Northern California Archives - Brookston Beer Bulletin

Beer Birthday: Jamil Zainasheff

June 26, 2020 By Jay Brooks 3 Comments

Today is the 59th birthday of former homebrewer extraordinaire Jamil Zainasheff, who over the last ten plus years had become something of a rock star in the homebrewing community, and especially the Bay Area. He’s also the co-author two books on beer and homebrewing: “Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew” (with John Palmer) and “Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation” (with Chris White). In addition, he hosts the Jamil Show on The Brewing Network and has a website online entitled Mr. Malty. Jamil also turned pro a number of years ago, starting his own commercial brewery, Heretic Brewing, which is now located in Fairfield, California. And more recenty they began making gin, too. Join me in wishing Jamil a very happy birthday.

Jamil and me judging the finals at the Toronado Barleywine festival in 2007.

Jamil and me at Anchor Brewery a couple of years ago.

Jamil with Rodger Davis at Faction Brewing in May of last year. (Photo by Nathan Smith, purloined from Facebook.)

Historic Beer Birthday: Steve Harrison

June 24, 2020 By Jay Brooks 8 Comments

Today would have been longtime Sierra Nevada employee Steve Harrison’s 69th birthday. Unfortunately, Steve passed away in August of 2007. He was Sierra Nevada employee number one, and was responsible for a lot of their early success. I first got to know Steve in the mid-1990s when I was the chain beer buyer at BevMo. He was a terrific person and universally respected and beloved in the industry. Sierra Nevada had to hire two or three people to take over his responsibilities. Join me in raising a glass of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale to Steve’s memory today. Here’s to you, Steve.

The last time I saw Steve was at a CSBA meeting in San Diego in 2007, though we talked on the phone a few more times after that because he’d asked me to do some freelance work for him shortly after that CSBA meeting. You can almost make him out in the photo below. He’s in the middle, toward the back, in a blue shirt. He’s in between Tom McCormick (in a green shirt) and a man in a black shirt raising his glass below the giant boulder in the background.

A very young Steve, at right, with Michael Jackson and Lou. (Photo by Tom Dalldorf, from the Celebrator Beer News.)

The Steve Harrison Memorial Arch, which is at the northern entrance to the Steve Harrison Bike Path, which is located not very far from the brewery in Chico. (The photo was taken in 2010 by Jack Peters, and sent to me by Miles Jordan. Thank you, gentlemen.)

Beer Birthday: Colin Kaminski

June 17, 2020 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the 55th birthday of Colin Kaminski, who for over a decade had been the brewmaster of Downtown Joe’s in Napa, California. He started brewing there around 1998, and after four years learning from Brian Hunt and others, he became the head brewer in 2003. He’s gone on to give many presentations on brewing and write technical articles on brewing and he’s also the co-author of Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers, along with John Palmer, which was published in 2014. Colin was also kind enough to give a talk about brewing water to my class a few years ago. Currently he’s the R&D Designer at More Beer. Join me in wishing Colin a very happy birthday.

Colin behind the bar at Downtown Joe’s.

Colin, at right, with Kimberly Wood and the Homebrew Chef, Sean Paxton at GABF in 2009.

Colin, front and center, with the Downtown Joe’s crew visiting Anchor Brewing.
[Note: first three photos purloined from Colin’s Facebook page.]

Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers

Beer Birthday: Ron Lindenbusch

June 15, 2020 By Jay Brooks 7 Comments

Today is the 59th birthday of Ron Lindenbusch, who’s been with the Lagunitas Brewery since the very beginning. I first met Ron and founder Tony Magee when I visited the brewery in its original location in the mid-1990s. Ron has been a huge part of bringing the brewery along to where it is today, and is a terrific person and a good friend. Join me in wishing Ron a very happy birthday.

The Beer Wench, Ashley Routson, with Ron at a Tweet-Up at Lagunitas a couple of years ago.

At a beer dinner at Horizons in Marin County, with Dean Biersch and Lynn, the chef at Hopmonk Tavern, Dean’s then-new venture in Sebastopol.

Ron with Lagunitas owner Tony Magee’s sister Karen, who rep’s Lagunitas in the Chicago area, at SAVOR several years ago in Washington, D.C.

Ron, with Shaun O’Sullivan, Zambo, Rich Rosen, me, Sarah, Lloyd Knight, Dave Suurballe and James Renfrew at Anchor’s annual Christmas Party a few years ago.

Beer Birthday: Charlie Bamforth

June 13, 2020 By Jay Brooks 1 Comment

Today is the 68th birthday of Charlie Bamforth, who is the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Brewing Science at U.C. Davis (and was my teacher when I took the brewing short course there). His two most recent books should be on your must read list: Beer Is Proof That God Loves Us and Grape vs. Grain. He’s a terrific advocate for beer and a great person. He was also kind enough to speak to beer appreciation class that I recently taught at Sonoma State University and our Beer Writers Guild symposium a few years ago in Philadelphia. Join me in wishing Charlie a very happy birthday.

