Oregon Brewers Guild Records, 1988-2015

Collection Overview

Title: Oregon Brewers Guild Records, 1988-2015

Predominant Dates: 1992-2010

ID: MSS OBG

Primary Creator: Oregon Brewers Guild

Extent: 4.0 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: Oregon Brewers Guild Records are arranged into four series: 1. Operational Records, 1988-2015; 2. Publications and Reports, 1994-2011; 3. Events, 1993-2010; 4. Videos, 1995-1996.

Date Acquired: 00/00/2015

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The Oregon Brewers Guild Records offer a look into the early, formative years of one of the nation’s oldest craft brewer associations, as well as their work in more recent tyears.

The Oregon Brewers Guild was founded in 1992 and is a non-profit trade, marketing, and lobbying association that represents the Oregon craft brewing industry. Its mission is to protect the brewing industry of the state and the interests of Guild members through education, advocacy, and events.

The newspaper clippings in Series 2 (Box-folder 3.06 - 3.21) have been digitized and are available online, or by request.

Scope and Content Notes

The Oregon Brewers Guild Records offer a look into the early, formative years of one of the nation’s oldest craft brewer associations, as well as their work in more recent years.

The materials cover a range of topics related to the organization and development of Oregon’s craft breweries and the surrounding industries, primarily from the late 1980s through the mid 2010s. Included are operational records that detail the creation and administration of the Guild; publications and clippings related to Oregon’s brewing industries, specifically regarding business openings, promotions, and legislative and tax changes; brochures and other materials related to events and festivals organized or attended by the Guild or its members; and VHS tapes promoting Oregon’s craft breweries and the United States hops industry. The Oregon Brew Pubs video is available online.

The newspaper clippings in Series 2 (Box-folder 3.06 - 3.21) have been digitized and are available online, or by request.

Biographical / Historical Notes

The Oregon Brewers Guild was founded in 1992 and is a non-profit trade, marketing, and lobbying association that represents the Oregon Craft Brewing industry. Its mission is to protect the brewing industry of the state and the interests of Guild members through education, advocacy, and events.

The Oregon Brewers Guild began as the Greater Oregon Brewers Association; the first meeting was held January 10, 1992 at McMenamins’ Edgefield. The Association initially formed to function as a watchdog for Oregon’s growing microbrewery industry, mainly through lobbying the Oregon State Legislature. Early members also sought to promote Oregon’s craft and microbreweries in and out of state. They elected Jerome Chicvara, a founding partner of Full Sail Brewing Company, as their first president. In March of 1994, the Greater Oregon Brewers Association reformed as the Oregon Brewers Guild and membership was restricted to breweries producing a maximum of 200,000 barrels annually.

Mike Sherwood, formerly a software product manager, was the Guild's first Executive Director. For the next five years, Sherwood led the organization as it developed branding, quality certification programs, events like beer festivals, and more. He departed in 1999, later managed Rogue Ales and Spirits’ distilleries, and founded Sub Rosa Spirits in 2007. The Oregon Brewers Guild hired Jim Parker, a longtime alcohol and beverage industry professional and leader, as the next Executive Director. Among other positions, Parker had served as the Director of the American Homebrewers Association; he led the Oregon Brewers Guild for six years.

Brian Butenschoen, formerly an Oregon Brewers Guild contract employee, was hired as the Executive Director in 2005, a position he held until 2018. Butenschoen was a longtime homebrewer and beer judge. He expanded events sponsored or organized by the Oregon Brewers Guild, including the statewide Zwickelmania open house event held every President’s Day weekend; this later became the flagship event for Oregon Craft Beer Month. In addition to other festivals and annual member dinners, Butenschoen helped circulate legislative information and agendas to members, and advocated on the industry’s behalf through press releases and publications.

Christina LaRue and Anthony Roberts were hired as Co-Executive Directors in early 2019. Roberts, a longtime writer and editor, moved on to take a position in the legal field the following year. LaRue continued as the sole Executive Director; she is also the Event Coordinator for the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. In addition to various roles at Deschutes Brewery and Worthy Brewing Company, she served as the General Manager at Crux Fermentation Project.

Author: Lance Burch

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 18 print photographs and 12 negatives. 5 boxes, including 1 oversize box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: These materials were donated to the Special Collections and Archives Research Center by Brian Butenschoen in 2015 and Christina LaRue in 2019.

Related Materials:

The Oregon Brewers Guild collection is complemented by several other collections. The Brewing and Fermentation Research Collection (MSS BFRC) contains information pertaining to the history, growth, and culture of the Pacific Northwest brewing industry; included are newsletters for homebrew clubs such as the Oregon Brew Crew and Cascade Brewers Society, as well other noteworthy industry periodicals and publications. The Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives Oral History Collection (OH 35) includes interviews from industry professionals, journalists, and community members.

