The newly discovered fermentation cellars of the Gerke Brewery.

The mosaic floor at the entry to the Hudepohl Brewing Company.

Click to view full size

Click to view full size

The first page of Master Brewers archives inventory listing at Iowa State

Meeting minutes 9 days after the 21st Amendment was ratified. Text is written in German.

Bill Weisenburger studying an original Huebner-Toledo recipe.

A portion of a pre-Prohibition Huebner-Toledo recipe.

Language of the First MBAA Convention

One of my enduring interests has been a fascination with the expansive vocabularies of the U.S. founding fathers. To this day, I marvel at their eloquent and quotable manner of speaking and writing. These men were not only some of history's greatest statesmen, but also some of its greatest thinkers, educated in the 18th century Enlightenment tradition.

Have you ever pondered the rhetorical legacy provided to us by the writings of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution? Or the widely circulated revolutionary pamphlets such as Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, or The Federalist Papers jointly written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay (under the pen name of "Publius").

And... have you ever considered the stark contrast between the dialogue standard for that day and the language we witnessed on the 2016 debate stage, or the all too frequent 140 character Tweets now commonly used by our elected leaders?

It is with this "truth-in-packaging" background interest that I sought to revisit some "language details" from our first MBAA convention. I wanted to share a bit of the upscale oratory from our very own Founding Father Brewmasters!

My primary source to achieve this is a translation, German into English, of a detailed description of our first convention that was written by none other than Anton Schwarz in Der Amerikanische Bierbrauer (The American Brewer). It can be found in our Master Brewers Technical Quarterly Vol. 32. pp 115-117, 1995. On the next page are some images from that original Der Amerikanische Bierbrauer publication. I found it in the Anheuser-Busch archives when I was in St. Louis doing research. I wrote about that heritage marvel in the April 2016 Communicator. The images show the bound, leather cover of Der Amerikanische Bierbrauer from 1887, the title page of the issue describing our 1887 convention, and the first page of the article.

For our younger members who might not know, Anton Schwarz was a 19th century brewing rock star. He was an Austrian-born brewer and chemist who emigrated to the United States in 1868, settling in New York City. He got a job with Der Amerikanische Bierbrauer, became its editor, and ultimately bought the publication. He was much revered for turning The American Brewer into a serious scientific publication, improving brewing processes, and founding the Brewers’ Academy of the United States in New York City. His sculpted bust still hovers over the students studying at the Siebel Institute in Chicago.

Translation of title of image in center: “First National Convention of the United States Brewmaster Association. Special Report of American Brewer, Chicago, 22 March 1887.”

An English masthead from The American Brewer

Our Founding Father Brewmasters spoke and wrote in an upbeat and beautiful language befitting men who were clearly multi-talented, often equally skilled in their pursuits of science, mechanics, business, politics, social skills, and communication.

Consider Anton Schwarz's first reporting paragraph:

"The United States Brewmaster's Association has embarked upon its glorious path; it is a fait accompli. A new association has been founded which will make the aims of the brewing industry its own.

As a delegate to the first convention, and completely without regard to my own specialty, I have accomplished the duties of a conscientious reporter and herewith send you an all inclusive account of which AMERICAN BREWER may well be proud."

Consider the welcoming by W. Seib, the president of the Chicago Brewer’s Association:

"In the capacity of president of one of the brewer's associations, it is my honorable task to extend to you, dear Sirs, the welcome greeting. Although I know full well that I am no orator by profession, I will nevertheless try to discharge myself of this honorable task as well as my poor powers allow."

Mr. L. C. Huck, after being chosen president of the banquet, offered the following comments:

"The honorable task of president of today's banquet has been bestowed upon me. In expressing to the banquet committee my sincere gratitude, I beg those present to make my task an easy one through their fresh humor, and especially a fine thirst."

Mr. Huck then offered the following prayer:

"In this country, it is usual to open festive meetings with a prayer. We to [sic], from the brewing trade, are good Christians, the well-being of whose neighbors is always in our hearts. So we wish to call with all our strength:

Dear God, Thou hast not only created water for the good use of men, but also other beverages, especially beer to brew, for which we owe Thy heavenly bounty much gratitude. Bestow Your Blessing upon our work, that it may not fail, that it may succeed, and that we may out of harmful greed save neither on hops nor malt, that it may not be said of us

They brewed their beer from fruit and corn
From which may save us God in His anger.

Let us hold on to the reputation which the brewer's guild has had for centuries, of which the poet says--

To our old, dark ancestry
Only beer of grain was known
And only in the hands of Germans
Began beer to brewed by artist's hand

May God save us from the Singer's curse--'Who falsifies beer and baptizes wine, deserves to drink them himself'"

Wow! God created water for the good use of men, especially to brew beer! Saving on hops or malt was harmful greed! And brewing beer from fruit or corn, well, was sinful! After reading that prayer, I had no doubts whatsoever of the sheer and absolute sanctity, and the preordained blessedness, of my chosen brewing profession!

I can think of no better way to celebrate our 130th anniversary, than to provide some precise detailed examples of the language, hence the minds, of a few of our Founding Father Brewmasters. Their chosen words bring them into focus in a most unique way, shedding light on their mission of our association’s creation.

And as sheer coincidence, along with our 130th anniversary, last month's heritage Communicator piece was my 50th. It's hard to believe, but as your Heritage Chair, it represents an enjoyable, personal milestone, nevertheless!

MBAA Designated Heritage Brewer Award

On October 22, 2013, in Austin, Texas, I formally presented to the MBAA Board of Governors the intent of our Heritage Committee to establish an MBAA Designated Heritage Brewer Award.

Aspects of preservation, heritage, and history have long been a quest and a priority for many enlightened and forward-thinking nations, professional organizations, and concerned citizens. The Designated Heritage Brewer (DHB) Award is our attempt to join that quest by recognizing selected brewers who actively engage in preserving significant aspects of America's great brewing heritage.

At times, our contemporary beer world seems to be obsessed only with extremes. We celebrate either the sheer bigness of the mega-merged brewers and the massive global impact of their product proliferation, or we celebrate the smallness of all things "craft" with a narrowly defined mindset of "no adjunct" use and limited big-brewery ownership. Often, in between these extremes are decades-old regional brewers, some of impressive historic significance. These brewers have often gone above and beyond the call to preserve, celebrate, and even showcase their personal brewing heritage in various ways. Perhaps they have done this through generations of ongoing family ownership, by actively using and preserving significant brewing architecture, or by proudly following age-old recipes that utilized the traditional methods and the local ingredients that were originally available to them.

The DHB Award would be open to all brewers, regardless of size, and would not restrict ingredient use. On the contrary: our award would celebrate the ongoing use of whatever was "original" and "traditional" regarding ingredients and process in America's rich brewing heritage. Our award would include the ongoing heritage of the huge conglomerates. It would include the preservation attitude of beer style rediscovery, so prevalent with many microbreweries. And it would include everything in between. MBAA alone, with its 127-year history, is uniquely qualified to facilitate this award. It is a natural reflection and extension of our own rich heritage, if not an outright responsibility for further advocacy in recognizing all aspects of America's brewing heritage.

I have already engaged the members of the Heritage Committee for their input in establishing the DHB Award criteria. As a starting point, I have listed some criteria ideas, in no particular order.

To qualify for the MBAA Designated Heritage Brewery Award, the brewer/brewery:

1. Represents generations of continuous, ongoing family ownership, as defined by accepted genealogical techniques of proof.
2. Are actively using, maintaining, and preserving brewing buildings and structures which are recognized as significant examples of a prominent architectural style.
3. Own, use, maintain, and preserve buildings and structures that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
4. Are actively using, maintaining, and preserving brewing buildings and structures associated with important events, activities, or persons that contribute to broader patterns of American history and culture.
5. Continue to produce beer brands using traditional methods that were utilized by their original owners or ancestors.
6. Continue to produce beer brands using traditional recipes and ingredients that were originally available to and utilized by their original owners or ancestors.

More than likely, the DHB Award would involve some combination of these criteria, or some minimum number of them. I see the end result, the award itself, as a beautiful wooden plaque with an engraved brass plate (to be designed) commemorating the event. Each "award story" could be published in the MBAA Communicator and on the MBAA website. Maybe, as we acquire enough, we could publish their stories under one cover, in book form.

But this is just a start and just my personal thoughts. I have asked members of the Heritage Committee for their thoughts and contributions as to our acceptance criteria, and now, I am asking for your feedback, as well. One of my favorite Shakespearian quotes comes to mind... from Shakespeare's The Tempest: "What's past...is prologue." In that spirit, I thank you now for your thoughts on what could be MBAA's own ongoing contribution to America's brewing heritage.

Cheers!

MBAA Proactivity, Now and Then

MBAA continuously demonstrates a very proactive level of involvement on different levels.

At the ultimate, top-down level, on Friday, May 8, 2015, our association will hold its spring Board of Governors meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota. With a diligent dedication to our original charter, the Executive Committee, committee chairs, district representatives, and technical directors will convene and willingly donate their time to the ongoing success of MBAA, just as their dedicated predecessors have done for the previous 127 years.

There will be a roll call for attendance and we will share a moment of silence for members in memoriam. Then, we will methodically get down to business. A wide range of presentations will ensure that our professional technical organization continues to effectively function.

From my personal “heritage mindset,” each BOG meeting is a commemoration. Each BOG meeting is a symbol of indebtedness to the ongoing and rotating membership of our association, which has contributed so generously, for so long. Each BOG meeting is a process of scrutiny of our very purpose and our reason for being. The purposes of MBAA were clearly established at its inception, but the methods we use to achieve them have had to be adjusted with each challenge to our industry. Sometimes those "challenges" took on monumental proportions, including the pressures of politics and the influences of history... two world wars, grain restrictions, recessions, the Great Depression, presidential assassinations, “local option” laws, and outright national prohibition. And yet, year after year, a rotating list of volunteers continued to convene, ensuring MBAA would not only adjust, but would always remain a good "Association Citizen," even to the communities that support our industry.

Case in point...the image to the right depicts how, at the 38th MBAA Convention in 1941, on the eve of World War II, our association presented an exact replica of the Star Spangled Banner to the City of Baltimore. (photo from MBAA Archives)

So, as we sit for another BOG meeting, we members can revel in the fact that this semiannual event continues to serve us preciously... from the top-down level, as our founders intended.

At a far different, hands-on level... I continually marvel at how often heritage-minded people are so forward-thinking. An individual recently contacted us with the following request:

"I am contacting this organization because I would like to donate or return to a family member a rare Budweiser can printed with William von Minden's image celebrating his Brewmaster career at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Houston Texas.

