There were a lot of people in the brewing and journalism trades raising a lot of glasses in a lot of toasts last night.

MJ's passing was sad, but not really a surprise to those of us who'd seen his health decline in recent years. I know that I had a lot of good times in his company, and that I learned a lot about beer and about journalism in general from him. (And I don't think I'd ever have started dancing atop that pool table at the Falling Rock in Denver if Michael hadn't gotten up there first.)

One of Michael's many publishers, the magazine All About Beer, has posted what turns out to be his final and strangely prescient column, Did I Cheat Mort Subite? It's available on-line at:

http://www.allaboutbeer.com/