By George P. Edmonston Jr.

Maybe it’s the water. Or the hops. Or the weather. Or the numerous links people here have to a European ancestry.

Whatever the cause, the Pacific Northwest has established for itself over the last 20 years a reputation for being the "microbrew capital" of the world.

And OSU has played no small part in the building of this image, thanks to the hard work and talents of at least four alumni whose names in this region have become synonymous with making beer. And thanks to OSU’s fermentation science program in the Department of Food Science and Technology, there may be many more.

Our story begins with Kurt and Rob Widmer, of whom the latter is an OSU alumnus, Class of 96, business.

In 1984, the two founded the Widmer Brothers Brewing Company to produce authentic European and American style beers. Best-known for their America's Original Hefeweizen® microbrew, Kurt and Rob pioneered Hefeweizen beer in America in 1986. According to the company’s current Web site, Hefeweizen has been Oregon's top-selling draught microbrew for over 10 years. Widmer also produces an additional line of four other original European and American style beers: Pale Ale®, Sweet Betty Blonde Ale™, Widberry™ and Altbier. It is the first brewery to introduce "special season" beers to America—an idea that added Sommerbräu and Oktoberfest to its line-up. Some shares of the company’s stock are currently held by Anheuser-Busch, the makers of Budweiser.

Joining the Widmers in the industry are the McMenamin brothers, Brian and Mike, who oversee a chain of over 50 establishments—brew pubs, theater pubs, lodging and conference facilities—in Oregon and Washington. Both are OSU graduates, Mike in ’73 in political science, and Brian in ’80 in liberal arts.

Not your typical corporate executive types, the jean-clad, down home brothers lead the region in retail sales of microbrews. Ruby Ale®, Hammerhead Ale®, and Terminator Stout® referred to in company literature as "the standard McMenamins range", along with seasonal and special beers like McDuff’s Red Rye, make up the list of "liquid product" the brothers and their staff have created for their multi-location food and beverage business.

Chances are, the Widmers and the McMenamins know about another Oregon Stater with a reputation for making beer, a man who graduated from Oregon State Agricultural College OSAC in 1935 to become one of the area’s top brewmeisters, in the days when the "microbrew" concept was still decades away. If they don’t know him, the four are certainly following in his footsteps.

His name was William "Bill" Blitz.

Photo of William Blitz from the 1934 Beaver Yearbook.

By the 1950s, the soft-spoken Beaver had become the director and treasurer of Portland’s giant Blitz-Weinhard Brewery, headquartered at 1133 W. Burnside Avenue.

The Blitz-Weinhard company represented the consolidation in 1928 Prohibition days of the Portland Brewing Company and the Star Brewery of Vancouver, Wash., both the properties of Bill’s father, Arnold I. Blitz, and his grandfather, Fred Rothchild, with that of the Henry Weinhard Brewery, founded in 1856. Prior to the consolidation, the Weinhards also owned and operated the Sellwood Brewery and the U.S. Brewery.

Unable by law to manufacture alcoholic beverages during Prohibition, by 1933 the Blitz-Weinhard Company was in the business of making "near beer," soft drinks and a general line of fountain supplies. Both the consolidation and, more importantly, the new company’s ability to diversify its product line, saved all parties from bankruptcy.

Returning to the production of real beer by the late 1930s, the company by the 1950s had grown to 200 employees outputting over 10 million gallons of beer per annum. Sales went through periods of growth and decline over the next 40 years and in 2000, Blitz-Weinhard became a thing of Portland’s past. At that time, the historic W. Burnside brewery became the property of the Miller Brewing Company bought from the G. Heileman Corporation, and production was transferred to Tumwater, Wash.

During his lifetime, Bill Blitz was known as much for his community volunteerism and philanthropy as he was for making beer.

His involvement in such activities included service to organizations known at the time as Community Chest, Legion Junior Baseball, and the Cancer Crusade and Red Cross fund drives. Among his other active memberships were those held with the Portland Chamber of Commerce, the Elks Club No. 142, Ducks Unlimited, the Portland Gun Club and the Columbia Athletic Club. He was also a major supporter of fire prevention fund-raisers for the city.

As a father of three children—John, Eric and Martha—Blitz was actively involved in the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and PTA. He supported the Portland Symphony Orchestra and helped set up the group’s payroll plan. According to a feature on Blitz done for The Oregon Stater alumni magazine in January 1952, "Bill was always helping out in jobs for the general good of the community, although he studiously shied away from the spotlight of public attention. He was inwardly proud of the little red button he wore which signified that he had donated a gallon or more of blood to the Red Cross...and was never too proud to leave his comfortable office to help distribute March of Dimes collection boxes to retail stores."

With much fondness for Oregon State, Blitz was active in the Beaver Club and worked tirelessly to raise funds for the building of Parker Stadium now Reser Stadium. His presence at sporting events became a trademark, and he frequently traveled to out-of-state football games to cheer on his alma mater. He was a life member of Delta Upsilon fraternity and the OSU Alumni Association and held memberships in Pi Tau Pi social fraternity and Pi Mu Epsilon mathematics honorary society.

Bill Blitz with his dog Spook.

Somehow, Blitz always found time to enjoy his two biggest hobbies...bird hunting and dogs. He would stop whatever he was doing to tell a visitor about his two dogs, a Labrador named "Spook"...see photo and a Golden Retriever. For many years he served as secretary and director of the Oregon Retriever Trial Club.

Blitz was born June 5, 1913, in Portland and attended Lincoln High. He lived at 2133 S.W. Vista Drive in the city.

-- By George Edmonston Jr. editor of the Oregon Stater and Eclips.