Washington Brewers Guild Hall of Fame Announces 2026 Inductees: George Hancock, Ed Bennett and Janet Lightner
The Washington Brewers Guild has announced the second class of its Hall of Fame. This year’s class brings a bit of a lump to my throat, to be honest. The 2026 inductees are George Hancock of Pyramid Ales, who is being honored posthumously, and Ed Bennett and Janet Lightner of Boundary Bay Brewery.
They will be honored at the Washington Beer Awards ceremony on Monday, November 2, 2026. The ceremony follows the Washington Craft Beer Summit at the DoubleTree by Hilton in SeaTac.
“The Washington Brewers Guild Hall of Fame is our way of saying thank you to those that have helped make Washington beer what it is today,” said Robyn Schumacher, President of the Washington Brewers Guild Board of Directors. “These inductees represent the very best of our industry—visionaries who have contributed immensely to the growth and success of Washington’s craft beer community. Their hard work, passion, and commitment have paved the way for the thriving industry we celebrate today.”
Don Spencer, Chair of the Hall of Fame Committee, put it this way: “The Hall of Fame is an important recognition, from the brewers, of those who have gone above and beyond to elevate Washington as one of the top craft beer destinations in the world. Each of these individuals has had a lasting impact on our industry, and it’s our honor to celebrate their achievements with this prestigious award.”
George Hancock
If you want to learn how the Washington craft beer scene became the vibrant community that it is today, George Hancock is a great way to start the lesson. In the early 1990s, he and his partners bought Hart Brewing Company. Oldsters will remember it as the makers of Pyramid Wheaten Ale. The new owners renamed it Pyramid Brewing. It was one of the first PNW breweries to make it big.
George did more than run a brewery. In 1999, he was a major force behind the formation of the Washington Brewers Guild and served as its president. In 2007, the Brewers Association gave him its F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry award for protecting and promoting craft beer.
I am doing my best to remember some of what I just wrote. Some of it is tribal knowledge that predates the Washington Beer Blog and is not widely documented. Though I was there as a witness and am part of the tribe, many of my recollections are clouded by the beers I shared with George at the Pyramid Alehouse. There were more than a couple of those.
He moved to Arizona to retire, but the force was strong in George and he opened another brewery: The Phoenix Ale Brewery. He passed away in 2016 after a battle with cancer. It’s fitting that his name is now on the Hall of Fame wall. Washington brewers owe him a lot, whether they know it or not. I wrote about his passing here.
Ed Bennett and Janet Lightner
Ed Bennett and Janet Lightner are the founders of Boundary Bay Brewery in Bellingham, and two of the best people you’ll ever meet. For three decades, Boundary Bay has been a gathering place for the community and a steady presence in the state’s beer scene. If you have fond memories of the Boundary Bay Bistro on Railroad Avenue, and if those memories bring a warm smile to your face, that’s because Ed and Janet poured their beautiful souls into every pint and every yam alechilada the Bistro served.
When the inevitable closing came for the old Bistro, the community turned out in droves. Seriously, it was an epically huge street party that Bellingham will not soon forget. Loved by the community that they served and helped lead, I cannot say enough good things. Proud to call them friends.
Not too long ago, Boundary Bay Brewery opened a new location not far from the old one. It’s smaller and it is different. Still, it is warm and inviting because, well, simply put, because Ed and Janet.
Come Celebrate
The Hall of Fame inductions are a highlight of the Guild’s annual Craft Beer Summit, and everyone is invited. Tickets and details are available through the Washington Brewers Guild website.
Please join me in congratulating the Class of 2026. And if you can make it to SeaTac on November 2nd, come raise a glass with us for George, Ed and Janet.
