United States Archives - Brookston Beer Bulletin

Beer Birthday: Jaime Jurado

January 15, 2021 By Jay Brooks 4 Comments

Today is the birthday of Jaime Jurado, who for many years was the Director of Brewing Operations for the Gambrinus Company, which included several beer brands and breweries, such as Shiner, BridgePort, Pete’s Wicked and Trumer. A couple of years ago, he moved to Pennsylvania, where he was the brewmaster at Susquehanna Brewing Co. in Pittston, but more recently he moved back south, this time to Louisiana, where for five years he was the Director of Brewing Operations at Abita Brewing. A couple of years later, he struck out on his own, and his doing brewery consulting and currently is a Vice-President of two start-ups, Ennoble Beverages and JHH. Jaime’s an incredibly talented brewer. More importantly, Jaime is one of the nicest people I know in the business. Join me wishing Jaime a very happy birthday.

obf06-05 — A blushing Jamie at OBF in 2006.

cbn18-13 — Jamie with Lars Larson, brewmaster of Trumer Brauerei, at the Celebrator 18th anniversary party.

nbwa08-07 — Jamie (far left) with some NBWA luminaries at the 2008 NBWA welcome reception. From left, Jamie, Lucy Saunders (the Beer Cook), Charlie Papazian (President of the Brewers Association), Kim Jordan (from New Belgium Brewing) and Tom Dalldorf (from the Celebrator Beer News).

gabf08-11 — Jamie with Todd and Jason Alström, founder of Beer Advocate, at the 2008 GABF.

Historic Beer Birthday: Joseph Coors Sr.

November 12, 2020 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the birthday of Joseph Coors Sr. (November 12, 1917–March 15, 2003). He was the grandson of brewery founder Adolph Coors and president of Coors Brewing Company. “After graduation, he began work in the Coors Porcelain Co., the porcelain business that helped the company survive Prohibition. With his brother William Coors (whose desks were located only one foot apart), Joseph refined the cold-filtered beer manufacturing system and began America’s first large-scale recycling program by offering 1-cent returns on Coors aluminum cans. He served one term as a regent of the University of Colorado in 1967-1972, attempting to quell what he considered to be campus radicalism during the Vietnam war. He served as president of Coors in 1977-1985, and chief operating officer in 1980-1988. His leadership helped expand Coors beer distribution from 11 Western states in the 1970s to the entire USA by the early 1990s.”

This short biography is from Find-a-Grave:

Businessman. Brewery magnate and leading member of the Coors Brewing family and company founded by his grandfather. Worked at the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado, starting in 1946 as technical director, became Executive Vice President in 1975, President in 1977, and Chief Operating Officer from 1985-1987. Engaged in an intense conforation with labor over an effort to unionize the Coors Brewery. An outspoken conservative who helped establish (with Paul Weyrich) The Heritage Foundation, The Independnce Institute (Golden, Colorado), and the Mountain States Legal Foundation. Elected to one term as a Regent of the University of Colorado (1966). Member of the ‘kitchen cabinet’ of President Ronald Reagan.

And this brief biography of Joe Coors is from CoorsTek:

Joseph Coors, Sr., one of Adolph Jr.’s sons, assumed leadership at the pottery in 1946 and began the process of becoming the industrial ceramic technology leader. He started the first formal R&D group at Coors Porcelain and strengthened the technical and design staff.

Here’s his obituary from CBS News:

Joseph Coors, who used his brewing fortune to support President Reagan and help create the conservative Heritage Foundation, has died at age 85.

Coors, whose grandfather founded Golden-based Adolph Coors Co. in 1873, died Saturday in Rancho Mirage, Calif., after a three-month battle with lymphatic cancer.

In the 1970s, Coors began providing money and his famous name to start the Heritage Foundation, the influential think tank in Washington, D.C. Even earlier, he served as one of Reagan’s advisers and backers in the “kitchen Cabinet,” which financed Reagan’s political career from the governorship of California to the White House. The two first met in Palm Springs, Calif., in 1967.

“Without Joe Coors, the Heritage Foundation wouldn’t exist — and the conservative movement it nurtures would be immeasurably poorer,” the foundation’s president, Edwin Feulner, said in a statement.

In 1988 he retired as chief operating officer. He remained a director until three years ago.

Coors used his chemical engineering background to refine the brewery’s cold-filtered beer manufacturing system, which he created with his brother Bill. The brothers also initiated what is believed to have been the first large-scale recycling program by offering a one cent return on Coors’ aluminum cans in 1959.

Until the 1970s, Coors beer was sold in 11 just Western states. But aggressive competition from industry giants Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing prompted the company to expand. By the early 1990s, Coors was available nationwide. It is the third-largest brewer in the United States.

But the company was the object of sometimes bitter criticism from activists who criticized Coors’ politics and accused the company of a variety of violations of labor and environmental laws and bias against gays and other minorities.

In 1977, labor unions launched a boycott after a bitter 20-month strike. The boycott ended 10 years later after the company agreed to forgo erecting legal roadblocks often used by management against an attempt to organize its workforce. The following year, Coors employees turned down Teamsters representation.

Born in Golden on Nov. 12, 1917, Coors was educated in public schools. He graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., in 1940 with a degree in chemical engineering.

His first job at Coors Co. was with the company’s ceramics division, working in the clay pits west of Golden where the raw material for porcelain was mined. The porcelain business, purchased in the early 1900s, helped keep the company afloat during Prohibition, when the brewery produced malted milk and near-beer.

Coors also served a term as a regent of the University of Colorado, confronting what he saw as campus radicalism during the Vietnam War.

Coors and his brother worked in the same office, their desks not more than a foot apart. But Bill Coors said their politics were quite different.

“He was very principled and dedicated. But we got along a lot better if we didn’t talk politics,” Bill Coors said. “He was conservative as they come. I mean he was a little bit right of Attila the Hun.

In addition to his brother, he is survived by his wife, Anne; five sons, Joseph Jr., Jeffrey, Peter, Grover and John, all of the Golden area; 27 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Beer Birthday: Thomas Kerns

October 27, 2020 By Jay Brooks 1 Comment

Today is the 55th birthday of Thomas Kerns, who is the owner and brewmaster of the Big Island Brewhaus in Kamuela, Hawaii. He’s originally from Oregon, and started brewing commercially for a McMenamins Pub brewery. When I met him he was the head brewer for Maui Brewery, and he was there for over ten years before striking out on his own, which opened in 2008. I first got to know Thomas a bunch of years ago when we roomed together for GABF judging. Join me wishing Thomas a very happy birthday.

thomas-kerns-and-me — Visiting Thomas at his brewpub last August during a family vacation to Hawaii.

maui-brewers — Thomas with Garett Marrero when he was still at Maui Brewing.

