Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Historic Beer Birthday: George M. Biner

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Today is the birthday of George Michael Biner (February 22, 1897-June 19, 1971). He was the brother of William H. Biner, who was also a brewer. He was born in the Montana territory to Swiss immigrant parents. His father, Theophil Biner, knew Leopold Schmidt and even worked at his Olympia Brewery. Biner sent both of his sons, including George, to brewing school in Milwaukee.

This short biography is from his Find-a-Grave page:

George Michael Biner (1897-1971) was the son of Theophil Biner and Juliana Truffer. George contracted polio as a soldier during World War I. However, he went on to be a successful artist, brew master and inventor. He supervised the laying of the tile for the dome of the Los Angeles County Library, invented a labeling machine for breweries and was the co-founder of Biner Ellison which pioneered the production of liquid filling machines, and still makes brewery equipment today.

The RL-HG 540 Labeler.

Beer Birthday: Sayre Piotrkowski

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Today is the 45th birthday of Sayre Piotrkowski (February 21, 1981- ). Sayre’s from Oakland and has been part of the Bay Area beer scene since at least 2012, and has been an Advanced Cicerone since 2024. He’s been involved in several beer bars and restaurants, and also HenHouse Brewing. He also put on the Freshtival, a beer festival of fresh beer. He also was doing beer consulting on Beer & Soul. More recently, he’s taken over as the Executive Director at the Bay Area Brewers Guild and is putting on this year’s San Francisco Beer Week, which began yesterday. I’ve known Sayre since his days at the Hog’s Apothecary in Oakland, and he’s a great advocate for better beer. I expect him to do great things with the guild and beer week. Join me in wishing Sayre a very happy birthday.

Sayre and me at the Bistro during this year’s Double IPA Festival.
At Drake’s in early January of 2023 for an SF Beer Week collaboration.
Also at the collaboration at Drake’s.
A Guild promotional photo of Sayre.

Drake’s Brewing To Form West Coast Craft Joint Venture With Figueroa Mountain

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Drake’s Brewing of San Leandro, California, announced that they are partnering with Central Coast California brewery, Figueroa Mountain Brewing, which is headquartered in Buellton, to form a joint venture called “West Coast Craft” (WCC). Drake’s Brewing CEO John Martin and Figueroa Mountain Brewing CEO Jaime Dietenhofer are referring to the new entity as a strategic partnership and as a new beer and beverage collaboration. The “joint venture is designed to support long-term brand sustainability, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen independent craft beer across the state.” According to the Brewers Association definition and Circana data (which collects data on beer sales), the combined brands will establish WCC as one of the top three independent craft beer producers in California.

I spoke to Drake’s co-owner John Martin last night, and he emphasized this was a way to help both breweries do better in an increasingly challenging and difficult market. The two companies will remain independent but will share resources, brewing facilities, and their expertise and experience. Expect to see more Figueroa Mountain beer in the Bay Area and likewise be able to find more Drake’s and Bear Republic beer in Central and Southern California.

Here’s more from the press release:

“Establishing a strong and compelling brand partnership was important to both Jaime and me, so discerning the right fit to ensure quality, consistency, and the continued focus of serving our longstanding communities was critical in our decision to work together” said John Martin, Co-Owner and CEO of Drake’s Brewing Company. “Combining Drake’s strong distribution partners in Northern California with Figueroa Mountain’s reach in Southern California and the Central Coast made sense, with the added opportunity to grow each other’s brands outside of their original strongholds.”

Jaime Dietenhofer, CEO of Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, added, “beyond bringing together top-notch California regional brands, we were delighted to find immediate alignment on company culture, dedication to quality, and a shared approach to measured, deliberate brand growth. This partnership positions both companies for long-term success while staying true to what made us successful in the first place.”

Under the WCC partnership, all brands will remain independent when it comes to marketing, branding, and innovation. There is no change in ownership of Drake’s Brewing or Figueroa Mountain Brewing, and all beers will continue to be brewed to the same recipes, quality standards, and specifications consumers expect.

Leveraging efficiency and capacity, production will be shifted between breweries for best fit. Figueroa Mountain’s Buellton facility will handle most core brand production, while Drake’s San Leandro brewery will focus on innovation, including limited releases and alternative beverages, along with NorCal draft production and some contract brewing. All Drake’s & Figueroa Mountain retail locations and community-focused activities will remain unchanged and continue to be owned and managed by their respective breweries.

“Our brewing teams have worked closely together to ensure seamless continuity,” said Roy Kirkorian, Co-Owner of Drake’s Brewing Company. “This is an operational shift, not a brand shift. The beer in your glass remains the beer you love.”

The lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the trend of many people drinking less overall, have pushed a number of craft breweries to close recently. New data recently released indicates that for the second straight year, more breweries closed than opened across the U.S.

It’s great to see breweries getting creative and finding ways to keep making great beer.

About the two companies.

Drake’s Brewing originally was founded as Lind Brewing in 1989 by Roger Lind. He sold the brewery to a local coffee company in 1998 and they changed the name to Drake’s, which had been a name used for many of the beers. In 2008, John Martin and Roy Kirkorian bought the brewery. Martin, along with his brother Reid Martin, also started Triple Rock Brewery in Berkeley, one of the earliest brewpubs in the country when it opened in 1986. After taking the reins, Martin and Kirkorian opened Drake’s Barrel House in 2011, its brewery tasting room and a few years later, in 2016, opened Drake’s Dealership, a beer garden and restaurant in downtown Oakland at the site of a former Dodge automobile dealership. In 2018, they opened another satellite location in West Sacramento known as The Barn. In 2023, they also acquired Bear Republic Brewing.

