Jack McAuliffe, first US craft brewer, in auto accident

Before us, there was him.

Before 1977, the US had no brewpubs or microbreweries. Jack McAuliffe changed that. In 1977, he began brewing at his New Albion Brewery in Sonoma, California.

There were no small brewery fabricators in the US. So McAuliffe built the brewery from cast-off and re-purposed equipment. The brewery ceased operations in 1982.

Beer historian Maureen Ogle reported yesterday that

Jack McAuliffe, pioneer microbrewer, was in a serious car accident. He’s in intensive care, on a ventilator, in a Las Vegas hospital.

Ms. Ogle has since reported that Mr. McAuliffe is out of the hospital and on the mend. We all hope for his full recovery.

In 2007, the Brewers Association honored McAuliffe with its Recognition Award.

2009.04.04 From Maureen Ogle.com: a tiny update on Jack McAuliffe — And A Peek Into His World

2010.01 Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2010, releasing special beers brewed in collaboration with pioneers of the craft beer industry. One is a barleywine designed by Jack McAuliffe.