Please contact me about this matter, as well as another rare commemorative can celebrating Charlie Heil's career at the same brewery"

We have in place an action plan to initially deal with such requests. It includes the following initial steps:

1. Contact all members of the Heritage Committee and share the request with them for any possible input that they might be able to offer.
   • An email has been sent to our members to share this information.
2. Contact the local MBAA district, in this case District Texas, for possible information from their archived records.
   • I have contacted some District Texas officers and shared the request with them.
3. Contact Headquarters to see if they might be able to shed some light on the requested information from their records.
   • Headquarters has already checked the records. We know Bill von Minden retired in 1993 and resigned his MBAA membership as recently as 2010. There are no records for Charlie Heil.
4. Post the request for heritage information in the Communicator.
   • This issue of the Communicator achieves just that.

Our association has always been comprised of an ongoing rotation of dedicated folks, busy with the work at hand, at all levels... "to promote, organize, advance, improve, and protect the professional interest of brewery and malt house production and technical personnel."

Partnering with Outside Organizations

At the Board of Governors meeting at the MBAA Annual Conference in Chicago a few weeks ago, District Midwest BOG representative Andy Tveekrem shared our district's "Best Practices Suggestion”: Recognizing the focus and strengths of other organizations, and partnering with them to showcase and advance the interests of all.

In that "best practices" spirit, I offer a unique hands-on-heritage experience. My wife and I are members of "PALAM," short for "Palatines to America German Genealogical Society." This is a national organization that exists to promote the study of Germanic immigration to North America. PALAM's membership stretches across several state chapters and is ardently dedicated to assisting researchers in finding their German-speaking ancestors and their place of origin. Germany, Austria, Alsace, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Poland...really any German-speaking area is ripe for their support. The term "Palatine" originally referred to someone who came from along the Rhine River in the Palatinate of southwestern Germany. However, the term now generally applies to all German immigrants who arrived in America.

Debbie and I attended the annual PALAM national conference that took place in our hometown of Columbus, Ohio, the weekend of June 27–28, 2014. As always, they offered an impressive list of speakers and topics, including "Germans in the American Civil War," "An Introduction to the German Phonetics of Personal and Place Names," "German Historical Events and Developments that Family History Researcher Should Understand," and much more. This has been especially meaningful to me, as I reflect upon the fact that our original 1887 MBAA constitution stipulated that all meetings and records were to be held in German. It was not until the 12th Annual Convention in 1901 that it was recognized that meetings could be conducted in either German or English!

One of the highlights of the conference for me was a day-long tour of the Ohio portion of the National Road. Lager-drinking Germans quickly populated the river towns of Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, and St Louis. They also quickly populated the Great Lake towns of Cleveland, Chicago, and Milwaukee. But the interior, the non-river and non-lake brewing traditions were made possible by the canal systems and the National Road.

The historic "National Road" was originally conceived by Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury under President Thomas Jefferson. It was the very first federally-funded interstate highway. Beginning in Cumberland, Maryland, it crossed six states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia (now West Virginia), Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, stretching over 700 miles to the Mississippi River. Construction of the road began in 1811, It reached my hometown of Columbus in 1833. It continued westward, opening the nation's interior and providing a non-river means to move goods, materials, supplies, livestock, and people. It was responsible for much of our young nation's "interior" commercial success, supporting and growing existing communities, platting new towns, and providing travelers with a seven-state string of inns and taverns. And it made possible the building of breweries to support them.

The Acts of Congress authorizing the National Road required recognizable "milestones” to appear at regular intervals along the road. Many of these remain to this very day. In Ohio, these milestones stood about three feet tall. Each one indicated the distance to Cumberland, Maryland, where the National Road began. Each one also indicated the distance to the nearest villages for both eastbound and westbound travelers. Many were pointed out to us, such as the milestone pictured right.

To carry goods and travelers across the many streams and rivers along the route of the National Road, gorgeous and graceful stone bridges were built in the Roman arch-with-keystone style. Many still exist to this very day. We were able to visit several, such as the gem pictured left.

For me, the MBAA Heritage Chair, the PALAM Conference underscored the undeniable German connection of our own organization showcasing the many contributions of our German heritage. It also provided numerous sources for possible answers to history/heritage questions that we might have, especially regarding our local districts. In a spirit of "best practices," I encourage all of you to be open to other professional organizations whose strengths and focus might run parallel to your local MBAA district's interests, as possible sources of shedding new light in ways you may have never imagined!

What’s in a Name? Preserving a District’s Heritage

The term “heritage” has different meanings to different people. Invariably, most folks see “heritage” as involving some form of “historic preservation.” This is probably the result of one of the most obvious forms of preservation in most people’s lives—attempts at the preservation of historically significant buildings and unique architecture. In 1956, President Eisenhower signed into law the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, which established the interstate highway system. Due to considerable new demolition and construction requirements, many unique, historic properties met their fate with the wrecking ball. Then, in the 1960s, the Kennedy administration launched an ambitious urban renewal program. Hoping the program would rejuvenate our inner cities, it further encouraged the destruction of many historically significant structures. Growing public disapproval festered into a firestorm of protest as protectors of the past finally screamed… “STOP!” They demanded some sort of process to identify and protect America’s historical gems. Congress responded with the National Historic Preservation Act. Signed into law on October 15, 1966, the law established a review process and protection criteria for both parcels of land and historically significant structures. The law also made it clear that the preservation of our history and heritage was a national priority.

However, time has proven that, even with the law, the “preservation debate” is rarely an easy one. We have all heard stories about how the development of some industrial park, slated to supply a hundred new jobs, is abruptly put on HOLD because of an archaeological discovery that mandates further study. Hence, we experience the proverbial “fine line” between the costs of preservation and the benefits of progress.

Why do I bring this up? I just returned from the Board of Governors meeting in Portland, Oregon. Much of the dialogue centered upon ensuring value and driving relevance to our membership. The very first goal of our new MBAA Strategic Plan and its accompanying five objectives all deal with encouraging more participation in our local districts. More than two pages of verbiage suggest…changes…to better meet local district needs.

Answering this call, those of us in District Cincinnati are discussing the possibility of changing the name of our local district from “District Cincinnati” to, well, something else. Some members of our district will certainly want to scream “STOP!” We were, after all, one of the original districts present at that first Chicago meeting where our founders formed MBAA in March 1887, a remarkable claim! Just a few years ago, we even changed our district emblem to better reflect this, by including the words: “Chartered 1887” as shown here.

We had shirts made for our district officers that showcased our heritage-inspired logo. So why, after all these 125 years, is a proposed name change even happening?

District Cincinnati has grown significantly and actually now includes all of Ohio, eastern Indiana, and northern Kentucky. The label “District Cincinnati” does not serve the vast and growing number of breweries that reside within our boundaries. It is not inclusive of these breweries. In fact, some feel that the label is outright exclusionary!

As the heritage chair of District Cincinnati, several folks have already looked to me and asked, “Rick, what do you think about all this?” These changes are never easy. This is, indeed, a “heritage question.” And for heritage issues just like this one, the district heritage chair might be the one individual to facilitate meaningful dialogue, to promote discussion, to express heritage concerns, and to remind all members that MBAA heritage is a priority. For certain, the district heritage chair must be the one individual keenly aware of the proverbial “fine line” between the costs and the benefits of preserving of our heritage.

All that said, the name-change issue is to be further discussed with our district membership. And after much thought, I am in favor of a name change. Our most discussed and most logical choice appears to be something like “District Mid-West,” but that is yet to be determined. I remind myself that, in order to drive relevance and better reflect its purpose, even MBAA has changed its name three times since 1887. In like manner, a new name like “Mid-West” also drives relevance and better reflects our purpose. It is far more inclusionary. It acknowledges and receives with open arms the gifts of the separate brewing heritages of the entire state of Ohio, all of eastern Indiana, and all of northern Kentucky. It is the right thing to do.

Whatever is finally decided, all this hammers home the need for district heritage chairs. My job as our local district heritage chair will be to encourage meaningful dialogue, celebrate our progress, and enjoy the fruits of moving forward, while ensuring the heritage of our district is not forgotten!

Preserving Brewery Heritage: Knowing your Story

My wife and I just returned from another Germany trip, this time with my daughter and her husband in tow. They both had their respective “must-sees.” My daughter's list included seeing her great-grandmother’s home in Lichterfelde (SW Berlin), and the house my father was born in, in Ensingen (between Karlsruhe and Stuttgart). My son-in-law's list was more beer-focused, centering upon Germany's centuries-old beer culture. And immerse ourselves in that wonderful beer culture, we did!

He was a joy to be with. He sampled numerous classic styles across dozens of brands as we worked our way through Berlin... Cologne... the Rhine Valley... Rothenburg... and finally to Munich and Fussen. The trip culminated with a couple of festive visits to Munich's Oktoberfest. While in the Munich leg of the trip, we visited Kloster Andechs and Weihenstephan. I can still see his widened eyes when he figured out what was meant by: “Weihenstephan seit 1040...Andechs seit 1455…”

Our festive immersion into Germany's beer culture came right home with me, serving as a reminder of our own fervently evolving American beer culture. Never has the American interest in its beer been greater and so mainstream. In the space of one beer making career—mine—I have watched American breweries move to create and offer the very lightest tasting beers in the world. Then, I watched us come full circle to offer some of the most creative and assertive beers in the world. While in Germany, more than one (usually younger) German told me how much they admired our American beer culture.

The number of U.S. breweries is at an ALL TIME HIGH. And overwhelmingly, the driving force behind those very creative and assertive beers within the American beer culture has been Master Brewers' younger and newer members. In that spirit, I want to encourage our younger and newer members to take steps now, to preserve your own brewery's history. Your brewery's history is really your personal story. Your taproom is an outward manifestation of your story. You are influencing a way of life in your immediate community. Your story is the sum total of your outlook and attitude. Your repeat customers embrace your story, because it resonates with them. It becomes part of how their own lives speak.

It is so easy to misplace... to lose... to inadvertently destroy... even just forget some of the significant early chapters that unfold as your story. Consider how it all began: that early dream of opening a brewery, those hilarious giggle and back-slap moments, the notes and sketches on beer coasters and bar napkins, the notes and photos into your mobile phone. These become those "rare documents" and "rare photographs" that you will celebrate with when you approach a milestone event. Posterity will request them; you will be unable to provide them.

