Want to know more? Click here for the finding aid.
WHAT IS THE OREGON BREWERS GUILD?
Note: this information was part of the finding aid published in 2021 and staffing has changed.
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.
WHAT’S IN THE COLLECTION?
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.
