DRAFT Magazine

The beer community of California and the West Coast is fairly tight. For years we’ve traveled together, caught up at various beer events, and met each other’s families and closest friends. The news today of our colleague and friend, Bill Brand, who was struck by a train last night in San Francisco, has taken the wind out of many of our sails. Perhaps it is because the entire beer community has gathered to make the first San Francisco Beer Week a success, but the tragedy tugs at the chest and certainly makes it hard to focus on the work that must continue.

Bill did a terrific job of making his presence known this weekend as SFBW got underway, making it to the Bistro’s DIPA event and several others in the city. In fact, minutes before the accident he was photographed by Jesse Friedman of Beer and Nosh and took pages of notes from the dinner prepared by Sean Paxton, DRAFT contributor and Homebrew Chef. Chatting with them today drives home just how close the community is. In long silences you get the sobering realization that we work with some of the most interesting, compelling people we’ll ever know — and that all we have is fragile. We don’t know what the prognosis of Mr. Brand is, but by looking at his blog and Facebook pages, it is clear that his work has touched many and we all hope for a quick and full recovery. (As I type this, Bill is in a coma).

We at DRAFT will join many of you tonight, at 7:00 p.m. Pacific, to lift a glass with a silent message to Bill that expresses all of our hopes that he will get well soon. For Bill’s family, we also lift a toast to you, knowing we don’t have the words to convey our best wishes. We also know that Bill would want nothing more than to see the first-ever San Francisco Beer Week exceed even his own wildest expectations, it’s a celebration that for many will have a deeper, more profound meaning.

Thank you to Jay Brooks, Jesse Friedman, and Sean Paxton for keeping us in the loop the best they can.