Coming back from some beer judging in London last summer, I randomly ended up on the same flight back to San Francisco with Charlie, in fact I sat behind him on the plane.

Charlie with John Dannerbeck from Anchor Brewing, at a reception held there for the launch of Charlie’s new book.

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

Charlie speaking at the first North American Guild of Beer Writers Symposium in Philadelphia in May of 2016.

Charlie being courted by both wine and beer on his publisher’s blog, Cambridge University Press.

Beer Birthday: Todd Ashman

June 9, 2020 By Jay Brooks 3 Comments

Today is also the birthday of Todd Ashman, who turns 60. Todd is originally from Santa Rosa, but spent a number of years brewing at Flossmoor Station near Chicago, and then short stints at Titletown Brewing in Green Bay, Wisconsin and with Brewers Supply Group. Several years ago, Todd moved back to California to take a position brewing with a then-new brewery in Truckee, Fifty Fifty Brewing, which he’d made into an amazing brewing powerhouse. Some health issues sidelined Todd for a time, and he’s moved back to Santa Rosa, but I did see him at our local Target the other day and he’s working on a few things. Join me in wishing Todd a very happy birthday.

Peter Hoey, at left, from Sacramento Brewing, with Todd at the 2009 Northern California Homebrew Festival.

Todd at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival.

Todd at Hair of the Dog during OBF in 2007.

Beer Birthday: Tony Magee

May 29, 2020 By Jay Brooks 1 Comment

Today is the 60th birthday — the Big 6-O — of Tony Magee. Tony is the founder and owner of Lagunitas Brewing. We first met in the mid-1990s when I visited the old brewery, before they moved to their present location, and have been good friends ever since. A few years ago, I wrote a profile of Tony for Beer Connoisseur magazine. With his beautifully twisted, iconoclastic vision, Tony’s built an amazing empire. His unique beers, and especially their quirky label designs and text, are always a treat. I know some people are down on the brewery since their sale to Heineken, but as far as I’m concerned, Tony is still Tony. Join me in wishing Tony a very happy birthday.

Tony as Ringmaster of the Lagunitas Beer Circus in 2009, with Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River Brewing.

Tony and me at the Bistro’s IPA Festival in 2006.

Tony warming up for a set at the Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol in 2008.

Performing the Big Bill Broonzy song, Key to the Highway, at the Brewing Network’s Winter Brews Festival in January of 2010.

At the CCBA’s California Beer Summit several years ago.

Beer Birthday: Judy Ashworth

May 20, 2020 By Jay Brooks 16 Comments

Today is Judy Ashworth’s birthday. She’s the Grand Dame of Publicans, having once owned the Lyons Brewery Depot in the East Bay, one of the earliest bars to really embrace, support and promote craft beer. Judy sold the pub in 1998 after some health troubles sidelined her, but she’s still a fixture in the Bay Area beer scene. I’ve judged with her many times and these days she’s very supportive of the homebrewing movement and she can be seen at most of the major beer events throughout the year. Join me in wishing Judy a very happy birthday.

Judy with Shaun O’Sullivan (21st Amendment) and Chris Black at his Falling Rock Taphouse during GABF week in 2007.

Out in front of The Bistro in Hayward at the Wood-Aged Beer Festival in August of 2008. From left: Jeremy Cowan, owner of He’Brew, Judy, Dave Heist, and Zak, also from He’Brew.

At the Toronado Barleywine Festival in 2008, Judy Ashworth, Matt Salie (with Big Sky Brewing) and Judy’s daughter Laurel.

Judy with Stephen Beaumont, me and Peter Hoey at the 2010 Pliny the Younger release.

Dave Suurballe, Judy, Julie Nickels and Bruce Paton at Anchor Brewing for the book release party for Tom Acitelli’s “Audacity of Hops” a couple of years ago.

Beer Birthday: JJ Jay

May 17, 2020 By Jay Brooks 1 Comment

Today is the 60th birthday of Jeffrey “JJ” Jay, who founded Petaluma Hills Brewing. JJ was an animator who worked for Lucas Arts, Pixar and Dreamworks Animation and during that time was an avid homebrewer. In 2012, he left his job to start his own brewery in Petaluma and made great beer for the next five years before shutting things down in 2017. JJ also was kind enough to talk to my SSU class and over the years I really came to like JJ and especially his dry sense of humor. It’s a shame his brewery didn’t make it hopefully he’ll figure out something to return to the beer industry. Join me in wishing JJ a very happy birthday.

Beer Birthday: John Martin

May 14, 2020 By Jay Brooks 6 Comments

Today is the 60th birthday — the Big 6-O — of John Martin, one of the founders of Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse in Berkeley. John, with his brother Reid, started one of the first five brewpubs in the U.S., and the only one that’s still owned by the same family that founded it. John also owns Drake’s Brewing and the Jupiter Taproom, too. He’s active in the local beer community and also with the CCBA, plus he’s a great guy with a very distinctive laugh. Join me in wishing John a very happy birthday.