Beer Birthday: Karl Ockert

November 20, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the 66th birthday of Karl Ockert, who most recently was the Director of Brewery Operations at Deschutes Brewing. But Karl spent many years as the BridgePort Brewing Co. in Portland, Oregon, nearly thirty years, from 1983 to late 2010. That’s when I first met Karl, who was responsible for one of the first IPAs in the modern era, BridgePort IPA. For the last few years he was the Technical Director of the MBAA and also did some brewery consulting, before joining Deschutes a few years ago. More recently, he’s doing brewing consulting. Join me wishing Karl a very happy birthday.

karl-ockert-bridgeport-opening — “Co-founders Dick and Nancy Ponzi, pose with BridgePort’s first brewmaster, Karl Ockert, at the brewery’s grand opening in 1984 when it was known by its original name “Columbia River Brewery.” At the time, patrons could taste beer at the brewery, but not legally purchase it onsite. The Ponzis, along with other local brewers, successfully lobbied on behalf of the Brewpub Bill, which made it possible for local brewers to sell their products directly to the public.” [From the Multnomah County Library.]

“BridgePort’s crew in 1986 included Karl Ockert (at left), the brewery’s first brewmaster, and Ron Gansberg (center), who later became brewmaster at Cascade Brewing. Ockert was just 23 years old and a recent graduate of the brewing program at the University of California at Davis when Richard and Nancy Ponzi hired him.” [From the Multnomah County Library.]

“Karl Ockert, BridgePort’s original brewmaster, is seen in the center of this photograph from 1985 when BridgePort was still known as Columbia River Brewery. Flanking him are other figures from Portland’s craft brewery vanguard. From left, Steve Harrison, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.; Fred Eckhardt, beer columnist; Fred Bowman, Portland Brewing Co.; Paul Shipman, Independent Brewing Co.; Karl Ockert, Columbia River Brewery; Tom Baune, Hart Brewing Co.; Jim Temple, General Brewing Co.; Mike McMenamin, McMenamins; and Kurt Widmer, Widmer Brewing Co.” [From the Multnomah County Library.]

Historic Beer Birthday: William Painter

November 20, 2025 By Jay Brooks

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Today is the birthday of William Painter (November 20, 1838-July 15, 1906). He was born in Ireland, and in 1858 came to the U.S. “in search of better opportunities,” and settled in Baltimore, Maryland. He trained as a mechanical engineer and initially got a job “as a foreman at the Murrill & Keizer’s machine shop.” His biggest claim to fame is that he “invented the crown cork bottle cap and bottle opener. He worked with manufacturers to develop a universal neck for all glass bottles and started Crown Cork and Seal in 1892 to manufacture caps that could be used to seal the universal necks.”

William Painter and his father, Dr. Edward Painter : sketches and reminiscences

Over the course of his life, “Painter patented 85 inventions, including the common bottle cap, the bottle opener, a machine for crowning bottles, a paper-folding machine, a safety ejection seat for passenger trains, and a machine for detecting counterfeit currency. He was inducted to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006.”

The bottle cap was arguably his most important invention. “The crown cork was patented by William Painter on February 2, 1892 (U.S. Patent 468,258). It had 24 teeth and a cork seal with a paper backing to prevent contact between the contents and the metal cap. The current version has 21 teeth. To open these bottles, a bottle opener is generally used.

The height of the crown cap was reduced and specified in the German standard DIN 6099 in the 1960s. This also defined the “twist-off” crown cap, now used in the United States, Canada, and Australia. This cap is pressed around screw threads instead of a flange, and can be removed by twisting the cap by hand, eliminating the need for an opener.”

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He also patented several other innovations for the brewing industry, such as the Bottle Seal Or Stopper, from 1894, the Bottle Stopper, in 1885, a Closure For Sealing Bottles, in 1899, and a Capped-Bottle Opener, from 1894, to name just a few.

