The history of Brewers Digest goes back to the 19th Century when Dr. John Siebel (doctorate in chemistry) offered a series of brewing analytical seminars. Dr. Siebel, who had been the Chief Chemist of the City of Chicago (a role that pre-dated that of today's Food and Drug Administration) eventually founded a scientific research station under the name Zymotech.

Zymotech was re-named U.S. Brewers Academy and eventually the Siebel Institute of Technology. When Prohibition intervened (1919) most of the Institute's attention was turned to baking science and during this period that a publication named Bakers Digest was born. When it became clear that Prohibition was doomed to failure and beer was coming back, plans were made to create Brewers Digest.

From the 1920's through the 1970's Brewers Digest was one of the most highly respected publications in the industry. Many feel that the high water mark of the magazine was during the reign of Bernie Erf, beginning in the 1960's. Under Bernie's leadership, the Brewers Digest was at the forefront of brewing technology information. When Bernie passed away suddenly at an early age, the magazine was sold and went through some peaks and valleys.

One of Bernie Erf's key decisions was hiring a young woman named Dori Whitney. Dori started around 1965 and worked with the Digest for many years in editorial and advertising sales. It was Dori's dissatisfaction with the publisher's handling of the magazine that led to her resignation in the 1990's. Without Dori's hand at the wheel, the Brewers Digest fortunes looked grim and the title was quickly put up for sale.

When Ron Siebel and Tom Volke looked at purchasing the magazine, their first requirement was that Dori would be willing to return. Once she agreed, the deal was done. Dori remained at the Editor's desk until she retired from active publishing.

Without Dori's hand on the wheel, Ron and Tom were faced with a tough situation. After much deliberation they agreed to sell the magazine to Tod Fyten and Mike Urseth. Tod and Mike have a long history of publishing for the beer consumer side of the industry with the Beer Notes brewspapers and are well situated to carry the Brewers Digest flag forward into the 21st Century.

(This history was created from a short conversation with Ron Siebel. There's much more to be said the Brewers Digest archives will be exploited to expand this subject. Look for more in the future.)