Further information regarding the values, logistics, and goals of the burgeoning regional brewing community can be found in organizational collections like the Heart of the Valley Homebrewers Records, Ninkasi Brewing Company Collection, McMenamins Brewery Collection, Portland Brewing Company Records, and the Fred Bowman Papers. The personal research collections of Denny Conn, Pete Dunlop, Abram Goldman-Armstrong, Fred Eckhardt Papers, and Robert Daly contain additional information regarding the beer writing process and beer culture.

Collections linked to Oregon State University research, as well as other manuscript collections, are described on the Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives research guide. More information pertaining to the history of hop growing and brewing in Oregon can be found on the Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives website.

Preferred Citation: Oregon Brewers Guild Records (MSS OBG), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: Operational Records, 1988-2015

This series contains materials and records related to the creation, administration, and operations of the Oregon Brewers Guild. In addition to correspondence, meeting minutes, membership lists, and press releases, this series contains promotional materials from the Guild and individual breweries, as well as documents pertaining to the Guild’s legislative advocacy.

Box-Folder 1.01: Oregon Craft Beer Month, 1988: Proclamation by Governor Neil Goldschmidt.
Box-Folder 1.02: Greater Oregon Brewers Association, 1991-1995: Meeting minutes, correspondence
Box-Folder 1.03: Oregon Brewers Guild applications, 1991-1997
Box-Folder 1.04: Hops, 1994: Brochures, statistical and annual reports, convention publication
Box-Folder 1.05: Food, 1994, 2007: Menus, recipes, advertisements
Box-Folder 1.06: Oregon Liquor Control Commission beer sales, 1994: Statistical data
Box-Folder 1.07: Portland travel information, 1994-2005: Visitor’s guides and directories
Box-Folder 1.08: Merchandise catalog information binder, 1994-1995: Advertisements for beer and brewing merchandise and paraphernalia, catalogs, a clothing price list
Box-Folder 1.09: Membership list, 1995
Box-Folder 1.10: “Financing the Pacific Northwest’s Emerging Craft Brew Industry,” report by Jerry Boehn, 1995
Box-Folder 1.11: Deschutes Brewery, 1994-2002: Press releases, promotional materials dues, production and tax information, correspondence, 4 pictures of packaging.
Box-Folder 1.12: Beer promotional materials, 1994-2015: Brewpub guides, Portland craft beer fest, Oregon food, Oregon Brewers Guild temporary tattoos, Rogue press release, information about Northwest brewing industry, hop tour, Oregon Brewers Guild presentation, Full Sail menu, barley information sheet from 1994.
Box-Folder 1.13: Photographs and negatives, circa 1995: Standing Stone, Mia and Pia’s Pizzeria and Brewhouse in Klamath Falls, tabling at event, 9 photographs, 1 contact print, 12 negatives.
Box-Folder 1.14: Wild River Brewing and Pizza Company, circa 1995: Focused on Cave Junction location, map and labels, 6 photographs of brewery and restaurant
Box-Folder 1.15: Oregon Brewers Guild original artwork, circa 1995: 2 color prints of Guild emblem by Trish Leahy-Graff.
Box-Folder 1.16: Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association annual packets, 1995-2010: Several annual packets, including statements of member benefits; event invitations, schedules, and programs; issue papers, industry publications (Main Ingredient); “Restaurant Management Information and Control Reports,” by Dr. Edward E. Sanders, published by Oregon Restaurant Association 1992 and 1995.
Box-Folder 1.17: Miscellaneous newsletters, 1994-1999: Erickson Report 1997, Widmer Brothers 1994, Oregon Ale and Beer Company 1995, Rogue 1999 10th anniversary celebration.
Box-Folder 1.18: Oregon Brewers Guild quality mark and certificate program, 1995-1998: Quality certification information, objectives, and requirements; application forms; emblem; related news clippings; license agreements; announcement from Karl Ockert 1998.
Box-Folder 1.19: Press releases, 1995-1999: Of note are releases from 1996 addressing craft brewers’ frustration with “impostor” contract brewers in Oregon.
Box-Folder 1.20: Truth in Labeling controversy, 1996: Press releases, news clippings, correspondence, and other information related to Brewers Guild members attempting to halt larger contract brewers from claiming local, small-batch production and misleading consumers. Craft brewers petitioned the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, often targeting Oregon Beer and Ale, a subsidiary of the Boston Beer Company.
Box-Folder 1.21: Correspondence, 1995-2005: Reactions to articles about beer drinkers, discussions of proposed tax increases
Box-Folder 1.22: Microbrewery definition, 1995-1996: Fact sheets, correspondence
Box-Folder 1.23: Oregon Brewers Guild general information, 1996: Business plan, membership directory, bylaws, member benefits, facts and figures, brief history and timeline, sales figures and estimates, membership list.