Beer Birthday: Fred Karm

October 26, 2020 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the 57th birthday of Fred Karm, who is the owner and brewmaster of Hoppin’ Frog in Akron, Ohio. While he’s been brewing since 1994, Fred opened his own place in 2006 (and later a separate tasting room) and has been making some great beer there ever since. I first met Fred at the RateBeer Best Awards, when I emceed the first awards show in 2016. He’s one of the most energetic and passionate people I’ve met in the beer industry. Join me in wishing Fred a very happy birthday.

Fred and me at the RateBeer Best Festival in 2017.

After the RateBeer Best Awards show in 2016.

GABF Winners 2020

October 16, 2020 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Earlier today, the winners of the 39th Great American Beer Festival were announced (and the 34th with judging). Given the world in 2020, an impressive 8,806 entries in 91 categories (or 170 different beer styles if you include the subcategories) were tasted by 115 judges, of which I was again privileged to be one. Here are some more factoids on the results:

Category with the most entries: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale: 348 entries (This is the third year in a row that it’s been #1.
Top 5 Categories: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale (377 entries); American-Style India Pale Ale (355 entries); German-Style Pilsener (200 entries); Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout (199 entries); and Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale (192 entries)
Average number of competition beers entered in each category: 97
1,720 breweries in the competition from all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
337 first-time breweries entered the competition
19 first-time breweries won medals
Only one brewery won 4 medals, Sun King Brewery of Indianapolis, Indiana. Three won 3 medals apiece: Cannonball Creek Brewing of Golden, Colorado; Chuckanut Brewery of Bellingham, Washington; and Riip Beer Co., from Huntington Beach, California. In addition, 23 breweries won 2 medals.

Medals Won by State:

California = 62
Colorado = 26
Oregon = 22
Washington = 16
Virginia = 15
North Carolina = 11
TIE: Indiana = 10 / Texas = 10
Ohio = 9
TIE: Illinois = 6 / Michigan = 6
TIE: IOWA = 5 / Missouri = 5 / Nevada = 5 / New York = 5

The 2018 Great American
Beer Festival Winners

Category 1: American-Style Wheat Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Whoopty Whoop Wheat, Wild Ride Brewing, Redmond, OR
Silver: Emmer, Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius, NC
Bronze: 10 Barrel TWheat, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub, Bend, OR

Category 2: American-Style Fruit Beer – 125 Entries
Gold: Strawberry Zwickelbier, Twin Sisters Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Silver: Everything But The Seeds, 1623 Brewing Co., Eldersburg, MD
Bronze: Berry, Berry, Quite Contrary, Territorial Brewing Co., Springfield, MI

Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 107 Entries
Gold: Liliko’i Kepolo, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Silver: Grandma’s Favorite Recipe, Silver Harbor Brewing Co., Saint Joseph, MI
Bronze: Afternoon Delight, Storm Peak Brewing Co., Steamboat Springs, CO

Category 4: Field Beer – 107 Entries
Gold: Lime Cucumber Gose, Urban South Brewery – New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
Silver: Coconut Bligh’s Barleywine, Dry Dock Brewing Co.- North Dock, Aurora, CO
Bronze: No Rules, Perrin Brewing Co., Comstock Park, MI

Category 5: Pumpkin Beer – 51 Entries
Gold: Gordgeous, NoDa Brewing Co. – NE, Charlotte, NC
Silver: 5 Phantoms 2018, Philipsburg Brewing Co., Philipsburg, MT
Bronze: Pumpkin Patch Ale, Rogue Ales & Spirits, Newport, OR

Category 6: Chili Beer – 76 Entries
Gold: 325 Pineapple Chili, Hoops Brewing, Duluth, MN
Silver: Poblano Pils, Cervecería Colorado, Denver, CO
Bronze: Hatch Chile Gatos, Fate Brewing Co., Scottsdale, AZ

Category 7: Herb and Spice Beer – 99 Entries
Gold: Allergeez, Panther Island Brewing, Fort Worth, TX
Silver: Yerba Buena, Del Cielo Brewing Co., Martinez, CA
Bronze: Powder Run, Living the Dream Brewing Co., Littleton, CO

Category 8: Chocolate Beer – 53 Entries
Gold: Weapon of Mash Destruction, Main & Six Brewing Co., Jacksonville, FL
Silver: Old Balltown Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Aged Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Brownie Milk Stout, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA
Bronze: Von Schrag, Mother’s Brewing Co., Springfield, MO

Category 9: Coffee Beer – 72 Entries
Gold: Daybreak, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing – Columbus, OH
Silver: Golden Stout, Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Bronze: BJ’s Coffee Blonde, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Reno, Reno, NV

Category 10: Coffee Stout or Porter – 75 Entries
Gold: Super Tonic, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Silver: The Riizzo, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: Venti is Large, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA

Category 11: Specialty Beer – 35 Entries
Gold: Coco Burrito Porter, Shoe Tree Brewing Co., Carson City, NV
Silver: Cookies & Cream Milk Stout, Waconia Brewing Co., Waconia, MN
Bronze: Cactus Warrior, Toltec Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Category 12: Rye Beer – 52 Entries
Gold: Crazy Jackass Ale, Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Centreville, VA
Silver: Hugzilla, Gezellig Brewing Co., Newton, IA
Bronze: Chuckanut Rye, Chuckanut Brewery – North Nut, Bellingham, WA

Category 13: Honey Beer – 72 Entries
Gold: Honey Please, Armadillo Ale Works, Denton, TX
Silver: Tra La La, Grimm Artisanal Ales, Brooklyn, NY
Bronze: Grid City Honey Cream Ale, Grid City Beer Works, Salt Lake City, UT

Category 14: Session Beer or Non-Alcohol Beer – 89 Entries
Gold: Tip the Calf, SingleSpeed Brewing, Waterloo, IA
Silver: Guillaume, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Straight Drank N/A IPA, Two Roots Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 15: Session India Pale Ale – 94 Entries
Gold: Hefty Fee, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Silver: Pedal Pounder, LazyG Brewhouse, Prescott, AZ
Bronze: On Pins & Needles, Institution Ale Co., Camarillo, CA

Category 16: Other Strong Beer – 82 Entries
Gold: Rico, Chihuahua Cerveza, Costa Mesa, CA
Silver: Krimson King, Accomplice Beer Co., Cheyenne, WY
Bronze: Hello, Sabro!, Danville Brewing Co., Danville, CA

