RIP Michael my thoughts are with your family and friends, reading all the messages you were clearly a special guy.
9 Likes
So sad! One of the few Americans, who really understood our lovely Franconia. R.IP. Iāll raise a glass of Witzgall Landbier to his honour tonightā¦
10 Likes
So sorry to hear this tragic news. I first met Mike at a Ratebeer summer gathering in Washington DC (2005?). I particularly remember a very nice evening we spent together over dinner. Weād arranged to meet anyway but he came early and found Chris and I watching a game of cricket by the river. I last saw him at the RBWG in Asheville in 2014 and really enjoyed his company then too. He was a great person - always good company and fun to be with - and he will be sorely missed. My thoughts are with his family and other friends. RIP Mike.
11 Likes
Damn, another RB mainstay gone way too soon.
5 Likes
Oh man i come back tonight to this news.
Terrible sad news. A great man and a great lover of beer and life.
When he was on here i always looked for his ratings.
Condolences to his family and close friends.
6 Likes
Terrible news. Michaelās reviews of Franconian lagers and bars always bring a smile to my face. It is so sad to know that I wonāt see any new ones. We met at RB gatherings in the US, but I always hoped to also enjoy some beers in Franken with him. He will be greatly missed.
10 Likes
Numerous conversations slash recommendations via beermail over the years. Huge inspiration. Really sad to read this. RIPā¦ you meant a lot beerwise to a lot of us.
5 Likes
I believe that I met Michael a total of five times in five different cities (Portland, Dallas, Austin, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe area), though I feel like Iām missing one. Iāll forever miss my bickering with him over Texas-OU football games, his amazing wittiness on Ratebeer and otherwise, and our wandering conversations over the years about beer, travel, girlfriends, life, and everything in between. He was a great man who will be missed by many.
7 Likes
Wow. Coming outta the woodwork. Lotsa old school RBians droppin on MJ. Lotsa names I havenāt seen in s loooong time. Just shows how respectful and tight the little RB community is. Props to yāall. TAR be showing up soon Iām sure. 
9 Likes
Last time i was in a mosh pit: with Mike
Last time i played cribbage at a metal show, or coffee shop, hell even played cribbage: with Mike
He taught me how to properly poach an egg
I swear half the music on my hard drive is because of him.
I have dropped out and not kept in touch with him the last few years.
Fuck this news.
13 Likes
I havenāt been active on the site for a long time, but I was reading an article on how dangerous this season has been for rafters in Colorado and saw the name, age and city and knew who it was. Very sad news. Cheers MJ.
5 Likes
Incredibly sad to hear this. 3Fourths content added to this site helped me find some amazing beers and places (especially around Franconia, Iām looking at you Seinsheimer). Rest in peace <3 :ā(
7 Likes
Iām very sad to hear the news. I had the pleasure of meeting Mike when he visited Seattle a couple years back. We lost a great one.
6 Likes
So sad, an absolute legend. Rest in peace MJ.
4 Likes
I just logged into Facebook last night and could not believe what I was reading. Iām still processing this loss. On my bucket list, I wanted to have MJ as my tour guide through Franconia. I took all of that for granted. His reviews were inspiring. He was a trend setter putting things like Heater Allen and GƤnstaller BrƤu on all of our radars. Last year, I finally got to try a beer from Ganstaller Brau on tap for the very first time. It made my Top Beers of 2018 and I wrote a little about MJ in that piece. Today, Iām going to pick up some Aecht Schlenkerla in his honor. Hereās what I wrote on my Facebook page today:
This week my dear friend Michael James passed away unexpectedly. For those in RateBeer community, MJ (3fourths) was an incredible writer with a passion for Belgian and German beer in a way Iāve never seen before. He inspired me to take beer writing seriously and helped me gain an appreciation for his favorite styles especially Franconian lager. He traveled the world seeking out the best beers, especially those tucked away in the most humble of places like Lithuania and the Faroe Islands. His photo essays live on in his website biertravel.com and his love for beer lives on in each of us that he deeply influenced. You will be sorely missed.
14 Likes
Iām so glad you keep these things.
5 Likes
RIP to a good dude that taught me a lot.
6 Likes
Nothing I can add other than this man transcended Ratebeer. Sought out the unique, terroir for beer and life I suppose. Heās one of those rare people and I will greatly miss his insight and personality in this site
5 Likes
Hi all,
Most of you donāt know me, Mike and I were together from 2009 to 2014, and friends after. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone here for these messages, Iāve been sharing them with his family. This community and the friends he made here he had were incredibly important to him. I used to have to drag him off his computer all the time when he was working on the maps, which were his obsession. The site and all of you inspired him to explore and learn as a beer drinker, traveler, and developer.
He had a lot of different interests, and it sounds like there are a lot of celebrations in the works. Some of his disc golf friends here in Colorado started a fundraiser for a memorial bench and tournament in his name if anyone is interested in donating.
Take care of yourselves and each other,
Diane
22 Likes
