In Memoriam

One of the main reasons we felt compelled to create the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame was to acknowledge the contributions of many people to the success of the craft beer industry in the U.S.  And one of the things that created a sense of urgency was the fact that many of the founders and early adapters in the industry are getting older, are infirmed, or, unfortunately, have already passed on.

Over the past 40-plus years, a number of influential people have gone on to that Great Brewhouse in the sky.  Some were well-known, some maybe not so much.  Some of the folks mentioned below are very likely to be inducted into The Hall, but probably not all of them.  That’s why it’s important to pause and recognize individuals who have played a role in the achievements of the American Craft Beer industry in some way, though they’re no longer around to accept and enjoy the recognition.

Tom Burns (   - 1994)

Founder and Brewer at Detroit & Mackinaw Brewing Company, Tom Burns was a “recovering attorney” whose passion was brewing.  He is credited with many of the early advancements in brewing legislation and rules and regulations in the 1990’s, which paved the way for a thriving industry in Michigan.  So profound was his contribution to the industry that the Michigan Brewers Guild created The Tom Burns Award, which is given to a people who embody the pioneering spirit of the Michigan brewing industry.

Pierre Celis (1925 – 2011)

Pierre was a Belgian brewer who opened his first brewery in 1966 to revive the Witbier style in his hometown of Hoegaarden in Belgium.  In 1985, after sustaining damage that was not covered by insurance, Celis he was forced to sell his company to Interbrew.  Celis decide to move to the United States and open the Celis Brewery in Austin Texas, where he is widely credited with introducing Americans to the almost forgotten Witbier style -along with other delectable Belgian style beers.

Fred Eckhardt (1926 – 2015)

Eckhardt was an American brewer, homebrewing advocate, and writer.  Eckhardt is best remembered as a pioneer in the field of beer journalism, publishing a series of articles and books on the topic, including the seminal 1989 tome, The Essentials of Beer Style.  At the time of his death, Eckhardt was memorialized as "the Dean of American beer writers" and, as such, he was one of the more influential people in the early days of microbrewing.

Rose Ann Finkel (1946 – 2020)

Finkel was an American businesswoman who ran a craft brewery and a beer importing company in Seattle, Washington.  Together with her husband, Charles, she started Merchant du Vin, today known as one of the world's largest craft beer importers.  They focused on importing beers made by family-run breweries in England, Germany, and Belgium and worked with U.S. brewers to revive classic brewing styles. The Finkels opened Pike Place Brewery in 1989; when it opened it was the third in Seattle and one of only a few independent, microbreweries statewide.

Michael Jackson (1942 – 2007)

Widely recognized as “The Bard of Beer”, Jackson became well-known in beer circles in 1977 when his book The World Guide To Beer was first published.  This is still considered one of the most fundamental books on the subject.  The relatively modern concept of beer styles is largely derived from this book, in which Jackson categorized a variety of beers from around the world in local style groups suggested by local customs and names.  His work had a special influence on the popularization of the brewing culture in North America, and in 1989 he hosted a television series entitled The Beer Hunter, which was shown on the Discovery Channel. 

Ron Jeffries (   -2024)

Memorials to Ron Jeffries are still pouring in, following his sudden passing just a week ago.  Jeffries was a paragon in the Michigan craft beer industry who has influenced hundreds of other brewers with his knowledge and his unique and esoteric “wild” ales.  A pioneer and a guiding force, Ron opened Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, Michigan, in 2004 and had won several noteworthy awards for his beers.  Ron was also a recent recipient of the Tom Burns Award mentioned above.

Art Larrance (1944 – 2024)

Considered the Founding Father of the local beer scene, Larrance was very influential throughout Oregon.  Portland Brewing Company was a pioneering brewery in Portland, Oregon’s early craft brewing years; it was co-founded by Art Larrance, Fred Bowman, and Jim Goodman in 1986.  After visiting Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, Art launched the Oregon Brewers Festival in July 1988.  OBF grew to become a four-day craft beer festival held annually from 1988 to 2019 on the waterfront in downtown Portland. 

Greg Noonan (1951 – 2009)

Noonan was an expert who wrote several published books on brewing.  His writing credits include Brewing Lager Beer: The Most Comprehensive Book for Home - And Microbrewers (1986) which he updated in 1996 and changed the title to New Brewing Lager Beer: The Most Comprehensive Book for Home - And Microbrewers.  He also wrote Scotch Ale (1993) for the Classic Beer Styles Series from Brewers Publications.   He also co-authored Seven Barrel Brewery Brewers Handbook (1997).  All the while, Noonan was the owner and brewmaster of Vermont Pub and Brewery since 1988.

Jim Parker (  - 2019)

Parker’s life and legacy goes hand in hand with the emergence of craft beer as a cultural force, and his wisdom and friendship touched and inspired innumerable people in the industry to follow this passion project.  He was an itinerant brewer and bartender who managed to do stints of service as a Director of the American Homebrewers Association in Colorado, as well as the very first Director of the Oregon Brewers Guild.  He had over thirty years’ experience in building and implementing craft beverage programs that brought high-level impact to new and established breweries and drinking establishments.  Somewhere along the way, Jim managed to co-author the book “Brown Ale” for Brewers Publications in 1998.

Russell Schehrer (1958 – 1996)  

In 1985, a talented homebrewer named Russell Schehrer won the coveted “Homebrewer of the Year” award at the National Homebrew Competition.  Using that accomplishment as a springboard, Schehrer launched a short but brilliant career as a brewer and brewing consultant in the microbrewing industry.  He became a founding partner and the original head brewer at Denver’s Wynkoop Brewing Company.  When he passed away in 1996 at the age of 38, the Brewers Association decided to honor Schehrer for his contributions to the brewing industry by creating the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation.

Don Younger ( -2011)

Younger was a publican’s publican, fostering the art craft brewing in Portland, Oregon, for over 40 years.  Younger opened the Horse Brass with his brother in 1976 and Esquire Magazine called it “One of the best bars in America”.  Younger and his highly respected establishment played a part in helping to shape or support just about every brewery in town.  Younger is justly credited by some for his role in turning Portland and Oregon into the “Beervana,” that it is today.  Younger is also said to have influenced other notable publicans across the country, including Tom Peters (Monk’s Café in Philadelphia), Dave Keene (The Toronado in San Francisco), Chris Black (The Falling Rock in Denver).

Surely there are others who should be on this list.  If you can think of someone who deserves to be acknowledged, feel free to contact us: americancraftbeerhalloffame@gmail.com.