Category 17: Experimental Beer – 115 Entries
Gold: Barrel Aged Coco Piña, Coastal Empire Beer Co., Savannah, GA
Silver: Choco Tuesday, Lone Pine Brewing Co. – Gorham Tasting Room, Gorham, ME
Bronze: Get Artistic, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Athens, GA

Category 18: Experimental India Pale Ale – 103 Entries
Gold: Pepper & Peaches, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Silver: Lazy Tiger, Lamplighter Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA
Bronze: Vladimir Brutin, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 19: Historical Beer – 28 Entries
Gold: Decorah Nordic Gruit, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA
Silver: Seedstock Gratzer, Seedstock Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Fr. Bernard’s Grodziskie, New Magnolia Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 20: Gluten-Free Beer – 45 Entries
Gold: Aurochs Hazy IPA, Aurochs Brewing Co., Emsworth, PA
Silver: 1808, ALT Brew, Madison, WI

Category 21: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 34 Entries
Gold: Tank 7, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Silver: Dear You, Ratio Beerworks, Denver, CO
Bronze: Still Single, Light the Lamp Brewery, Grayslake, IL

Category 22: American-Style Sour Ale – 36 Entries
Gold: Vice Sans Fruit, Wild Barrel Brewing Co., San Marcos, CA
Silver: Mirage, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Sour IPA, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Category 23: Fruited American-Style Sour Ale – 180 Entries
Gold: Guava Dreams, Del Cielo Brewing Co., Martinez, CA
Silver: Peach Afternoon, Port Brewing Co. / The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Bronze: Summer Sun, Stereo Brewing Co., Placentia, CA

Category 24: Brett Beer – 48 Entries
Gold: Bottle Conditioned Day Drinker, Lost Forty Brewing, Little Rock, AR
Silver: Touch of Brett, Alesong Brewing & Blending, Eugene, OR
Bronze: Saison de Walt, Flix Brewhouse, Carmel, IN

Category 25: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 74 Entries
Gold: Wild James, Coldfire Brewing, Eugene, OR
Silver: Déluge, Sanitas Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Gathering Red Currants & Peaches, Grimm Artisanal Ales, Brooklyn, NY

Category 26: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 65 Entries
Gold: Afternoon Delight, Sun King Brewery – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Amburana Graham Cracker Porter, Denver Beer Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: B.A.DUNKEL, TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room, Tustin, CA

Category 27: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 154 Entries
Gold: Amburana Dream, Denver Beer Co. – Olde Town Arvada, Arvada, CO
Silver: Bourbon B.A. Big Game, Bravery Brewing, Lancaster, CA
Bronze: Barrel-Aged Full Malted Jacket, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Category 28: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 199 Entries
Gold: A Night to End All Dawns, Kane Brewing Co., Ocean, NJ
Silver: Ruckus, Melvin Brewing – Thai Me Up, Jackson, WY
Bronze: Grasp of Oak, Moksa Brewing Co., Rocklin, CA

Category 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 54 Entries
Gold: Cuvee De Funk, Lone Pine Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Triad Blanc, IMBIB Custom Brews, Reno, NV
Bronze: Freedom 7, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 30: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 111 Entries
Gold: The Many Lives of Our Lives, Big aLICe Brewing Co., Long Island City, NY
Silver: Cleft, Little Fish Brewing Co., Athens, OH
Bronze: Cherry Busey, Sun King Brewery – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Category 31: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 71 Entries
Gold: Safety Dance, Smartmouth Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA
Silver: Royal Bohemian Pilsner, Earth Rider Brewery, Superior, WI
Bronze: TF Brewing Granary Keller Bier, Templin Family Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT

Category 32: Smoke Beer – 60 Entries
Gold: O’Fallon Smoked Porter, O’Fallon Brewery, Maryland Heights, MO
Silver: Holy Smokes!, Santa Maria Brewing Co., Atascadero, CA
Bronze: Buchenrauch, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, Columbus, OH

Category 33: American Lager – 137 Entries
Gold: Lager at World’s End, Epidemic Ales, Concord, CA
Silver: Seismic Tremor, Seismic Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Lite Thinking, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont, IL

Category 34: Light Lager – 85 Entries
Gold: Wander Litely, Wander Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Chuckanut Chuck Lite, Chuckanut Brewery – North Nut, Bellingham, WA
Bronze: Pachanga, Sun King Brewery – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Category 35: American Pilsener – 120 Entries
Gold: Beachscape, Ventura Coast Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Silver: Imagine a World with Beer Cellars Instead of 401ks, Freetail Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX
Bronze: Pilsner, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR

Category 36: International Pilsener – 114 Entries
Gold: Japanese Lager, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Silver: Rioveza, Kern River Brewing Co. – The Backyard, Kernville, CA
Bronze: Little Wing, Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co., Chicago, IL

Category 37: American-Style Cream Ale – 135 Entries
Gold: Moonlite, Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN
Silver: Cerveza, True North Ale Co., Ipswich, MA
Bronze: Let’s Talk About Mex, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 38: American Amber Lager – 111 Entries
Gold: Volksbier Vienna, Wibby Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: Oktoberfest, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
Bronze: Amber Lager, Skipping Rock Beer Co., Staunton, VA

Category 39: German-Style Pilsener – 200 Entries
Gold: Sprockets, Gravely Brewing Co., Louisville, KY
Silver: Prost Pils, Prost Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Pils, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO

Category 40: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 137 Entries
Gold: Perle Haggard, Ex Novo Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: Fortune & Glory, Precarious Beer Project – Precarious Beer Hall, Williamsburg, VA
Bronze: Tres Tres, Ocean Beach Brewery, San Diego, CA

Category 41: Munich-Style Helles – 131 Entries
Gold: Augenblick Light Lager, Masthead Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH
Silver: Nashville Lager, Nashville Brewing Co., Nashville, TN
Bronze: Helles, Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2, Bellingham, WA

Category 42: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest – 90 Entries
Gold: CounterWeight Fest Bier, Counter Weight Brewing Co., Hamden, CT
Silver: The Prince of DORTness, Quarter Celtic Brewpub, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Funfest, Bootlegger’s Brewery, Fullerton, CA

Category 43: Vienna-Style Lager – 109 Entries
Gold: RhinO’fest, Lost Rhino Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA
Silver: Vienna Lager, East Rock Brewing Co., New Haven, CT
Bronze: Oktoberfest, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA

