Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Birthday: Peter Kruger

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Today is the 54th 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.

Rich Norgrove and Peter at the New Albion re-launch at Russian River Brewing a couple of years ago.

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Bear Republic brewers Rich Norgrove, Jode Yaksic, Peter and Ray Lindecker during a visit in 2008.

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Peter explaining one Bear Republic’s beers at their annual GABF Tasting at the brewpub in 2009.

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Peter (2nd from the left) with the Bear Republic gang accepting another award at GABF in 2007.

Beer Birthday: Ted Vivatson

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Today is the 67th birthday of Ted Vivatson, founder of Eel River Brewing. I first met Ted a bunch of years ago, when he was still making one of my favorite porters, their Ravensbrau Porter. Now it’s Organic Porter, and while it’s still a good porter, I really loved the Ravensbrau. Not the first time I’ve been in the minority. Ted’s a great brewer and has many other beers I still love, plus he’s a terrific person, too. Join me in wishing Ted a very happy birthday.

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Ted rockin’ GABF in 2006.

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Ted at the Celebrator Anniversary Party in 2009.

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Ted with Ken Allen, former owner of Anderson Valley Brewing, at the Celebrator’s 20th Anniversary Party.

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Picking up an award from Charlie Papazian at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival.

Beer Birthday: Rich Norgrove

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Today is the 55th birthday of Rich Norgrove, the founder and brewmaster at Bear Republic Brewing Co. in Cloverdale, California. Rich won big several years ago at GABF, winning the award for Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year, amounting to validation that he’s been making some great beer for many years. Red Rocket and Racer 5 were some of my first favorite hoppy beers back in the 1990s, when few brewers were making the big, hoppy beers that are nearly ubiquitous nowadays. Did I mention that Rich is also one of the coolest, nicest people in the beer business? Join me in wishing Rich a very happy birthday.

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At an unknown beer festival with his daughter several years ago.

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Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River and Rich at Drake’s Summit Hop Festival several summers ago.

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Jeremy Cowan (He’Brew) and Rich at Falling Rock in Denver.

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Rich and the Team from Healdsburg, California won four awards and the big award for Small Brewery Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year in 2006.

Rich Norgrove, from Bear Republic, and Vic Krajl, co-owner of the Bistro
Rich and Vic Krajl at the Bistro IPA Festival in 2010.

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At a Giants game a few years back, Porter and I joined Rich and his son for a game, where we ran into Steve and Gail, from Beer By Bart, before the game began.

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At the Rohnert Park brewpub a few years ago for a speakeasy-themed night.

Rich and his wife Tami at my 60th birthday party a couple of years ago.
Running into Rich at a basketball tournament where both of our sons’ were playing.

Beer Birthday: Rodger Davis

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Today is Rodger Davis’ 54th birthday. He’s the former head brewer at Triple Rock in Berkeley, California, and several years ago opened his own brewery in Alameda, Faction Brewing, along with his wife Claudia. Rodger is a terrific brewer and has been very active in the local beer community and it’s great to see him at the helm of his own place. He’s one of those people always giving the craft beer world a good name, helping colleagues, organizing festivals and being a good friend to all. If only he could keep his tongue in his mouth. Join me in wishing Rodger a very happy birthday.

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Rodger at a Berkeley Museum event a few years ago, pouring Triple Rock beer.

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Rodger with his wife Claudia at a Beer Chef beer dinner.

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Up in the balcony at Triple Rock at the Sour Beer Festival.

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Rodger and Claudia at their new brewery, with Rodger doing his best not to make a goofy face.

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Rodger & me at his surprise birthday party at The Trappist twelve years ago for his 40th. (photo by Mike Condie.)

Beer Birthday: Fal Allen

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Today might be the birthday of Fal Allen. I say might, because he keeps telling me that he’s not exactly sure when his birthday is — apparently the result of having hippie parents — and he had kept changing it on his Facebook page, though now he’s removed it entirely. Fal returned to his goats and to Anderson Valley Brewing a few years ago, having lived in Singapore for four years, where he built and ran a craft brewery for Archipelago Brewery, a division of Asia Pacific Breweries. He blogged about his exploits there on his Brewing in Singapore blog, but since returning stateside, he’s been blogging at The Goat Rodeo, and we’re certainly happy to have him back stateside. Join me today, tomorrow or perhaps the next day in wishing the ageless Fal a very happy birthday.

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Fal and me in Chico a couple of years ago.

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At the Oregon Brewers Festival.

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Also at OBF, with Daniel Bradford of All About Beer Magazine and Dave Buehler from Elysian Brewing in Seattle.

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With a bevy of brewers touring Stone Brewing during CBC in 2008, that’s Fal at the far right.

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While still GM at Anderson Valley, launching Brother David at the Toronado in San Francisco. Clockwise from left: Fal, Mark Cabrera, David Gatlin, me and Dave Keene, the beer’s namesake and Toronado owner.

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Fal during a recent hop harvest. No wonder that batch of Anderson Valley tasted so “fal-ish.”

