Today is John Mallett’s 60th birthday — The Big 6-O — John was, until recently, the production manager at Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a post he’d held since 2001, and also for New Belgium Brewery more recently. John has a great sense of humor and I recall a particularly side-splitting kvetching evening-long conversation with him and Fal Allen at CBC in San Diego a number of years ago and a couple of years we judged together in Japan, which was great fun. In addition, John also published the Brewers’ Publications book on Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse. But even more recently, John’s retired and looking for the next great adventure. Join me in wishing John a very happy birthday.

Mugging for the camera at GABF in 2007, with Bob Pease, Ray Daniels and Mark Dorber.

At Bruce Paton’s “Tion” Beer Dinner. That’s John in orange trying to smooch with Peter Bouckaert from New Belgium.

John, me and other judges in Tokyo to judge at the Japanese Craft Beer competition in 2013.

John with Fred Bueltmann of New Holland Brewing, at Red Horse Ranch in Michigan (photo purloined from Facebook).

If you’d like to see John wearing lederhosen, click here.