Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Beer Birthday: Sarah Huska

By

cicerone-logo
Today is the 25th birthday — how is that possible? — of Sarah Huska. Sarah is the program administrator for the Cicerone Certification Program that Ray Daniels founded. I got to meet Sarah while I was in Chicago for CBC last year, at the Siebel open house. You can also read much more about Sarah at her featured beer tweeter interview/profile at Drink with the Wench. Join me in wishing Sarah a very happy birthday.

huska-1
Sarah with Ray Daniels at the Cicerone booth at last year’s CBC in Chicago.

huska-4
Sarah with Nico Freccia, from 21st Amendment.

huska-5
Sarah, building a bridge with Nicole Erny, also with the Cicerone program, and Justin Crossley of the Brewing Network trying to cross it.

huska-3
A bottle of New Glarus and AleSmith? That must have been one great evening.

[Note: all photos purloined from Facebook.]

Beer Birthday: Jay Brooks

By

brookston
Today is my 52nd birthday, and I’ve again been overwhelmed by an embarrassment of riches from well-wishers sending me notes via e-mail, Twitter and Facebook. My sincere thanks to one and all. As it’s usually me posting embarrassing photos of my friends and colleagues, for the third year in a row, here’s some howlers of me from over the years.

jay-bieber
This hilarious photo we discovered literally yesterday in the bottom of a box of wrapping paper while my wife and the kids were wrapping my birthday gifts. I’m not entirely certain, but I believe this is from the 5th grade, when I would have been around 11, in 1970. Porter took one look at it and declared my haircut made me look just like Justin Bieber. He meant it as a compliment, but that’s not how I took it, of course. And how about that bow tie?

jrb-54
Another classic Easter photo. The girl is actually my aunt, by marriage, despite being a year younger than me. She was my stepfather’s little sister.

jrb-21
My 10th grade Winter dance. I know I should know her name, but damned if I can remember it. I recall her last name, but not her first. What is wrong with me?

J&SJ4
Attending a wedding with my new girlfriend Sarah when she was a friend’s bridesmaid just a few weeks after we started dating, and a few years before we married.

jrb-17
At Woodstock ’94 with my friend Keith, who now lives near Greenwich, England.

There’s many more where these came from, for a good laugh just check out the photos from the last two years at Beer Birthday: J (Yes, Embarrasing Myself This Time) from last year and Beer Birthday Overkill, from 2009, when I posted a bunch encompassing my first 50 years on planet beer. Oh, and thanks once again for all the birthday wishes.

Beer Birthday: Brent Ainsworth

By

patch
Today is my friend and neighbor’s birthday, Brent Ainsworth. Brent was a newspaper man until very recently, when he became the Novato Patch for AOL’s ambitious local news Patch project. Brent also wrote the occasional beer piece and contributes stories to the Celebrator Beer News. oin me in wishing Brent a very happy birthday.

cbn20th-14
Marin/Moylan’s owner Brendan Moylan and friend, Brent and Mike Altman, owner of Iron Springs Brewing at the Celebrator 20th anniversary party.

cbn20th-08
Brent and Lars Larson from Trumer Brauerei.

P1000647
Brent (top right) at the 4th Philopotes Society meeting in July.

Beer Birthday: Sean Lilly Wilson

By

fullsteam
Today is the 40th birthday of Sean Lilly Wilson, founder of Fullsteam Brewing in Durham, North Carolina. Even before the brewery opened this past April, Sean made a name for himself and the brewery through twitter and their blog. Join me in wishing Sean a very happy birthday.

P1200392
Marty Jones and Sean at the Craft Brewers Conference earlier this year in Chicago.

P1200393
Greg Koch with Sean at CBC.

Oakland’s Newest Brewer

By

oakland-brewing
Just got some great news. Steve McDaniel, co-founder of the soon to be open Oakland Brewing, and his lovely wife Justine Nguyen, had their first child yesterday. Justine gave birth to Merritt just after Noon on October 30. It sounds like mother and son are doing great, as Justine is up and using Facebook. Join me in wishing the happy couple all the best on their birth of their son. Congratulations Steve and Justine!