Category 44: German-Style Maerzen – 142 Entries
Gold: Amber’s Lager-Amber Lager, Irwin Brewing Co., Crested Butte, CO
Silver: White Rocktoberfest, White Rock Alehouse & Brewery, Dallas, TX
Bronze: Big Grove Oktoberfest, Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, IA

Category 45: German Dark Lager – 98 Entries
Gold: Maximilian, La Reforma, Albuquerque, NM
Silver: Dozer Line, Topa Topa Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Bronze: Umbeereon, GameCraft Brewing, Laguna Hills, CA

Category 46: International Dark Lager – 89 Entries
Gold: Baltic Porter, Skipping Rock Beer Co., Staunton, VA
Silver: Murder Ballads, Noble Beast Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH
Bronze: Public Enemy Baltic Porter, Dust Bowl Brewing Co., Turlock, CA

Category 47: Bock – 50 Entries
Gold: Chuckanut Maibock, Chuckanut Brewery – North Nut, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Maibock, NoDa Brewing Co. – NE, Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Skool House Bock, Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN

Category 48: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 40 Entries
Gold: Agent Provocator, Clandestine Brewing, San Jose, CA
Silver: Duck-Rabbit Duck-Rabbator, Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Farmville, NC
Bronze: Doppelbock, Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN

Category 49: Golden or Blonde Ale – 137 Entries
Gold: Carolinian, Columbia Craft Brewing Co., Columbia, SC
Silver: Salty Crew, Coronado Brewing Co., Coronado, CA
Bronze: Sunlight Cream Ale, Sun King Brewery – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Category 50: German-Style Koelsch – 162 Entries
Gold: Kolsch, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Silver: Kodiak Kolsch, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA
Bronze: Kolsch Money, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, MA

Category 51: English Ale – 93 Entries
Gold: Proper Beer, Proper Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Summer Lovin’, Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA
Bronze: Uncle Dave’s, Discretion Brewing, Soquel, CA

Category 52: International Pale Ale – 87 Entries
Gold: Locals Only, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Carlsbad Crush, Burgeon Beer Co., Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Inner Light, Our Mutual Friend Brewing, Denver, CO

Category 53: American-Style Pale Ale – 156 Entries
Gold: Featherweight Pale Ale, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Somewhere Golden, Institution Ale Co., Camarillo, CA
Bronze: Pantsless, Alarmist Brewing, Chicago, IL

Category 54: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 137 Entries
Gold: Moon Haze, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Hazy L IPA, Bale Breaker Brewing Co., Yakima, WA
Bronze: Mosaic Pale Ale, Random Row Brewing Co., Charlottesville, VA

Category 55: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 149 Entries
Gold: Built For Speed, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Silver: Superpower IPA, Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Mai Tai P.A., Alvarado Street Brewery & Tasting Room, Salinas, CA

Category 56: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 145 Entries
Gold: Goofy Boots, Penrose Brewing Co., Geneva, IL
Silver: Reuben’s Crush, Reuben’s Brews – The Taproom, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Tight Quarters, Slice Beer Co., Lincoln, CA

Category 57: American-Style India Pale Ale – 355 Entries
Gold: IPA, Perry Street Brewing, Spokane, WA
Silver: Updrift India Pale Ale, Pelican Brewing Co. – Tillamook, Tillamook, OR
Bronze: Nothing Noble, Von Ebert Brewing – Pearl, Portland, OR

Category 58: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 377 Entries
Gold: Spellbinder, Wren House Brewing Co., Phoenix, AZ
Silver: Yojo, Moonraker Brewing Co., Auburn, CA
Bronze: Wicked Pawesome, Metazoa Brewing Co. – Stringtown Production Facility, Indianapolis, IN

Category 59: Imperial India Pale Ale – 166 Entries
Gold: Hammerland DIPA, El Segundo Brewing Co., El Segundo, CA
Silver: Double Cone, Alvarado Street Brewery & Tasting Room, Salinas, CA
Bronze: Freak of Nature Double IPA, Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, NC

Category 60: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 192 Entries
Gold: The Hopsplainer, Burke-Gilman Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Not A Scientist, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Sugar on My Tongue, Highland Park Brewery, Los Angeles, CA

Category 61: American-Style Amber/Red Ale – 110 Entries
Gold: Avalon Amber Ale, Bowigens Beer Co., Casselberry, FL
Silver: Justin’s Easy Going Amber, Zuni Street Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Paulie’s Not Irish, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR

Category 62: Strong Red Ale – 75 Entries
Gold: Happy Days, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Silver: Side Hike, Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
Bronze: Devil’s Path, El Segundo Brewing Co., El Segundo, CA

Category 63: English Mild or Bitter – 57 Entries
Gold: Deep Roots, Three Weavers Brewing Co., Inglewood, CA
Silver: English Pale Mild Ale, Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Hawley, PA
Bronze: MSB (McFleshman’s Special Bitter), McFleshman’s Brewing Co., Appleton, WI

Category 64: Extra Special Bitter – 56 Entries
Gold: Wicket Awesome, Eureka Heights Brew Co., Houston, TX
Silver: Extra Special StormBreaker, StormBreaker Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: English Sporting Beer, Midwest Coast Brewing Co., Chicago, IL

Category 65: Scottish-Style Ale – 43 Entries
Gold: Back Country, Lewis & Clark Brewing Co., Helena, MT
Silver: It Takes a Tribe Red Ale, Goat Patch Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Bronze: Taildragger Clan-Destine, Saddle Mountain Brewing Co., Goodyear, AZ

Category 66: Irish-Style Red Ale – 78 Entries
Gold: Balefire Irish Red, Mirror Image Brewing Co., Frederick, CO
Silver: Crimson Lass, Quarter Celtic Brewpub, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Vixen, Old Bust Head Brewing Co., Vint Hill, VA

Category 67: English-Style Brown Ale – 55 Entries
Gold: Get Up Offa That Brown, Golden Road Brewing, Anaheim, CA
Silver: Bloodhound Brown Ale, Attic Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Bronze: Brown Ale, Lowercase Brewing – Production Facility, Seattle, WA

Category 68: American-Style Brown Ale – 60 Entries
Gold: Brown Ale, Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, NM
Silver: Wallops Island, Rocket Frog Brewing Co., Sterling, VA
Bronze: All-American Brown, Auburn Alehouse, Auburn, CA

Category 69: American-Style Black Ale or American-Style Stout – 69 Entries
Gold: Wookey Jack, Firestone Walker Brewing Co. – The Propagator, Marina del Rey, CA
Silver: Black the Riipper, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: 1979 Stout, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Mills River, Mills River, NC

