Jack Mansur, HOF Inductee 2023
If the beer check in app UNTAPPED were a person I think it would be Jack Mansur. When I met Jack around 2011 he had over 10,000 unique beers he had sampled.
Although his intake has slowed in recent years mainly due to his love of blue cheese stuffed Olive’s and stiff Gin Martini’s he estimates he has tried somewhere in
the neighborhood of 15,000 different beers. Jack is a connoisseur of fine beverages including fine wines, whiskeys and of course his favorite Belgian beer. Jack is so enamored
with Belgian beer that he has been called a regular at the best Belgian Beer in North America- Ebineezer’s Pub in Lovell Maine. Jack and his wife Paula had a cabin nearby and
would spend many a summer night in Ebineezer’s and came to know the owner Chris Lively by name. Chris had amassed a legendary Belgian beer cellar that was insured for
$15 million dollars but was probably worth double that he basically had everything that was possibly available and some bottles that were last of their kind known in existence,
Jack was know to take advantage including their Belgian beer festivals which included 12 course tasting dinners paired with Iambics from Cantillon, Sours from Russian River brewing,
beers from Allagash and 25-40 year old vintage Brown Ales from De Struise.
Jack joined the club in the late ‘90s when they were meeting in the plaza off Ridge Road where the old Century Liquor was, he doesn’t remember who was President when he went to his first meeting, but he does remember fellow Hall of Fame classmate Paul Guarracini was president multiple times during those years. The first beer Jack ever made was an IPA but admittedly he was is no hop head. Jack never made a bad beer in his life, EXCEPT that one time he decided to make a mead with unripe Quince. It’s still kicking around in his cellar if anyone wants free samples. You may find a few vintage Barleywines or some 15 year old ale down there as well. Jack would gladly share. The best beer Jack ever made was also a Belgian winning 2nd Place best in show at Buffalo’s Amber Waves of grain competition co – brewing with Tim Rouse. He was brewed a German Pilsner and got a second place ribbon in the UNYHA competition he was very proud of that till he found out that he was the only one in the category and the judges refused to give him first place. Jack’s favorite beer is St. Bernardus 12 Special edition ( brewed on an anniversary year) or Allagash coolship red that was a brewery only release at the time but he was able to sample after flashing his fancy brewery owner business card. (Never mind that he was talking about homebrewing in his garage). If Jack could meet and have a conversation with any brewer he would love to meet Greg Stone from Stone brewing and discuss brewing theory and techniques. But with his love being for the Belgian fizzy stuff he would love to brew a Oud Bruin with Carlo Grootaert from De Struise. Considering travel constraints some of Jack’s favorite local brewers are Paul Guraccini from Sager Beerworks & Stoneyard Pub, Andy Cook from Swiftwater brewing Dave Schlosser from Naked Dave.
When asked what people would be brewing in the year 2050 he thinks people will make a return to more classical styles and will lean towards table style beers lower in ABV around 5% in variety of styles including Belgian, German and British Styles.
If Jack could give any piece of advice for younger club members it is to continue to explore styles of beer and try new things, even if you think you found your favorite beer. Continue to explore and stay curious, you never know what you may stumble upon. If he has one hope for the future it’s that UNYHA will continue to be an open society for new brewers to learn and develop.
When asked what has kept him in the club all these years he said the comradery and openness of our club ( and that one time he got free weed at a club meeting)