California Archives - Brookston Beer Bulletin

Beer Birthday: Brian Hunt

May 2, 2021 By Jay Brooks 14 Comments

Today is iconoclastic brewer Brian Hunt’s 64th birthday. Brian owns and operates Moonlight Brewing in Sonoma County, California, as almost a one-man show. 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.

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

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

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

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

Beer Birthday: Bruce Paton

May 2, 2021 By Jay Brooks 9 Comments

Today is the Beer Chef, Bruce Paton’s 66th birthday. Bruce has been doing fantastic dinners pairing great beer and gourmet food for almost twenty years in the Bay Area starting at Barclay’s Restaurant and Pub in Oakland and continuing at the Clift and Cathedral Hill Hotels in San Francisco. He’s has been doing events and consulting at various food and beverage operations since the hotel closed in 2009, so look for more of his beer dinners in the coming months. I’ve been to many, many of Bruce’s food events and they’re all spectacularly top notch. He did around eight each year. More recently, he’s cooking at Fermentation Labs in San Francisco. Raise a toast and stuff your face in wishing Bruce a very happy birthday.

My hands down favorite photo of Bruce, which I took for the Chef’s Association of the Pacific Coast newsletter. I don’t think this is the one they used, but, by far, as I think it captures Bruce’s spirit and his great love and passion for what he does with his cooking and beer.

Giving a cooking demonstration with Garret Oliver, brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery and author of The Brewmaster’s Table at the 2005 GABF.

Bruce with Russian River co-owner Natalle Cilurzo.

Me and Bruce New Year’s Day a few years ago at Barclay’s.

Historic Beer Birthday: Lawrence Steese

April 30, 2021 By Jay Brooks 6 Comments

Today is the birthday of Lawrence Steese (April 20, 1912-April 19, 1991). Steese is part of the more recent lore of Anchor Brewing. Originally from Mill Valley, in Marin County, he bought Anchor in 1960 when Joe Allen was retiring, though Allen stayed around to teach him how to make Steam Beer. Fifty-one percent of the brewery was then bought by Fritz Maytag, who eventually bought out Steese and assumed full control.

Steese was from Mill Valley, and in the July 14, 1962 edition of the Daily Independent Journal, an article used the headline How a Marinite Rescued Steam Beer, which included the following in its coverage.

SOME THREE years ago the requiem for steam beer was being played, and the sad demise of a California tradition was being mourned. At that time Joe Allen, owner of Anchor Brewery, announced his retirement. There was no one skilled in the exacting art of steam beer brewing to take his place, and no one, it seemed, who cared to take the time and trouble to learn from the old master. No one, that is, until Lawrence Steese decided he’d like to try. Joe Allen was more than willing to teach. And since his official “retirement” these three years past, Allen has spent his days at the brewery as professor of steam beer brewing. The making of steam beer is not like the brewing of other beers. Steam beer is naturally carbonated; neither additives nor preservatives become it. “The Sincere Beer,” it is called by some. IT IS TRULY a “health food,” its devotees assert, containing more malt and hops than other beers, and without corn or rice to lighten it.

And this is Steese’s story, distilled to its essence on Anchor Brewery’s website today.

Beer Birthday: Tom Riley

April 29, 2021 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the 58th birthday of Tom Riley, who is the brewmaster at Anchor Brewing. Tom grew up in the Potrero Hill area of San Francisco, not to far from the brewery he began working at in 1983. He started on the packaging line, then moved on to being a tour guide and later became an assistant brewer. Last year he was named brewmaster, only the third one at Anchor since the 1970s (not including Fritz Maytag). I’ve run into Tom over the years at events at Anchor events, but got to know him much better earlier this year working on a couple of pieces for Flagship February for which we spent considerable time talking on the phone, and he’s a terrific person. Join me in wishing Tom a very happy birthday.

A recent publicity shot of Tom in the Anchor brewery,

Tom at the brewery quite a few years ago.

Beer Birthday: Pat McIllhenney

April 29, 2021 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the 67th birthday of Pat McIllhenney, brewmaster and founder of Alpine Beer Co. near San Diego. Pat makes some amazing hoppy beers. Unfortunately, his beers are hard to find up our way, but that hopefully will be improving since Alpine was acquired by Green Flash Brewing a few years ago. Join me in wishing Pat a very happy birthday.

Pat manning his booth at the Firestone Walker Invitational.

Pat at GABF in 2008.

Pat at the Boonville Beer Festival, also in 2008.

Pat with Tomme Arthur at the inaugural Firestone Walker Invitational several years ago.

Beer Birthday: Michael Demers

April 28, 2021 By Jay Brooks 3 Comments

Today is the 55th birthday of Michael Demers, brewmaster of Discretion Brewing in Soquel, which is near Santa Cruz. Michael’s been brewing most of his adult life, and originally started at some Colorado brewpubs before working at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Fort Collins. More recently, he moved closer to home to brew at Boulder Creek Brewing, and in 2012 made it back to his home town of Soquel to help open Discretion. He’s making some great beers at Discretion, and winning awards for his efforts. Join me in wishing Michael a very happy birthday.

