Death of Legend

Posted by Angie Rayfield Sep 2, 2007

Michael Jackson, known as “The Beer Hunter,” died August 30 in London, England. Although the cause of death hasn’t been released, Jackson had recently revealed that he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and other health problems. Thursday, he collapsed in his home, and was later found by his housekeeper.

Jackson became a journalist at the tender age of 16, writing for a local Yorkshire newspaper. Over the course of his career, he contributed to dozens of publications, wrote books, and made documentary films. His television documentary series, “The Beer Hunter,” gave him his enduring moniker, and became a classic.

Jackson was interested not only in the range of beers, but also how they were made and where they originated. Inspired in part by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, he began writing more extensively about beer, and published his first book about beer, The English Pub, in 1976. But it was his second beer book, the World Guide to Beer (1977) that remains the definitive guide to this day.

“The worldwide tide of bland beers will soon have come as far as it can. After that, it can only ebb to reveal the slow brews of lasting character.” – Michael Jackson