The big, century-old breweries have known this for years, and they have certainly made it a priority to have their story very well known. But I recently experienced a more contemporary, forward-thinking company that serves as the very model for preserving your story. I visited the Sierra Nevada Chico, CA, and Mills River, NC, breweries. While being escorted on tours in both facilities, I witnessed firsthand how Sierra Nevada proudly celebrates their heritage by displaying brewing tools, equipment, and “rare” photos throughout their hallways. President and Owner Ken Grossman has even written a book about it in, Beyond The Pale: The Story of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., published in 2013. The book is loaded with many of those same rare photos. Sierra Nevada is a poster child for heritage preservation and awareness.

I am grateful for the trip to Germany that awakened this awareness of individual brewery heritage within me. It drives home the wisdom of knowing your story and knowing it well. As a part of our American beer culture, you will not regret it. Next month we will explore what specifically might be of value to preserve.

Preserving Brewery Heritage: Prompts to Get You Started

This is the third of three Heritage Chair Communicator pieces touting the merits of preserving your brewery's history. The article focused upon helping you:

• 1) Define the scope of your archive collection
• 2) Decide what to keep
• 3) Decide how to store it all

After spending time in the trenches, here are some archiving questions that address topics that are personal, pertinent, and meaningful:

• What was your primary educational base? Did you have formal training?
• Can you remember when—exactly when—you started thinking about opening or managing your own brewery?
• What was your favorite style? Favorite recipe? What lead you to these?
• Did you enter brewing competitions? Win medals?
• What was your first brewing system? Was it purchased new? Used?

Preserving Brewery Heritage: The Art of Archiving

This is the second of three Heritage Chair pieces on the merits of preserving your brewery's history. Last month I shared how my recent autumnal immersion into the carefully preserved German beer culture served to remind me of the growing uniqueness of our own American beer culture. I made the case for encouraging our younger and newer members to take steps now to preserve their own brewery's history. Our industry has shown that if a brewery is successful, posterity will, in time, request its story. And with just a bit of forward-thinking, brewers will be able to fulfill the request for their story.

I'd like to take this preservation thinking to the next level by providing a brief glimpse into deciding just what to preserve and how to preserve it. An article of tremendous value was published in the September/October 2015 issue of The New Brewer entitled, “The Art of Archiving: Preserving Your Brewery's History,” by Erika Goergen. The spirit of the article is that “... there's never been a better time to start archiving your brewery's history.” Yet the practicality of the article includes: “While ideally you should keep documents and objects from the inception of your brewery, sometimes this is just not spatially feasible.” That balance sets the stage for some great heritage considerations.

To illustrate her preservation message, Erika uses the example of the Heurich Brewing Co. in Washington, D.C. Besides the U.S. government, brewer Christian Heurich was once the area's largest employer. Heurich's former home is now the Heurich House Museum in the DuPont Circle area of Washington, D.C. Erika is the collections manager at the Heurich House Museum, so her unique, hands-on perspective offers some solid and practical advice. She approaches the preservation process from a “Think-Of-Your-Brewery-As-A-Museum” methodology, and leads the reader through a few big areas to think about before archiving. These big areas involve: 1) defining the scope of your collection, 2) deciding what to keep, and 3) deciding how to store the items that are kept.

A brief summary of Erika's suggestions follow:

1) Define the scope of your collection. What do you have... paper, photos, objects? And how are you willing to organize them? These could include organizing primarily by subject matter as well as by date and year.

“Subject matter” might include more specific areas such as:

• Beer brand
• Marketing materials
• Business records

“Date and year” is self-explanatory... organizing whatever category you choose in a more chronological manner.

2) Decide what to keep. This might be the most challenging endeavor as the possibilities seem endless. But Erika suggests that this exercise allows you to clarify your vision. Staying consistent with your perceived scope, individual categories included might be as follows:

• Beer brand: Recipes, recipe adjustments, notes and logs on production, brew schedules, brand memorabilia, press releases, labels, notes on tastings, etc.
• Marketing materials: Correspondence, press releases, posters, signage, interview transcripts, coasters, table tents, t-shirts, glasses, openers, and all manner of hand-outs.
• Business records: Equipment purchases, raw material purchases, expansion records, personnel records, employee records, employment dates, photos, etc.

3) Storing items. Erika provides advice for physical objects as well as digital materials. The traditional acid-free boxes and file folders are discussed for physical materials, and she doesn't shy away from scanning the more fragile materials. The merits of cloud-based storage and multiple storage sites are considered.

My attempt here is to whet your appetite enough to read Erika's full article for yourself. Read it once as an overview to absorb the big-picture message. Then read it again to digest those aspects that speak to you, your brewery, and your unique situation. As I said, this article deserves exposure because it provides some fabulous first steps to start the thinking process toward preserving your own history.

In our third article in this series, we will have fun going down memory lane... with brewer-provided questions, designed to jog your preservation memory.

Progress Copying Historical Special Editions

In the October 2013 edition of the Communicator, I asked our entire membership for help in locating two very important MBAA publications. Both are "special edition" publications that I consider to be critical for establishing baseline histories for most of our local districts. Last May, my wife and I made the 10-hour journey from our home in Columbus, Ohio, to Iowa State University, which houses our MBAA archives and historical documents. Generally, I wanted to get a sense of what we had there. Specifically, I wanted to find both of these special edition publications. Much to my horror, neither were archived in our collection.

Toward the end of last year, longtime MBAA member and past president Ray Klimovitz (1997–1998) responded to my request and promptly sent me BOTH publications from his personal collection.

The first is a 1962 special edition of our “Communications” (which evolved into our “Communicator”). It celebrates MBAA's 75th anniversary, includes a short, succinct history of each local district, and is pictured to the right.

The second document was self-published by MBAA in 1987. It celebrates MBAA's 100th anniversary, also includes an updated short, succinct history of each local district, and is pictured to the left.

I am happy to report that I have created copies of each district's history from both the 1962 and 1987 documents. This endeavor was a labor-of-love...and far from professional...utilizing my digital camera, a macro lens, manipulation of natural light and reflective white poster board. The end result is a legible digital image of each history. The pages for my home district are displayed below. On the left is the history written by our 1962 District President George Rubey. On the right is the history written by our 1987 District President Mark Phipps.

Combining the information from the two anniversary documents provides a beginning, baseline history for my home district. I will post both of these, combine them into a single history, and update that as best I can. My hope is that other local districts will be able to do the same. In an upcoming Communicator, I will list the district histories that we have available from these two treasured publications.

Once again, a big THANK YOU to Ray Klimovitz for making this possible!

Cheers!

Recording History from Day One

On Monday, October 20, 2014, your Board of Governors and committee chairs joined together for their annual WebEx meeting. We normally have two "get-togethers" per year, one of which is the MBAA Annual Conference. It is inspiring to see folks from around the world finding precious hours to donate and dovetail into their busy schedules. The agenda is always aggressive, yet well-thought-out and provided ahead of time for review.

Occasionally, certain agenda items jump out to this heritage-minded soul in a special way. That happened to me when discussion turned to the ongoing formation of a brand new MBAA local district: District Northern Rockies.

A new local district! Wow! The last time I felt this surge of excitement was when my home district officially changed its name from its 125-year old designation of “District Cincinnati” to “District Midwest.” This was a two-year endeavor, often involving spirited discussion as the name change was considered by some to be quite controversial. Changing a 125 year-old name is not something to be taken lightly. Ultimately, the vote fell in favor of the new name, which much better reflects who we represent and who we have become.

Given that reflection, it occurs to me that soon-to-be anointed District Northern Rockies has the rare opportunity to start capturing its heritage, beginning from its day-one inception. Knowing how quickly days become weeks, weeks become months, then years and decades, and knowing how quickly involved MBAA members can disappear from the district scene, the details of many treasured moments can become forgotten and lost forever. It would take only one responsible individual to begin the process of overseeing the recording pertinent details of district events, maybe photographing district meetings, writing down the names of office holders, etc. This is the perfect time to consider establishing a District Heritage Chair.

The role of District Heritage Chair would not have to be complicated. It might be chaired by someone who is just a bit historically minded. Perhaps they simply enjoy reading history. Or perhaps they enjoy genealogical research, already pursuing their own family roots and individual memories. When attending their district events, perhaps they are just a bit more aware of the importance of meeting minutes and photo archives.

I have written about this before, but never from the perspective of appreciating the establishment of a brand new district. I know I speak for many in offering my heartfelt congratulations to the good folks dedicated to the success of District Northern Rockies! Your heritage… begins today!

Resource Retirees

This photo was taken on the ship in transit from Germany to Ellis Island. My grandmother is in the center with my father next to her on the right. Continuing right are my two aunts. (I do not know who the young lad is, sitting, head turned, and looking at my grandmother.)

My father and his family immigrated to the United States from the Baden-Württemberg area of Germany. The entire family took their very first footsteps in the United States at Ellis Island. Afterward, they made their new home with numerous other Germans in central Ohio.

Little English was spoken in my grandparents’ Columbus, Ohio, household, but the German culture was showcased front and center. Abundant gardens, both edible and ornamental, were part of their daily routine, as was cooking in the very German tradition.

Sunday card games while drinking locally produced lager was a “can't-wait” weekly event. My grandmother would use her milk can to get the lager. (I have that milk can to this very day.) She would wipe butter along the inside rim of the milk can. With the can in hand, she would send my two aunts off to the corner tavern to have it filled with draught beer for the upcoming Sunday card games.

"Why would you wipe the milk can with butter, Grandma?" I remember asking her when she shared that story.

"Die Butter gibt mir wenigen Schaum un mehr Bier...less foam...and more beer," she replied with a smile.

I miss the opportunity to hear more stories like this one. By the time I was serious about hearing family stories and learning more about my genealogy, many family members were gone.

In that spirit, I want to create every opportunity for others to hear treasured stories like this one. Those stories can only come from the folks who lived them or heard first-hand accounts. In MBAA, more often than not, those folks are the association’s retirees.

Our retirees are a valuable but underutilized resource for helping provide answers to the growing number of heritage inquiries that we receive from scholars, writers, researchers, and genealogists. I am working with MBAA Headquarters to establish “Resource Retirees.” Our Resource Retirees will consist of a retiree email list of those who are willing to receive occasional communications containing inquiries on heritage. If a Resource Retiree happens to know something about an inquiry—if they can help shed a bit of light or perhaps provide a lead—we will have been successful.

This month, I will be sending an email to all listed MBAA retirees, asking them for permission to be included as an MBAA Resource Retiree. My hope is that through their willingness to participate, we can further offer researchers the benefit of our 127 years of excellence in the brewing industry. Feel free to let me know your thoughts.

Wishing everyone a safe, healthy, joyous, and prosperous New Year!

