Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Birthday: Kevin West

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Today is the 63rd birthday of Kevin West, who had worked at Anchor Brewing for just under thirty years, and was lead brewer. He started as a bottler, and worked as a tour guide for a time in the late 1990s, but joined the brewing team twenty years ago. I’m not sure when exactly I first met Kevin, but it was a good while ago, and I certainly remember a memorable night at The Falling Rock in Denver watching Giants playoff baseball. But he’s a great advocate for craft beer in the Bay Area and Anchor in specific, of course. Join me in wishing Kevin a very happy birthday. Hopefully, he’ll be able to return to Anchor under its new management shortly.

At home in front of the brewery. (Photo by Shaun O’Sullivan)
Kevin with Bruce Paton.
Kevin with Shaun O’Sullivan, Dave McLean, Jamie Floyd, and Ben Spencer.
Pouring OBA at the brewery.
Behind the bar in the tap room. (Photo by Shaun O’Sullivan)

Beer Birthday: Tony Magee

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Today is the 64th birthday 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. Several years ago, now, 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.

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

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

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

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

Beer Birthday: Judy Ashworth

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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.

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

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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.

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

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

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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

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Today is the 64th 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.

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Beer Birthday: Roger Lind

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Today is the 63rd birthday of Roger Lind, a Bay Area pioneer who founded Lind Brewing in 1989 in an old Dodge factory, which later became known as Drake’s Brewing. Lind sold the brewery to the Rogers family (who made coffee for Costco) in 1998, who in turn sold it to the current owners, John Martin and Roy Kirkorian, in 2008. Lind started as a brewer at Triple Rock before striking out on his own. After selling the brewery, he became a teacher, but has remained active in the local brewing scene to this day. Join me in wishing Roger a very happy birthday.

Roger Lind at his grand opening in 1989.
Marc Cohn, Roger, Chuck Fross from Bay Area Distributing, Josh Charlton, and brewer Don Gortemiller at the 19th Celebrator Anniversary Party in 2007.
Jack Weldon, Josh Charlton, Judy Ashworth, and Roger at Danville Brewing earlier this month. (Photo by Mike Condie)
Roger and Steve Altimari.
And finally, Roger from the 2004 Celebrator Beer News annual Swimsuit Issue.

Beer Birthday: John Martin

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Today is the 64th birthday 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.

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Me and John last year at Sour Sunday a few years ago.

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Christian Kazakoff, former brewer at Triple Rock (now at Canyon Club) with John during the 2008 Firkin Fest.

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John, with his brother Reid, and Triple Rock brewmaster Rodger Davs at the brewpub’s 25th anniversary.

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John, me and Peter Hoey at the opening gala for SF Beer Week a few years ago.

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John in the brewhouse with his brother many years ago, on opening day.

Beer Birthday: Derek Smith

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Today is the 49th birthday of Derek Smith, who was the brewmaster at Moylan’s Brewing in Novato, California. When I first met Derek he was brewing at Black Diamond Brewing, but in 2013, he began brewing at Moylan’s, and was making great beer, though I have not had a chance to catch up with since he left in 2019. Join me in wishing Derek a very happy birthday.

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Derek at the bar at Moylan’s.

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Derek, with Pete Slosberg and Barri Cooper-Altimari in 2017. [photo by Mike Condie.]

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Winning a medal at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival.

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Derek, at far right, after the Beef Chef’s Chocolate & Beer Dinner in 2009; with, from left: Arne Johnson (Marin Brewing), Fal Allen (Anderson Valley), Bruce Paton, Alec Moss (Half Moon Bay).

Beer Birthday: Jack McAuliffe

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Today is the 79th birthday of Jack McAuliffe, the father of the modern microbrewery. Jack incorporated his New Albion Brewery in October of 1976, and began producing beer the following year from his tiny brewery in Sonoma, California. His 1-barrel system suggests he may also have been the first nanobrewery, as well. I finally got a chance to meet Jack when he was San Francisco for CBC several years ago, and was privileged to spend some time with him the week after CBC when Jack visited Russian River Brewery and then the next day he graciously showed us the original site of his New Albion Brewery. I’ve since been fortunate to spend time with Jack on several more occasions, and it’s always a treat. Join me in wishing Jack a very happy birthday.

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Me and Jack at Russian River Brewery a few years ago when they launched the new New Albion beer in bottles.

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Maureen Ogle, Jack and Julie Johnson, from All About Beer magazine, during the Craft Brewers Conference in San Francisco last year.

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Vinnie Cilurzo, from Russian River Brewing, with Jack, showing us around the original site of the New Albion Brewery.

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Jack and Boston Beer’s Jim Koch at their annual media brunch during GABF a few years ago.

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Jack and Fritz Maytag at an awards luncheon where both of them were inducted as the first members of the California Beer Hall of Fame in Sacramento.

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Jack and me at Russian River Brewery.

Beer Birthday: Brian Hunt

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Today is iconoclastic brewer Brian Hunt’s 67th 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.

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

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

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

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

Beer Birthday: Tom Riley

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Today is the 60th birthday of Tom Riley, who was 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. A couple of years ago 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 last 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. More recently, he’s retired and I’m not sure how he’s spending his time these days. 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.