Category 70: German-Style Sour Ale – 54 Entries
Gold: Breakside Gose, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Slightly Sour, Second Chance Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: First Steps on a Sour Planet, Aeronaut Brewing Co., Somerville, MA

Category 71: Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse – 74 Entries
Gold: Razzle Fo Shazzle, Great Basin Brewing Co. – Reno, Reno, NV
Silver: Glitz & Glam, Eppig Brewing, Vista, CA
Bronze: Plumpricot, Beale’s, Bedford, VA

Category 72: Contemporary Gose – 81 Entries
Gold: Cruise to Nowhere, Town Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Silver: Haole Punch, Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill, Monterey, CA
Bronze: Steady As She Gose – P.O.G., Big Ugly Brewing, Chesapeake, VA

Category 73: German-Style Altbier – 44 Entries
Gold: Howitzer Amber, Red Leg Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Silver: Control ALT, Devil’s Logic Brewing, Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Altitude Alt, Altitude Chophouse & Brewery, Laramie, WY

Category 74: German-Style Wheat Ale – 145 Entries
Gold: Goggle Fogger Hefeweizen, Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon, North Olmsted, OH
Silver: Hefeweizen, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO
Bronze: Doc’s Dunkel, Gravely Brewing Co., Louisville, KY

Category 75: Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale – 74 Entries
Gold: First To Fall, The Good Society, Seattle, WA
Silver: Crazy Train, Fretboard Brewing Co., Blue Ash, OH
Bronze: III Belgian Blond, Third Window Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA

Category 76: Belgian-Style Witbier – 72 Entries
Gold: White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Boeman Belgian White, Ogopogo Brewing, San Gabriel, CA
Bronze: Wolk, Lock 27 Brewing, Centerville, OH

Category 77: Classic Saison – 80 Entries
Gold: Beyond the Gnome World, Silver Branch Brewing Co., Silver Spring, MD
Silver: Tomorrow’s Verse, Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse, Sacramento, CA
Bronze: Meadowlark, Metazoa Brewing Co. – Taproom, Indianapolis, IN

Category 78: Specialty Saison – 74 Entries
Gold: Farmhouse Cuvée, Alesong Brewing & Tasting Room, Eugene, OR
Silver: Seeds of Infinity, Coldfire Brewing, Eugene, OR
Bronze: Obeisance, Von Ebert Brewing – Glendoveer, Portland, OR

Category 79: Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale – 108 Entries
Gold: Funk Yeah, Beachwood Blendery, Long Beach, CA
Silver: Peche, Block 15 Brewing Co., Corvallis, OR
Bronze: Cerise Morte, Wicked Weed – Funk House, Arden, NC

Category 80: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – 103 Entries
Gold: Cosmic Sloth, Pinthouse Pizza – South Lamar, Austin, TX
Silver: Qualified, Taxman Brewing Co., Bargersville, IN
Bronze: Hell Camino Belgian Quad, Dos Desperados Brewery, San Diego, CA

Category 81: Belgian-Style Abbey Ale – 106 Entries
Gold: Dubbel or Nothing, Monkless Belgian Ales, Bend, OR
Silver: 228 Tripel, Stormcloud Brewing Co., Frankfort, MI
Bronze: Lux Mundi, Save The World Brewing Co., Marble Falls, TX

Category 82: Belgian-Style Specialty Ale – 47 Entries
Gold: Tangible Passion, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Silver: Goin’ Stag, Cabin Boys Brewery, Tulsa, OK
Bronze: Orange Diva, StillFire Brewing, Suwanee, GA

Category 83: Brown Porter – 54 Entries
Gold: Brown Claw, Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
Silver: FivePine Porter, Three Creeks Brewing Co., Sisters, OR
Bronze: Old Normal, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category 84: Robust Porter – 60 Entries
Gold: Tabula Rasa, Second Chance Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Porter, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
Bronze: Thriller Pillar Porter, Bron Yr Aur Brewing Co., Naches, WA

Category 85: Stout – 72 Entries
Gold: ODIS, O’Connor Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA
Silver: Void of Light, Gun Hill Brewing Co., Bronx, NY
Bronze: Dry Stout, The Post Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO

Category 86: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 39 Entries
Gold: Moozie Milk Stout, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Korova Milk Porter, Gnarly Barley Brewing Co., Hammond, LA
Bronze: Irish Prenup, Barley Naked Brewing Co., Stafford, VA

Category 87: Oatmeal Stout – 52 Entries
Gold: Settlers’ Oatmeal Stout, Vallensons’ Brewing Co., Pearland, TX
Silver: North Tower Stout, Earth Rider Brewery, Superior, WI
Bronze: Stagecoach Stout, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Buellton, CA

Category 88: Imperial Stout – 88 Entries
Gold: The Snow, Community Beer Works, Buffalo, NY
Silver: Doggin Wrench, Five Branches Brewing, Tarpon Springs, FL
Bronze: Stoutacus, Shoe Tree Brewing Co., Carson City, NV

Category 89: Scotch Ale – 58 Entries
Gold: No. 17 Scotch Ale, The Freehouse, Minneapolis, MN
Silver: The Bruce, Überbrew, Billings, MT
Bronze: Wee Heavy HINDER, H.H. Hinder Brewing Co., Waupaca, WI

Category 90: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine-Style Ale – 91 Entries
Gold: Miss Cleo’s Barkleywine, Sanford Brewing Co., Sanford, FL
Silver: Baby Maker, Triple C Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Waterline Wee Heavy, Waterline Brewing Co., Wilmington, NC

Category 91: Fresh Hop Beer – 58 Entries
Gold: Conelick’r, Three Creeks Brewing Co., Sisters, OR
Silver: Fresh Hop Ride the Pine, Belching Beaver Brewery – Tavern & Grill, Vista, CA
Bronze: Fresh Hop Hazealicious, Reuben’s Brews – Production Brewery, Seattle, WA

2020 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year
The Good Society, Seattle, WA
Phil Cammarano & Nick Berger

Mid-Size Brewpub and Mid-Size Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Monkless Belgian Ales, Bend, OR
Todd Clement & Chris Dinsdale

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
The Freehouse, Minneapolis, MN
The Freehouse Team

Very Small Brewing Company and Very Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Five Branches Brewing, Tarpon Springs, FL
Jerry Brown

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Big aLICe Brewing Co., Long Island City, NY
Big aLICe Production Team

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Lost Forty Brewing, Little Rock, AR
Lost Forty Brewing Team

Brewery Group and Brewery Group Brewer of the Year
Three Creeks Brewing Co., Sisters, OR
Team Three Creeks

Historic Beer Birthday: William Treadwell Van Nostrand

October 7, 2020 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the birthday of William Treadwell Van Nostrand (October 7, 1821-January 4, 1901). He bought the Bunker Hill Breweries, located in Charlestown, Massachusetts (which today is part of Boston), which had been founded in 1821. In 1878, Alonzo Gilford became a partner and took over the brewery from his father. It was originally known as the John Cooper & Thomas Gould Brewery, and Crystal Lake Brewery, but he renamed it the Wm. T. Van Nostrand & Co. Brewery in 1877, though they used the trade name Bunker Hill Breweries Brewery from 1890 on. It remained open until prohibition, but reopened briefly after repeal as the Van Nostrand Brewing Co., but lasted less than a year, closing in 1934.