Searching for the First TQ

As Heritage Chair, one of my main responsibilities is overseeing the content of our archives housed at Iowa State University. I am on a perpetual quest to find appropriate items that might be ripe for inclusion. Yet I must always be mindful to meet Iowa State's Special Collections Mission, part of which is “...creating access to, providing reference assistance for, and promoting the use of...” their Special Collections rare and unique materials.

While recently perusing some of our last “print-edition” issues of Technical Quarterly (TQ), I came across the “Technical Director’s Notes” written by past MBAA Technical Director Ray Klimovitz. In Volume 45, No. 2 (2008), Ray wrote a thoughtful piece about the very first print edition of the TQ. That very first edition was printed the winter of 1964, the year before Ray became an MBAA member. Upon reading Ray's piece, I was struck by the not-so-obvious reasons for the creation of the TQ in the first place.

In that very first TQ issue, Volume 1, No. 1, our 1964 MBAA President, Ruben Schneider commented:

"This, the first issue of the MBAA Technical Quarterly represents the continuing progress of the brewing industry in technical advancement ... There has been a need for a more sophisticated manner with which we could record and communicate the technical activities of our Association. This has been expressed by practically all of the past National Technical committee chairmen … The Technical Quarterly will specifically cover full length articles on scientific, technical and production problems related to brewing. The issues are to be published in January, April, July, and October. This is a great step forward, and an undertaking requiring the full cooperation of all Districts and all members."

“Continuing progress... communicate technical activities… articles on scientific, technical, production problems related to brewing...” Schneider's description of the reasons behind the creation of the TQ, couldn't be a more fitting description of the primary reason behind the creation of MBAA itself; as the brewing industry's resource for technical information.

Ray’s piece also included a guest editorial that was included in TQ Volume 1, No. 3., written by Jim Fitzsimmons, the advisory co-chair of the 1964 MBAA Technical Committee. Fitzsimmons shares his concerns about our industry's image and the potential for the TQ to improve it:

"In defining the need for a Positive Posture at the U.S.B.A. Convention in Miami this year (1964), Henry King asked the following questions of those in attendance: ‘Why is the industry repeatedly on the defensive? Why is it that we are in the role of firemen?’ I believe the same questions should be asked of the Master Brewers (MBAA). Because of its very nature, our Association is susceptible to attack by some groups outside and, unfortunately, within our Industry. Impregnable defensive measures must be utilized to correct obvious misconceptions. One ameliorant might well be a Positive Technological Posture."

The TQ as an outward manifestation of a “positive posture”... as “one ameliorant for a positive technical posture”... all interesting heritage aspects!

Now, armed with the bliss of 52 years of look-back, we can see that there were a couple of different underlying motivations behind our TQ’s creation. And that gets me back to my original point, that I am always in a perpetual quest to find appropriate items that might be ripe for inclusion in our archives in Iowa State’s Special Collection of rare and unique materials.

Does anyone in our membership have that first TQ issue that they would be willing to donate? Or better yet, does anyone have the entirety of Volume One consisting of the first four TQ issues for donation? I think these volumes would be very appropriate, even necessary for archiving, and thus preserving for future generations of researchers. Even though the TQ peer-reviewed papers and MBAA papers are all available online at our website—a tremendous membership benefit—each TQ also offers lots of other industry, district, and association information that could prove quite valuable to researchers.

Maybe we don't stop with just Volume 1, maybe we should consider archiving ALL of our TQs!

Thanks to Ray Klimovitz for penning a thoughtful piece eight years ago in our TQ Volume 45, No. 2, prompting me to all this “possibility thinking” in the first place! Let me know your thoughts.

Seeking More History

In a previous piece, I shared the story of how my wife and I made the 10-hour trip from our home in Columbus, Ohio, to Iowa State University, where the MBAA archives are housed. It was a wonderful experience to see what was there.

However, I was horrified to see what was...not there. In Iowa State’s descriptive summary of our archives, they mention that our first 60 years are only “sparsely documented.” I have been told by some of our more senior members that this is due to a combination of flood, fire, theft, and even malicious behavior.

My mission to Iowa State included finding and scanning two very important publications that I believe are critical to MBAA’s heritage. One publication celebrates our 75th anniversary year in 1962. The other celebrates our 100th anniversary year in 1987. They both include brief, yet wonderful histories of each of our MBAA local districts. For my home district, District Cincinnati, that means a 1962 piece written by then district president George Rubey. It also means a second, updated 1987 piece written by then district president Mark Phipps. Together, they provide a historical foundation, upon which, to continue to build.

I have heard many of our members refer to both elusive volumes as “special editions.” Some point to our own Technical Quarterly. Others point to the Brewer’s Digest and Modern Brewery Age. Yet, no one seems to remember exactly who published them. Sadly, neither volume was included in our Iowa State archives. But I know...I KNOW that some of our more senior members have these volumes stashed away in some box in the basement or stored with other treasures in the attic.

My primary goal as the heritage chair is to locate both volumes and scan them. Then I hope to combine the historical information contained within each by writing a “base” history for that district. This would provide a historical foundation, upon which, to continue to build.

Please!!! Give this a bit of thought. If you have these volumes, contact me. I will scan them for MBAA and I will ensure that they find their way to Iowa State. And I will begin the daunting task of writing and combining the material from both volumes into a readable, useable history for each of our districts!

In a Spirit of Hands-On Heritage....Cheers!

Special Edition Publications Found!

In the October 2013 issue of our Communicator, I asked our entire membership for help in locating two very important MBAA publications. Both are “special edition” publications quite critical for establishing a baseline history of each of our local districts. One celebrates MBAA's 75th anniversary, and the other celebrates our 100th anniversary. Both publications include short, summary histories of many of our local districts. You might recall that my wife and I made the 10-hour journey from our home in Columbus, Ohio, to Iowa State University, which houses our MBAA archives and historical documents. I was hoping to view the content of each of these elusive gems. After an exhaustive effort, and much to my horror, I found neither publication included. Hence, my frantic plea for help!

I am thrilled to report that longtime MBAA member and Past President Ray Klimovitz (1997–1998) responded to my request and promptly sent me BOTH publications. I have them, on loan, from his personal collection. I now know that the 1962 document was a special edition of our Communications (which evolved into The MBAA Communicator), and the 1987 document was a specially published centennial booklet. The front cover of each of these treasures is shown below.

Now home from the MBAA Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, I will begin the combined process of scanning and photographing both documents. They will be preserved. I will also reach out to Iowa State University and solicit their advice on how to include both publications in our historical archives. And finally, I can begin the process of combining each available 1962 and 1987 district history into a single, viable whole. This begins the daunting task of attempting to provide a baseline history from which each district can begin, and continue, to build.

Cheers!
Rick Seemueller

The American Brewing History Initiative

At the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo in Philadelphia this past May, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History announced the launch of the American Brewing History Initiative. This will be a three-year effort to “collect, document, and preserve the history of brewing, brewers, and beer industry—with the goal to explore how beer and beer history connect to larger themes in American history.” This program will dovetail with and be part of the Smithsonian's Food History Project. It is made possible through a donation from the Brewers Association and will focus primarily upon the craft beer experience of the past 30 years. The National Museum of American History website explains the initiative:

“Brewing has a long and deep connection to our country’s history, and the museum’s collections explore the history of beer from the late 19th to early 20th centuries,” said John Gray, the director of the museum. The support of the Brewers Association allows our staff to collect the more recent history, including the impact of small and independent craft brewers who continue to advance the U.S. beer culture and inspire brewers worldwide. Museum staff...will work with the Brewers Association, American brewers, and beer historians to document and collect the stories and history of modern American brewing.

The American Brewing History Initiative is truly a home run for heritage!

Having the Smithsonian and the Brewers Association join forces to promote our industry's heritage underscores its importance. It gives our product tremendous credibility. Those of us in the brewing industry have always known this. Your Heritage Chair has been writing about the importance of heritage awareness in the Communicator for over 4 1/2 years now. In these pages we have featured numerous examples of “hands-on heritage.” We have lobbied for Heritage Chairs at the district level. We have profiled MBAA member brewers who take their heritage very seriously. We have provided how-to advice for preservation and archiving. We have showcased the value of going digital. We have featured our MBAA archives at Iowa State.

But now, America's brewing heritage truly goes mainstream. The National Museum of American History will take it directly to the nation through its world-class exhibitions, ongoing research, digital collecting efforts, online offerings, and public programs.

Whenever I visit the local tap room of one of our many fine Ohio craft breweries, I can't help but smile at the historic irony of the craft beer movement and how it has come full circle. The history of the evolution of craft beer-making 30 years ago, in the 1980s, is a reflection of craft beer-making 400 years ago. In the 1980s, most of those first commercial craft brewers started out as home brewers. They brewed small batches in readily available household items that they owned... buckets, pails, and carboys. They brewed primarily for home consumption and to share with their friends. Similarly, in the Massachusetts and Virginia Colonies, beer-making was often just another household chore. Much of the brewing was done by housewives. They brewed at the fireplace hearth, in readily available household items that they owned... wooden buckets and cast iron kettles. They brewed, primarily, for home consumption. And similarly, many of those “home brewers” ultimately turned “drink into business.” The National Museum of American History's website further explains:

“The craft brewing revolution in America has had a profound social, cultural, and economic impact on this country,” said Bob Pease, president and CEO of the Brewers Association. “America is a beer destination. We are honored to support this effort and work with the National Museum of American History to chronicle and showcase the significant achievements small and independent brewers have made throughout this nation's history.”

Clearly, historians, researchers, scholars, and the general public all stand to benefit from these efforts. But perhaps most importantly, this unique partnership and its mainstream efforts serve to drive home the importance of preserving and archiving the histories of each of America’s almost 4,300 breweries! Brewing heritage awareness just got better!

The Anheuser-Busch Corporate Library

Bound collection of Der Amerikanische Bierbauer

As an MBAA heritage-minded individual, can you even imagine discovering a primary resource that would provide reporter-like “I was there” details of our very first National Convention that was held in Chicago in 1887? Can you image finding the roll call detailing the delegates and their guests? Quotes from speakers? Lunch menu items? Can you imagine finding the same information for MBAA's first BOG meeting that took place in October 1887 in Cincinnati? All these heritage gems, and much, much more, are exactly what I found when I recently paid a visit to the Anheuser-Busch Corporate Library in St. Louis, Missouri.

Fellow Heritage Committee member Bill Weisenburger and I made the trip for the sole purpose of acquiring a general understanding of what the iconic brewery had housed in its historical archive collection over its 164-year history. We were certainly not disappointed. What we found there was nothing short of humbling and awe-inspiring.