Beer Birthday: Michael Lewis

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Today is 86th birthday of Dr. Michael Lewis, who ran the brewing sciences department at U.C. Davis beginning in 1962, and became the Professor Emeritus in 1995, when Charlie Bamforth succeeded him, although Dr. Lewis remains active in teaching and in brewing. He was my instructor, along with Charlie, when I took the brewing short course at Davis over a decade. He’s taught countless working brewers over the years and has greatly influenced the industry as a whole. Join me in wishing Dr. Lewis a very happy birthday.

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Michael receiving an award for a lifetime of achievement at the 2008 CBC in San Diego.

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Michael with Ruhstaller founder J.D. Paino at Sudwerk (photo from the Davis Enterprise).

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Michael (at far left) with the gang at Sudwerk Privatbrauerei in Davis (photo from the Davis Enterprise).

Michael J. Lewis, front row, right, and his brewing lab class in Sonoma, in the mid-1970s, with Jack McAuliffe, left, at his New Albion Brewing Co., the first microbrewery in the United States. Photo taken by UC Davis student Doug Muhleman, who would earn a bachelor’s degree in 1977 and a master’s in 1979 and go on to become vice president of brewing operations and technology for Anheuser-Busch.

Beer Birthday: Jeremy Warren

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Today is the 47th birthday of brewer Jeremy Warren. Jeremy first made a name for himself with Knee Deep Brewing, but a couple of years ago left to open his own place, Revision Brewing. Jeremy created some great beers with Knee Deep and he’s doing more of the same with his new brewery. It was initially going to be in West Sacramento, but instead Revision ended up being located in Sparks, Nevada. Join me wishing Jeremy a very happy birthday.

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Jeremy and me at the Bistro IPA Festival in 2017.

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Jeremy from an article in Sacramento Magazine.

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Jeremy with Dean Hanson at Final Gravity in Auburn. [Note: photo purloined from Facebook.]

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Beer Birthday: Barkley The Beer

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Today is the 36th birthday of Barkley D. Beer, the mascot of the Anderson Valley Brewing Co. in Boonville, California. Be sure to toast Barkley with a bottle or can or draft of your favorite Anderson Valley beer today. And join me in wishing Barkley a very happy birthday.

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Alice and Porter posing with Barkley at the Boonville Beer Festival a number of years ago.

And here’s why, according to Anderson Valley’s website, Barkley is a “beer” and not a “bear:”

It’s not a bear. Bears don’t have antlers. Of course not. Whoever heard of such a thing?

It is, however, a BEER. The Legendary Boonville Beer to be exact. Barkley, by name, who could be considered a cross between a bear and a deer (thus a beer). Barkley and his brethren are often seen about Anderson Valley by lovers of truly fine beers (especially if they’ve had a few).

So now you know. Never again will you be tormented by friends and relations who know the secret of the Beer and won’t give. Now you can go out and torture your friends and relations.

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Though he used to have a collar, as seen in this 2008 photo of Barkley.

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And not everyone treats him with reverence.

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Barkley in front of the gift shop/tasting room.

Beer Birthday: Vic Kralj

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Today is the 64th birthday of Vic Kralj, who is the co-owner of The Bistro in Hayward, California. Celebrator publisher Tom Dalldorf used to own the Bistro, which was originally a wine bar that Tom re-invented for beer, and then Vic and Cynthia bought it from Tom (with one deadbeat in between) and set it on its present course. Vic added the IPA Festival, then championed Double IPA with a second festival, helping it get style recognition. The Double IPA Festival also became one of the anchors for SF Beer Week. He also does a Wood-Aged Beer Festival and something with fresh hops. Vic’s a great person who I’ve gotten to know pretty well, especially since he’s been on the Celebrator Tasting Panel since the early 2000s. Join me in wishing Vic a very happy birthday.

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Vic and me around 2006.

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Vic and Dave Keene from the Toronado.

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Judy Ashworh, Dave Millar, Mitch Steele and Vic at the Bistro IPA Festival in 2007.

Rich Norgrove, from Bear Republic, and Vic Krajl, co-owner of the Bistro
Rich Norgrove, from Bear Republic, and Vic.

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Matt Sallie and Vic.

Beer Birthday: Peter Licht

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Today is the 57th birthday of Peter Licht, former brewmaster at Hermitage Brewing. Peter grew up in Rochester, New York but came to California to attend the master brewers program at U.C. Davis in 1994, and ended up staying in the Bay Area. When I first met him, he was brewing at Coast Range Brewing in the South Bay. When that brewery folded, he joined the San Jose Tied House, and moved with the equipment to when they closed to the brewpub to create the Hermitage Brewery at a new location and was there untuk they closed the brewery during Covid. Peter made some great contract beer for me at Coast Range (when I was at BevMo) and I was happy to see him land at Hermitage, where he had continued to brew a wide range of great beers. More recently, he’s working with the Independent Brewers Alliance, which a co-op for breweries to share buying power on supplies, resources and materials. Join me in wishing Peter a very happy birthday.

Me and Peter in Nashville earlier this year.

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Hermitage assistant brewer, Steve Donohue (now at Santa Clara Valley Brewing), Peter and me during a visit to the Hermitage Brewery in San Jose a few years ago.

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Peter in front of Hermitage’s foeder.

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An arty shot on Hermitage’s old brewhouse, which used to be at the San Jose Tied House. My favorite wedding photo is Sarah and me on this same brewhouse during our reception there over twenty-five years ago.