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You are here: Home / Birthdays / Beer Birthday: Don Gortemiller

Beer Birthday: Don Gortemiller

October 2, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the 73rd birthday of Don Gortemiller, former brewmaster for Pacific Coast Brewing in Oakland, California. Don was making beer there since the very beginning, back in 1988, helping to put Oakland and the Bay Area on the beer map, but left under an odd set of circumstances, and has subsequently retired; lucky him. And more recently, the brewery he worked at for decades has closed. Join me in wishing Don a very happy birthday.

Pacific Coast founder Steve Wolfe with Don at their 2009 annual Holiday Beer Tasting.
gortemiller-1
Don toasting with his beer.
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Bruce Joseph with Don at Anchor Brewing.
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Don rockin’ out as a young man.

Note: the last three photos purloined from Facebook.

Filed Under: Birthdays Tagged With: Bay Area, California, Oakland



Comments

  1. Ed Chainey says

    October 3, 2011 at 10:57 pm

    Happy Birthday Don!

    Let’s share a brew next week when I am back in town to celebrate!

    Cheers,

    Ed

  2. Kim and Harry Graham says

    October 2, 2014 at 11:31 am

    Hope to see you soon at a new brewery. Sure missed you at the holiday tasting. Have some great beers today!

    Cheers!

    Kim and Harry

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