fellow brewer or homebrewer. Join me in wishing Mitch a very happy birthday.
Mitch with Stone co-founder Steve Wagner at the Craft Brewers Conference in 2007.
Mitch picking up his 3rd Place award on the floor of GABF 2009 for Stone’s Levitation Ale on cask at a special judging at the Great British Beer Festival in 2009 (and which I had the pleasure to judge).
Betsy Hensley, Judy Ashworth, Mitch, Brendan Moylan & Bruce Paton at the Celebrator’s 22nd Anniversary Party in February of this year.
Mitch and 21st Amendment brewer Shaun O’Sullivan practicing their pointing during a collaboration brew in 2008 in San Francisco.
Outside the Bistro IPA Festival in 2007 with Publican Judy Ashworth, Former San Andreas Brewing owner Bill Millar, Mitch and Bistro owner Vic Krajl.
And no birthday post is complete without a blast from the past. Here’s Mitch’s high school photo from Northgate High School Class of 1980 in Walnut Creek, CA (photo purloined from Facebook). Love the tux.
San Diego Beer Blog had the news today that Jeff Bagby is leaving his position as head brewer at Pizza Port in Carlsbad. Nacho will taking his place for now, though Jeff will be staying on in a consultant role while he firms up plans to open his own brewery. That’s awesome news for Jeff and I’m sure that whatever he does will be amazing.
Jeff and his fiance Dande at GABF a few years ago.
Today is Tomme Arthur’s 38th birthday. Tomme is Director of Brewery Operations for Port Brewing and the Lost Abbey. One of the rising stars of the San Diego brewing scene, Tomme is justly famous for his terrific beers, like his Cuvee de Tomme. Plus, he introduced washoes to the brewing community. Join me in wishing Tomme a very happy birthday.
At GABF in 2005. Jeff Bagby, brewer at Pizza Port, Tomme, and Eric Rose, brewer at Hollister Brewing Co..
After the Five Guys and a Barrel Beer Dinner, a toast was offered with Isabelle Proximus, the Collaborative Sour Ale made by blending beer and done by the five of them. Top row: Adam Avery, Rob Tod, Bruce Paton and Sam Calagione. Bottom row: Tomme and Vinnie Coliruzo.
Tomme and me after another beer dinner, relaxing in the Cathedral Hill bar with Blind Pig IPA.
Tomme Arthur and his daughter Sydney in front of aging beer barrels. Tomme also just recently had his second daughter, Lexi Morgan, born September 27.
Today is also the 32nd birthday of Travis Smith, who’s currently in the process of opening a new brewery in San Diego, Societe Brewing Co. Before that, Travis brewed at Russian River Brewing for a number of years, before moving south, where he brewed at both The Bruery and the La Jolla Brewhouse. I’m not sure when the new brewery will open, and I’m sure Travis is up to his eyeballs in alligators right now, so join me in wishing him a very happy birthday.
Travis “MacGyver” Smith showing off the cork gun he made with spare brewing parts lying around the Russian River brewpub. It shot a beer cork a pretty fair distance and would pierce cardboard at 100 feet.
Travis with Patrick Rue, from The Bruery, at GABF in 2009.
Agostino Arioli, from Birrificio Italiano in northern Italy, with Vinnie Cilurzo and Travis, at Russian River Brewing in 2008 working on a fun collaboration beer, La Fleuette.
Today is the 37th birthday of Jeff Bagby, head brewer extraordinaire at Pizza Port in Carlsbad. There, you can read the entire biography of Jeff “Extra Spicy” Bagby. I’m not sure when it was written, but it definitely needs to be updated, as it ends with the following sentence. “Jeff has his sights set on winning a GABF Brewpub of the Year award and we most definitely believe it is in his future as well.” Last year at GABF, Jeff won an amazing seven medals and Pizza Port Carlsbad was awarded the Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year. That means his plaid pants got to go up on stage a record eight times! You can see a retrospective of Jeff’s plaid choices over the years, too, at Jeff “Lucky Pants” Babgy Wins Big. All, well some, kidding aside, Jeff is a terrific brewer and a hell of a washoes player, though I still think Dave Keene and I could beat him and Tomme again. Join me at wishing Jeff a very happy birthday.
Jeff with his girlfriend Dandelian at GABF last year. And yes, those are his lucky pants.
Greg Koch and Jeff at the Falling Rock.
Former Drake’s brewer Melissa Myers with Jeff at an event at Anchor celebrating the Toronado’s 20th anniversary.
Sam Calagione, Bruce Paton and Jeff at the Lost Abbey for a beer dinner during CBC.
At Firestone Walker; Noah Regnery, Brandon Edwards, Jeff and Ignacio Cervantes.
Murphy the beagle and Jeff after an all-day gopher hunt in the mud. I don’t know if Jeff caught any or not.
Today is Steve Wagner’s 53rd birthday. Steve is a co-founder of Stone Brewing and the president of the California Small Brewers Association. In the late 1980s, Steve was a member of the band “The Balancing Act,” who put out several albums on I.R.S. Records. Now he just presides over one of the most successful microbreweries. Join me in wishing Steve a very happy birthday.
Mitch Steele, Stone Brewing’s brewmaster, with Steve, at CBC when it was in Austin, Texas.
The Stone crew: Arlan Arnsten, Steve and Greg Koch at CBC in San Diego 2008.
With Stone Brewing co-founder Greg Koch in a publicity shot (by John Schulz Photography).