Here’s an obituary of Van Nostrand from the American Brewers Review:

bunker-hill-brewery-1897 — The Bunker Hill Brewery in 1897.

This is from a biography in the Biographical History of Massachusetts of his son, Alonzo Van Nostrand, but includes biographical information on the father, William Treadwell Van Nostrand.

And this is a history of the Bunker Hills Breweries from “100 Years of Brewing History:”

Beer Birthday: Jonathan Goldsmith

September 26, 2020 By Jay Brooks 2 Comments

Today is the birthday of Jonathan Goldsmith, who “is an American actor. He began his career on the New York stage, then started a career in film and television. He appeared in several TV shows from the 1960s to the 1990s.” And if that were all, he wouldn’t be here, but he’s probably best known now “for appearing in television commercials for Dos Equis beer, from 2006 to 2016, as the character ‘The Most Interesting Man in the World.'” I confess that I’ve never been a fan of the Dos Equis ad campaign and wrote a post against back when it began because I hated the “stay thirsty, my friends” tagline. I probably got more angry comments over the years about my negative reaction than any other post I wrote. And while I’ve never come around on that aspect of the campaign, I do have to admit it’s been very successful. It’s certainly not the first time I’ve been in the minority opinion on something. I briefly met Goldsmith at a comedy event in Napa a few years ago, and he was certainly an interesting person. Despite my protestations, his character has certainly become iconic in the decade Dos Equis ran with it.

Here’s his biography, from his Wikipedia page:

Goldsmith was born on September 26, 1938, in New York. His mother was a model and his father was a gym teacher. His parents were Jewish. Goldsmith graduated from Boston University in 1958, after which he pursued an acting career.

Jonathan has made over 350 television appearances in his career. Among them was the role of Marvin Palmer in the 1964 Perry Mason episode, “The Case of the Blonde Bonanza.” To advance his acting career, Goldsmith moved to California from New York in 1966.[6] Like many aspiring actors, he found it difficult to gain enough acting work to survive and wound up working various jobs, including driving a garbage truck and working in construction, to help make ends meet.

During his early years in film, Goldsmith performed as “Jonathan Lippe”, having taken the name of his stepfather at the age of six. He subsequently changed his professional name back to his birth name, later recalling, “It always made me feel bad for my father, who never caused me any grief about it…. As my career grew and my son was born, I changed my name back to my real name, Goldsmith, so my father could enjoy his son’s success and have a grandson to carry his name as well.”

Goldsmith first established himself as an actor in Western films, with 25 such appearances. In the 1976 film The Shootist, Goldsmith played a villain who was shot between the eyes by hero John Wayne, who fired blood capsules from a special pellet gun at point blank range into Goldsmith’s face for seven painful takes.

Goldsmith also made guest appearances on 45 television series, including Gunsmoke; Adam-12; Knight Rider; CHiPs; Eight Is Enough; The Rockford Files; Hawaii Five-O; Barnaby Jones; MacGyver; Murder, She Wrote; Charlie’s Angels; Petrocelli; Manimal; The Fall Guy; Dynasty; T.J. Hooker; Hardcastle and McCormick; Magnum, P.I.; Knots Landing; and The A-Team, as well as a few made-for-TV movies. His longest run in a television series was on Dallas, in which he appeared 17 times.

In the 1980s Goldsmith started network marketing businesses (waterless car wash products) Dri Wash & Guard, and also SPRINT which was successful enough to allow him to “retire” from the Hollywood scene; he purchased an estate in the Sierra. He taught theater at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York from 1999-2004. He moved onto a large sailboat moored in Marina del Rey. As of 2011 he and his wife Barbara (who was his agent when he obtained the Dos Equis role) are moving to a house in the area of Manchester, Vermont.

Starting in 2016 Goldsmith writes for True.Ink, a web site that “celebrates The Noble Pursuit, a mix of adventure, expertise, and kindness.”

Beginning in April 2007 and continuing through 2015, Goldsmith had been featured in a high-profile television ad campaign, promoting Dos Equis beer. The campaign, which transformed Goldsmith into “the most interesting man in the world”, has been credited for helping to fuel a 15.4 percent sales increase for the brand in the United States in 2009 and also made him into a very popular meme.

Goldsmith landed the Dos Equis gig by auditioning for the role. Auditioners were given the ending line “…and that’s how I arm wrestled Fidel Castro” and asked to improvise. Goldsmith began his audition by removing one sock and then improvised for 30 minutes before reaching the concluding line. The character was inspired by his deceased sailing partner and friend Fernando Lamas.

On March 9, 2016, Dos Equis announced that it would replace Goldsmith in the role as the “Most Interesting Man in the World”, saying that the brand hoped to “reboot (the character) in a way that’s relevant for today’s drinker so the brand doesn’t get stale.” In September 2016, French actor Augustin Legrand (who also speaks English and Spanish) became the new “Most Interesting Man in the World”.

In June, 2017, he returned to television advertising; he switched to tequila, and does ads for Astral Tequila.

And this is the Wikipedia entry for The Most Interesting Man in the World:

The Most Interesting Man in the World is an advertising campaign for the Dos Equis brand of beer. The ads feature “the world’s most interesting man,” a bearded, debonair gentleman, with voiceovers that are intended to be both humorous and outrageous. The advertisements first began appearing in the United States in 2006 and have since then become a popular Internet meme.

The advertisements first began appearing in the United States in 2006, with The Most Interesting Man in the World portrayed by American actor Jonathan Goldsmith, and Frontline narrator Will Lyman providing voiceovers. They were produced by the marketing firm Euro RSCG (now Havas Worldwide) for Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery.

Goldsmith landed the Dos Equis gig by auditioning for the role. Auditioners were given the ending line “…and that’s how I arm wrestled Fidel Castro” and asked to improvise. Goldsmith began his audition by removing one sock and then improvised for 30 minutes before reaching the concluding line. The character was inspired by his deceased sailing partner and friend Fernando Lamas.

