Beer Hunter: the movie about industry icon Michael Jackson is now available for brewery screenings

How important was Michael Jackson to the craft brewing industry? At one point in the documentary Beer Hunter: the Movie, Fritz Maytag (the godfather of craft beer and founder of Anchor Brewing) says: “I think Michael Jackson did more for the brewing industry than anybody since Louis Pasteur.”

After five long years in planning and production, Beer Hunter: the Movie is now available for public screenings. Financed on Kickstarter from fans of famed scribe/journalist/beer aficionado Michael Jackson, Beer Hunter: The Movie captures one of the true legends behind the world of craft brewing. Jackson’s 1977 book, The World Guide to Beer, was the first of its kind, and the first to categorize almost every major style of beer in the world. His 1993 television series, The Beer Hunter, became an instant classic and helped launch the booming craft beer movement that we take for granted today. Unfortunately, Jackson died suddenly in 2007, at the age of 65.

The film is a rare visual record of Jackson, compiled from unused footage as he traveled to beer meccas such as Belgium, the Czech Republic, Ireland, California and the Delaware Valley. Woven into that footage is current interviews with the world’s leading brewers, distillers and beer enthusiasts, giving us insight into Jackson’s personality and his contributions to beer and whiskey, and his secret struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. According to the film’s website:

We’ve designed the film specifically for breweries, brewpubs and small theaters with flat screen TVs or digital projection. We’ve also included a 15-minute beer break in the middle of the film which was hugely popular at our premier. We have kept our public screening licenses intentionally low so the film will be accessible to as many craft beer establishments, theaters and beer enthusiasts as possible. We are happy to help promote your event, or work with you to design something unique, just let us know what we can do to help.

The screening fee includes a DVD or Blu-Ray disc with the theatrical version of the film (note: it is not the full-length DVD with extra scenes). It also includes a location specific lifetime public license, meaning once you purchase the license, it’s good for as many screenings as you would like for as long as you want, per location. If you have multiple locations you must purchase a license for each. You may also purchase full-size posters, t-shirts and retail DVDs at bulk pricing through the site’s store, if you would like to sell them through your establishment or in conjunction with your screening.

Contact the filmmakers at [email protected] and watch the trailer for more info. Cheers!