We were welcomed and assisted by Erica Flanagan, archivist at Anheuser-Busch. She provided us with an overview tour of their treasures. While everything is housed under glass, lock, and key, heritage-minded Erica provided us access to anything we wanted to see up close and personal. Her enthusiasm for her work was contagious.

Wing's Brewers Handbook 1884

My eyes must have popped from their sockets when I gazed upon collections of:

• The Western Brewer, 1877–1916
• The Brewer's Journal, 1893–1919
• Der Amerikanische Bierbrauer, 1867–1917

Perched upon those shelves were dozens of other individual treasures, such as:

• Wing's Brewer's Handbook, 1884
• Wahl and Henius Brewing and Malting, 1908
• The London and Country Brewer, 1759
• Pasteur's Studies In Fermentation, 1876 (in original French)
• Kronenburg's 200 Year Celebration of its history
• J.P. Arnold’s Origin and History of Beer and Brewing, 1911

Many of these priceless volumes I had only seen as part of online digital collections such as those at OCLC or the Hathi Trust Digital Library. Now, here they were, sitting right in front of me, exuding the very splendor of their timeless antiquity.

Kronenburg Brewery's 200 Year Celebration 1729-1929

Bill and I were able to spend two days studying these treasures for the priceless information they contained. Many of the journals were in German, and Bill was able to translate these on the spot. We carefully digitized several pages that were pertinent to MBAA history specifically, such as the details of our first MBAA Convention and first BOG meeting. These might be appropriate for inclusion within our own MBAA archives at Iowa State University.

Also of interest were bound copies of the AB Ink, the company's monthly newsletter that was available to its employees. Issues of the AB Ink were filled with information about the company, its beer brands, industry news, and various government and political reporting. AB Ink issues published during the world wars reported extensively on AB employees who had either enlisted or had been drafted into the U.S. Armed Forces. Those issues included photos of those employees, the progress of their training, their deployment, and even those who had been captured and listed as POWs.

The March 1941 AB Ink reported on a two-car moveable first-aid post that Anheuser-Busch had generously donated to Great Britain, even before American involvement in the war. This hospital on wheels will “...take care of civilians injured at the scenes of bombings. It will carry physicians, nurses, and emergency surgical equipment,” the AB Ink reported.

Your Heritage Chair, totally immersed at the AB Archives

The AB archives are a historical gem of a collection. As MBAA Heritage Chair, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to visit the AB Corporate Library. I appreciate and am inspired that the company continues to preserve their amazing treasures. I am also extremely grateful to Erica Flanagan, who so graciously offered her vast experience as a museum curator and archivist, answering any questions that we had. The collection is in good hands!

The Historical Practical Brewer

In our May Communicator, we talked about one of the major dedications running through MBAA from its inception 125 years ago: an unwavering commitment to education. In 1888, a recommendation was adopted regarding the training of apprentices. The Brewer’s Digest’s 1987 Salute to MBAA—100 Years states, "After finishing his term satisfactorily, the apprentice was to be given a ‘brewers’ book’ which was to equal a diploma."

Fifty-six years later, in 1944, a “brewer’s book” was deemed necessary by four MBAA master brewers. Edward H. Vogel, Jr., Griesedieck Bros. Brewery; Frank H. Schwaiger, Anheuser-Busch; Henry G. Leonhardt, assistant master brewer at Anheuser-Busch; and J. Adolph Merten, vice president and general manager of the Columbia Brewing Co., jointly lamented the lack of hands-on, practical information for those employed in the brewing industry. They approached the president of MBAA and volunteered to write such a practical manual…if…MBAA would publish it. Two years of preparation, aided by a 21-member MBAA Editorial Board led to the completion of the first edition of The Practical Brewer. The new book was formally presented to MBAA President B. A. Poelhuis at a St. Louis MBAA business dinner meeting on December 7, 1946.

From the Preface to the 1946 edition:

"The purpose of this book is to outline in a simple and readable manner the essentials of practical brewing. […]We have prepared this practical treatise from the best sources available for the express purpose of […] the training of competent employees."

In a nontechnical, question-and-answer format, Chapter I, question 1 begins: "What is water?" Fourteen chapters, roughly 230 pages, and 360 questions-and-answers later, the book ends with a presentation of “The Brewer’s Code of Practice."

That original 1946 edition has been out of print for many years and is a much sought after collector’s item. In 1977, a revised and updated 2nd edition was published. It enjoyed 11 subsequent reprintings. I still remember our resident brew master at Anheuser-Busch, Columbus, presenting me with a copy of the 1977 edition. A 3rd edition was again significantly updated and published in 1999. It included new chapters on pertinent, new topics, such as low calorie/low alcohol beers, environmental issues, brewing control systems, and craft brewing (written in part by MBAA Technical Director Karl Ockert, then of Bridgeport Brewing Co.). Members of our AB Columbus Start-Up Team received copies of that 1999 edition for completing our brewery’s modernization in 2000. We were thrilled to receive it as the volume contained an architect’s rendering of our new Columbus brewhouse control room.

In 2003, it was suggested that an even newer adaptation of The Practical Brewer be written. The new rendition would be useful to all brewers, whether they worked at large brewing companies, smaller microbreweries, or even as home brewing hobbyists. The new work returned to the original question-and-answer format. Karl Ockert became its editor-in-chief. The result was our three-volume MBAA Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer. Its Forward reads, in part: “the MBAA Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer, … is ready to stand alongside The Practical Brewer as an exceptional resource of practical brewing fundamentals.”

All three editions of The Practical Brewer and our three-volume MBAA Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer continue to showcase MBAA’s 125-year commitment to training excellence.

The Huebner-Toledo Brewing Archives—The REST of the Story

Remember Paul Harvey? Along with many other Americans, we heard his familiar “The REST...of the Story” for what seemed like forever. As the Heritage Committee chair, I have the distinct pleasure of standing relatively close to Mr. Harvey. I have the opportunity to offer MBAA’s very own heritage follow-up. Quite literally, in the spirit of a tip-of-the-hat to Mr. Harvey, from time to time, we can offer our very own version of “The REST...of the Story.”

In the December 2012 issue of The MBAA Communicator, I shared my journey to Toledo, Ohio, to research that city’s Huebner-Toledo Brewery. You might recall that the Huebner-Toledo Brewery was a post-Civil War era brewery that was forced to close its doors with the onset of Prohibition. It never reopened. While researching aspects of the brewery in the archives of the Alice Huebner manuscript collection at the University of Toledo, we discovered a pre-Prohibition pilsner-style recipe. Although quite tattered, and barely legible, fellow Heritage Committee member Bill Weisenburger and I spent considerable time deciphering the various components of the recipe; its grist bill, various rests, fermenter profiles, etc.

The result of our endeavor was that we were able to enjoy one of the ultimate aspects of hands-on heritage. WE ACTUALLY BREWED THE RECIPE!

The recipe had to be retrofitted from the “ingredients per bbl” to “ingredients per gallon” to accommodate my 5-gallon (semiretirement) home brewing system. We had a target of 13°Plato (P), having to back calculate our grist mix of malt and grits, which are true “legacy” ingredients and were very common with Midwest brewers in 1919.

We filled in what few aspects we did not know with those that were considered traditional in that period, as well. I know this might be construed as hand-on heritage for the brewing geek, but for those interested, our final recipe included the following procedural highlights:

• One decoction with grits and malt at 100°P for 30 min, 154°P for 30 min, and boiling for 10 min.
• Mashing in with malt, adding back our decoction to hit 148°P for 15 min, then raising to 162°P for 20 min, and mashing off at 170°P.
• Fly sparging to kettle full, then a 2-hour total kettle boil time.
• Targeting 26–30 finished IBUs after fermenter losses.
• A hops @ start of boil: 0.25-oz. Select 8% alpha acid (AA)
• B hops @ 60 min: Tettnanger 4% AA.
• C hops @ 100 min: Tettnanger 4% AA.
• D hops @ kettle finish before cooling: Tettnanger 4% AA.
• Aerating, pitching, and primary fermentation @ 53° for 7 days.
• Secondary fermentation @ 40° for 14 days.
• Lowering the temperature approximately 4° per day until 32° was achieved, then holding for at least 4 additional weeks.
• Finally, drinking...sharing...REPEATING, as needed.

A GREAT TIME was had by all. And, as shown by the accompanying photos, I think that Johann would be proud. But... One Big Mystery Remains: the recipe refers to the act of running boiling water through the “pfaff” before a grist addition. We have no idea what this is. The “pfaff” is actually referred to twice in the recipe, but as of this writing, we are unable to find any explanation of it. We have found references to Pfaff sewing machines, but we have found no other explanation relating to the brewing process. We do have alerts out to our friends in Germany, and we are still awaiting a possible reply. Maybe one of you are able to shed some light on what this “pfaff” is.

This particular story really does get just a little bit better. This past January, I had an old friend call me out of the blue, an old teaching colleague who I have not seen in decades. He wanted to meet for lunch. We met. We reconnected. We exchanged the obligatory “how has life been...what have you been up to..,” etc. After lunch and some discussion, I shared with him my Huebner-Toledo Brewery experience. “Heeb-ner,” he said. “Johann’s last name is actually pronounced Heeb-ner, with a long e.” I had been pronouncing it Huub-ner, with a long u. I was a bit surprised, but my old friend sounded so certain. “Heeb-ner? Really? How do you know that?” I asked. “It’s my family,” he explained proudly. “I come from the Toledo Brewing Huebners. I have been studying our genealogy for years. I can tell you anything you want to know.”

POW! Here we go again. History and Heritage finding its way right back to me. I spent a lot more time than I originally anticipated with my old teaching colleague. And more importantly, I came away from this particular experience with the fun of yet again experiencing hands-on heritage.

So, there it is. In the familiar Paul Harvey version of “The REST...of the Story.”

The Life of Louis Pasteur

Last month I was able to share with you some interesting aspects of closure. In a tip of the hat to Paul Harvey, our very own “REST...of our story” detailed the finding of the historic Huebner-Toledo Pre-Prohibition pils recipe and our careful recreation. This month, hands-on heritage has rocked my world, once again.

You might recall that I wrote in the February 2013 MBAA Communicator about an e-mail contact from Floridian Jennifer Valdivia. She was cleaning while preparing to move and rediscovered a book that she had purchased at a flea market many years ago. The book was about the life of Louis Pasteur written by René Vallery-Radot, a French writer and the son-in-law of Pasteur. It was published by Garden City Publishing Co., complete with an MBAA cover, emblem, and title page, specifically for the 33rd MBAA Annual Convention. That convention was hosted by District Philadelphia in 1936 and dedicated to Pasteur. Jennifer saw the historic value in the book. She contacted MBAA, carefully bubble-wrapped it, and sent it to me “priority mail” just a few days later.

