Micro Pioneer in Serious Accident

[admin]

Jack McAuliffe, first microbrewer, in serious car accident

It has just been learned that Jack McAuliffe, the founder of the New Albion Brewing Company, the country’s first microbrewery, was in a serious car accident in Las Vegas.

Jack’s sister, Cathy McAuliffe who had just spoken to the hospital, said Jack was “doing OK, considering…” It was also reported by Maureen Ogle that Jack was “in intensive care, on a ventilator, in a Las Vegas hospital,” but details were still vague.

More details to come as they surface.

[Moonlight]

Can you imagine the brilliance and/or stupidity of starting an 1.5 bbl bottle brewery in 1976 when the next largest brewery in the country was about 300 bbl brewlength? There was no supplier of malt, hops or stainless steel that would even bother to talk to Jack.
The BATF had no clue what to do with him. And no internet to ask for help.
Truly inspirational.

[jesskidden]

Some photos of Jack and the brewery from contemporary issues of The Brewers Digest can be found here - New Albion Brewing Co.

[beertvguy]

Hoping the best for Jack's recovery! I will raise a glass for him tonight.

Jess---I have been looking for that issue of Brewers Digest for a couple years now. Gotta spare copy?

~Jay

[admin]

Update:

This from Maureen Ogle’s blog (http://maureenogle.com/blog/):

Update from Jack McAuliffe’s sister Cathy, who was in Las Vegas with Jack:

“I am back in San Antonio…the last two days I was in Las Vegas, Jack was pretty heavily sedated, so there wasn’t much communication at all.

The good news is that he is close to getting the ventilator taken out…and they have him less sedated so that he can breath on his own more. They tried taking the ventilator out today, but he wasn’t ready yet. They’ll try again tomorrow.

My brother will be going out there as some point, as will my sister. And I intend to go back, too. His friends are having a fundraiser, tentatively scheduled for May 2.”