Particulars:

Original Gravity: 7 pounds, 11 ounces
IBUs: 21 in.
Style: Boy
Release Date: October 30, 2010
Label: Merritt Anh Xbalanque McDaniel

merritt-mcdaniel-1
Steve McDaniel and Justine Nguyen’s new son Merritt.

merritt-mcdaniel-2
A sleeping Merritt Anh Xbalanque McDaniel.

Beer Birthday: Craft Beer

By

new-albion-banner
Today is the 34th anniversary of a momentous moment in the short history of craft beer. On October 8, 1976, the New Albion Brewery was incorporated in the State of California. Though the brewery opened in July the following year, it only lasted until 1982 or 83. It was ahead of its time, way ahead. But it was the first small brewery to be built from scratch, mostly by hand, using junkyard parts and old dairy equipment. To me, and many others, that makes it the first modern craft brewery and its legacy should be remembered, revered and celebrated. Its founder, Jack McAuliffe, essentially shied away from the brewing community after 1983, returning to his original profession as an engineer. As a result, few people — except us old-timers and historians — give McAuliffe his due. A lot of young brewers and fans don’t know his name, though that, happily, is changing.

Maureen Ogle managed to track down McAuliffe through his daughter for her book, Ambitious Brew, and in it she gives a great account of New Albion Brewery.

McAuliffe

Sierra Nevada recently lured McAuliffe to Chico to collaborate on a beer for their 30th anniversary. Jack & Ken’s Ale, a black barley wine, came out recently, and that seems to be the beginning of a resurgence or renaissance for Jack McAuliffe. He’s back in the public eye, and people are writing once more about his lasting impact on the craft beer industry. Here are a few places he’s been mentioned:

Then there’s The birthday of craft beer, written by me for my newspaper column. It was supposed to run this Wednesday but got bumped to next week, which happens occasionally. But it did go online this week, in time to raise a toast tonight

My idea is to designate today as the “birthday of craft beer,” a holiday to celebrate New Albion Brewery, Jack McAuliffe and the thousands of small breweries that followed to create the beer landscape we all enjoy today. Working with the California Small Brewers Association, we’re going to petition the state to recognize October 8, 2011 in some fashion as the 35th anniversary and the birthday of craft beer. If you’d like to help that effort, drop me a line and when we have a better idea what needs to happen, I’ll reach out to you. For now, today is the 34th anniversary, and the birthday of craft beer, so join me in raising a glass to Jack McAuliffe, New Albion Brewery and all the great beer that’s flowed since 1976. Happy birthday craft beer.

new-albion-ale

Here’s one of the original New Albion labels. The original sign from the New Albion Brewery now hangs on the wall at Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa. Stop by and see it anytime you like. To see what New Albion looked like, check out breweriana collector Jess Kidden’s page on New Albion Brewing, where he’s reproduced two articles that appeared in Brewer’s Digest in 1979 and 80.

Ithaca’s Twin Fermenters

By

ithaca
It’s never too late to celebrate great news. Congratulations to Jeff and Heather O’Neil on the birth of their twins, August William and Clara Jean, born July 21. Jeff is the brewmaster at the Ithaca Beer Co. Join me in wishing Jeff and Heather best wishes on the addition of two new fermenters to their brewery family.

oneil-twins-3
Jeff and Heather with the twins — Clara on the left, August the right — and their 4-year old son Henry Sinon.

Particulars:

Label: August William
Original Gravity: 6 lbs., 7 oz.
IBUs: 20 in.
Style: Boy
Release Date: July 21, 2010; 4:20 p.m.

Label: Clara Jean
Original Gravity: 7 lbs., 6 oz.
IBUs: 19 in.
Style: Girl
Release Date: July 21, 2010, 4:21 p.m.

oneil-twins-2
Ithaca brewer Jeff O’Neil with his twins.

Vinnie’s 40th Birthday Party

By

blind-pig-cupcake
This Sunday, Vinnie Cilurzo, founder and brewmaster at Russian River Brewing, turned forty. His wife Natalie pulled out all the stops and made it a two-day celebration, beginning with a barbecue at the production brewery.

