Between work, a social life, and no laptop I haven’t been blogging much, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy with this blog. Last month Dr Wort did an interesting guess the brewer post to help emphasize the ignorance of many of what he calls Portlands “Beer Chearleaders”.
The idea intrigued me, especially with all the reading I’ve been doing this year on the history of craft brewing and the history of Americas beer giants (can we call Boston Brewing a giant yet? Or will their creative number work be aloud to stand?). So I’ve spent the last few days cobbling together a short quiz on the birth of Americas craft brewing movement. While it’s not complete the questions are a decent mix of difficulty and contain a little history in the results. Let me know what you think and post your scores in the comments. If this quiz does well I’ll make another.
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100% Then again I wrote the quiz 🙂
I got 8 out of 8, but only on a guess, as one option was missing, which I think is incorrect. the question about the first brewpub in america, you list Micheal Laybourn and Norman Franks as an option, but you don’t list Bert Grant. Bert Grant opened ‘Grants Place” in Yakima, WA in 1982, Laybourn/Franks didn’t open theirs until August, 1983, making them the 2nd, not the first.
Erik
Nice feature! CT knew only Maytag & Carter – and since Grant was in Yakima, not Oregon, I would have guessed the drying. No idea on the others. I’ve never seen Papazian – just seen his name millions of times.
@ Erik
I’ve always heard Grants ’82 operation referred to as a micro brewery. I looked it up though and your right. My knowledge deffinatly isn’t complete on the subject as it comes from books and discussions with other brewers, and not first hand experience due to my age. Thanks for the correction, I’ll fix the question so it’s more accurate.
Fun little quiz….. I missed the Royster question.
In regard to FIRST Brew pubs….. I have this history in my files.
New Albion was first. Here’s a quote from an old article, but I checked for authenticity.
“In 1976 what some call the true renaissance of American Craft brewing emerged with the founding of The New Albion Brewery in Sonoma, California by a homebrew enthusiast. While this brewery went out of business after about 6 years…”
Alan Cranston Senator of CA was the person who pushed the legalizing of Home Brewing and Brew Pub bill through CA.
In Oregon…..Cartwright Brewing Company opened in 1980 at 617 S.E. Main Street, making them the First Brew pub in Oregon. 4 years after Jack McAuliffe at New Albion.
Grants was the first in Washington in 1982.
Mendecino Brewing with Don Barkley and Michael Laybourn opened in….In December 1983. It was the second brew pub in CA to open post 1976 New Albion.
Who was the third to open CA? It was almost a tie between two breweries, both are still in production.
One quick issue Doc. At the time of New Albions opening on site sales weren’t legal, and I can’t find any indication that New Albion did it anyway. Legaly New Albion was not the first brew pub. Therefore Hopland would be Californias first. Albion was the first “micro” brewery, even if it wasnt the first craft brewery.
As to wether Hopland was the first brew pub? I can’t find info on wether Bert Grant served food from the get-go, or just later made it part of his brewery. Info on Grant is sketchy. Hopland is well documented and considered by most to be the first. After the correction I did some research though, and I found a source listing Grants as the first and made the change due to that.
Also from what I can find Cartwright was a microbrewery, and not a brewpub.
You are right, legally New Albion was not supposed to exist and sell beer, but they did….They bottled their beer and sold it.
Are we talking about the first craft Brewing facilities, Brew Pubs, Breweries or what? How many ways do you want to split hairs? ;-}
I am splitting a hair two ways, Breweries selling beer off premise, and Brewpubs selling them on premise.
New Albion could legally sell beer, but they could not sell it at the brewery. New Albion had to go through the original 3 tier designed to regulate breweries that were much bigger. Bate’s Bill allowed on site sales at brew pubs, therefore no California brewery prior to that can therefor be a true brewpub.
In modern times the distinction between a “brewery” and “brewpub” is a minor thing, but when you consider that the brewpub is the standard startup model for modern breweries, but didn’t exist till the early 80’s the distinction is helpful for understanding the evolution of the craft beer scene.
Nice research on New Albion….. I never new how they got away with selling thier beer. You must have dug pretty deep to find that info….
Jared,
Mike Ryko is one of most favorite writers. I have all his books.
If you ever get a chance, Google Mike Ryko’s “letter to Frank Sinatra” and read it. It’s a great laugh!
I sucked at the quiz…I only got 4/4.
Carlos