Michael goofing around in the brewery.

All dressed up with someplace to go, Michel and his wife Eileen on their way to sing at a concert performance at Mission Carmel last December.

Showing off his medal a few years ago at GABF in Denver.

Historic Beer Birthday: Ernst F. Baruth

April 28, 2021 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the birthday of Ernst F. Baruth (April 28, 1842-February 1906). While what would become Anchor Brewing began during the California Gold Rush when Gottlieb Brekle arrived from Germany and began brewing in San Francisco at what he called the Golden City Brewery, it didn’t become known as Anchor Brewing until 1896, when “Ernst F. Baruth and his son-in-law, Otto Schinkel, Jr., bought the old brewery on Pacific Avenue and named it Anchor. The brewery burned down in the fires that followed the 1906 earthquake, but was rebuilt at a different location in 1907.” Baruth had passed away the same year as the earthquake, shortly before it.

I did discover that he was a president of the Norddeutscher Verein (or North German Association) in 1886 as noted in this portrait from a book celebrating the organization’s 25th anniversary, or Silver Anniversary 1874-1899.

According to Anchor Brewery’s website:

[In 1896] German brewer Ernst Frederick Baruth and his son-in-law, Otto Schinkel, Jr., bought the old brewery on Pacific (the first of six Anchor locations around the City over the years) and named it Anchor. No one knows why Baruth and Schinkel chose the name Anchor, except, perhaps, for its indirect but powerful allusion to the booming Port of San Francisco.

Surprisingly, there isn’t much biographical information about Baruth. He was born somewhere in Germany, and arrived in New York City on August 13, 1875, on a ship named the “SS Neckar” that departed from Bremen, Germany and then sailed to Southampton, England, before heading west to America.

The Anchor Brewery in the early 1900s.

Beer Birthday: Jeremy Cowan

April 24, 2021 By Jay Brooks 6 Comments

Today is Jeremy Cowan’s 52nd birthday. Jeremy owns Shmaltz Brewing, makers of He’Brew. Jeremy is a good friend and we’ve known one another since he first pitched He’Brew to me at BevMo many years ago (which is detailed in Jeremy’s memoir Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah). Jeremy used to split his time between San Francisco and New York, and so I would often see him at beer events somewhat frequently, but less so after he built a brick and mortar brewery in upstate New York. Although that’s now been sold, he’s also a co-owner of Alphabet City Brewing in New York, which keeps him busy. Join me in wishing Jeremy a very happy birthday.

citybeer-xmas07-1 — Jeremy, with City Beer Store owner Craig Wathen at their original location.

he-tor-1 — A few years ago at the Toronado for a He’Brew release party. From left: Alec Moss, recently retired from Half Moon Bay Brewing, Pete Slosberg, Jeremy, and Rodger Davis, when he was still with Drake’s Brewing.

gabf06-wed-08 — Jeremy with Rich Norgrove, with Bear Republic, at GABF in 2006.

bistro-dipa09-08 — Me and Jeremy at the Bistro Double IPA Fest in 2009.

Old-Skool-Jeremy — Jeremy shortly after he launched the Shmaltz beers, before all the grey hairs set in. (Thanks to the anonymous source that sent me this photo.)

Beer Birthday: Christian Kazakoff

April 23, 2021 By Jay Brooks 2 Comments

Today is Christian Kazakoff’s 50th birthday — The Big 5-O. Until recently, Christian was the head brewer at Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax, California, and before that brewed at Triple Rock. He’s more recently helped open the Canyon Club Brewery in Moraga. I first got to know Christian when we shared a room for a week in London several years ago to attend the Old Ale Festival at the White Horse on Parson’s Green. Besides being a terrific person, he is also a stellar brewer. Join me in wishing Christian a very happy birthday.

During the photo shoot at Canyon Club for my recent newspaper article.

tr-firkin07-2 — Christian after a sleepless night setting up before the Bay Area Firkin Fest at Triple Rock several years ago.

london07-44 — Christian at Fuller’s in London, along with Shaun O’Sullivan from 21st Amendment Brewery and our tour guide Derek Prentice, during a trip to London a few years back.

Mild-mannered Christian Kazakoff becoming Super Brewer — Flying the flag in 2010 at the Celebrator Party at the end of the 2nd SF Beer Week.

P1030373 — In March, at the Fairfax Beerfest a few years ago.

Beer Birthday: Drew Beechum

April 20, 2021 By Jay Brooks 3 Comments

Today is the 47th birthday of Drew Beechum, who’s a past president of the Maltose Falcons homebrewing club and its current webmeister. He’s also the author of The Everything Homebrewing Book: All you need to brew the best beer at home! and writes a regular column for Beer Advocate magazine. Join me in wishing Drew a very happy birthday.

Drew’s Facebook Profile picture.

Drew at 21st Amendment.

Drew in a Jayne hat — from Firefly — with his wife, Aymee. (NOTE: All photos purloined from Facebook.)