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Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Birthday: Kurt Widmer

December 29, 2024 By Jay Brooks

widmer
Today is Kurt Widmer’s 72nd 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 announced that he would be retiring, which hopefully he’s enjoying to the fullest. Join me in wishing Kurt a very happy birthday.

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Kurt (at left) and Rob Widmer with their wives at the Oregon Brewers Festival several years ago.

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Kurt and Rob after their win for Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year at GABF in 2002.

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Gary Fish, Kurt and beer writer Fred Eckhardt at Don Younger’s memorial (photo by Tom Dalldorf).

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Rob and Kurt Widmer accepting the gavel in July 2007 from Jack Joyce and John Maier from Rogue, for 2008 when that next year they hosted OBF.

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Ray, Kurt and Ron Widmer at the start of the brewery.

Filed Under: Birthdays, Just For Fun Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Beer Birthday: Rob Widmer

November 5, 2024 By Jay Brooks

widmer
Today is Rob Widmer’s 68th 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.

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Kurt and Rob Widmer with ther wives at the Oregon Brewers Festival several years ago.

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Kurt and Rob after their win for Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year at GABF in 2002.


Rob with the Ralph’s (Olson and Woodall) from HopUnion at the 15th Anniversary Party for the Celebrator Beer News.

Rob Widmer & Don Younger @ Wynkoop
Rob with the late, great Don Younger at Wynkoop during GABF in 2009.

Filed Under: Birthdays Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Beer Birthday: Alan Sprints

September 7, 2024 By Jay Brooks

hair-of-the-dog
Today is the 65th birthday of Alan Sprints. Alan was the founder of Hair of the Dog Brewery in Portland, Oregon. Alan made some of the most unique and wonderful beers, not just in Portland, but anywhere, all the more impressive because he brewed out of an old Campbell’s soup kettle. A few years ago he relocated the brewery, now with a tasting room, to a new location on S.E. Yamhill in Portland. And a couple of years back, he came over to our home and brewed a version of his wonderful Doggie Claws with my son Porter on his brew sculpture. Alan is simply one of the best brewers anywhere and one of my favorite people in the industry. Sadly, he just closed down his brewery although he will continue to do some limited releases, at least for the foreseeable future. Join me in wishing Alan a very happy birthday.

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Alan pouring his beer at the Sasquatch Pro-Am Golf Tournament in 2006.

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Alan standing in front of some of his aging beers, in 2007.

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Alan, with Portland beer writer Fred Eckhardt, at his annual open house during OBF in 2008.

Alan Sprints from Hair of the Dog with his two Washington Cask Festival ribbons
Alan with his two Washington Cask Festival ribbons at Brouwer’s in Seattle a couple of years ago for the Keene Tasting.

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Sean Paxton, the homebrew chef, my son Porter, and Alan, when he brewed a version of Doggie Claws with Porter at my house three years ago.

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Toasting Fred Eckhardt last year, Alan with the other founders of FredFest.

Filed Under: Birthdays Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Beer Birthday: Ben Edmunds

September 1, 2024 By Jay Brooks

Today is the 43rd birthday of Ben Edmunds. Ben is the co-founder and head brewer at Breakside Brewery in Portland, Oregon. Originally from Michigan, he attended Siebel Institute after college and settled in Portland. In 2010, Scott Lawrence opened Breakside with Ben doing the brewing. I don’t remember exactly when I met Ben but I’m pretty sure it was shortly after they opened, and I’ve been seeing him around ever since at various beer events. Ben’s a great advocate for craft beer and fun to hang out with, too. Join me in wishing Ben a very happy birthday.

Ben and me at CBC in Nashville earlier this year.
At FredFest a few years back. [photo by Don Scheid.]
Luc and Ben in Nashville.

Filed Under: Birthdays, Just For Fun Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Beer Birthday: Fred Bowman

August 27, 2024 By Jay Brooks

portland-wh
Today is Fred Bowman’s 79th birthday. Fred co-founded the Portland Brewing Co., which was bought several years ago by Pyramid Breweries, which in turn was bought by Magic Hat and then again by North American Breweries. Fred continues to be very active in the craft beer community, and has been supportive of the movement since the beginning. A couple of years ago, he dropped by and stayed with us during his drive ’round the country in a van, visiting old friends and family. Join me in wishing Fred a happy birthday.

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By the Celebrator booth at OBF, from left, John Harris (former head brewer at Full Sail Brewing), Tom Dalldorf, and Fred.

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Dick Cantwell, co-owner of Elysian Brewing Co. in Seattle, with Fred at an after party at the Falling Rock during GABF.

SAM_5446With Lisa Morrison a couple of years ago in Portland for FredFest.

Frank Commanday, Art Larrance, Fred, and Bert Grant after brewing Portland Brewing’s 1st batch in January 1986.

Fred at the brewery during a party in 1986.

