Beer Hunter, R.I.P.
By Joey Redner
Published September 12, 2007
Aug. 30 marked the passing of a giant in the world of beer.
A man named Michael Jackson - who lived in London, rather than Neverland Ranch - passed away of a heart attack following a 10-year struggle with Parkinsons. Jackson was the original "beer hunter" and his trips around the globe seeking rare beers and extolling their virtues are legendary.
Jackson was the first beer writer who sought to elevate the image of beer to that of wine and to encourage pairing beer with food. His impact on the world of craft beer is immeasurable. It is highly probable that he single-handedly saved some styles of beer from oblivion, and unquestionable that he sparked the resurgence of others. His first book, The World Guide to Beer, published in 1977, exposed many beer connoisseurs to the world's more esoteric beer styles for the first time.
Jackson's BBC television show, The Beer Hunter, and frequent appearances on talk shows such as The Late Show brought his descriptions of beer and beer culture to wider audiences.
Jackson was a vociferous critic of beer he considered flavorless and without character. Jackson once wrote of his suspicion why Corona's brewers never invited him to tour their facility, despite his acceptance of invitations by other Mexican brewers: "While I accept the right of brewers to make beers that taste more of corn than barley malt, with scarcely a hint of hops, I am scarcely likely to write anything that supports the premium price or fashionability of such products, and have often made this clear."
Jackson was no beer bore, though. He often expounded the virtues of well-made mass produced beers and the simple pleasures of uncomplicated beers. More than just a beer writer, Jackson stood out simply as a skillful writer who, as a former journalist, understood that covering a topic was in the end, about people. Jackson's desire to explore the culture of beer and to humanize the people who worked in the beer industry, rather than dryly cover the beer itself, may have been his most endearing quality.
If Jackson's impact on the brewing industry was important, his impact on the coverage of beer was equally significant. There were once so few beer writers in the country that they could literally all belly up to the bar at once, with room to spare. Today, beer writers are plentiful and most major newspapers and publications feature coverage of beer. Writers and readers of beer coverage alike owe a debt of gratitude to Michael Jackson for paving the way.
On a personal note, I never got the opportunity to speak with Mr. Jackson, despite being in the same room on two occasions. In retrospect I wish I had availed myself of the opportunity, if only to thank him for putting in my head the idea that beer was worthy of respect and serious attention. It is a notion that is increasingly prevalent and that is undoubtedly attributable to the inestimable contributions of beer's greatest champion, Michael Jackson.
Speaking of contributions:
Bob Sylvester of Saint Somewhere Brewing in Tarpon Springs has released his first beer to retail outlets. Lectio Divina is an amber colored ale in the Belgian abbey style. The beers of Belgium were of particular interest to Michael Jackson and these complex, flavorful ales have become amazingly popular in the United States in large part to his advocacy.
Saint Somewhere is a unique small batch brewery that specializes in bottle-conditioned Belgian-style ales, which undergo additional fermentation in the bottle. The next release will be a Saison-style ale dubbed Saison Athene. You can find Saint Somewhere ales in 750-ml wine bottles at better beer retailers. For more information visit www.saintsomewherebrewing.com .