Theme: Brewing
Ted Cox Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Tiah Edmunson-Morton.
June 7, 2016
Ted Cox (b. 1947) is the owner and founder of the Old World Deli, a Corvallis institution
that has been located in the south end of the city's downtown district since 1977.
In addition, Cox is a former Peace Corps volunteer who spent two years teaching in
Sierra Leone and another two years as the national track and field coach in present-day
Belize. He is likewise an OSU alum, having completed his master's degree in Physical
Education in 1975, a time period during which he also served as the first women's
volleyball coach at Oregon State during the Title IX era. Through his work at the
Old World Deli, Cox became a pioneering figure in the local homebrewing scene, selling
equipment, providing instruction, and building community. His interview traces his
upbringing in California and his experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer; his experiences
as a student and coach at OSU; the early years of the Old World Deli and homebrewing
in Corvallis; and the history of brewing in the city, dating back to the mid-1800s.
Jeff Edgerton Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Tiah Edmunson-Morton.
November 18, 2015
Jeff Edgerton (b. 1963) is a 1987 OSU graduate in Microbiology. Over the three decades
that have followed his graduation, Edgerton has held multiple positions in the brewing
industry, beginning with laboratory work at Blitz-Weinhard, and moving on to a successful
career at BridgePort, where today he holds the titles of Brewmaster and General Manager.
In his interview, Edgerton shares his thoughts on the radical shifts in brewing culture
that have taken place in the Portland area since the 1980s. He likewise comments on
his own work as a scientist, brewer and administrator at two iconic companies that
are central to Oregon's rich brewing history.
Mina McDaniel Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 1, 2015
Mina McDaniel (b. 1944) earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from OSU in Food
Science and Technology. A sensory scientist, McDaniel returned to her alma mater in
1983 to lead the OSU Sensory Science Laboratory, overseeing projects related to beer,
wine, and Asian noodles, among many other topics. McDaniel also emerged as an important
advocate for women on campus, and filled numerous roles in this capacity during her
years as a faculty member. She concluded her OSU career as Director of Academic Programs
and Academic Assessment before retiring in 2006. McDaniel's interview provides a detailed
account of campus life and the Food Science student experience in the 1960s. McDaniel
also discusses the arc of her own career; the activities of the Sensory Science Lab
during her years of association; and her sense of the changing status of women at
OSU over five decades.
Larry Sidor Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Tiah Edmunson-Morton.
November 6, 2015
Larry Sidor (b. 1950) is a 1972 graduate of Oregon State University in Food Science.
He has since established himself as a leading brewer in the Pacific Northwest, having
spent twenty-three years working in various capacities at the Olympia Brewing Company,
followed by stints as brewmaster at the Deschutes Brewery in Bend, and now at the
Crux Fermentation Project, which he founded in 2013. Sidor's father was an OSU Extension
Agent, and in his interview, Sidor reflects on the impact that was made upon him by
his exposure to his father's work. He likewise recalls his memories of the undergraduate
academic experience in Food Science at OSU in the early 1970s; traces his long and
influential career in the brewing industry; and shares his thoughts on the future
of craft brewing in the Northwest and nationwide.