In March 2016, Dos Equis announced Goldsmith’s retirement from the role, with a commercial sending him on a one-way journey to Mars amid much acclaim, and the narration: “His only regret is not knowing what regret feels like”. In September, they introduced French actor Augustin Legrand as Goldsmith’s replacement

The Goldsmith advertisements feature an older bearded, debonair gentleman. They also feature a montage (mostly in black and white) of daring exploits involving “the most interesting man” when he was younger, in which the character is played by actor Claudio Marangone.

The precise settings are never revealed, but he performs feats such as freeing an angry bear from a painful-looking bear trap, shooting a pool trick shot before an audience (by shooting the cue ball out of the mouth of a man lying on the pool table), catching a marlin while cavorting in a Hemingway-esque scene with a beautiful young woman, winning an arm-wrestling match in a South American setting, surfing a killer wave, and bench pressing two young women, each seated in a chair, in a casino setting. The voiceovers themselves are intended to be both humorous and outrageous, and include humorous undertones such as his giving his own father “the talk”, experiencing an awkward moment just to know how it felt, and finding the Fountain of Youth but not drinking from it, “because he wasn’t thirsty”. Other feats are more centered on his physical abilities and personality. These include his small talk changing foreign policies, parallel-parking a train, and slamming a revolving door.

At the end of the advertisement, the most interesting man, usually shown sitting in a night club or other social setting surrounded by several beautiful young women, says, “I don’t always drink beer. But when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.” Each commercial ends with him stating the signature sign-off: “Stay thirsty, my friends.”

There are secondary advertisements that are similar to the final part of the original advertisements. They feature the man sitting in a social setting, surrounded by beautiful young women, conveying a short opinion to the viewer on certain subjects, such as bar nuts, the two-party system, self-defense, trophy wives, and “bromance”. He then finishes the advertisement by holding a Dos Equis beer and saying, “Stay thirsty, my friends.”

The agency’s rationale for the brand strategy was defined as: “He is a man rich in stories and experiences, much the way the audience hopes to be in the future. Rather than an embodiment of the brand, The Most Interesting Man is a voluntary brand spokesperson: he and Dos Equis share a point of view on life that it should be lived interestingly.” According to the company, U.S. sales increased each year between 2006–2010 and tripled in Canada in 2008, although exact figures were not provided. Sales of Dos Equis are said to have increased by 22% at a time when sale of other imported beer fell 4% in the U.S.

Goldsmith said in an interview that he realized how successful the campaign had been when a man came up to him in a restaurant, telling Goldsmith that the man had asked his young son what he wanted to be when he grew up, and the son replied: “I want to be The Most Interesting Man In The World.”

Here’s a fun video from Business Insider about “How Jonathan Goldsmith Became ‘The Most Interesting Man In The World:'”

The ad campaign was successful enough that it also created a popular meme generator to make your own:

i-dont-always-drink-beer-oh-wait-yes-i-do

Beer Birthday: Evan Rail

September 16, 2020 By Jay Brooks 1 Comment

Today is the 48th birthday of Evan Rail, expat American writer living, and writing about beer, in Prague, Czech Republic. Evan was born and raised in Fresno, but discovered his love for beer while attending U.C. Davis as a French and German literature major. While there, he spent his time at the nearby Sudwerk Privatbrauerei brewpub, and counted among his friends several students in the Master Brewers program. That’s also where he began homebrewing in 1993. He also studied in New York and Paris, before making the Czech Republic his home in 2000. His move to Prague was meant to be for a single year, but he’s still there almost two decades later. Given that he met his wife there, and they’ve started a family, it’s likely he won’t be moving home any time soon. In addition to writing the Good Beer Guide to Prague and the Czech Republic, Rail’s also penned Why Beer Matters, In Praise of Hangovers and Triplebock, all Kindle singles. We finally had a chance to share a beer in person last year when he was in San Francisco for an event sponsored by Pilsner Urquell. Join me in wishing Evan a very happy birthday.

A few years ago at event in san Francisco, where Evan was doing a presentation for Pilsner Urquell.

Also a couple of years ago in Copenhagen, along with, clockwise from left: Martyn Cornell, Jeff Alworth, Evan, me, Stephen Beaumont, Pete Brown, Stan Hieronymus and Ron Pattinson.

Talking with Stan Hieronymus during a tour of the Carlsberg Laboratory.

A Facebook cover photo of Evan (which is where I purloined it from, along with the next one, too).

A screenshot from a video of Evan talking about Czech beer.

Beer Birthday: Tara Nurin

August 7, 2020 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the 47th birthday of beer writer Tara Nurin. She’s originally from Annapolis, but now calls Camden, New Jersey her home, where she writes for Forbes, USA Today, Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, and many others. She’s currently working on a book about the history of women in beer, tentatively titled “Don’t Worry, Darling, You Didn’t Burn the Beer,” which comes from an infamous 1952 Schlitz beer ad. It’s due in Spring of next year (no pressure). She also founded Beer for Babes (f.k.a. Barley’s Angels New Jersey). I don’t remember when I first met Tara, possibly at a North American Guild of Beer Writer events, but she’s been a great addition to the beer writer’s cadre, and earlier this year I worked with Tara on her media panel for the Craft Brewers Conference. Join me in wishing Tara a very happy birthday.

With Herlinda Heras at the Hopland Tap during a recent trip to California.

NOTE: All photos purloined from Facebook.

Historic Beer Birthday: Adolphus Busch

July 10, 2020 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the birthday of Adolphus Busch (July 10, 1839-October 10, 1913). He was born in Kastel, Germany, and co-founded Anheuser-Busch, along with his father-in-law, Eberhard Anheuser. The twenty-first of twenty-two children, his family was in the wholesale business, specializing in winery and brewery supplies. Like all of his his brothers he was sent to college, and graduated from the Collegiate Institute of Belgium in Brussels.

He moved to St. Louis in 1857, when he was eighteen, and eventually got a sales job with Charles Ehlermann Hops and Malt Co. After a distinguished stint as a soldier during the Civil War, he returned to his brewery supply job and married Lily Anheuser, the daughter of Eberhard Anheuser. Together, they had thirteen children, including Adolphus Busch II and August A. Busch. After marrying Lily, he joined the family business, then known as E. Anheuser Co.’s Brewing Association, and eventually became a partner. When Lily’s father passed away in 1879, Adolphus took control of the business and changed the name to Anheuser-Busch.

