Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Birthday: Ron Silberstein

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Today is the 64th birthday of Ron Silberstein, the founder, and original brewer, of Thirsty Bear Brewing in San Francisco (before it closed during Covid), and also co-owner of Admiral Maltings. I’ve known Ron for a number of years but got to know him better working on SF Beer Week the first few years when we working hard to get it going. We also spent a weekend together at Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp, which was an awesome experience for everybody who attended. Join me in wishing Ron a very happy birthday.

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Ron and me at Brews by the Bay a few years back, the San Francisco Brewers Guild’s annual beer festival. (photo by Steve Shapiro)

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Ron and Beer Camp head brewer Scott Jennings.

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Ron and his twin sons. (photo purloined from Facebook)

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

Ron from Admiral Maltings giving a talk about the Distinguishing Characteristics of California Craft Malt at the Beer Summit in 2018.

Beer Birthday: Nicole Erny

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Today is the 41st birthday of Nicole Erny, a certified Master Cicerone and passionate beer lover, who used to work at The Trappist and as a “Beer Ambassador” at the CommonWealth Cafe & Public House, both in beautiful downtown Oakland. She also used to work with Ray Daniels’ Cicerone program, but left that position and is currently doing QA/QC lab work at Faction Brewing. Nicole and I almost worked together on a great-sounding beer project, but alas it fell apart. She is also working on the side as a consultant. She’s a great advocate for better beer and has more energy than any three people I know. Join me in wishing Nicole a very happy birthday.

Rodger Davis, Nicole Erny & Claudia Davis
Rodger Davis, Nicole and Claudia Davis at Triple Rock’s Sourfest during SF Beer Week in 2010.

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Dan Shelton and Nicole during GABF in 2009.

Nicole Erny & Matt Brynildson Toasting the End of GABF Week
Toasting the End of GABF Week with Matt Brynildson at the Falling Rock in 2009.

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A great shot for Nathan Smith and Nicole’s Beer School at The Trappist several years ago. (photo “borrowed” from Jon Weber’s Beer Obsessed, in the hopes he won’t mind.)

Beer Birthday: Vic Kralj

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Today is the 65th birthday of Vic Kralj, who is the co-owner of The Bistro in Hayward, California. Celebrator publisher Tom Dalldorf used to own the Bistro, which was originally a wine bar that Tom re-invented for beer, and then Vic and Cynthia bought it from Tom (with one deadbeat in between) and set it on its present course. Vic added the IPA Festival, then championed Double IPA with a second festival, helping it get style recognition. The Double IPA Festival also became one of the anchors for SF Beer Week. He also does a Wood-Aged Beer Festival and something with fresh hops. Vic’s a great person who I’ve gotten to know pretty well, especially since he’s been on the Celebrator Tasting Panel since the early 2000s. Join me in wishing Vic a very happy birthday.

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Vic and me around 2006.

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Vic and Dave Keene from the Toronado.

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Judy Ashworh, Dave Millar, Mitch Steele and Vic at the Bistro IPA Festival in 2007.

Rich Norgrove, from Bear Republic, and Vic Krajl, co-owner of the Bistro
Rich Norgrove, from Bear Republic, and Vic.

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Matt Sallie and Vic.

Beer Birthday: Colby Chandler

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Today is the 57th birthday of Colby Chandler, who until the pandemic was the brewer at Ballast Point Brewing for over twenty years. When he moved from Hawaii to San Diego in the early 1990s, he began homebrewing and eventually took a job with the Home Brew Mart and then eventually with its sister business, Ballast Point Brewing when he went full time, running the Linda Vista location for 16 years and helping to open the first Ballast Point restaurant in Little Italy. Chandler was also President of the San Diego Brewers Guild for six years, and before leaving Ballast Point was their Vice President/VIP Brewer/Ambassador and Historian. I don’t recall when I first met Colby, but I believe it may have been at the first CBC in San Diego around 2004 or some other beer event. But he was always a great spokesperson for craft beer, and especially for San Diego. Join me in wishing Colby a very happy birthday.

