Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Birthday: Brian Hunt

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Today is iconoclastic brewer Brian Hunt’s 68th birthday. Brian owns and operates Moonlight Brewing in Sonoma County, California, which was almost a one-man show for most of its existence. If you’ve never had his “Death and Taxes,” “Twist of Fate Bitter,” “Bombay by Boat,” or his fresh hop ale, alternately called “Homegrown” or “Greenbud Ale,” then you’re really missing out on some of the most unique and wonderful beers around. Plus, Brian is one of the nicest curmudgeons you’ll ever meet, and one of my favorite people anywhere. Join me in wishing Brian a very happy birthday.

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Hildegard van Ostaden, Urthel’s brewster, one of only a very few female brewers working in Belgium, and Brian.

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Brian in his hopyard, with Russian River’s old assistant brewer Travis (who opened his own place, Societe Brewing), and Vinnie Cilurzo.

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Shaun O’Sullivan and Vinnie Cilurzo with Brian at the Bistro in Hayward, California.

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Brian at the Opening Gala for SF Beer Week a number of years back.

Historic Beer Birthday: Bill Brand

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Today would have been Bill Brand’s 87th birthday, if not for the tragic events of February 8, 2009. Bill, of course, was hit by a Muni Train that evening and passed away twelve days later, on February 20. He was a bastion of support for the local beer community for decades, and one of its most visible media faces. He did a staggering amount of good to help brewers throughout the Bay Area, and wrote about the beer he loved so much with an unmatched passion and zeal. His Bottoms Up blog was read by millions, the newest form of his What’s On Tap newsletter that stretched back into the early 1990s. It was my great honor to take over his column and try to continue his legacy of support for craft brewers in the Bay Area and beyond. Drink a toast to the memory and legacy of William “Bill” Brand today. Happy birthday Bill, you are most certainly missed.

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Dueling laptops; Bill and me at Magnolia on February 6 for the tapping of Napa Smith Original Albion Ale by Don Barkley. Photo by Shaun O’Sullivan.

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At the Falling Rock during GABF week in 2004. Clockwise from left, Bill, Lisa Morrison, me, Tom Dalldorf, Stephen Beaumont and my cousin Mike, who lived in Denver at the time.

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Bill toasting with a pitcher of Oakland’s new Linden Street Brewery, with Fraggle at the far right, whose birthday would also have been today. Photo by RRifkin.

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Bill taking notes at the Monk’s Blood Dinner at 21st Amendment, February 8, 2009. Photo by Jesse Friedman of Beer & Nosh.

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Drink a toast to Bill today, it’s how he would have wanted to be remembered.

Historic Beer Bornday: Fraggle

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Today would have been the 59th birthday of Mark Martone, better known to the beer world as “Fraggle.” Fraggle always called them borndays, so I’ll continue that tradition for him. Unfortunately, he suffered a stroke almost nine years ago in late June and passed away a few days later, on July 5, 2014. Fraggle, along with Rebecca Boyles, founded the terrific Beer Revolution in Oakland, near Jack London Square on 3rd Street. I first met Fraggle when I featured him and Rebecca in an article I did for Beer Advocate magazine on beer geeks several years ago. It’s been great to see them turn their passion into their livelihood, and go from civilian to pro over the last few years. Join me in wishing Fraggle a very happy bornday, and raise a toast to his memory today or tonight or all day long. He would have wanted it that way.

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Fraggle and Jen Muehlbauer at the Celebrator 25th anniversary party in 2013.

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Jesse Friedman, Fraggle and Ron Silberstein at the Anchor Holiday Party in 2012.

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With Steve Donohue and me at the SF Beer Week opening gala in 2014.

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Pouring beer for Linden Street at the Winter Brews Festival in 2010.

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Rebecca and Fraggle at Santa Rosa’s Beerfest in 2007.

Beer Birthday: Jason Chavez

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Today is the 57th birthday of Jason Chavez, who was the brewmaster at Seabright Brewery in Santa Cruz for a number of years. Chavez started homebrewing while still in high school on his family’s kitchen stove. He’s a graduate of the American Brewers Guild, and had been brewing at Seabright since 1999. I believe I first met Jason many years ago at the Rock Bottom in Denver during a GABF week, but I still run into him occasionally at events. Seabright celebrated their 25th anniversary several years ago, when I spent the day at the brewery to do a story on their silver anniversary. But three years ago, he made a big change, moving closer to home to take over the Kelsey Creek Brewing Co. in Kelseyville. Join me in wishing Jason a very happy birthday.

Me and Jason at his Kelseyville Brewery in early 2020.

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Jason with Dave Heist, from HopTown Brewing, and Gene and Cindy Acevedo, from El Toro Brewing, during the Brewer’s Reception at GABF in 2002.

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Jason at the helm of the brewery when I visited him in early 2013 to wrote about Seabright’s 25th anniversary.

Here’s a great shot by Dan Coyro, from an article in the Santa Cruz Sentinnel
Jason, in the center, surrounded by Seabright folks at the 10th annual Stumptown Russian River Revival and BBQ Cook-Off.
Jason, again in the center, at GABF (Note: last two photos purloined from Seabright’s website).

