Jamie Gordon, a well-known presence in the industry, has died unexpectedly. He was 56.
Jamie helped pioneer craft canning during his long stint at Cask. I met Peter back in the very early 2000’s when Cask was just getting their newly designed, small scale, low volume and affordable canning line onto the market. Jamie has always been a smiling face with a friendly hello and catch-up chat whenever I run into him in the industry. He will dearly be missed.
Below is a statement from company president Peter Love;
It is with a very heavy heart that I have to announce that our wonderful friend and mentor, Jamie Gordon, passed away last week in Denver, Colorado. He was doing what he loved best – working with his friends and customers in the craft brewing industry.
Jamie had just completed an installation at Grist Brewing in Littleton, Colorado. He went to Wynkoop Brewery in downtown Denver to help them with an equipment issue. He returned to his hotel in Highlands Ranch just after 10 pm last Thursday night and collapsed in the lobby.
The hotel staff gave Jamie CPR and emergency medical staff attempted to restart his heart before taking him to Littleton Adventist Hospital and placing him on life support. He did not recover and he was removed from life support on Sunday afternoon.
Jamie’s family graciously agreed to donate his organs to a donor association in Colorado, where he played such a large role in the development of our company’s micro-canning efforts. His organs will help save and improve numerous lives in Colorado and beyond.
Jamie has been instrumental in the growth and development of Cask Brewing Systems Inc. since he started working for us almost 30 years ago. He initially sold homebrew kits for us in Eastern Canada while he still operated his homebrew store in Montreal, Gordon’s Cave a Vin.
He helped us grow in the “brew on premise” industry by designing a filling system to help these entities meet new government regulations for that burgeoning industry.
During our work with those homebrewer-minded enterprises, Jamie designed our initial manual canning system. The rest, as they say, is history. We soon formed our great association with Ball Corporation and introduced micro-canning to the craft brewing industry around the world.
Jamie Gordon has been a wonderful ambassador for our company in North America and around the globe. As one of our customers recently told Jamie’s son Andrew, ‘Jamie has rock star status in the craft brewing industry.’
Jamie was a certified beer judge. He presented at a number of industry events for the Master Brewers Association of America (MBAA) and the United States Association of Cider Makers. He was recently asked to speak to the Brewery Engineers Association of England at their annual Technical Day in Burton-on-Trent this coming March.
His passing is a big loss to our Cask Brewing System’s family. A chapter in our company history is now closed.
Receptions to celebrate Jamie’s wonderful life will be held in his home town of Montreal this Saturday, November 21 and in Calgary the following Sunday, November 29. Details are at the bottom of this message.
Tool Shed Brewing in Calgary is brewing a “Flat Cap” stout in Jamie’s honor. They plan for it to be a staple in their standard beer list, with packaging graphics that include a picture of Jamie.
Our deepest condolences go out to Jamie’s wife Anne Marie Fontaine and their two sons, Andrew Gordon and Alastair Gordon, in this difficult time.
Jamie Gordon will be missed, but never forgotten.
Peter Love
November 18, 2015
Reception Details:
Saturday, 4 PM, November 21, 2015 — Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Airport,7880 Côte de Liesse, Montreal, QC, 1-514-788-6088
Sunday, 4 PM, November 29, 2015 –Tool Shed Brewery, 801-30 Street NE, Calgary, AB T2A 5L7. 1-403-775-1749