And here’s Painter’s obituary from the Brewers Journal in 1906:

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Beer Birthday: Craig Cauwels

November 20, 2025 By Jay Brooks

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Today is the 59th birthday of Craig Cauwels, who started brewing at Schooner’s in 2003, when his longtime friend Shawn Burns needed his help, and he continuing brewing there until after Burns sold the brewpub to a new owner. For a time, he was also brewing at E.J. Phair brewing, and even went back to brewing at Schooner’s part-time, splitting his time between the two East Bay breweries. More recently, Schooner’s has a new owner, who shut down the brewpub, but moved the equipment to a production space in Tracy, and they’ve rebranded the brewery as Morgan Territory, where Craig doing all of the brewing. They even brought home their first medal from GABF before officially opening, for a beer Craig made at Schooner’s but under the Morgan Territory name since the BA allowed them to enter under the new name even though they hadn’t opened yet, which is pretty cool. Of course, the brewery is now open and has a taproom you can visit, too, enjoy a beer and take home a growler. Originally a molecular biologist, Craig was running the core lab facility at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard University when he gave it all up to become a professional brewer. And that’s certainly been good news for people who love great beer, because he’s a very talented brewer. Join me in wishing Craig a very happy birthday.

Craig and me at Morgan Territory Brewery during a visit in late 2021

Craig Cauwels, from Schooner's, with Vic Krajl — Craig with Vic Krajl at the 2009 Bistro Barrel Aged Fest.

bistro-dipa09-10 — Craig with Sam Calagione (from Dogfish Head) and Dave McLean (from Magnolia’s) at the Double IPA Festival at the Bistro a couple of years ago.

cbn-ann19-14 — Craig with Steve Altimari, from High Water Brewing at the Celebrator’s 18th anniversary party in 2007.

schooners-beerdin-7 — Craig with Brian Yaeger, the Beer Chef Bruce Paton and me at a Schooner’s beer dinner at Cathedral Hotel in 2008.

Craig and the Morgan Territory team at the SF Beer Week Gala several years ago.

Beer In Ads #5119: Shhh… The Best Bock Beer Is Aging Here!

November 19, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.

Wednesday’s ad is for Genesee Bock Beer, which was published on November 19, 1959. This ad was for Genesee Brewing Co. of Rochester, New York, which was originally founded in 1878. This ad ran in The Post-Star, from Glens Falls, New York.

Historic Beer Birthday: Frank Brogniez

November 19, 2025 By Jay Brooks

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Today is the birthday of Frantz Philip “Frank” Brogniez (November 19, 1898-February 20, 1968). He was the son of Frantz Brogniez, a Belgian brewery who founded several breweries in the United States, ending up in Houston, Texas working for Howard Hughes’ Gulf Brewing Company.

Frank-Brogniez Frank Brogniez in his office in 1941.

Frantz’s son Frank was also trained as a brewer and worked there with his father. He took over as brewmaster for Gulf Brewing when his father passed away in 1935.

Frantz-and-Frank Frantz and his son Frank examining the brewery.

Here’s some more about the Gulf Brewing Co., founded by Howard Hughes, also from Houston Past:

Howard Hughes’ connection with the Houston-based Hughes Tool Company is fairly well-known. It is less well-known that Hughes started a brewery in Houston, on the grounds of the Hughes Tool Company, called Gulf Brewing Company. Hughes opened the brewery at the end of Prohibition, and its profits helped the tool company survive the Depression.
Gulf Brewing Company produced Grand Prize beer, which for a time was the best-selling beer in Texas. It has been reported that a beer called Grand Prize beer was also produced prior to Prohibition, by the Houston Ice and Brewing Company. While that may be accurate, any confusion is likely connected to the fact that Hughes’ Grand Prize brewery was operated by the man who served as brewmaster at Houston Ice and Brewing before Prohibition. In 1913, while he was brewmaster at the Houston Ice and Brewing Company, Belgian-Houstonian Frantz Brogniez was awarded Grand Prize at the last International Conference of Breweries for his Southern Select beer – beating out 4,096 competing brewers. Brogniez left Houston during Prohibition, but Hughes convinced him to return to serve as brewmaster for the Gulf Brewing Company. Brogniez’ son operated the brewery after his father’s death.

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Beer In Ads #5118: More Than A Mere Drink

November 18, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Tuesday’s ad is for Toohey’s Bock Beer, which was published on November 18, 1928. This ad was for Tooheys Brewery of Sydney, Australia, which was originally founded in 1869. This ad ran in The Sun, also from Sydney, Australia.

Historic Beer Birthday: Henry F. Hagemeister

November 18, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of Henry Frank Hagemeister (November 18, 1855-June 27, 1915). He “was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate.” His father founded the Hagemeister Brewery in 1866, calling it the Union Brewery. Henry joined the brewery at the bottom, and worked his way up, and ran it with his father, and the changed the name to Hagemeister & Son. After his father passed away, Henry took over, and incorporated it as the Hagemeister Brewing Co. in 1890. Hagemeister stayed open through prohibition, and in 1934 changed its name to the Valley Brewing & Refrigerating Co. but closed for good the same year. Here’s his basics, from Wikipedia:

He was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1855, [the son of German immigrants] and educated in the parochial and public schools of Green Bay. He would go on to work in brewing and banking, as the president of the Hagemeister Brewing Company, and president of Kellogg’s National Bank.

