Today is the 49th birthday of Melissa Cole, UK beer writer extraordinaire. I’d met Melissa first online and then in person at the Rake in London seemingly many years ago. She’s also been coming over to our side of the pond to judge at both GABF and the World Beer Cup. She’s a great advocate for beer generally, but especially for women, and is great fun to hang out and drink with. She also writes online at Taking the Beard Out of Beer! which is subtitled “A Girl’s Guide To Beer.” Her first book, Let Me Tell You About Beer, was published a couple of years ago, which she followed up last year with The Beer Kitchen: The Art and Science of Cooking, & Pairing, with Beer. Join me in wishing Melissa a very happy birthday.

At the Great British Beer Festival several years ago, with Roger Protz.

Melissa with Greg Koch, from Stone Brewing, at GABF in 2009.

The Lost Abbey’s Tomme Arthur with a blushing Melissa at the World Beer Cup dinner in Chicago a few years ago.

A couple of years ago at the Rake in London, Melissa and Matt Brynildson, from Firestone Walker.

With friends at University sometime between 1993-97 (photo purloined from Facebook).