In that original MBAA Communicator piece, I included several photographs of the volume, including a photo of a penned signature in the front of the book, presumably indicating its owner; W. Burton of the Pennsylvania State Brewers Association. I included that photo (seen again below) thinking that maybe someone in District Philadelphia would be able to shed a bit more light on Mr. Burton.

Shortly before the piece appeared in The MBAA Communicator, I got an e-mail from our own MBAA Member Relations Specialist Cheryl Kruchten:

“I have had the opportunity to read your piece for next week’s Communicator in advance,” Cheryl wrote, “and found the attached membership application for William T. Burton in our files. I too hate to throw anything that might be ‘historic’ out.”

Here we go again! Our very own Cheryl, with an ever-alert eye, quickly connected these hands-on heritage dots, recognizing the same calligraphy-like Burton signature on a 1949 MBAA associate membership application, written fully 19 years after that 1936 convention.

Based upon the 1949 application, we now know that this is William T. Burton, the executive secretary of the Pennsylvania State Brewers Association. At the time of this application, he had been in that position for 16 years. Mr. Burton was born in Philadelphia on September 22, 1909, and attended college at Pennsylvania Military College and Temple University Law School. He lived in Havertown, PA, and was applying for a renewal of his associate membership in MBAA.

Here is yet another heritage gift, the result of the concerns and efforts of different people, from different parts of the country, in different stages of life who simply care. Their combined synergies collected separate pieces of a heritage puzzle, arranging them into a more recognizable whole. In this case, a book purchased years ago at a flea market in Florida, led someone to archived records in Minnesota, to shed light on an MBAA member who was active more than three quarters of a century ago...in Philadelphia.

Hands-On Heritage at its very best! That...is how it happens. Thanks again to Jennifer and Cheryl.

The Life of William Gerst Sr.

Last month I shared how Master Brewers was contacted by Scott Mertie, a Nashville-based brewer, brewing historian, memorabilia collector, and author. After seeing an image of a brewing diploma on our website, Scott shared a digital image of another, identical Master Brewer's Diploma: that of William Gerst Jr., who received his diploma in 1904. Scott's sharing of Gerst Junior's diploma was exciting in its own right. But it was particularly exciting as Gerst Junior was the son of William Gerst Sr., who played a major role in the creation of the Master Brewers. In fact, he was one of the original officers elected at the very first convention in March 1887.

As I indicated last month, this story just gets better. I was again contacted by Scott. He generously shared with me yet another heritage gem... this one of absolutely unbelievable proportions. Scott sent me a digital image of William Gerst Sr.'s Master Brewer's Diploma!

Scott also provided a translation of the diploma, complete with some explanatory notes. It reads:

Munich Practical Brewing School and Academy for Brewers
Master Brewer Diploma
Mr. William Gerst
From Cincinnati, U.S.A.

Who completed the summer course in 1888, and passed the examination with “One” receives the distinction of this Master Brewer Diploma.

Munich, the 20th of August 1888

On behalf of the Faculty:
The Director (Signed)

Notes:

1. “Practical” means on-the-job/hands-on training in addition to book learning
2. “One” is the highest grade
3. To get a diploma in Germany means all of the faculty agree that it should be awarded; if even one dissents, no diploma without retaking all of the course work, not just a particular area of deficiency

Gerst received this diploma on August 20, 1888. At that time, he worked at the Christian Moerlein Brewery in Cincinnati. When the Chicago Brewers Association hosted the organizing effort that became the Master Brewers’ first convention, they welcomed brewing representatives from around the country. William Gerst Sr. represented the brewing association from Cincinnati, Ohio. That group evolved into District Cincinnati (1887–2014) and ultimately District Midwest (2014), my home district!

Gerst was instrumental in offering his input into the new national organization. He took part in discussions, shared his concerns, and debated the appropriate issues. His presence was impactful enough that he was elected as one of Master Brewers’ original national officers, which included President L. Frisch (Chicago), 1st Vice President H. Guenther (New York), and himself as 2nd Vice President.

Gerst was voted as the second president of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, a position he served from 1889–1891.

According to Scott's Mertie's book, Nashville Brewing, one of the “Images of America” volumes, Gerst moved to Nashville in 1890 and purchased the Nashville Brewing Company along with Christian Moerlein. The brewery's name was changed to the Moerlein–Gerst Brewing Company. Finally, in March 1893, Gerst purchased the controlling interest of the brewery from Moerlein and renamed it the William Gerst Brewing Company.

He built his brewery into a Nashville icon and established himself as a prominent local businessman. In the 27 years he was at the helm of his brewery, Gerst was a creative master at producing and distributing a vast array of clever, creative, and outright beautiful marketing materials, all of which helped to ensure that “William Gerst Brewing” remained a household name in Nashville. Some of these marketing items included:

• Beer bottles—embossed with the Gerst Brewing Co. logo
• Etched glassware—showcasing medal-winning achievements and used in restaurants
• Attractive wall calendars—designed to be prominently displayed for the entire year
• Souvenir pocket calendars—leather-bound and teeming with useful information
• Beautiful lithographs—suitable for framing and depicting lovely ladies to local wildlife
• Pocket mirrors—for the not-to-be-ignored ladies
• Corkscrews—the crown bottle cap was not widely used at that time
• Colorful trays—beautiful as well as useful for delivering Gerst's award-winning beers
• Even long-stemmed corncob pipes!

Scott Mertie’s book contains dozens of images of Gerst marketing artifacts. It also provides expanded descriptions and fascinating background stories of Gerst’s advertising items, many from Scott’s private collection.

Gerst’s other passion was horse racing. According to Nashville Brewing, Gerst maintained horse stables in south Nashville and raced several horses in the Kentucky Derby. In 1910, a Gerst horse named “Donau” actually won the Kentucky Derby.

William Gerst Sr. retired from his brewing business with the onset of U.S. Prohibition. He returned to Cincinnati where he lived until his death in March of 1933, the very year Prohibition was repealed. The brewery was run by his sons until it ultimately ceased operations in February 1954.

We at Master Brewers are especially grateful for Scott Mertie. His alert eye and his heritage mindset both led to his generous sharing of the William Gerst Sr. story. Scott's timing was perfect. Between the time that you read this March, 2017 issue of the Communicator and the upcoming April 2017 issue, Master Brewers will celebrate its 130 anniversary! Sharing William Gerst Sr.’s story, and his contributions to the development of Master Brewers, is a noble tribute!

The Master Brewers Logo

An organization's insignia—its logo—is the visual, outward manifestation of its very essence. It is the daily reminder to the people you serve, to those folks you most connect with, of just who you are and what you are all about. It nurtures an instant parade of expectations. No small effort goes into the creation of any logo. Our logo is a 130-year-old heritage heirloom that has evolved in much the same manner as our organization has evolved.

The elements central to our logo date back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It proudly displays the primitive tools of an ancient brewing craft. Central to it is a wooden mash tub, tightly coopered with detailed wooden staves and metal hoops. Rising straight up from the mash tub's center is the timeless “brewer's paddle.” (The venerable volume, 100 Years Of Brewing, published in 1903 refers to it as a “mashing oar.”) The paddle is accompanied on either side by a thick mash ladle, and a hot wort dipper, all laced with turning and twisting wreath-like barley and hop images These basic, primitive brewing tools and utensils celebrate the excitement of the beginning a brew and initiating the mashing process. And in a more general sense, they serve to showcase our marvelous high-tech industry’s very humble beginnings!

The Master Brewers logo shares its core look with numerous brewing logos around the world. For centuries, brewing guilds and organizations have used similar versions, most displaying brewing tools and barley/hop wreaths. That general look lent credibility to the quest of the brewing craft. To this very day, the Belgians still celebrate the “Knighthood of the Brewer's Paddle.” (Yep...KNIGHTHOOD! Move over Sir Lancelot! The Brewer's Paddle does NOT play second fiddle to Excalibur!)

Consider the 13th century crest of The Brewer's Guild of Cologne, pictured right. I first saw this image in the book Prost! The Story Of German Beer by Horst Dornbusch. I was humbled by our common “logo heritage.”

Back in the 1970s, Anheuser-Busch, my employer of 38 years, decided to inspire their brewers by initiating the “Reach For Excellence” program. They gifted us the belt buckle pictured left. Does anything look familiar?

The buckle was to inspire us to live up to the task of brewing our beers in the tradition of the centuries of brewing excellence before us. Each day as I slid into my Carharts and pulled on my brewing boots, that belt buckle beckoned me to pay attention to detail and to do all the right things. Even then, some 40 years ago, I was impressed that AB chose the images of primitive brewing tools over their many iconic symbols such as the Clydesdales, to inspire us. As you can see on the buckle itself, even the famous A & Eagle plays a small role in the intended message of excellence.

As I said, our Master Brewers logo has changed over time, but has always retained those ancient core elements. Below is an image of our Constitution & By-Laws printed from the New York Convention in 1934. Our logo, enlarged on the far right, displays the mash tub, paddles, and dippers all enclosed within a structured crest. Instead of a barley/hops wreath, it appears to display two “bock-style goats,” so characteristic of German bock beer labels.

Over time, the Master Brewers logo assumed several different renditions, but always maintained the core look that included the primitive brewing tools:

The printed program for the 1937 MBAA Convention put a bit of a different twist on our logo. The program featured a kind of “embossed” logo that included the traditional core elements. But to the front of the mash tub, a crest was added with an “MBAA” symbol, tightly and creatively arranged within it. This particular logo endured through the late 1930s and 1940s, at least until 1955. Examples are illustrated as follows.

The printed Constitution and ByLaws from the 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Convention in 1962 shows a logo without the “MBAA crest” on the mash tub:

The printed program of our 100th Anniversary gave us our most recognizable logo. In fine detail, it superbly illustrates the wood of the mash tub and brewing utensils. Even the malt shafts and hop leaves display crisp details and a multitude of color. “MBAA” is “carved” onto the front of the mash tub. It became the "base logo" for associated events and designations such as our 125th anniversary and the Beer Steward Program. These are pictured below.

Enter 2016 and another major re-working. The colors are much more simple, in a three or four color format. The primitive utensils continue to prevail, although more subtle. A crest aspect has returned. The words "Master Brewers" are obviously the marquee message. But what strikes your Heritage Chair the most is that in our new logo that we have embraced our historical bragging rights. We are finally celebrating what sets us apart from many of the world's brewing organizations... the fact that our heritage goes back to 1887!

