Kendall Staggs Oral History Interview, July 19, 2017

Partial Transcript: Ok, we are now rolling...

Segment Synopsis: Staggs shares a brief background of his childhood, growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma before his family moved to Chicago, Illinois in the 9th grade. While in Chicago, he attended a high school with very good academic and athletic programs providing a first class experience. While track was his main focus, he participated in many different sports and was a bit of a book worm from an early age.
He eventually found his back way to Oklahoma when he attended Oklahoma State University on a track scholarship. He was recruited at a national level, and elected to attend Oklahoma State due to the relationship he formed with the track coach as well as having the ability to go to school in his home state. He majored in Economics, and had a plan to eventually teach.

Partial Transcript: What was the balance between Athletics and Academics then?

Segment Synopsis: Staggs felt that his schedule as a student balancing both athletics and academics served to help him more than hurt. Having so much on his plate forced him to be very disciplined in his schedule and time management, which he believes served him very well as he thrived under such a rigid structure.
After graduating from college, he considered continuing in school to obtain a Ph.D in Economics, but eventually transitioned into a History program at the University of Iowa. His experience living in Chicago prepared him for living in the midwest causing his transition to go very smoothly.
While at the University of Iowa he wrote his Masters Thesis on the oil policies of the Hoover Administration, which gave birth to a Ph.D dissertation that observed 20th century oil import policies through the 1960's.

Partial Transcript: What were some of the things you liked to do when you were in Iowa?

Segment Synopsis: Staggs details what it was like to live in Iowa, explaining the summers as "oppressive" due to the climate. He and his wife liked to venture West during the summers and found themselves in places like Colorado and Wyoming.
He became interested in beer in the 1980's, and he elaborates on the standards that have developed since then, noting that what would be considered a snobby beer then would be well below average in the current brewing industry.
Following the completion of his dissertation in 1990, he began the search for a teaching position at a University. He landed his first job at a small job in Western Oklahoma, which was a full time tenure track position. Due to the nature of a small college, he was required to teach a wide variety courses, including specific classes focused on Oklahoma history.

Partial Transcript: So at the point... how did you get supplies for home brewing?

Segment Synopsis: He explains how he was able to obtain home brewing supplies in the early 1990's via mail. He was becoming increasingly interested and excited and good beer at this time. Home brewers were using Cascade Hops, which was distinguishing them from craft lagers.
In the winter of 1995 Staggs moved to Oregon, as an adjunct professor where he taught classes at both Oregon State University and Western Oregon University. His interest in beer continue to grow as he joined the Salem Home Brew Club, and later joined the Heart of the Valley Home Brew in Corvallis in 1999.
While in Corvallis he got a call to teach a 1 credit hour course on beer history. He learned that one of the best ways he could teach the class was by sending students on research projects, allowing them to help Staggs fill in the gaps of Beer history. The class consisted of only graduate food science students.

Partial Transcript: What do you remember about the early years at the fermentation center?

Segment Synopsis: Staggs shares the overall feelings of those involved at the fermentation center, both faculty and students were very excited about the work that they were doing. He refers to them as pioneers in their field. He shares that many people often imagined he would open his own brewery, but he explains that he didn't have the superior knowledge or the business background he felt necessary to build a viable operation.
He moves forward to share about favorite breweries he would attend in the 1990's, naming Grant's in Washington, Hair of the Dog, Widmer, Full Sail, and other.

Partial Transcript: Were you doing beer tastings at that point?

Segment Synopsis: Staggs talks about the beer tastings he began to do in the late 90's. He first did them in the evenings as a beer education class, contrary to the ones he does now with friends. The original ones he conducted were public beer tastings advertised in local publications and held at the Corvallis Brewing supplies, later he held them at local restaurants. They would compare and contrast various types of beers, and they would focus on foreign brews from Belgium and Scotland. He would provide background and focus on sensory components. He explains how motivated those who attended were about learning about the craftsmanship and history of brewing.
Although he was splitting time between OSU and WOU, Staggs had the opportunity to teach upper division courses such as History of American Foreign Relations, and classes on War. After 7 years of teaching at OSU, the University had to release him because of a rule that did not allow adjunct professors to teach more than 7 consecutive years. He then taught at Linfield on a sabbatical replacement, before receiving a 2 year appointment at Utah State University. He shares the lack of beer culture in Logan, Utah, expressing some of his dissatisfaction in living in the area.

Partial Transcript: Was beer tourism a thing? Were people traveling to Belgium or Germany?

Segment Synopsis: Staggs elaborated on the culture of international beer tourism, and dives into detail about his experience when he went abroad. While in Belgium he opted not to get a gps, a decision he regretted as he found himself getting lost regularly. He explains that beer tourism appeared to exist online, but at the time he ventured to Belgium, it wasn't as well organized as he thought.
He was then hired as an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. He spent 7 years there, where he continued to run beer tasting events. The university endured some budgeting issues, which led him to a stint in Green Bay. He shares how unpleasant his experience was in Green Bay, and how he planned to move back to Corvallis whether he had a job or not. Before he returned permanently, he did a beer tasting in 2010 at Corvallis Brewing Supply, where many former students attended and convinced him to move back. When he moved back to Oregon, he was able to patch together a few classes at Linn-Benton Community College ranging from U.S. History survey courses to World History Survey courses.
In the winter of 2014 he was given a formal interview at OSU, and was hired to teach in the spring of 2014. He has taught ancient world history as well as colonial and revolutionary American history every year since.

Partial Transcript: How did it feel to come back to Corvallis?

Segment Synopsis: Staggs explains how excited he was to return to OSU. He had endured some anxiety due to the lack of full time employment at first, but has settled down. He has really enjoyed immersing himself within the brewing community of Corvallis once again.
Since he moved to Oregon in 1995, Staggs has witnessed many changes in the brewing industry within the state. He explains that in the early years he was able to name nearly all the breweries throughout the state. However, as the industry has developed, he recognizes that he couldn't name 2/3 of the breweries in Portland alone. Furthermore, the style of beers greatly varies in todays environment as well. Quality, styles, and exotics are all used to distinguish beers from one another.

Partial Transcript: What is really exciting to you now about the work that you are doing?

Segment Synopsis: Staggs explains that he is really excited about how much he is learning every day about beer history. He is now focusing on a book manuscript, and attempting to decipher which stories are worth telling, and which ones should be saved for another book.
He moves forward to elaborate on the nature of brewers decision when crafting new beers, specifically in the turn to drinking light beers. Americans have a different idea of what they want from a beer than they do in many other places in a world. In the United States consumers want the ability to light beers that allow them to perform activities while they are doing so, as well as the ability to drink one after another.
Staggs concludes the interview by explaining why he believes it's important to reflect on American history through the lens of beer.