Figueroa Mountain Brewing was founded in 2010 by father and son Jim and Jaime Dietenhofer in Buellton, California. Known for its award-winning beers, Figueroa Mountain brews true-to-style ales and lagers, with a portfolio that includes flagship beers Hoppy Poppy IPA, Lizard’s Mouth Imperial IPA, Point Conception IPA, and the Danish Red Lager. The brewery has won 35 GABF medals since they opened and holds the record with 15 consecutive years of winning a GABF medal. Figueroa Mountain currently has four locations, in Buellton, Santa Barbara, Los Olivos, and Westlake Village. Buellton is the home of their main manufacturing. Jim Dietenhofer passed away in 2019, and his son Jaime Dietenhofer continues to run the family-owned company as CEO.

Beer Birthday: Grant Johnston

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Today is the 72nd 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.

Grant and me at GABF in 2006.
First Beer In FV @ Marin Brewing 3:20:89
Brendan Moylan and Grant shortly before Marin Brewing opened in 1989.
Wild Rice Ale @ Marin's 25th
Grant and Arne Johnston brewing his Wild Rice Ale for Marin’s 25th Anniversary.
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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.
GABF Judges 1992
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 65th 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: Daniel Satterthwaite

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Today is the 50th birthday — The Big 5-O — of Daniel Satterthwaite, who’s been brewing in the Bay Area since the 1990s. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, he learned brewing at the Siebel Institute in Chicago and worked for a time in the Black Forest of Germany at a small, family-owned brewery that’s over one hundred years old. Returning home, he worked for years at Gordon Biersch and Trumer Brauerei, and he also helped co-found the Seven Bridges Cooperative home brew supply store in Santa Cruz, was Executive Director of the South Bay Brewer’s Guild. More recently, he co-founded his own place, New Bohemia Brewing in Santa Cruz, and was making great beer there. Unfortunately, he recently decided to close the business but is still working on some brewing projects abroad. Join me in wishing Daniel a very happy birthday.

Me and Daniel at New Bohemia a couple of years back.
Steve Shapiro, Daniel, and me at the Celebration of Craft event at Trumer in 2017.
At Trumer Brewing at the end of SF Beer Week in 2018.
Dan, in the middle, picking up his first medal for New Bohemia at GABF in 2015.
And waiting in line to go up on stage to pick up his medal.
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On the then-new brewhouse.

Note: Last two photos purloined from Facebook.

Beer Birthday: Chuck Silva

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Today is also the birthday of Chuck Silva, former brewmaster at Green Flash Brewing in San Diego. His West Coast IPA took the world by storm, and personally, I loved his Tripel and Le Freak. The big, shiny new brewery they built was also pretty amazing, but sadly the honeymoon didn’t last too long. Eventually Chuck wanted to create something of his own, and so he opened Silva Brewing Company in the Central Coast of California, around his native San Luis Obispo area in Paso Robles. Unfortunately, after eight years, Chuck closed down the brewery two years back, and I haven’t heard yet what he’s doing now. Join me in wishing Chuck a very happy birthday.

Chuck at GABF several years ago.

The beer chef, Bruce Paton, with Chuck at one his beer dinners in 2008.
Chuck at Mammoth Lakes Bluesapalooza in 2007.
Chuck serving the symposium beer at Stone Brewing during Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego in 2008.

Beer Birthday: Bruce Joseph

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Bruce Joseph, who had been at Anchor Brewery for many, many years turns 70 today. There’s a big picture of him when he was very young in the stairwell at the brewery that I saw every time I was there. He’d 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 also 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 retired 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.
With Melissa Myers at the Falling Rock during GABF 2007.
The photo that used to be in Anchor’s stairwell.
On stage at the Northern California Rhythm & Blues Festival several years ago.
With Garrett Oliver at an industry event during GABF years ago.

Beer Birthday: Jennifer Talley

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Today is the 57th 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 RedHook in Woodinville, Washington, and more recently joined Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa, California. Unfortunately, Jen left Russian River to care for her ailing mother in Grass Valley and for a time joined Brian Ford brewing at Auburn Alehouse, but more recently had opened her own place in Grass Valley, 1849 Brewing, but has now moved on to Bespoke Brewing Solutions and doing some consulting at her own Talley Fermentations. Jennifer’s a terrific brewer and one of the coolest people in the industry. Join me in wishing Jennifer a very happy birthday.

Picking up a medal at GABF in 2002.
In town to shoot a television pilot in 2007, Shaun O’Sullivan (21st Amendment), Dave McLean (Magnolia) and Jennifer outside Magnolia.
At a beer dinner put on by The Lost Abbey near San Diego, Jennifer and Matt Brynildson stopped by our table for a visit with Adam Avery and Vinnie Cilurzo.
At CBC in San Diego, 2008. From left, Fal Allen (Asia Pacific Breweries), Jennifer and Geoff Larson (Alaskan Brewing).
After a panel discussion at GABF on women in brewing. From left: Carol Stoudt (from Stoudts Brewing), Jennifer Talley (from Squatter’s Pub Brewery), Natalie Cilurzo (from Russian River) and Teri Fahrendorf.


Beer Birthday: Dylan Schatz

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Today is the 54th 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.

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Dylan with some of the crew from Mad River after winning Small Brewery and Brewer of the Year at GABF in 2010.
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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 in 2016.