As we embrace the 2016 rendition of our logo, appreciate it as the heirloom that it is. Its core look has endured and has been shared around the world by numerous brewing organizations for centuries.

I will be taking a month off from our Communicator in October. A return trip to Deutschland, to include Munich for Oktoberfest will require all of my conscious thought!

Traditions Live On

In March of 1887, a group of forward-thinking master brewers first convened in Chicago to form what would become the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA). Those master brewers convened again the following year, this time in New York City. Thus, the history, heritage, and tradition of our annual MBAA convention were born. A third convention was held in my home district city of Cincinnati. A fourth was held in Philadelphia, a fifth in St. Louis…and on it went, year after year, as those master brewers continued to convene, wisely rotating among America’s great brewing cities.

MBAA’s annual conventions served primarily as forums to discuss and deal with the pressures of politics and the influences of history. The national economy, two world wars, grain restrictions, recessions, the Depression, presidential assassinations, “local option” laws, outright national Prohibition, labor issues, and the ever-present “lesser concerns” were all topics of discussion. And yet, year after year, those master brewers continued to convene.

Now, fast forward to the present day. I just returned home from the World Brewing Congress (WBC), held at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. I was quite the “newbie,” but so very thrilled to be there 125 “convening” years later. The Portland Hilton was full…totally sold out; quite the omen of success! The Saturday before the WBC, we presented our Beer Steward Certification Program to a vibrant, engaged group of 42 attendees, each of whom was quite serious about their beer education. I was thrilled to be part of one of the “kick-off” events.

I also attended the annual Board of Governors (BOG) meeting in Portland. I took my assigned seat in Room C123, where we all sat somewhat “Camelot” style, facing one another in a big rectangle-ish arrangement. As I settled in and watched other BOG members file in and make their way to their seats, I couldn’t help but feel the decades of dedication, the ongoing spirit, the sheer passion exuded by those hundreds of brewers who sat here before me. Some of those original names hovered over me: Frish, Guenther, Gerst…I smiled remembering that the original constitution had actually stipulated that all meetings were to be held in German! It was not until 1901, as the 12th annual convention in Boston dealt once again with one of those “lesser concerns,” that it was decided that future meetings could be conducted in either German or English.

Overwhelming gratification was expressed for our president, Mike Sutton, whose steady hand had guided MBAA throughout the entire year.

The BOG then recognized Jerry Hilton with a Distinguished Life Service Award. Wow! How wonderful to witness Jerry’s award first hand. I am, after all, his replacement for the heritage chair. A name like Hilton, I thought, fit right up there with Frish, Guenther, and Gerst.

I vaguely heard the roll call begin, after which, we shared a moment of silence for Members in Memoriam. Then we were guided right into the Reports of Officers, the Reports of Committees, Finances, Bylaws, the Strategic Plan, etc. And on it went, similar in fashion, adhering, I’m certain, to a century-and-a-quarter tradition.

I was simultaneously humbled, yet “bucket-list” proud to play a very small part in the MBAA activities in Portland, Oregon. Our annual MBAA convention is yet another example of a 125-year-old tradition involving brewers past and brewers present, stemming straight from that original 1887 Chicago meeting.

Treasured Reading

In these pages over our twelve 125th-Anniversary months, I have shared some wonderful examples of “Hands-On-Heritage:"

• How I was approached at a Beer Steward presentation in North Carolina by a descendent of the 1885 Germania-Wetterer Brewery, eager to share his family brewery’s memorabilia.
• How I descended under the streets in Cincinnati’s historic Over-The-Rhine District into the newly discovered, century-old fermentation cellars and connecting tunnels of the Gerke Brewery.
• How, with another committee member, I discovered...and brewed...an archived, 95-year-old pre-Prohibition pils recipe from the Huebner-Toledo Brewery, a casualty of Prohibition.

Already I have learned that sometimes you travel from place to place, intensely focused on a mission to “uncover and discover”. Other times, those “discoveries” literally come to you, and in the most serendipitous ways. That is exactly what happened to me just two weeks ago when one very special individual recognized a potential slice of MBAA history and went way above and beyond the call of duty to preserve it.

On Monday, January 7, 2013, I received an e-mail from Dawn Vukson at MBAA Headquarters. Someone had e-mailed the contact form at MBAA and, as Dawn said, “...it looks like something the Heritage Chair might be interested in!” The contact e-mail was from Floridian Jennifer Valdivia. It read:

“Hi, I was recently cleaning out my bookshelves when I found a book I bought at a flea market years ago. It is The Life of Pasteur by Radot that was given at the 33rd Annual convention of the Master Brewers Association of America in Philadelphia. It was signed by someone with (what looks like) the last name Burton of the Pennsylvania State Brewers Association.

I was wondering if your organization would like it? I am relocating to another state and would hate for a book this old and possibly a piece of history to end up at my local Goodwill. I have no problem sending you the book if you would like it. It is in otherwise perfect condition.”

Would we like it!!?! Wow!! I responded to Jennifer that our organization would love the volume. She carefully bubble-wrapped the book and sent it to me priority mail just a few days later.

As it turns out, MBAA’s 33rd Annual Convention was indeed hosted by District Philadelphia and held in that city October 4–7, 1936, at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. The convention was entirely dedicated to Louis Pasteur. The dedication was complete with a “...fitting ceremony developed commemorating Louis Pasteur.” On a humorous note, the MBAA president in 1936 was Herman Rosenbusch. Mr. Rosenbusch had a reputation of being a “stickler for proper procedure”. According to Phil Berkes, then president of District Philadelphia, Mr. Rosenbusch turned “thumbs down” the very idea of in-room entertainment, believing it to be improper. In response, District Philadelphia “inaugurated a plan” to have a separate entertainment center where all delegates could gather.

The volume that Jennifer sent to us is titled The Life of Pasteur. It was written by René Vallery-Radot, a French writer. I have since discovered that he was born in Paris on October 1, 1853, and died in Paris on January 24, 1933. René was also the son-in-law of Louis Pasteur, whose first biography he wrote. The volume was translated from the French by Mrs. R. L. Devonshire and was published by Garden City Publishing Co. specifically for that 33rd MBAA Annual Convention, complete with an MBAA cover, emblem, and title page. I have included a photograph of the signature that Jennifer alluded to, which, as she said, appears to be “W. Burton.” Maybe someone with District Philadelphia would be able to shed a bit more light.

Jennifer has since written to me:

“I bought this book when I was in the 3rd grade at a flea market in Orlando during a family vacation. For years I was interested in Pasteur, which is why I chose this book. There was a series of children’s books called “The Value of Learning”. One book in the series featured Pasteur’s discovery of the rabies vaccination. My parents read that book to me frequently and became the force that prompted me to read all I could about Pasteur. I am glad you and your organization can enjoy the book.”

There it is, yet another example of someone who recognizes the value in preserving heritage, even when that heritage belongs to someone else. Maybe it is also time for MBAA to recognize, in some small way, forward-thinking folks like Jennifer, who take the time from their busy lives and make the gallant effort to preserve such items. For MBAA, our 125-year heritage is just a bit stronger because of Jennifer Valdivia.

UNESCO and the Reinheitsgebot

"Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration."

Wow. That is one of the most powerful quotes I have ever read depicting the sheer importance and enduring value of "heritage." It is a direct quote from the official website of UNESCO, a specialized agency of the United Nations. "UNESCO" stands for United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It is known as the "intellectual" agency of the UN. It is dedicated to developing global education strategies for the 21st century, adhering to scientific objectives for a sustainable future, and fostering intercultural understanding through the protection of... heritage! According to its website, UNESCO is keenly aware that "heritage" constitutes a source of identity and cohesion for communities disrupted by "bewildering change." To this end, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee catalogues a "World Heritage List" of places and items that meet their identification and protection criteria. They quarterly publish World Heritage, the official UNESCO publication from the World Heritage Centre, featuring in-depth articles on cultural and natural World Heritage Sites. It is produced in English, French, and Spanish. They even provide a 138-page manual entitled: Preparing World Heritage Nominations for the purpose of assisting those who are interested in or actually involved in the process of nominating an important place or cultural aspect to be considered one of their heritage treasures.

So...what does this have to do with beer? A whole lot, if you take into consideration the remarkable heritage of beer. And the German Brewers Association is doing just that. In 2013, they began the exhaustive process of studying and following the UNESCO guidelines to formally nominate the original text of the Reinheitsgebot to be considered a cultural treasure by UNESCO. They want the Reinheitsgebot included on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

“Reinheitsgebot”, is, of course, commonly known as the “Bavarian Purity Law.” Written in 1516, it mandates that only water, barley, and hops can be used to brew German beer. Yeast was added to the list of ingredients when scientists discovered yeast's fermenting contributions centuries later. Reinheitsgebot has been synonymous with the pure, outstanding, high-quality German beer that the world has grown to love and expect. Thousands upon thousands of German and even American craft brewers see tremendous value by claiming to abide by its centuries-old mandates. It is popular with the general beer-drinking public. Translations of its original text are everywhere. And there are hundreds of images of it available...even sold on t-shirts!!

To be included on UNESCO's World Heritage List, the nominee must be of “Outstanding Universal Value” by meeting one or more of ten selection criteria. After a bit of study, it appears to me that the Reinheitsgebot meets UNESCO's criteria #3, that the nominee must “bear a unique...exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.”

The attempt to make the Reinheitsgebot a UNESCO Cultural Treasure is not without its critics. Some contend that the law only ensured that crops necessary to make bread could not be used on brewing beer. Others claim that the purity law lingers from a long-bygone era and that Germany would be free to create a wider variety of more diverse beers better able to compete in the world beer market without adhering to its ongoing constraints.

I first learned about this "World Heritage List" effort through a quarterly newsletter that my wife and I receive. We are members of the Palatines to America German Genealogy Society, Ohio chapter. The April 2015 edition of their newsletter, Palatine Heritage, included a small piece entitled: “German Brewers Push for UNESCO Status of 500th Anniversary of Bavarian Purity Law.” It piqued my interest, and I spent some time researching it further and studying UNESCO's guidelines for inclusion.

As MBAA's Heritage Chair, I love the idea! The timing couldn't be better as 2016 marks the 500th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot's writing and implementation. To me, the Reinheitsgebot's cultural public perception is firmly associated with the ongoing worldwide recognition that so many German beers have attained. Regardless of style, the list of German classics rolls off the educated tongue: Munich Helles... Marzen... Dunkel... Hefeweissen... Kolsch... Alt Bier... Berliner Weisse... Rauchbier... just to name a very few. The German Brewers Association's effort in attaining UNESCO World Heritage Status is commendable. It represents yet another example of Hands-On-Heritage, this time extending beyond international borders. If successful, it could certainly help to create more awareness of UNESCO's World Heritage Mission and its enduring recognition of heritage as an..."irreplaceable source of life and inspiration."

