The Celebrator Beer News celebrated its 22nd anniversary on February 14, 2010, with a party attended by its readers and beer industry professionals from all over the West Coast. The event was held at the newly expanded Trumer Brauerei in Berkeley, Calif. The setting gave maximum exposure to the industrial nature of the beer world. Walls of kegs and boxes of beer bottles provided the backdrop in a warehouse full of beer lovers queuing at the 40 or so tables, which were filled with some of the best beers in the world. Outside, a singing group performed against a background of massive fermentation tanks. The Trumer crew did an amazing job of turning the brewery facility into a welcoming party space for beer lovers. Many thanks to Head Brewer Lars Larson and his crew for their help in getting the party started!

Among the attendees was a gaggle of Celebrator writers and beer industry luminaries, including pioneer figures in the craft beer movement. Cajun-themed food and barbecue tri-tip were provided in serious quantities by Jeremy Sowers and his Emergency BBQ crew from San Carlos, Calif. Brewery owners and CEOs attending the party included Jeremy Cowan, Shmaltz; John Martin, Triple Rock; Dave McLean, Magnolia; Brendan Moylan, Marin and Moylan’s; Shaun O’Sullivan, 21st Amendment; Rob Widmer, Widmer Brothers; and Steve Wolff, Pacific Coast.

Breweries and distributors pouring their best brews included Abita, Anchor Brewery, Anderson Valley, Artisanal Imports, Beach Chalet, Bear Republic, Blue Frog, BridgePort, Chimay, Dogfish Head, Eel River, Iron Springs, Lagunitas, Magnolia, Marin, Moylan’s, New Belgium, North Coast, Ommegang, Pacific Coast, Phoenix Management, Pyramid, Rubicon, Russian River, Shiner, Shmaltz, Sierra Nevada, Speakeasy, Stone, ThirstyBear, Tied House, Triple Rock, Trumer, 21st Amendment, Valley Brewing and Widmer Brothers. These great breweries were invited to pour at the event in tribute to their long and continued support of Celebrator Beer News publishing activities. We are grateful for their participation, which helped to raise nearly $5,000 for the California Small Brewers Association and its legislative activities.

The evening included a toast to our late colleague, beer writer Bill Brand of the Oakland Tribune. Several of the breweries brought Bill Brand tribute beers to feature at the event.

A shuttle bus took many of the revelers from the downtown Berkeley BART station to the brewery and safely back to BART at the end of the event. The Celebrator anniversary party brought the activities of S.F. Beer Week 2010 to a happy and thirst-quenching close, underscoring the enormous beery resources in the San Francisco Bay region. For more on S.F. Beer Week, go to sfbeerweek.org and plan now for the events to come in February 2011!