No beer issue would be complete without a mention of the passing of Michael Jackson, who died in August at the age of 65. His World Guide to Beer, published in 1977, was a seminal exploration of the brewing arts and helped to popularize the infant microbrew revolution in the U.S. He was at once an enthusiastic booster for beer and a thoughtful critic, with a writing style that was engaging but always to the point.
He published extensively during the past 30 years, but two of his books I consider essential: The Beer Companion (my favorite beer encyclopedia) and The Great Beers of Belgium (which rivals Robert Parker's wine books on Bordeaux and Burgundy). Keep an eye on the shelves; with his death, many of his out-of-print classics should be seeing new editions soon. Even the older books are worth a second look.
If anyone deserves a toast for the wonderful variety of beers produced and available in the U.S. today, it's Jackson. Raise a pint, folks.
This article appears in Oct 17-23, 2007.