Using the Internet to Find the Past

Now, well into my second year as MBAA’s heritage chair, one of my greatest sources of joy has been experiencing the degree to which this position nurtures the give-and-take of a two-way street. Items of historical interest flow from me to the world at large. And items of historical interest flow from the world at large right back to me.

The Internet plays a significant role in this give–take relationship, offering uncountable resources. For example, a few weeks ago, we received an e-mail from former MBAA President Jaime Jurado (2005–2006), alerting us to the wonderful story of Hans Timmermann, also a former MBAA president (1972–1973). The story was written by his son, H. R. (Tim) Timmermann Jr. It beautifully chronicles his father’s brewing career, beginning with his emigration from Germany in 1933, the unique challenges of life during WWII, and his desire to always give back to his community. I was particularly moved by Tim’s comment: “After the war broke out, Hans and all other German born Brewery workers (80 in total) were dismissed because they were said to be ‘born in the wrong country’.” This little gem is near and dear to my heart as my own father, Richard August Seemueller, a right-off-the-boat German, endured much the same.

I won’t retell Tim’s story here. You can read it for yourself at this link: http://local2.ca/ssm/viewarticle.php?id=9802.

And that link is the point of this month’s heritage piece. I am exploring the possibility of offering a page on our MBAA website that includes a listing of links such as this one. Each listing would link to a specific site or a single article that showcases items of heritage/historical interest, just like the story of Hans Timmermann. I see the page as something that would build upon what members send us, providing an opportunity for all to share the rich tapestry of their local brewing history, prominently displayed right on our national website. Later perhaps, as the number of links grows with newer, additional offerings, those older links that are deemed pertinent enough might find a permanent home on the appropriate local district web page.

I see it as another opportunity to showcase Local Hands-On-Heritage. Please let me know what you think about this. And please, don’t forget to read Tim Timmermann’s wonderful piece.

Visiting the MBAA Archives

On May 1, 2013, I presented the Beer Steward Certificate Program in Waterloo, Iowa. My wife and I decided to go a bit early and drive the 10 hours to Iowa from our home in Columbus, Ohio. I wanted to take advantage of Waterloo’s proximity to the City of Ames, home to Iowa State University. MBAA’s surviving records, papers, documents...anything of historical significance are archived there. As the Heritage Chair, visiting MBAA’s archives was a “bucket list” item for me.

I wanted to spend the necessary time there to get a sense of what was archived and how accessible the archives were. Making that decision, we made the pilgrimage to Iowa State University via Dyersville, Iowa, of...”If you build it...they will come” fame, home of the “Field Of Dreams” movie set. We then continued on, right past Waterloo, and onto Ames. MBAA’s papers are at the Parks Library in their Special Collections Department. The library’s own “descriptive summary” of our collection, reads as follows:

"The collection (1887-[ongoing]) includes administrative records, committee records, constitutions and bylaws, convention materials, correspondence, meeting minutes, scholarship and award information, and St. Paul-Minneapolis District records. Committee files can include agendas, correspondence, minutes, and other related meeting materials. Convention materials can include Board of Governors meeting minutes, annual business meeting minutes, newsletters, and financial reports, and other supplemental reports.

Historical information, including copies of the original charter and other founding documents, can be found in the collection. However, the bulk of the collection dates from 1950 onward leaving the first 60 years of the organization only sparsely documented, though lists of past officers and previous convention locations were created for the 75th annual convention in 1962."

Wow, 18 document boxes, and one “oversized” box totaling 8.86 linear feet. And, unfortunately as noted in the descriptive summary, our first 60 years is only “sparsely documented.” I am told by some of our more senior members that this is due to a combination of flood, fire, theft, and even malicious behavior. The mere fact that these items are now professionally archived ensures that they are better protected and should never be exposed to such fates again.

We arrived April 29 for our morning appointment. Laura Sullivan and her Special Collections staff were extremely helpful. In an attempt to maximize my time there, I had requested certain archival boxes and folders be pulled in advance. They had been pulled and were available when we arrived. I was most interested in Box 1, Folders 1-24, which are some of the oldest items archived, including copies of the original, hand-written charter. I also discovered that the claim of sparse documentation for our first 60 years to be quite true. Box 1 Folders 1 and 2 yield items from 1887, while Box 1 Folder 3 jumps straight to 1934.

The first half of page one of the original, hand-written charter.

It was a full and fascinating day. I found many of the items I wanted. I also found that I could probably spend another whole week there, just perusing the collection, even in a general way. As the Heritage Chair, the staff was comfortable with me taking many of my own digital photographs, but they also offer a range of photocopying and digitizing services. I had them digitize a copy of our original charter. I am also very interested in collecting historical information from each individual district. Hopefully, this will be the focus of future visits to the collection.

Many thanks to Laura and the helpful staff at the Iowa State Parks Library Special Collections Department. And, your Heritage Chair checks off a “bucket list” item, while thinking about a return visit.

Volunteer and Help Dig Up The Past

In the February edition of The MBAA Communicator, I offered the idea of establishing a heritage chair within each MBAA local district. The interest shown has been limited, and the most common question asked is, “Just what are the expectations in establishing and managing a district heritage chair?”

As far as expectations or responsibilities are concerned, I see a district heritage chair as being very self-directed, a do-it-yourself project, entirely up to the individual volunteer. I would imagine, though, that any volunteer would probably be the type of person who is somewhat historically minded and has an awareness, attitude, outlook, and perspective that all leans toward “heritage” and “history”. Perhaps the person likes to read history. Or perhaps the person enjoys genealogical research, already pursuing his or her own family roots and memories. Three possible areas of participation might include capturing and preserving the memories of district events, archiving district memorabilia, and maintaining a district “heritage tab.”

• District Events: When attending district events, the heritage chair might be just a bit more aware of the importance of ensuring that aspects of the meeting or event are captured and preserved. This might include simply ensuring that the meeting minutes captured by the district secretary/treasurer are preserved in some form. The chair might decide to be the event photographer, or at least ensure that there is a photographer.
• Archiving: If the local district owns items of possible historical value, such as old photographs, meeting minutes, books, articles of incorporation, convention materials, brewery memorabilia, etc., perhaps the chair could be involved in ensuring that these items are inventoried, archived, and stored properly to minimize damage. If there are items that are privately owned or in an individual’s private collection, perhaps the chair could ensure that the items are identified, photographed, or scanned. I will be writing more about this in an upcoming Communicator.
• Heritage Tab: The district heritage chair could assist the district web chair in establishing and maintaining a “Heritage Tab” on the district website. I am in the process of establishing our District Cincinnati Heritage Tab, even as I write this. It will be launched in the next few weeks or so. Ours will include an introductory statement, a brief history of the district in PDF format, and occasional “presentations” of heritage items of interest…contributions and discoveries reflecting the history of our district. This presentation might include anything, old photos and letters, digital displays of certificates, articles of incorporation, antique books, diaries, historical writing, and even personal memories. Once the heritage tab is established, its maintenance is minimal. Our District Cincinnati Heritage Tab, when launched, could be used as a springboard for others to model, at least initially. And, I am certainly open to constructive criticism and suggestions!!

Once again, the district heritage chair is a position that would not have to be something complicated, overwhelming, or all-consuming. Volunteers could be minimalist, doing as little as necessary or they could be as aggressively involved as they wanted. But in this digital, iPodded, BlackBerried, over-committed, multitasking, hectic world, the deck is stacked against all things “heritage” and “history.” Establishing a district heritage chair would be an important step in ensuring MBAA’s legacy for another 125 years!

Why We Should Care About Our Heritage

I always love the month of January. More than any other month, January epitomizes the spirit of renewal and resolutions for self-improvement. For MBAA, we begin the departure from our milestone 125th anniversary year and commit to, well, a milestone 126th year! We have never been healthier. Membership is up significantly. We have launched our new website. The Beer Steward Program (among many others) continues to be a phenomenal success. And on a more personal “heritage note”, I have had five districts express interest in establishing district heritage chairs.

For me, the spirit of renewal ironically conjures up renewed thinking about the past…about heritage. Now, understandably, one might ask, “Why should we care about our heritage? Why do history and heritage even matter? After all, on a day-to-day basis, our members live and work in the present, and they spend a significant amount of their precious productive time worrying about and preparing for the future. The “present” and the “future” are their primary concerns. So, why does “heritage” matter at all?”

Our national heritage offers a window into our origins, allowing us to glimpse the original intentions of our founders. It is about our very reason for existence. Those founders offered us a firm foundation of principles on which to build. Like any proud pedigree or honorable family genealogy, awareness of that heritage bestows upon us a sense of who we are and how we got to be what we are. Those historical and enduring core values have guided the thinking and steered the actions of each ensuing generation of leadership. They have reminded us, generation after generation, that there are many sides to every question and to any issue or concern that has faced our industry.

It is also enormously fulfilling to participate in your local district. Beyond serving to remind all of us of the importance of bigger-picture citizenship, hands-on local heritage is especially rewarding. In an ever-changing, smartphoned, iPadded, instant-access, future-obsessed world, there is solace in all things “local”. Local heritage is the patchwork quilt of everything we call “home”. It celebrates our home landscape, our skyline, that one particular river meandering through town, that nearby mountain, the hometown university, an enduring city landmark, a prominent church steeple. And of course, local heritage celebrates our local breweries, their beers, and…their brewers!

This past year, the hands-on heritage of our local breweries has been a source of tremendous joy for me personally. Some of these experiences I shared in The MBAA Communicator. Now I am exploring how MBAA can perhaps be of some additional help in offering local support. Looking ahead to a “next level” local recognition program, I believe there are many breweries throughout our local districts that have earned the right to some sort of designation as an MBAA Heritage Brewery. This possibility was actually suggested to me by fellow committee member Andy Tveekrem, and I thought the idea was brilliant. The new designation could be earned based upon several possibilities: perhaps celebrating the sheer age and upkeep of historically unique structures, rewarding the unwavering and ongoing dedication to a timeless brewing recipe, or recognizing the importance of continuous family ownership over multiple generations. I am certain that we could create much more criteria for recognition.

But what better way to extend the uniqueness of our 125-year MBAA heritage than by establishing an MBAA Heritage Brewery designation. Again, I loved the idea, especially for what it brings to the local districts. I think that it is something to explore further. Let me know what you think.

Like I said, I always love the spirit of renewal that January brings. Resolutions, possibility thinking, and heritage awareness all go equally hand-in-hand.