Today is the 56th birthday of Jennifer Talley, former brewer at Squatter’s Pub & Brewery, an oasis of good beer in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jen left Utah a few years ago to become the Brewing Operations Manager for
Beer Birthday: Jennifer Talley
Beer Birthday: Dylan Schatz
Today is the 53rd birthday of Dylan Schatz, who when I first met him was the brewmaster at Mad River Brewing in Blue Lake, which is where he’s originally from. Dylan started in 1999 in the brewery’s packaging department, on the bottling line, and immediately fell in love with the beer industry. He took classes at UC Davis and became a brewer, and in 2005 was named head brewer. He’s a terrific person, one who often doesn’t get all the credit he deserves, especially since he had been making some amazing beers. He’s now brewing at Powers Creek Brewing, also in Blue Lake. Please join me in wishing Dylan a very happy birthday.
Dylan with some of the crew from Mad River after winning Small Brewery and Brewer of the Year at GABF in 2010.
Behind the bar at Mad River’s tasting room during a visit there several summers ago, when I was in the research phase for my latest book, California Breweries North.
Dylan and Vic at the Double IPA Fest
Historic Beer Birthday: Joe Allen
Today is the birthday of Joe Allen (February 9, 1888-April 24, 1976). Allen’s parents were Irish and came to America, settling in Minnesota, in 1883. At some point, Joe made his way to San Francisco and was working as a brewer at the Anchor Brewery when it reopened after the end of prohibition in 1933 at 1610 Harrison Street. Unfortunately, less than a year later, in February of 1934, the brewery burned to the ground. Owner Joe Kraus then partnered with his brewmaster, Joe Allen, and they re-built the brewery in an old brick building at 398 Kansas Street, by 1st Street.
Here, I’ll let Anchor Brewery’s website take up the story from The Era of Mass Production.
Kraus and Allen valiantly and lovingly kept Anchor afloat until Kraus’s death in 1952. By late 1959, America’s—even San Francisco’s—new-found “taste” for mass-produced, heavily marketed lighter beers had taken its toll on Anchor’s already declining sales. In July of that year, at the age of 71, Joe Allen shut Anchor down for what would, thankfully, be a brief period.
Again, Anchor Brewing picks up the story, Surviving Another Challenge from 1960.
Lawrence Steese bought and re-opened Anchor in 1960 at yet another nearby location, retaining Joe Allen to carry Anchor’s craft brewing tradition forward. But one of Anchor’s oldest accounts, the Crystal Palace Market had already closed its doors. And Steese had an increasingly difficult time convincing loyal Bay Area establishments to continue serving Anchor Steam. By 1965, Steese—like Allen six years before—was ready to shut Anchor down.
The next year, 1961, the brewery moved to 541 8th Street, where it remained until 1977. Of course, in 1965, another owner invested in the brewery, eventually buying out the remaining partners. That, you probably already know, was Fritz Maytag. There’s not much I could find on Allen’s life before and after he worked at, and then owned, the Anchor Brewery, not even the year of his death. If anyone has any more information, please leave a comment below or contact me directly.
Beer Birthday: Brian Ford
Today is the 61st birthday of Brian Ford, owner/brewer at the Auburn Alehouse near Sacramento, California. Brian previously brewed at Beermann’s Beerworks, but left before they closed well over a decade ago. His new place is in an old historic building, a really cool space, where he’s making some more great beer. Join me in wishing Brian a very happy birthday.
Brian and Lisa at their Get’r Started Party in 2015.
Brian pouring his beer at the Raley Field Beerfest in 2007.
And here’s Brian with Glynn Phillips, from Rubicon, at the same event.
Rich Norgrove, from Bear Republic and Brian, bookending Dave Morrow from DBI, at the Celebrator’s 25th Anniversary Party in 2013.
Beer Birthday: Peter Catizone
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.
Beer Birthday: Sean Turner
Today is the birthday of Sean Turner, who is the owner of Mammoth Brewing Co., which also recently acquired Lead Dog Brewing. I first met Sean when he worked for another brewery (Deschutes, maybe?) but he worked for a few different breweries, representing them in and around the Bay Area. But in 2007, he bought Mammoth, and really turned it around, expanding the business and building a new, larger and more modern brewery in the ski resort town. He also took over running Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza, and if you haven’t made the trek there, it’s an amazing event. Join me in wishing Sean a very happy birthday.
Sean with Tom Dalldorf, from the Celebrator, at Matteo’s Public House in Nevada City for an event in 2010.
Getting the thumbs up from Tom McCormick, executive director of the CCBA.
Beer Birthday: Peter Kruger
Today is the 55th birthday of Peter Kruger, who for many years was the head brewer at Bear Republic Brewing. Peter was an early brewer at Full Sail in Hood River, Oregon. He came to California to become the original brewer at Stumptown Brewery when they opened in 2001, but left in 2005 to join Bear Republic. Peter has become an integral part of Bear Republic’s success since joining the team, and is a terrific person to share a pint with. More recently, after the changes at Bear Republic, he’s moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to become the COO at Mother Road Brewing. The only downside to that is we don’t see as often these days. Please join me in wishing Peter a very happy birthday.
Me, Peter, and Agus Blanco at GABF last year.
Rich Norgrove and Peter at the New Albion re-launch at Russian River Brewing a couple of years ago.
Bear Republic brewers Rich Norgrove, Jode Yaksic, Peter and Ray Lindecker during a visit in 2008.
Peter explaining one Bear Republic’s beers at their annual GABF Tasting at the brewpub in 2009.
Peter (2nd from the left) with the Bear Republic gang accepting another award at GABF in 2007.
Beer Birthday: J.J. Phair
Today is the birthday of J.J. Phair, co-founder of E.J. Phair Brewing. J.J. started homebrewing in 1990, and ten years later opened his brewery, which is named for his grandfather Ewart John Phair, who was an amateur winemaker and beer lover, as a way to honor E.J. The brewery’s grown since then, and today there’s a taproom in Pittsburg and a pub in Alamo. Join me in wishing J.J. a very happy birthday.
J.J. and Craig Cauwels at the E.J. Phair brewery taproom in 2012.
J.J. at the Bay Area Beer Festival in 2006.
Bistro Double IPA Winners 2024
Earlier today, the 24th annual 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.
After emerging from the dark into the light, it was nice to see a bright, sunny day in beautiful downtown Hayward.
At 2:00 pm., owner Vic Kralj announced the winners:
Double IPAs
- 1st Place: The Suspense is Terrible, by Sunriver Brewing, from Sunriver, Oregon
- 2nd Place: HopTomic, by Morgan Territory Brewing, from Tracy, California
- 3rd Place: Chux, by Danville Brewing, in Danville, California
People’s Choice Awards
Double IPA: Cone Goblin, by Ghost Town Brewing, from Oakland, California, in collaboration with Alvarado Street Brewing, headquartered in Monterey, California
Bistro IPA Festival Winners 2023
Today was the 25th annual IPA Festival at the Bistro. It was another lovely sunny day in Hayward, making it perfect beer festival weather, although we’d returned to being sequestered in the basement for judging. The full list of winners is below.
IPAs
- 1st Place: Tenma Beer Project Infinite Self: Freestyle Nelson IPA
- 2nd Place: Goal Brewing. Salzburg Red
- 3rd Place: Faction Brewing Hop Salad IPA
And Tenma also won People’s Choice for favorite IPA at the festival.
