Today would have been publican extraordinaire Don Younger’s 84th birthday. He ran the famed Horse Brass pub in Portland, Oregon, along with a few others, for many years. Don was a wonderful person and his early and continuing support of craft beer helped make Portland the great beer town it is today. As you undoubtedly recall, Don passed away unexpectedly in January, ten years ago, in 2011. Join me in wishing Don a very Happy birthday and raising a toast to his memory.
Today is the 52nd birthday of Christian Ettinger, founder of Hopworks Urban Brewery, or HUB, in Portland, Oregon. I first met Christian when was the head brewer at Laurelwood, also in Portland. A few years later, having won several medals and awards, he struck out on his own in 2007, and it’s been forever now. They started canning their beer in 2012, and also hard cider, and they make some wonderful beers. Join me in wishing Christian a very happy birthday.
Former HUB brewer Ben Love (now owner of Gigantic) with Christian on the brew system at HUB when it was still under construction in July of 2007.
At the HUB brunch after OBF in 2008: Assistant brewery Jeremy, Christian and brewer Ben Love.
Today is the 51st birthday of fellow beer writer Brian Yaeger, author of Red, White & Brew and Oregon Breweries. Brian also writes online at his Red, White & Brew Beer Odyssey blog. A couple of years ago Brian and his lovely bride Kimberly lived in Portland, Oregon (having moved from San Francisco), but then moved to Amsterdam, then moved back to Portland, but more recently relocated once more, this time to Santa Barbara, California, and even more recently has moved back to Oregon, this time to Bend. Join me in wishing Brian a very happy birthday.
Me with Eric Rose, founder and former owner of Hollister Brewing, and Brian when I met him there for a lunch during a family vacation to Santa Barbara in 2017.
Today is the 55th birthday of Van Havig, co-founder and master brewer at Gigantic Brewing in Portland, Oregon. Van used to be the brewer at Rock Bottom in Portland, but left shortly after the merger between Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch, when some offhand remarks got him the boot. That’s when I first became aware of met Van, when he brewed a beer called Ned Flanders for OBF, a Flanders red that was aged in five different kinds of barrels and then was blended back together. And this was back in 2006, long before sour beers became trendy. I remember enjoying the beer near the line for it and overhearing someone complaining about the beer, saying to a friend that it didn’t taste right and that something was wrong with it. Laughing to myself, that persuaded me it was a very bold choice of a beer to make for the festival, as there was clearly nothing else like it at OBF that year. I spent a morning with Van, Ben Love and John Harris, from Ecliptic Brewing, during OBF a few years ago as they brewed a collaboration together, which afforded me an opportunity to discover what a thoughtful, philosophical brewer Van is, and what a pleasure he is to share a beer with. Join me in wishing Van a very happy birthday.
Today is the 47th birthday of Ben Love. Ben was the head brewer at Hopworks Urban Brewery in Portland, Oregon, and before that brewed at Pelican Pub & Brewery and Adler Brau in Wisconsin. He more recently opened his own place, Gigantic Brewing. I had a chance yet to visit it a few years ago during OBF and try his, and partner Van Havig’s, wonderful beers. Ben’s a great brewer, a good friend, an active board member of the Oregon Brewers Guild and a great cheerleader for the Portland beer scene. Join me in wishing Ben a very happy birthday.
Today is the birthday of Chris Crabb, who does public relations for the Oregon Brewers Festival and other clients in the beer industry through her agency, Crabbsoup. If you’ve had any dealing with OBF, you’ve undoubtedly encountered Chris, because she does an amazing amount of work to get OBF up and running smoothly every year. Plus, she does all that hard work while keeping a smile on her face the entire time. Join me in wishing Chris a very happy birthday.
The Always Delightful Chris Crabb at the OBF Parade in 2009.
Chris with Lisa Morrison at OBF several years ago.
Day 3 of OBF in 2007.
Day 4.
Chris with Celebrator publisher Tom Dalldorf in 2006.
Esteemed Portland beer writer Fred Eckhardt would have turned 99 today. Portland’s Fred Eckhardt was a living legend, especially in his home city, having pioneered writing about and defining beer styles with his early book on the subject, The Essentials of Beer Style, published in 1989. FredFest, a Portland beer festival honoring Fred has been held around his birthday since he turned 80 and was still being held without Fred in attendance for several years. Join me in raising a toast to Fred’s memory, and wishing Fred a very happy birthday.
Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.
Saturday’s ad is for Renner & Weber Bock Beer and was published May 3, 1915. The brewery was the Henry Weinhard Brewing Co. of Portland, Oregon, which was originally founded in 1856. This ad ran in The Astoria Evening Budget, of Astoria, Oregon.
Today is the birthday of Robert “Mac” MacTarnahan (May 1, 1915-October 25, 2004), one of Oregon’s most famous athletes. Mac was one of the original investors in Portland Brewing Co., which was later named MacTarnahan’s Brewing in his honor. I met Mac twice, once in Portland at an event at the brewery, and once he visited me in California when I was still the beer buyer at BevMo. I hope I have half the energy he did when I’m in my eighties. A couple of years ago, my friend and colleague John Foyston wrote a nice remembrance of Mac in The Oregonian, which included the obituary he wrote in 2004. Raise a glass today to Mac’s memory.
Brewer Alan Kornhauser, Mac and Portland Brewing co-founder Fred Bowman.
Mac’s Oregon Sports Hall of Fame photo. Here’s his entry:
Oregon’s most accomplished Masters Athlete, Robert “Mac” MacTarnahan is the first masters competitor ever chosen for induction into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. His athletic feats are amazing. Mac is a four-time Masters world record holder with a national record in the mile plus three world record holders in the 3000-meter steeplechase. In the steeplechase, he is a six-time AAU National Masters champion, two-time USA National Senior Olympic champion, two-time World Senior champion. Mac is also a five-time National Masters wrestling champion. The wiry Scot owns more the 50 Masters Gold Medals.
Today is John Maier’s 70th birthday — The Big 7-O. John had been the head brewer at Rogue Ales for as long as I can remember, though he more recently retired. He’s won countless awards, pioneered numerous new styles and been instrumental in the rise of the Pacific Northwest’s beer scene. Join me in wishing John a very happy birthday.
At the Sasquatch Beer Festival. John Maier, sandwiched by Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge, both from Ninkasi Brewing.
Rogue owner Jack Joyce, Portland Mayor Potter and John pose for photos at the opening of the Oregon Brewers Festival in 2007.
John at the Brew Am gold tourney several years ago. Photo courtesy of Bob Brewer, from his Picasa gallery.
A portrait of John at Rogue by Gregg Hinlicky.