Box-Folder 1.24: Annual survey, 1996: Surveys include member breweries’ administrative teams, business statistics, wage information, and benefits offered.
Box-Folder 1.25: Anheuser-Busch Companies, Consumer Awareness and Education packet, 1996: Anheuser-Busch-sponsored packet containing resources for responsible drinking and stopping drunk driving, family communication, advertising opportunities and more; correspondence from law enforcement and school district officials, consultants, and more from local municipalities across the country, in appreciation of their distribution.
Box-Folder 1.26: Portland Media report, 1996-1999: Quarterly reports of publications or broadcasts aimed at garnering positive media attention, sponsored and assisted by the Portland Oregon Visitors Association. Includes dates, names, and valuations.
Box-Folder 1.27: Oregon Brewers Guild general information, 1997: Annual plans, financial reports, Quality Mark Program information and application, event announcements and information, work plans, meeting details.
Box-Folder 1.28: Oregon travel information, 1998-2005: 1998 event calendar, 2005 Governor’s Conference resource directory, 2000-2001 travel and resource directory.
Box-Folder 1.29: R.S. Weinberg and Associates report, “Factors Which Will Determine a Brewer’s Future Growth", 1997: Sections include market potential, market development, competitive dynamics, available resources, the “gestation” period, organizational flexibility.
Box-Folder 1.30: American Brewers Guild Brewing School Application Packet, 1998: Course catalog, including descriptions and images of (exclusively men) doing brewing science, and faculty profiles with a single woman member; application forms; degree descriptions; housing information; alumni listing and information
Box-Folder 1.31: Oregon Brewers Guild Newsletter, 1999-2003: Volume 4, Issue 7; Volume 7, Issue 1; Volume 9, Number 1
Box-Folder 1.32: Pearl Brewing Blocks promotional material, 1998: Colorized floor and building plans, location statistics, maps, aerial photographs, building design sketches, demographic information.
Box-Folder 1.33: Oregon Restaurant Association legislative report, 1999: Includes management team with portraits, legislative news, recently passed legislation, and legislator scorecard.
Box-Folder 1.34: F.H. Steinbart Company, 1999-2001: Historical information about Frank H. Steinbart and company, correspondence, obituaries, 1 photograph.
Box-Folder 1.35: Promotional Packet, beer in Portland, 2004: Published by Portland, Oregon Visitors Association; focused on brewpubs and microbrews; historical and statistical information; festival information; story ideas.
Box-Folder 1.36: Beer Tax Coalition, 2007: News clippings about Oregon legislature; correspondence; promotional materials; meeting agendas; advocacy statements featuring brewers, hop growers, and allied industries.
Box-Folder 1.37: Northwest Food Service Show speaker information, 2007: Talking points, speaker agreement for Brian Butenschoen.
Box-Folder 1.38: Oregon Brewers Guild fresh hop beer making promotional packet, 2008: Press releases, brewery participation and beer variety descriptions, images and logos, food pairing and contact information.
Box-Folder 1.39: Oregon Craft Beer Month, 2011: Promotional brochures, event handouts, correspondence, Associate membership information and application, membership and attendance list, catering plans, agendas, temporary sales permit application.
Box-Folder 1.40: Legislative advocacy, 2012-2014: Specifically focused on the Small brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act, a bill that proposed reducing tax rates for craft breweries. Lists of small brewers caucus, promotional materials, economic impact statement, copies of the bill, sponsorship circular, Oregon small breweries list, agendas, records of meetings with Representatives and Senators.
Box-Folder 1.41: Quality Mark plaque, circa 1999
Box-Folder 2.01: Oregon Liquor Control Commission, liquor control laws and administrative rules, 2000: Revised statutes for general alcoholic liquors, distilled liquors, wine, cider, and malt beverages; civil penalties and rules for state agencies; miscellaneous provisions
Box-Folder 5.01: Oregon Bounty poster, undated

Series 2: Publications and Reports, 1994-2011

This series contains newspaper and magazine issues and clippings related to beer, breweries, and the brewing profession, organized by both publication and date. Newspaper clippings lack citations, but original order was grouped by year. Of note are the mid-1990s clippings documenting Oregon brewers’ frustration with contract brewing in the state, and clippings from 2009 documenting the effects of proposed tax changes on Oregon brewers. Also includes brewery guides, industry directories, and resources, as well as Brewers Association recruitment and membership reports.

The newspaper clippings in Series 2 (Box-folder 3.06 - 3.21) have been digitized and are available online, or by request.

Box-Folder 2.02: Willamette Week’s Restaurant Guide, 2008-2010

Includes “100 favorite restaurants,” restaurant of the year, restaurant descriptions, promotions, and menus.

