This morning, the world lost its most distinguished and prolific authority on beer and whiskey. Michael Jackson, The Beer Hunter, The Whiskey Chaser, Maven of Malt, and White Rose of Yorkshire, passed away today, August 30, 2007...

He was just a child when he left school to pursue a career as a journalist. He had, of course, fulfilled all the requirements of a British education, so at the mature age of sixteen, Michael Jackson pounded the pavements of competition that would eventually lead to Fleet Street.

It was like listening to two old salts, sharing tales of adventure on the high seas. Bill Moeller and Michael Jackson, their silhouettes framed across the table.

An esteemed panel of Judges, experts in their profession and recognized by the Foundation Awards Committee, selected Michael Jackson as the recipient of the coveted James Beard Medal for his book, Whiskey - The Definitive World Guide.

In the whirlwind that is real life, it is often difficult to acknowledge that diamonds have a place in your corner of the world. They arrest your glance with a momentary flicker, then fully engage your spirit with the intensity of their existence.

Some traveled across town…others traversed invisible borders from countries sprinkled throughout Europe or over the Atlantic Pond – travelers, invited to the inner sanctum of Michael Jackson’s extraordinary life, journeying on a Mecca to pay their last respects to this leading world authority on bee

The first Tutored Tastings in the early 90’s were as amorphous as the U.S. beer scene of the day. Even the tough man from Yorkshire found it a challenge.

They may not be saying it, but customers relax more when Executive Chefs and Cicerones present a Mensa Menu – an upscale list of beer and food pairings that marry together in one stroke. It’s time to get your Aass bock in business.

The Beer Fox says, “A taste of the Balearic Islands create waves of satisfying sensation on the tongue.”

When I began learning to judge mead, I felt like a bit of a … what’s the technical term? ... doofus. Mead terminology was a bit unfamiliar, I knew little about the different varieties of honey, and had difficulty keeping the words in their proper place.