Vinnie & Terrence Sullivan, from Sierra Nevada, filling barrels
We arrived a little early, and Vinnie and Terrence Sullivan, assistant brewer at Sierra Nevada Brewing was there with kegs of a beer that Vinnie brewed in Chico, and they were now filling into wine barrels to store in the barrel room for aging. The beer is for a special project for next year, and I can’t say more than that at this point.

My son Porter & Terrence's son Riley in Russian River's barrel room
We brought our kids along and happily so did Terrence and his wife. Their son Riley and Porter got along immediately and were thick as thieves playing in the barrel room and the rest of the brewery.

P1000588
We dropped the kids off at Grandma’s, put them to bed, and rejoined the party, which had moved to the brewpub, where we caught up again with Natalie and Vinnie.

P1000591
Natalie had a bunch of great cupcakes made, including several custom ones with a few logos you may recognize.

P1000571
The band playing was one of Vinnie’s favorites, The Famous, a San Francisco band. They even did a special song for the occasion, Pliny the Elder.

P1000599
Vinnie and me toward the end of the evening. The next day, we had brunch at Willie BIrds, near the brewery. After that, the party resumed back at the brewpub, but sadly without us. It was time to get the kids home.

Below is a slideshow of Vinnie’s 40t birthday party. This Flickr gallery is best viewed in full screen. To view it that way, after clicking on the arrow in the center to start the slideshow, click on the button on the bottom right with the four arrows pointing outward on it, to see the photos in glorious full screen. Once in full screen slideshow mode, click on “Show Info” to identify each photo.

Beer Waterfall

By

humor
In a scene straight out of a deranged adult version of Willy Wonka, the beer waterfall on the belated birthday card below arrived in my mailbox today.

beer-waterfall
The card was primarily the work of my friends Ray and Cornelia, both Beer Drinkers of the Year in separate years. But they took it along with them to Brewvival in Charleston, South Carolina and had a few more friends sign it, which was very cool of them. There were separate notes from Julie and Jason from Brusin’ Ales and also Patrick Rue, from the Bruery. Then there’s another birthday greeting from a name I can’t quite read, though the initials look like G.H. Of course, it’s the thought that counts and I really appreciated getting the card. Thanks guys!

But there was one more note, from the John Hancock of the signatories, big and bold. His (or her) message took up nearly the entire inside left side with the following: “I want to see this in your fucking blog!” So how could I refuse? If only I could figure out the identity of my mystery person. Here’s his signature below. Any guesses?

cheers-unknown

Beer Birthday: J (Yes, Embarrasing Myself This Time)

By

brookston
Today is my 51st birthday, and I’ve been overwhelmed by an embarrassment of riches from well-wishers sending me notes via e-mail, Twitter and Facebook. Thanks to one and all. Since it’s usually me posting embarrassing photos of my friends and colleagues, last year I posted a bunch encompassing my first 50 years on a page entitled Beer Birthday Overkill. From old baby photos to the high fashion of the 70s and beyond, they’re still up and good for a chuckle. So again in a spirit of fair play and transparency, here are a few more cringe-worthy photos from my days of youthful indiscretions.

confirmation-bowtie
Another classic from the early 70s, around 1972 or 73 when I was 13 or 14. It was taken for a church directory when the Lutheran Church I attended was celebrating their 100-year anniversary, or something like that. My Mom actually made the jacket and, no offense to her, but she was not the finest seamstress to peddle a sewing machine. You gotta love the butterfly bow-tie look. I’m sure glad that died a much-deserved fashion death.

wd37
At Woodstock (’94 — I’m not that old!) and yes, that’s a can of Miller Genuine Draft I’m holding. After a few days in the mud, we couldn’t be very picky or stand on ceremony about using the proper glass, sad to say. The sleepy-looking fellow next to me is Jim Noecker, my oldest friend in the world, who I’ve known since we were in kindergarten together.

sarah-10
While I can’t recall the exact details of where or when this photo was taken, it was definitely on one of my first dates with my wife Sarah, which places it around 1993 or so, roughly seventeen years ago. Good god, we look young.

There’s many more where these came from, just check out Beer Birthday Overkill and thanks again for all the birthday wishes.