Figueroa Mountain Brewing announced the death of its cofounder, James Dietenhofer, on Facebook on Saturday, and the page immediately began to fill with sorrowful messages, and also fond and funny remembrances. Dietenhofer died at 72 at home in Los Olivos of cancer, his son Jaime Dietenhofer wrote, surrounded by family and friends. Jaime called him “an amazing father, husband, grandfather, friend, coach, business partner, cheerleader, shoulder to cry on, fellow soldier and much much more.”
Dietenhofer was a Vietnam vet, who came to California from North Carolina, his short bio at the company’s website states. Jim founded the company with Jaime in 2010 in Buellton, a successful business that has taprooms that now extend from Arroyo Grande to Westlake Village. They won multiple top awards for their beers, which run the craft-beer gamut from a Mexican-style “Agua Santa” to the German lager-style “You’re Such a Dort.”
A service for Dietenhofer will be held on July 27 at 2 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church in Los Olivos, to be followed by a reception at the Buellton taproom at 4:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society are kindly requested.