Today is Kurt Widmer’s 73rd birthday. Kurt is, of course, one of the bros in Widmer Brothers. He and his brother Rob helped found the Oregon Brewers Festival, created the style American Hefeweizen and are one of the few small brewers that have managed to retain their spirit and reputation as they’ve grown much larger. A few years ago, Kurt retired, which hopefully he’s enjoying to the fullest. Join me in wishing Kurt a very happy birthday.
Today would have been the 65th birthday of Jim Parker, who had been a fixture in the national, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington beer scenes for over 25 years. He founded the Mountain Tap Tavern in 1992, in Colorado, and also worked for the IBS (formerly part of the Brewers Association), was director of the American Homebrewers Association, editor-in-chief of Zymurgy and New Brewer, Executive Director of the Oregon Brewers Guild, as well as starting and working at many different breweries. Jim was also the first person I know to put Tot-chos on a menu, and for that alone he gets into heaven in my book. Jim was a terrific person and very passionate about beer. In November of 2018, Jim suffered a severe stroke and passed away in February of the following year. Please join me in raising a toast to Jim’s memory.
The original rogue, Jack Joyce, who founded Oregon Brewing — better known today as Rogue — would have celebrated his 82nd birthday today. Sadly, he passed away in late May of 2014. Join me in drinking a toast to Jack’s memory today.
Today is the 52nd birthday of fellow beer writer and brewery owner Christian DeBenedetti. In 2011, he wrote The Great American Ale Trail and you can check out a lot of his other work online. His latest project is his brewery on his family’s property, Springbrook Farm, and it’s called the Wolves & People Farmhouse Brewery, which opened in 2016. Join me in wishing Christian a very happy birthday.
Today is the 58th birthday of Darron Welch, brewmaster at Pelican Pub & Brewery in Pacific City, Oregon. Darron has something like a gazillion awards for his beers, including “Brewer of the Year” seven times (at GABF in 2000 and 2005 for small brewpub and in 2006 and 2014 for large brewpub; and at the World Beer Cup in 2008, 2012 and 2014 for large brewpub or small brewery). In addition to being a great brewer, Darron is also a terrific person, as well. Join me in wishing him a very happy birthday.
Today is the 53rd birthday of Brett Joyce, who a few years ago stepped down as President of Rogue. Joyce grew up in the brewery, which his father Jack Joyce founded when Brett was sixteen. Having gone off to college and made a name for himself working with Adidas, building their international golf shoe business from the ground up, he returned to work for the brewery a number of years ago, and had been Rogue’s president since 2006. I’ve gotten to know Brett much better since his return, beginning with when I interviewed him a number of years ago for a Beer Advocate magazine article profiling him. But more recently, he’s retired from the brewery, and even more recently the brewery abruptly closed. Join me in wishing Brett a very happy birthday.
Brett, me and Brian Dunn, from Great Divide, at SAVOR a few years ago in Washington, DC.
Today is the 66th birthday of Karl Ockert, who most recently was the Director of Brewery Operations at Deschutes Brewing. But Karl spent many years as the BridgePort Brewing Co. in Portland, Oregon, nearly thirty years, from 1983 to late 2010. That’s when I first met Karl, who was responsible for one of the first IPAs in the modern era, BridgePort IPA. For the last few years he was the Technical Director of the MBAA and also did some brewery consulting, before joining Deschutes a few years ago. More recently, he’s doing brewing consulting. Join me wishing Karl a very happy birthday.
“BridgePort’s crew in 1986 included Karl Ockert (at left), the brewery’s first brewmaster, and Ron Gansberg (center), who later became brewmaster at Cascade Brewing. Ockert was just 23 years old and a recent graduate of the brewing program at the University of California at Davis when Richard and Nancy Ponzi hired him.” [From the Multnomah County Library.]
“Karl Ockert, BridgePort’s original brewmaster, is seen in the center of this photograph from 1985 when BridgePort was still known as Columbia River Brewery. Flanking him are other figures from Portland’s craft brewery vanguard. From left, Steve Harrison, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.; Fred Eckhardt, beer columnist; Fred Bowman, Portland Brewing Co.; Paul Shipman, Independent Brewing Co.; Karl Ockert, Columbia River Brewery; Tom Baune, Hart Brewing Co.; Jim Temple, General Brewing Co.; Mike McMenamin, McMenamins; and Kurt Widmer, Widmer Brewing Co.” [From the Multnomah County Library.]
Today is the 69th birthday of Gary Fish, founder of Deschutes Brewing in Bend, Oregon. Gary grew up in Northern California wine country, but relocated to Bend to start the brewery in 1987, opening the original brewpub the following year. Since then, they built a production brewery and have gone on to open two additional brewpub locations, one in Bend and one in Portland. As of last year, they were the 5th largest craft brewery and the 11th largest brewery in America. Not bad for a brewery with a Porter as its flagship. Plus, Gary is a great person to discuss politics with, preferably over a beer. Join me in wishing Gary a very happy birthday.
Today is the 46th birthday of Kim Sturdavant. He was born in Eugene, Oregon and got his professional brewing start at Marin Brewing Co. before taking over at Social Kitchen & Brewery in San Francisco in 2011. While there he invented the Brut IPA sub-style, which was a popular type of IPA for a time. He left in 2019 and for a time was brewing at Pacifica Brewery, but more recently he’s joined Admiral Maltings as a Technical Sales Representative. Kim’s a great brewer and a terrific person. Join me in wishing Kim a very happy birthday.
Today is Rob Widmer’s 69th birthday. Rob is, of course, one of the bros in Widmer Brothers. He and his brother Kurt helped found the Oregon Brewers Festival, created the style American Hefeweizen and are one of the few small brewers that have managed to retain their spirit and reputation as they’ve grown much larger. Join me in wishing Rob a very happy birthday.
