RAISE A GLASS TO A BOOSTER OF BEER
The Post-Standard
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
EDITION: Final SECTION: CNY PAGE: E1 LENGTH:
TYPE: COLUMN COLUMN: BEER
BYLINE: DON CAZENTRE STAFF WRITER
If you have ever enjoyed a well-made, flavorful craft beer, at home or in your favorite multi-tap bar, you owe a debt to Michael Jackson.
No, not Michael Jackson the pop star. Michael Jackson, the "Beer Hunter," author of "The Beer Companion," "The World Guide to Beer," and numerous other guides, books and articles that educated the world to the joys of good beer (and, later, single malt Scotch).
Before Michael Jackson started writing in the 1970s, most Americans thought all beer was pale, yellow, fizzy stuff made in giant brewing factories.
Jackson helped change that. He died Aug. 30 at his home in London of a heart attack after years of living and working with Parkinson's disease.
The people who read Jackson's chronicles over the years learned about beer's place in history and culture. They learned about English bitters, Irish stouts, Belgian dubbels, German weizens and Czech pilsners.
In the late 1980s, Americans learned from his books and "The Beer Hunter" series on PBS that, here in the United States, there was a small but growing movement away from bland beer and toward the full-flavor beers that now are made in more than 1,500 microbreweries and brewpubs across the country.
Many of those who own and operate those craft breweries - and many of those who own and operate the bars and stores that sell their products - learned much about what they do from Michael Jackson.
In Syracuse, that includes Mike Yorton, owner of The Blue Tusk, and Ray Clark, owner of Clark's Ale House. It includes Marc Rubenstein, owner of Middle Ages Brewing Co., and Tim Butler, head brewer at Empire Brewing Co.
"He was definitely the inspiration for people who wanted to know about good beer," says Yorton, whose bar sports more than 70 different beers on tap - a feat that would likely have been impossible without Jackson's guidance.
To honor Jackson and to benefit the National Parkinson Foundation, bars and brewpubs throughout North America are having a simultaneous toast in his memory at 9 p.m. Sunday. The Syracuse event is at Empire Brewing Co.
At one time, Jackson was a frequent visitor to Central New York, as an invited speaker on beer and whiskey at Cornell University's School of Hotel Management.
During one of those visits, in September 1996, Jackson stopped in Syracuse, where he spent about 12 hours touring and drinking - from Middle Ages to the Empire to the Blue Tusk, and then to 318 Bistro, where he and his growing entourage (including me) started drinking Scotch.
Kihm Winship was then an active Syracuse-based beer writer, with contributions often appearing in All About Beer magazine. He served as Jackson's chauffeur for the day, and night.
"It was amazing - he took extensive notes and had a fabulous palate and ability to remember what he tasted," says Winship, who lives and works in Skaneateles. "He was a also a great writer, who could communicate all that to his readers."
Back home in London, Jackson described his visit for the English readers of the "What's Brewing" newsletter.
"Not everyone has reason to visit Syracuse," he wrote, "but, should you find yourself there, you need not thirst for good ale."
State fair winners
These are the winners in the state fair's first commercial beer competition:
English pale ale/American ale: First: Rohrbach Brewing Co., Rochester (Irish Red Ale); second: Southern Tier Brewing Co., Lakewood, (ESB - Extra Special Bitter); third: (tie) Empire Brewing Co., Syracuse (Amber), and Sackets Harbor Brewing Co., Sackets Harbor, (American Amber).
Hefeweizen, fruit beer and specialty beer: First: Empire Brewing Co. (Hefeweizen); second: Custom Brewcrafters, Honeoye Falls (Raspberry Wheat); third: Southern Tier (Coffee Stout)
Lager and cream ales: First: High Falls Brewing Co., Rochester (Cream Ale); second: High Falls (Maibock); third: Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue (American Lager)
India pale ale: First: Southern Tier (Imperial IPA - India Pale Ale); second: Southern Tier (American IPA); third: Lake Placid Pub & Brewery (American IPA)
Strong ale: First: Southern Tier (American Barleywine); second: Middle Ages Brewing Co., Syracuse (Strong Scotch Ale); third: Heartland Brewing Co., New York City (American Barleywine)
Stouts and porters: First: Heartland (Oatmeal Stout); Second: Custom Brewcrafters (Brown Porter); Third: Middle Ages (Imperial Stout)
Don Cazentre is regional editor for The Post-Standard. He is a homebrewer and a member of the Salt City Brew Club. He can be reached at 470-2297 or send e-mail to dcazentre@syracuse.com
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