Arne Johnson playing disc golf with Colby.
Doing a collaboration brew with AleSmith in 2017.
Colby with Jenna Silva and Yuseff Cherney at CBC in 2015.
With Amy Margolis and Pete Slosberg.
Selfie at Anchor Brewing.

NOTE: All photos purloined from Facebook.

Beer Birthday: Greg Koch

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Today is around the 60ish or so birthday of Greg Koch, though it’s not actually his birthday today. I mean, it’s possible it is but the odds are against it. I tried to get it out of him, but I still don’t know the actual date, and I’m only guessing at the year. So because I love celebrating everybody’s birthdays, this will be Greg’s until I get a better date. Greg started at Ohio State, but moved westward to pursue a career in music, and ended up starting a business renting rehearsal space for musicians, which is where he met his partner in the beer business, Steve Wagner. Greg, of course, is the co-founder of Stone Brewing Co. of San Diego, though specifically Escondido for the production brewery, at least. I first met Greg when the original brewery was in San Marcos and we’ve always gotten along quite well and become good friends over the years. Join me in wishing Greg a maybe very happy birthday, though the maybe part is simply because this is either his birthday or unbirthday. Either way, cheers!

At the Napa grand opening in May of 2018.
Me, with the Alstroms, Joe Tucker and Greg in San Diego in 2012.
Kite & Key co-owner Jim Kirk and me with Sam Calagione, Bill Covaleski & Greg Koch during Philly Beer Week in 2010.
With Greg Payne at GABF in 2009.
With Carol and Ed Stoudt at the Wynkoop in 2009.
A favorite. While I was on stage giving a presentation at the California Beer Summit in 2018, flanked by Richard Norgrove Sr. and Jr., all three giving me a finger, but since Greg was in the middle, that’s the finger I got from him.

Beer Birthday: Fritz Maytag

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Fritz Maytag, who bought the failing Anchor Brewery in 1965 and turned it into a model for the microbrewery revolution, celebrates his 86th birthday today. It’s no stretch to call Fritz the father of craft beer, he introduced so many innovations that are common today and influenced countless brewers working today. A few years ago, Maytag sold Anchor Brewery and Distillery to Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio of the Griffin Group, and in 2017 acquired by Sapporo Breweries, but continued to make his York Creek wine and for a time consulted with Anchor as Chairman Emeritus. I was happy to see him again a few years ago, first at the California Beer Summit, and later when I was invited to introduce him to receive an award from the Northern California Brewers Guild in Sacramento, and more recently he unexpectedly showed up at the Anchor taproom the day before it closed earlier this year. Join me in wishing Fritz a very happy birthday.

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Fritz Maytag at the Anchor Christmas party in 2006 with fellow Anchor-ites John Dannerbeck and Mark Carpenter.

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Fritz with the organizers of SF Beer Week at our inaugural opening event at Anchor in 2009.

Speakers at the Symposium: Bruce Paton, Christine Hastorf, Fritz Maytag and Charlie Bamforth
Fritz with fellow speakers at the Herbst Museum Symposium a couple of years ago, from left: Bruce Paton, Christine Hastorf, Fritz Maytag and Charlie Bamforth.

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Ken Grossman, me and Fritz at a beer dinner at Anchor celebrating Sierra Nevada’s 30th anniversary.

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Me and Fritz at the Anchor Christmas Party several years ago.

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Me and Fritz at the first California Beer Summit a few years ago.

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Jack McAuliffe and Fritz in Sacramento a couple of years ago to accept an award from the Northern California Brewers Guild.

Beer Birthday: Peter Licht

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Today is the 58th birthday of Peter Licht, former brewmaster at Hermitage Brewing. Peter grew up in Rochester, New York but came to California to attend the master brewers program at U.C. Davis in 1994, and ended up staying in the Bay Area. When I first met him, he was brewing at Coast Range Brewing in the South Bay. When that brewery folded, he joined the San Jose Tied House, and moved with the equipment to when they closed to the brewpub to create the Hermitage Brewery at a new location and was there untuk they closed the brewery during Covid. Peter made some great contract beer for me at Coast Range (when I was at BevMo) and I was happy to see him land at Hermitage, where he had continued to brew a wide range of great beers. More recently, he’s working with the Independent Brewers Alliance, which a co-op for breweries to share buying power on supplies, resources and materials. Join me in wishing Peter a very happy birthday.

