Päivi Kuusjärvi

Michael Jackson at the Helsinki Beer Festival, April 2004.

SEATTLE - He is the modern day Patron Saint of Beer, the most incredibly influential force in brewing and beer drinking since beer's invention nearly 10,000 years ago.

And most of us wouldn't know him if he walked up and dumped a Redhook on our collective heads.

Michael Jackson (no, not that Michael Jackson) is the most famous beer lover most beer drinkers have never heard of. Jackson, 65, passed away August 30 from a heart attack. It was later revealed he also had Parkinson's disease, which he kept secret from most people. 

Jackson was revered around the world for his knowledge of beer and brewing, and fans here in Western Washington are celebrating his life this weekend. Jackson wrote the seminal "World Guide to Beer."

"He brought beer out of the dark ages," says Charles Finkel, co-owner of Seattle’s Pike Brewing. Finkel is a local beer legend himself. 

Jackson first visited Seattle in 1978 and became fast friends with Finkel and his wife Rose. The couple attended Jackson's recent funeral in England and remembered the legendary beer connoisseur as "the most important person in the history of beer."

Jackson is credited with establishing beer's first nomenclature -- identifying beers by their flavors and styles. He taught people to pair beer with particular foods and dishes – something that had previously been thought possible only with wine. In bringing beer a newfound respect, Jackson helped revive a stagnant global beer industry and provided the inspiration for the North American microbrewery movement. 

"In just 28 years we have gone from no local craft breweries to 20, and nationally from two to 1,400," adds Finkel.

On Sunday, Sept. 30, pubs all across the continent will simultaneously toast Michael Jackson's memory. The time to raise a glass here in Seattle is 6 p.m. Proceeds from the party at Pike Pub & Brewery will go to the Northwest Parkinson's Foundation.

Even if the only Michael Jackson you've ever heard of is more famous for moon walking than pub crawling, drink a toast this weekend for the man who likely made that tasty beer you're enjoying possible.