446093 Sat Sep 29 14:34:44 -0700 2007 7 35 Beer 0 2988837 My friend and hero, Michael Jackson, the man who spurred the craft beer movement, who singlehandedly made beer a respectable drink and who told the world about Belgian beer (included the Belgians, who previously had no idea their brew was anything special!), died last month. I just found out...and also just learned that tomorrow, Sep 30, at 9pm eastern there will be a worldwide toast to him. If you know about Michael or own any of his classic books, you need no encouragement. But even if not...if you've ever enjoyed an interesting beer in America, if you've ever taken pleasure in a Belgian ale outside of Belgium, if you have any association in your life of beer as anything but a sudsy local tipple, you have been affected by Michael Jackson's work (I'm leaving out his great writing and expertise on whisky and on rugby league), and I hope you'll join me in rustling up something delicious to quaff at 9pm. Point your glass toward England, his home (my second sip will be toasted a little to the right, toward Belgium). ciao Sat Sep 29 14:34:44 -0700 2007 10089 Jim Leff 1 2989230 A lot of bars will be hosting toasts on Sunday night, and they'll be raising funds for Parkinson's research. Michael suffered from this disease for a number of years. Details at http://www.beerhunter.com Sat Sep 29 17:56:24 -0700 2007 2988837 10998 Jim Dorsch 1 2989617 I've been holding a bottle of Delerium Tremens. Sounds like time to break it open. Here's to Sunday, 8:00 CST. Sat Sep 29 21:45:42 -0700 2007 2988837 10737 Bobfrmia 1 2990812 Thank you for letting me know about this. I would have thought I'd have seen a small news piece about his death -- at least in the food section of the paper. He was extremely influential in the beer world -- and in mine. I'm just sorry I missed the worldwide toast. (I'll give him a private one in the future -- what do you think he'd want me to be drinking?) Sun Sep 30 15:09:38 -0700 2007 2988837 120945 ccferg 2 2991303 Michael was as open-minded as one could possibly be. My ideal Michael Jackson beer is the first really good beer I ever had, which was sought out with the enthusiasm inspired by his World Guide to Beer. That was a Trappist, and so that's what I toast him with. What was the first revelatory beer you enjoyed thanks to him? Put time aside to really enjoy it, preferably turning on a friend who doesn't know good beer. That'd be perfect! Sun Sep 30 19:05:22 -0700 2007 2990812 10089 Jim Leff 2 2991886 "I would have thought I'd have seen a small news piece about his death -- at least in the food section of the paper." AP had picked up the story of Michael Jackson's death early the following day (which, unfortunately, was the beginning of the long Labor Day weekend in the US- so some papers/broadcast news divisions probably weren't fully staffed and readers/viewers don't always follow the news as closely). I saw it on the NY Times site by 8 am Friday and hundreds of newspapers carried the story by the end of the day (as did local TV station's websites- don't know about their broadcasts). Additionally, NPR did several stories on his death that weekend. I seem to recall some mention of his passing on at least one of the network news broadcasts and it was on CNN's website. Mon Oct 01 04:29:05 -0700 2007 2990812 11059 JessKidden 2 2994261 Jim's right -- he'd want you to be drinking the first good beer you'd ever had. But if it were MJ himself doing the drinking, I've got a sneaking suspicion it'd be Orval... Mon Oct 01 16:44:22 -0700 2007 2990812 11796 tuqueboy 3 2997780 Gee, I'm kind of a news junkie but I missed all the press about his death. I'm not sure what beer he first turned me on to. I know he had a huge influence on my late husband, who then passed on this knowledge to me. I love a Trappist, so that might be my toast. I'm not sure I've ever had Orval though -- and it might be kinda nice to try something new in his name. Tue Oct 02 15:35:14 -0700 2007 2994261 120945 ccferg