Box-Folder 2.03: Mix: Portland’s Magazine of Food and Drink, 2008-2009

Published by The Oregonian. 4 issues: February/March 2008, April/May 2008, August/September 2008, December 2008/January 2009.

Box-Folder 2.04: Mix: Portland’s Magazine of Food and Drink, 2009-2010

Published by The Oregonian. 3 issues: October 2009, November 2009, December 2009/January 2010.

Box-Folder 2.05: Mix: Portland’s Magazine of Food and Drink, 2010-2011

Published by The Oregonian. 5 issues: February 2010, March 2010, May 2010, July/August 2010, October 2010, December 2010/January 2011.

Box-Folder 2.06: Main Ingredient, 2006

Publication of the Oregon Restaurant Association. 7 issues: April through December.

Box-Folder 2.07: Main Ingredient, 2007

Publication of the Oregon Restaurant Association. 9 issues: January through December.

Box-Folder 2.08: Main Ingredient, 2008

Publication of the Oregon Restaurant Association. 5 issues: January through March, December, Media Kit.

Box-Folder 2.09: Main Ingredient, 2009

Publication of the Oregon Restaurant Association. 8 issues: January through February, April, June, August, November through December, Media Kit.

Box-Folder 2.10: Main Ingredient, 2010-2011

Publication of the Oregon Restaurant Association. 10 issues: January through February, April through August, November through December, Media Kits 2010-2011.

Box-Folder 2.11: BrewPub, 1996-1997

Trade publication for brewpub owners and beer professionals; Premier issue 1996 with press release insert, March through May 1997, September 1997, December 1997.

Box-Folder 2.12: BrewPub, 1998

Trade publication for brewpub owners and beer professionals; January through July, September through October.

Box-Folder 2.13: BrewPub, 1999

Trade publication for brewpub owners and beer professionals; January through February, April through May, July, September through October, December.

Box-Folder 2.14: BrewPub, 2000

Trade publication for brewpub owners and beer professionals; January through December, Buyer’s Guide.

Box-Folder 2.15: Micro Brewery Times, 1995

”Informational and educational link between breweries and consumers.” Premier issue, June, November/December.

Box-Folder 2.16: The Pint Post, 1995-1996

The Official Magazine of the Microbrew Appreciation Society.

Box-Folder 2.17: Taps Magazine, 1995-1997

June 1995, December 1995, January/February 1996, July 1997.

Box-Folder 2.18: Beer Talk, 1995

May through September issues.

Box-Folder 2.19: The Brewer International, 2001

Color copy of September issue “Brewery Focus” section, focused on BridgePort Brewing Company, by Chris Crabb, Karl Ockert, and Paula Troyer.

Box-Folder 2.30: Brew, 1994-2005

Premier issue 1994, July-August 2002, March-April 2005, October 2005.

Box-Folder 2.31: Miscellaneous beer publications, 2000-2001

Frontier Magazine, March/April 2000; Beverage Retailer, June 2001; Beer the Magazine, July 2002.

Box-Folder 2.32: Miscellaneous publications, 1994-2011

Northwest Palate, July/August 1994, September/October 2003; Westworld, June 2001; Main Ingredient, February 2006; Beer West, Winter 2011.

Box-Folder 2.33: Michigan Beer Guide, 2004

January through February, May through June.

Box-Folder 2.34: California Small Brewers Association, 1996-1997

Organization profile with membership newsletter, application, statistics, insights, and legislative information.

Box-Folder 2.35: Brewers Association publications and reports, 2006-2010

2009 draught beer profit data sheet; Brewers’ Resource Directory (including breweries, their suppliers, wholesalers, and professional organizations) 2007-2008, 2009-2010; stewardship reports, 2006-2008.

Box-Folder 3.01: Modern Brewery Age Blue Book, 1994

54th edition international directory of breweries and affiliated industries; includes production, regulatory, distribution, and other industry information.

Box-Folder 3.02: Brewery Planner: Guide to Opening and Running Your Own Small Brewery, 1996

2nd edition compiled by Brewers Publications. Includes subject chapters ranging from design to distribution; written by John Hickenlooper, Jim Koch, Sheri Winter, and more.

Box-Folder 3.03: North American Brewers Resource Directory, 1997-1998

14th edition published by Institute for Brewing Studies; includes brewing statistics and contact information for breweries, brewing equipment, and marketing.

Box-Folder 3.04: Beer Serves America pamphlet, undated

Promotional pamphlet published by the Beer Institute and the National Beer Wholesalers Association, includes economic impact data for the country and Oregon.

Box-Folder 3.05: Willamette Week, 1994-1998

Beervana guides to microbrews, drinking, and wine; 1998 issue contains cover story on McMenamins’ expansion.

Box-Folder 3.06: Newspaper clippings, 1994

Includes several stories related to Northwest microbrewery expansions.