In St. Louis, Adolphus Busch was busy transforming his father-in-law’s (Eberhard Anheuser’s) once-failing brewery into a grand empire. Adolphus, perhaps more than any other brewer, became known for his flamboyant, almost audacious persona. Tirelessly promoting his Budweiser Beer, he toured the country in a luxurious railroad car immodestly named “The Adolphus.” In place of the standard calling card, the young entrepreneur presented friends and business associates with his trademark gold-plated pocket knife featuring a peephole in which could be viewed a likeness of Adolphus himself. His workers bowed in deference as he passed. “See, just like der king!” he liked to say.

Adolphus as a young man, in 1869.

Here’s a biography of Adolphus Busch from the Immigrant Entrepreneur Hall of Fame:

“A truly American tale. Freedom. Opportunity. Progress. Words that seized the imagination of people all over the world and brought them to the Land of Liberty. It’s a uniquely American story, told in chapter after chapter of hardship, hard work and hard-won success. The Budweiser story is no exception.”

Photo of Adolphus BuschSo begins the tale of Adolphus Busch, the founder of Anheuser-Busch and creator of Budweiser beer, as stated on the Budweiser website. He was an immigrant who not only created personal wealth and success but also made a landmark contribution to American society.

Born the second youngest of 22 children in Germany, Busch was educated in Brussels and immigrated to the United States in 1857. Settling in St. Louis, he married Lilly Anheuser and had 13 children of his own.

After completing his enlistment in the Union Army during the Civil War, Adolphus joined his father-in-law in the operation of E. Anheuser & Co. Brewery. The company was later restructured with Anheuser as president and Busch as secretary. As full partner, Busch took on greater responsibility for the operation of the brewery. To recognize his efforts, in 1879 the company name was changed to the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association.

Busch was a man of many firsts. Apart from founding America’s first national beer brand, Budweiser, in 1876, he is credited with revolutionizing the shipment of beer (in refrigerated railway cars), being one of the first to bottle beer and implementing a method to pasteurize beer to keep it fresh.

Today, Anheuser-Busch captures the largest market share in the U.S. with 47.6 percent share of U.S. beer sales to retailers. It brews the world’s top-selling beer brands, Budweiser and Bud Light, at 12 breweries across the United States.

After he died while on vacation in Germany, his body was brought back to St. Louis to be buried. It was a fitting resting place for the man who created one of America’s most iconic brands.

Busch married Elise “Lilly” Eberhard Anheuser, the third daughter of Eberhard Anheuser, on March 7, 1861 in St. Louis, Missouri. They had thirteen children; eight sons, including Adolphus Busch II, August Anheuser Busch I and Carl Busch, and five daughters. The Busches often traveled to Germany where they bought a castle. They named it the Villa Lilly for Mrs Busch. It was located in Lindschied near Langenschwalbach, in present-day Bad Schwalbach.

And here’s his biography from the German-American Hall of Fame:

Busch, Adolphus
1839-1913
Inducted: 2007
Area of Achievement: Business & Industry

American businessman and philanthropist, b. Mainz, Germany. To U.S. (1857); joined St. Louis brewery of Eberhard Anheuser (1861); president of Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association (1879-1913); introduced Budweiser brand; pioneered in pasteurization of beer.

Adolphus Busch was born July 10, 1839 in Kastel (near Mainz, Hesse), Germany. He was second-to-youngest of twenty-two children of Ulrich Busch and Barbara Pfeiffer Busch.

In 1857, Adolphus Bush emigrated to the United States with no plans, no destination, and nothing but his own ambition and abilities. Three of his brothers had already headed for St. Louis, Missouri. His brother John had opened his own brewery in nearby Washington, Missouri.

Young Adolphus joined Ernst Wattenberg to sell equipment and supplies to breweries. This venture led him to forge several strategic partnerships. Most important, he met his future bride, Lily Anheuser. At the same time, his brother Ulrich became enamored with her older sister, Anna.

Their father, Eberhard Anheuser, a skilled St. Louis soap and candle-maker, had recently purchased the failing Bavarian Brewery in St. Louis. He reopened the brewery as E. Anheuser & Co.

On March 7, 1861, the Anheuser-Busch interests were formally joined, both professionally and matrimonially. Eberhard Anheuser escorted both daughters down the aisle in double nuptials to the two Busch brothers. At the time, Busch was working for Anheuser as a salesman. (The future malt mogul and his brother married his boss’ daughters.)

Eventually, Busch and Anheuser became partners and equals. It was the perfect match. Busch was the consummate marketer, and Anheuser was a skilled manufacturer. Working for his father-in-law, Busch developed pasteurization of beer and began marketing the Budweiser brand, which was named after Bmische Budweis, a town in his homeland of Germany. In 1876, Busch enlisted the help of his friend Carl Conrad (a liquor bottler) to develop this Bohemian-style pilsner beer.A fierce rivalry developed between Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser beer and an old Czech brand from Budejovice. Since the 16th Century, the Czechs had called their product “The Beer of Kings,” so Busch began marketing his as “The King of Beers.”

By 1879, Busch was president of the Anheuuser-Busch Brewing Association. He held this position for more than 30 years.

His extravagant spending and elaborate lifestyle have become American folklore. Busch owned an expansive St. Louis manor, plus two palatial homes near Pasadena, California. He also had a country estate and a hops farm near Cooperstown, New York (not far from the Baseball Hall of Fame), two country villas in Germany, and his own private railroad car. His landscaping was famous for its fairy tale figurines, as Busch was a fan of the famed Grimm Brothers.

In 1911, when Adolphus and Lily marked their 50th wedding anniversary, he presented his queenly with a diamond tiara. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, the emperor of Germany, and other world leaders sent lavish gifts as well.

He died October 10, 1913 near Langenschwalbach, Germany. His son August took the reins of the company until his death in 1934. The company has been headed by a family succession ever since.

Incidentally, the famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale horses did not join the clan until after his death. In 1933, at the end of Prohibition, a team of Clydesdales were hitched up to pull the first load of legal beer from the St. Louis brewery. Company President August Busch (Adolphus’ son) was so taken by the sight that the horses became a favorite company trademark.

Adolphus later in life, around 1905.

And there’s a few more thorough accounts of his life at Encyclopedia.com, the State Historical Society of Missouri’s Historic Missourians, and and a four part story “originally published in The American Mercury, October, 1929,” entitled The King of Beer by Gerald Holland.

Medals Won by State:

The 2018 Great AmericanBeer Festival Winners

2020 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards

The 2018 Great American
Beer Festival Winners