Toasting Mr. Jackson

Apparently, people just can't stop talking about noted beer writer Michael Jackson, who died at his London home nearly a month ago.

Now, people who want to honor his memory and support a good cause are organizing a national "Toast to Michael Jackson" as fundraiser for the National Parkinson Foundation. Jackson, I've read, suffered from Parkinson's disease. There's more information at Jackson's Web site, www.beerhunter.com. The toast is set for Sept. 30, exactly one month after his death, for 8 p.m. Central Time. Unfortunately for most of us here in Alabama, that's a Sunday, meaning most bars and pubs won't be open, and most restaurants won't be serving alcohol. The J. Clyde restaurant in Birmingham is listed as participating, though.

If you've got a beer at home, or you're drinking at a private club on Sunday, why not raise a glass with the rest of the country to honor a guy who did a lot to bring respectability to quality beer? Couldn't hurt to support a good cause while you're at it. Checks sent to NPF with "Tribute to Michael Jackson" listed in the memo line will be attributed to the event.

Meanwhile, the Brewers Association has a page of e-mail tributes to Jackson posted on its Web site. Check it out here.

Even more Jackson

In his piece today, Atlanta Journal-Constitution beer columnist Bob Townsend provides remembrances of recently-departed beer writer & enthusiast Michael Jackson. He quotes a number of Atlanta-area bar & restaurant owners and beer lovers about their thoughts on the man. The best line, from Andy Klubock, owner of Summits Wayside Taverns:

"It meant a lot to me for him to come and look at what we were doing. He's like the pope of beer. I needed his blessing."

More Michael Jackson: "Democratization of Drink"

National Public Radio carried an item on Weekend Edition Sunday this week on recently-departed beer critic and enthusiast Michael Jackson. The piece included excerpts of a 1994 interview the show did with Jackson. Nice to hear his voice. He spoke about beer drinkers and wine enthusiasts beginning to occupy common ground in the marketplace. One quote:

" ... they've met in the middle, or they're in the process of meeting in the middle. So I think we have a democratization of drink"

Listen to the entire piece from Sunday at NPR's site, here.

More on Mr. Jackson

There's more news available today about the death of beer writer Michael Jackson. It appears he died of a heart attack at his home in west London on Thursday. Oddly, most major newspapers in Jackson's home country seem not to have noted his passing (Did the story break too late? The Morning Advertiser seems to have broken the story at 5 p.m. GMT Thursday).

Fortunately, the Washington Post, and a number of other newspapers carried a story from the Associated Press. There's also an excellent feature obituary from the Philadelphia Daily News, by beer columnist Don Russell. It's there I learned a heartening bit of info: Jackson's first career was in newspapers, and he started writing about beer on the side.

A last toast to Mr. Jackson

Bad news in the world of good beer today. Michael Jackson, world-renowned author on beer, has died. The news comes from The Morning Advertiser in Britain, Jackson's home country. There are no details in the story. Looks like the news is pretty fresh.

Jackson's "Great Beer Guide" is on my desk here at the office and at home, and is a frequent reference. He helped to educate the world for 30 years (his "World Guide to Beer") on the nature of quality beer, and I imagine his efforts are at least partly responsible for the rise in American craft brewing.

His Web site, BeerHunter.com, has links to purchase most of his published works, plus reviews of beers and breweries.

Thanks for all you've done for beer, Mr. Jackson. Cheers.