Me and Peter in Nashville last year.

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Hermitage assistant brewer, Steve Donohue (now at Santa Clara Valley Brewing), Peter and me during a visit to the Hermitage Brewery in San Jose a few years ago.

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Peter in front of Hermitage’s foeder.

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An arty shot on Hermitage’s old brewhouse, which used to be at the San Jose Tied House. My favorite wedding photo is Sarah and me on this same brewhouse during our reception there over twenty-five years ago.

Beer Birthday: Dave Gull

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Today is the 50th birthday — the Big 5-O — of Dave Gull, founder of New Helvetia Brewing in Sacramento, California. Dave was born and raised in Sacramento, and founded New Helvetia Brewing in 2011, which is also when we first met. Dave is a University of Oregon alum and worked in real estate before turning his attention to brewing, first as a homebrewer then as a brewery owner. Dave’s also been active in both his local brewer’s guild as well as the CCBA, the state guild. Join me in wishing Dave a very happy birthday.

Charlie Bamforth and Dave at New Helvetia Brewing in 2013.
Dave with another person born December 6th, Natalie Cilurzo (center).
At GABF in 2018, picking up a silver medal for their coffee beer.
Dave with Jamie Floyd at GABF.

NOTE: Photos 1 & 4 purloined from Facebook.

Beer Birthday: Natalie Cilurzo

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Today is the 56th birthday of Natalie Cilurzo, co-founder of Russian River Brewing, and the woman who makes everything run smoothly at both the brewpub and the new production brewery. You’d be hard-pressed to find a nicer person in the beer world, and though she spent many years working with wine, the brewing industry is all the richer now that she’s left that all behind her. Join me in wishing Natalie a very happy birthday.

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Natalie after giving a toast for Zwanze Day.

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Natalie and Vinnie at the new production brewery.

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Natalie with Vinnie at his 40th birthday party a few years ago.

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Jen Garris, from Pi Bar, Dave Keene’s wife Jen Smith, and Natalie at the Toronado 25th Anniversary Blending Dinner.

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Four out of Five, the Cilurzos and a Stan. From Left: Natalie, Stan Hieronymus, Vinnie’s mother and father, and Vinnie Cilurzo at the World Beer Cup gala dinner in 2008.

Best man Vinnie Cilurzo, Dave Keene, Jennifer Smith and maid of honor Natalie Cilurzo
Best man Vinnie Cilurzo, Dave Keene, Jennifer Smith and maid of honor Natalie at Dan & Jen’s wedding during GABF 2010.

Me, Natalie Cilurzo and Sean Paxton (and his daughter Olivia)
Me, Natalie and Sean Paxton (and his daughter Olivia) at the Pliny the Younger release in 2011. (photo by Mario Rubio.)

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Natalie several years ago for the 8th annual All Hopped Up for the Cure.

Beer Birthday: Bob Brewer

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Today is the 76th birthday of Bob Brewer, longtime brewery rep. for Anchor Brewing. For many years, he worked from southern California, circling the country with the entire nation his territory (the only exception being the Bay Area) representing Anchor beers. More recently, he moved back to the Bay Area, but you could find him at every nook and cranny of the beer world. Several years ago, Bob retired from Anchor, although he still occasionally works a festival or does other work, like giving a great talk at my class at SSU and more recently he was working the taps for Anchor at the Lagunitas Circus. Join me in wishing Bob a very happy birthday.

Bob serving a festival-goer at the Mammoth Lakes Bluesapalooza in 2007.

Bob giving a tour at Anchor.


Me, brewer Mike Lee and Bob at the 2011 Anchor Christmas party.

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Bob serves up the then-new Anchor Bock to Portland beer sage Fred Eckhardt.