Filed Under: Birthdays Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Beer Birthday: John Harris

July 24, 2024 By Jay Brooks

ecliptic
Today is John Harris’ 61st birthday. Until a few years ago — and for a long time — John was the head brewer at Full Sail Brewing and was responsible for many of their excellent beers. He’s more recently opened his own brewery in Portland, Ecliptic Brewing, but even more recently made the hard decision to close the brewery. John also occasionally played washboard with the Rolling Boil Blues Band. Plus he’s a terrific person, so join me in wishing John a very happy birthday.

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By the Celebrator booth at OBF, from left, John, Tom Dalldorf, and Fred Bowman, co-founder of Portland Brewing Co.

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John rocks out on washboard with the Rolling Boil Blues Band at CBC in Seattle, with Marty Jones (left) and Celebrator editor Tom Dalldorf (in the center).

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During a collaboration brew at Gigantic at OBF two years ago, with John and Gigantic’s Van Havig and Ben Love.

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John and his daughter at his 40th birthday party.

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John and the same daughter 10 years later at his 50th birthday party.

Filed Under: Birthdays, Just For Fun Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Beer Birthday: Lisa Morrison

July 11, 2024 By Jay Brooks

belmont-station

Today is the 61st birthday of my good friend Lisa Morrison (a.k.a. the The Beer Goddess). Lisa did a radio show, Beer O’Clock with The Beer Goddess, was the Portland correspondent for the Celebrator, and is also the author of Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest: A Beer Lover’s Guide to Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. More recently, she shifted her focus and became a co-owner of Portland’s best beer store, Belmont Station. Join me in wishing Lisa a very happy birthday!

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In front of BridgePort with promotional goddess Chris Crabb, who handles PR for the brewery and also the Oregon Brewers Festival.
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Lisa with fellow Portland beer writer Fred Eckhardt.
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With Dick Cantwell at an Elysian event during OBF.
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Me, Celebrator publisher Tom Dalldorf, Lisa’s husband Mark & Lisa in front of the three pink elephants. There’s an interesting story about this mural at Concordia Public House in Portland. It turns out that the building used to be a speakeasy called the Pink Elephant. The mural was discovered during renovations hidden behind several layers of wallpaper and paint along with an old matchbook that gave away the original name.
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Lisa and me in Luxembourg several years ago.

Filed Under: Birthdays Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Historic Beer Birthday: Don Younger

July 11, 2024 By Jay Brooks

horsebrass
Today would have been publican extraordinaire Don Younger’s 83rd 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.

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Don and Mark Silva, co-owner of realbeer.com and realbranding.com.

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Don Younger and me outside the Falling Rock in Denver, Colorado.

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Don with braided hair with Shaun O’Sullivan from 21st Amendment Brewery.

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10, 20, 30: The same year, Dave Keene (center) was celebrating his 20th anniversary, flanked by Don Younger (on the left), whose bar the Horse Brass in Portland celebrated its 30th anniversary, and Chris Black (on the right), whose Denver, Colorado bar, The Falling Rock, celebrated its 10th anniversary.

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Don bookended by Robin and Jonathan Surratt, who runs beermapping.com, displaying his excellent taste in attire at the Falling Rock during GABF week 2007.

Filed Under: Birthdays Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Beer Birthday: Christian Ettinger

July 3, 2024 By Jay Brooks

hub-new
Today is the 51st 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.

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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.

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At the HUB brunch after OBF in 2008: Assistant brewery Jeremy, Christian and brewer Ben Love.

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Saturday at OBF in 2006, relaxing behind the Celebrator/Oregon Brewers Guild booth, Christian takes his son on a flying trip.

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Filling pints from a keg in the basement brewery at HUB, 2008.

Filed Under: Birthdays Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

Beer Birthday: Abram Goldman-Armstrong

April 28, 2020 By Jay Brooks

naobf
Today is the 42nd birthday of Abram Goldman-Armstrong, a Portland-based beer writer who is the managing editor of the Northwest Brewing News and also writes online at Brewsville. Abe also is the organizer of the North American Organic Brewers Festival and by day works in construction. When Abe was writing for the Celebrator Beer News several years back, during GABF we spent an evening drinking out and about the city eventually ending up at the Denver Diner, during which time I discovered I’d spent the entire evening calling him by the wrong name — d’oh. Anyway, these days I can get his name right. Join me in wishing Abe a very happy birthday.

Abe Goldman-Armstrong as Beer Patrol Man
As “Beer Patrol Man” at the 2009 OBF Parade.

Abe & Ed Bennett
With Ed Bennett at the OBF Parade, also in 2009.

Abe-Timbers-Billboard
Abe’s also a big fan of the local soccer team, the Portland Timbers, and recently appeared on a billboard for the team as they joined the MLS several years ago.

Filed Under: Birthdays Tagged With: Oregon, Portland

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