Beer Birthday: Grant Johnston

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Today is the 71st birthday of Grant Johnston. Grant was the original brewer at Marin Brewing when it opened in 1989, and spent a number of years at Black Diamond Brewing in Concord, California. Grant was very influential in the early days of Bay Area brewing, and he’s an incredibly talented brewer. A few years ago he moved to the midwest, and for a time he could be found working a few days a week at the Argus Brewery in Chicago. But more recently, he’s retired and happily making bread at home. A couple of years back, I was in Belgium at the Cantillon Brewery when in walked Grant, quite by chance, so you never know when you’re going to run into him. Join me in wishing Grant a very happy birthday.

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Grant and me at GABF in 2006.

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Grant (on the right) judging the 2006 Double IPA Festival in the cellar of The Bistro, with Tom Dalldorf, Vicky, our hard-working beer steward in the middle, and the Toronado’s Dave Keene in profile on the left.

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Brendan Moylan and Grant shortly before Marin Brewing opened in 1989.

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Grant and Arne Johnston brewing his Wild Rice Ale for Marin’s 25th Anniversary.

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Grant, bottom left, among the GABF judges for the 10th anniversary of the festival in 1992.

Beer Birthday: Brendan Moylan

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Today is Brendan Moylan’s 64th birthday. Brendan owns his eponymous Moylan’s Brewing and until very recently, Marin Brewing, which he closed a few years ago. He was a very active part of both the local and beer community, and each year used to put on the Breastfest to benefit breast cancer awareness. Join me in wishing Brendan a very happy birthday.

Brendan and in me in front of Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia during Philly Beer Week in 2010.
Brendan at the Falling Rock during GABF 2007.
Brendan and his wife at the Breastfest that Marin Brewing sponsors in 2010.
GABF 2010.

Beer Birthday: Bruce Joseph

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Bruce Joseph, who’s been at Anchor Brewery for many, many years turns 69 today. There’s a big picture of him when he was very young in the stairwell at the brewery that I see every time I was there. He’s been doing the distilling for Anchor’s whiskey and gin for a long while now and played bass with the Hysters (Anchor’s big band) and used to be with the Rolling Boil Blues Band (the Celebrator beer band that was all industry musicians). When distilling and brewing operations split during the last change of ownership, Bruce remained with the distilling side, renamed Hotaling & Co. Distilling. As of today, he’s retiring and will become “Master Distiller Emeritus and distillery consultant.” If there’s a nicer person in the beer industry, I’ve yet to meet him. Join me in wishing Bruce a very happy birthday.

A self-portrait of Bruce and me at the Anchor Christmas Party in 2006.

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On stage at the Northern California Rhythm & Blues Festival several years ago.

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With Melissa Myers at the Falling Rock during GABF 2007.

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With Garrett Oliver at an industry event during GABF years ago.

The photo that used to be in Anchor’s stairwell.

Bistro Double IPA Winners 2025

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Earlier today, the 25th annual, silver anniversary, Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California. I got there early for judging again this year, and spent the morning holed up in the basement, where we judged Double IPAs for most of the morning, before choosing our top three favorites.

Judging in the basement of the Bistro.

After it being pretty wet and rainy rhis past week, we were treated to a sunny day in beautiful downtown Hayward, if a little chilly, for the festival.

The Bistro Double IPA Festival.

At 2:00 pm., owner Vic Kralj announced the winners:

Double IPAs

Me, Vic and Judy, Grand Dame Publican.

People’s Choice Awards

Double IPA: Looking for Gophers, by Faction Brewing, from Alameda, California, although in a close race this year, second place by a nose was Triple Cuff, by Wondrous Brewing, in Emeryville, California.

The judging table in the basement from the other end.

Beer Birthday: Peter Catizone

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Today is the 66th birthday of Peter Catizone, longtime brewmaster at Faultline Brewing, in Sunnyvale, California. He’s been brewing nearly thirty years in Silicon Valley. He started at Boulder Creek Brewing, where he brewed for ten years, before started at Faultline in 2003, over two decades ago. He’s been making great beer — nothing fancy — in traditional styles all that time, perfecting his craft, an unsung hero. More recently, he’s moved to brewing at Steel Bonnet Brewing in Scotts Valley. Join me in wishing Peter a very happy birthday.

Me and Peter during a visit. to the brewery in 2022.
Peter in the Faultline brewery.

Beer Birthday: Michael ‘Motor’ Kiesling 

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Today is the 59th birthday of Michael Kiesling, better known to most of us as “Motor.” While not technically in the beer industry, he’s adjacent enough in the Bay Area beer world that I felt he should have a birthday post. While by day Motor is an architect at this own firm, Architecture 21, and is almost as much of a train geek as my son, by night and/or in his free time he can be found at numerous watering holes and beer events throughout the Bay Area. I took a memorable trip to England for the Old Ale Festival at the White Horse in 2007 with Motor and a few others, and I love running into him whenever it happens. Join me in wishing Motor a very happy birthday.

Motor at the Best of the West Beer Festival in 2009 with Sarah Knopp and Jen Garris.
Motor, with Adrienne, Gabby, and Steve, at the Toronado Barley Wine Festival in 2007.
Shaun O’Sullivan, from 21st Amendment, with Gabby, Justine, and Motor playing golf at the 3rd annual Sasquatch Brew Am in 2007.
Motor and Shaun O’Sullivan with a couple of Burgundian Babble Belt members at the festival at the Old Ale Festival in London in 2007.
Rodger Davis, Dave Keene, Melissa Myers, James Costa, and Motor at the Drake’s Summit Hop Festival in 2006.
The poster from Strong Beer Month in 2014. See if you can find Motor?