Here’s a biography of Hagermeister from the “Commemorative Biographical Record of the West Shore of Green Bay, Wisconsin,” published in 1896.

This is his obituary, from the Brewers Journal:

And here’s a longer biography from “Wisconsin: Its Story and Biography, 1848-1913, Volume VIII,” written by Ellis Baker Usher, and published in 1914:

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Historic Beer Birthday: Eugene Hack

November 18, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of Eugene Hack (November 18, 1840-June 12, 1916). He was born in Wurtenburg, Germany, but emigrated to Indiana and settled in Vincennes in 1868. In 1875, he and a partner, Anton Simon, bought a small brewery in Vincennes, Indiana from John Ebner, who had established in 1859. They continued to call it the Eagle Brewery, although it was also referred to as the Hack & Simon Eagle Brewery, though in 1918, its official name became the Hack & Simon Brewery, until closed by prohibition. The brewery briefly reopened after prohibition as the Old Vincennes Brewery Inc., but they appear to have never actually brewed any beer, before closing for good in 1934.

Here’s Hack’s obituary, from the Brewers Journal, Volume 47, published in 1916:

And this account is from “Vincennes in Picture and Story: History of the Old Town, Appearance of the New,” written by J.P. Hodge, and originally published in 1902.

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In 1859 the Eagle Brewery was established by John Ebner on Indianapolis Avenue in Vincennes, Indiana. It operated under his management until 1875 when it was sold to Eugene Hack and Anton Simon. They kept the name and added an eagle logo identifying their flagship brand. Hack and Simon successfully operated the brewery for decades. They were producing 18,000 barrels of beer a year and maintained five wagons and twelve head of horses for their local trade. In time they established five refrigerated beer depots in towns in Indiana and Illinois. The brewery was shut down by Indiana prohibitionary laws in 1918 and apparently not reopened in 1934 after Repeal.

A brewery paperweight. hack-and-simon-poster

Historic Beer Birthday: Florentinus De Boeck

November 18, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of Florentinus De Boeck (November 18, 1826-1892). He was a well-known organist and orchestra conductor, and the father of famed Belgian composer August De Boeck. He was also a brewer who founded the Brouwerij Martinas in 1871. It was later known as the Brouwerij Ginder-Ale. In 1888, it was taken over by Corneel van Ginderachter, whose family managed the brewery into the 1970s, before a series of mergers and acquisitions left it in the hands of AB-InBev. Unfortunately, there’s not much information I could find about Florentinus, especially since he only ran the brewery for 17 years.

Beer Birthday: Peter Hoey

November 18, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the 46th birthday of Peter Hoey, who used to be the brewmaster at Sacramento Brewing, then left to launch a new brewery, Odonata Beer Co., with Rick Sellers, which sadly ran into some hurdles that had nothing to do with how good the beer was that Peter was making. He’s also brewed at Sierra Nevada and Bison Brewing, too. Then Peter was working at Brewers Supply Group, having taken over Mark Worona’s old job (since he’d been promoted). More recently, he left BSG to start his own brewery in downtown Sacramento, Urban Roots Brewing, where he’s making some absolutely stellar beers. Peter partnered in the venture with Rob Archie, who also owns the Pangaea Bier Cafe. Peter’s a great brewer and has become a good friend over the years. Join me in wishing Peter a very happy birthday.

hoey-and-me — Peter and me at Urban Roots during the California Beer Summit.

John Martin, me, and Peter at one of the SF Beer Week opening galas.

Rick Sellers & Peter Hoey of California's Newest Brewery, Odonata Brewing — Former Odonata partner Rick Sellers with Peter at GABF in 2010.

gabf07-02 — Peter at the GABF Brewers Reception in 2007, along with Rich Norgrove from Bear Republic and Arne Johnson of Marin Brewing.

raley07-08 — Peter, looking about twelve, and Steve Altimari, from High Water Brewing, at the first Raley Field Beer Festival in 2007.

pangea-2017 — With a group of people a couple of years ago at Pangaea Bier Cafe during judging for the California State Fair.

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