Anchor Brewing Company - The Beer Thrillers

Craft Beer and Election Day: Sipping Democracy in 2024

B. Kline — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:00:13 +0000

Craft Beer and Election Day: Sipping Democracy in 2024

Liberty Ale by Anchor Steam Brewing – a truly patriotic brew.

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, craft breweries across the nation are once again tapping into the political spirit with creative, election-themed brews. These special releases not only celebrate our democratic process but also provide beer enthusiasts with unique flavors to savor while awaiting election results. Let’s explore some of the most interesting election-inspired craft beers you can enjoy this November.

Pliny for President: A Hoppy Contender

Russian River Brewing Company, known for its iconic Pliny the Elder, has been “running” Pliny for President every election year since 2004. For the 2024 election cycle, they’ve developed a new recipe that’s sure to win over hop lovers:

Style: Triple Dry-Hopped IPA
ABV: 7%
Flavor Profile: Strong notes of stone fruit, tropical flavors, citrus, pine, and resin
Availability: Multiple batches throughout 2024, starting December 12, 2023

This special brew showcases Russian River’s commitment to both quality craft beer and engaging with the political process in a lighthearted way.

(See our beer review on Pliny the Elder.)

Bipartisan Brews: Uniting Beer Lovers Across Party Lines

Beer and Patriotism

Several breweries have created beers that playfully reference both major political parties, allowing drinkers to enjoy a cold one regardless of their political leanings:

The U.N.I.T.Y. by 1310 Kitchen & Bar (Washington, D.C.)

This election special, named after Queen Latifah’s song, aims to bring people together over a shared love of craft beer.

Purple Patch’s Sherry Week Specials

Coinciding with Election Day, this Filipino restaurant in Washington, D.C. offers $8 or $10 pours of specialty sherries, providing a sophisticated alternative to beer while watching election coverage.

Politically Charged Pints

Some breweries use their beers to make more direct political statements or engage voters:

The 270 Challenge at Royal Sands (Washington, D.C.)

This clever promotion ties into the electoral college:

Offering Blue, Red, and Purple themed drinks
If 270 drinks are sold by the end of the night (representing the electoral votes needed to win the presidency), the entire bar receives a round of shots
Starts at 5 p.m. on Election Day

Responsible Drinking on Election Day

While these election-themed beers add a fun element to the political process, it’s crucial to remember the importance of responsible consumption, especially on Election Day. Many bars and restaurants are offering special promotions to encourage civic participation:

Dirty Water (Washington, D.C.): 10% off for showing your “I Voted” sticker
Midlands Beer Garden (Washington, D.C.): $5 beers all night while showing election results on all TVs
Whitlow’s (Washington, D.C.): $5 Bud Light drafts and $8 Front Porch Rocker Teas

Craft Beer’s Role in Political Engagement

The trend of election-themed craft beers highlights how the brewing industry can play a unique role in political engagement. By creating these special releases, breweries:

Encourage political awareness and participation
Provide a common ground for people with different political views
Add a touch of levity to what can be a tense political climate

Voting Themed Beers

Second Sin Brewing’s “I Voted for Kang” and “I Voted for Kodos”

Second Sin Brewing released two beers – “I Voted for Kang” and “I Voted for Kodos”.

I Voted Today by Tired Hands

I Voted Today – Tired Hands

Brews and Ballots: How Beer is Shaping the 2024 Election

As the 2024 election approaches, craft breweries are tapping into the political zeitgeist with creative, election-themed beers. This trend has been fueled by recent high-profile moments connecting politicians and beer culture.

Vice President Kamala Harris made waves during her appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” by cracking open a can of Miller High Life. This strategic choice not only connected her with everyday Americans but also highlighted Wisconsin’s brewing heritage, a key swing state in the upcoming election, Harris’s beer moment has inspired local breweries to consider creating their own “High Life” themed brews for Election Day parties.

Meanwhile, Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance went viral with a campaign video featuring him holding a six-pack of Old Style beer. His catchy tagline, “Make Six Packs Great Again,” tapped into the cultural significance of beer in American social life. This clever marketing could inspire breweries to create limited-edition beers that play off political themes during election seasons.

The concept of “beer polls” has also gained traction, where voters express their candidate preference based on who they’d rather share a drink with. Recent polls suggest more voters would prefer to have a beer with Kamala Harris over Donald Trump, showcasing how beer can be intertwined with political likability.

Savvy breweries are capitalizing on this trend by creating special labels or events themed around these findings. As Election Day approaches, craft beer enthusiasts can expect to see more politically-inspired brews hitting the taps. Whether you’re toasting to democracy or drowning your political sorrows, there’s sure to be a craft beer that speaks to your political palate. Just remember to drink responsibly, especially before heading to the polls!

Conclusion: Toasting to Democracy

Whether you’re celebrating a win, commiserating a loss, or simply participating in the democratic process, there’s likely an election-themed craft beer to suit your taste. As you enjoy these creative brews, remember that the true spirit of Election Day lies in exercising your right to vote and participating in our democracy. So raise a glass to the American political process, savor the craftsmanship of these election-inspired beers, and most importantly, make your voice heard at the ballot box. Cheers to democracy and great craft beer!

You can find lots of fun Instagram posts of people decking themselves out in gear and regalia for the voting and for the drinking, like Stouts and Stilletos Instagram post. Obviously also; there’s just a ton of vitriol and political annoyances on Instagram as well (albeit far less than on Facebook or Twitter) so be weary. Also, as always, beer and Instagram tends to lean towards a lot of “posting for the algorithm” of women in revealing outfits, so be forewarned about that as well.

As you gather with friends and family to discuss the issues that matter most to you, let these craft beers serve as conversation starters. Each sip can spark discussions about policies, candidates, and the future of our nation. Supporting local breweries not only enhances your voting experience but also strengthens community ties. Many breweries are hosting events that encourage civic engagement, offering discounts for those who show their “I Voted” stickers or organizing watch parties for election coverage. This Election Day, take a moment to reflect on the power of your vote and the role that craft beer plays in fostering community spirit. The act of voting is a celebration of freedom and choice, much like selecting your favorite brew from a diverse tap list. So whether you’re sipping an IPA with friends or enjoying a stout while watching the results roll in, remember that each beer has its own story—just like each voter has their own voice. Let’s raise our glasses not just to the beers we love but to the democracy we cherish. Cheers! Cheers to democracy and great craft beer!

(PS: We voted today. Was number 200 at 8:30 AM at our small town voting district. You can check out our Instagram to see our ‘I Voted’ Post.) (Instagram: The_Beer_Thrillers)

All of Our Nerd Content

Here’s all of our nerd content, served up best in one single place. Enjoy!

I know ya’ll here for the nerd reviews. So check out our other nerd reviews below:

Star Wars:

Futurama

Lord of the Rings:

Magic the Gathering:

New Belgium Teams Up with Magic the Gathering for Vastwood Seer IPA

Heroes of Barcadia:

Rollacrit Partners with Voodoo Ranger IPA for New Kickstarter, Heroes of Barcadia: Heroes for Hire Tabletop Game

Zelda:

Rick and Morty:

Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)

Space Balls:

Beer Review: Moon of Vega (Equilibrium Brewery)

Game of Thrones:

The Simpsons:

Back to the Future:

Beer Review: Back to Reality (Three 3s Brewing Co)

Scrooged:

Beer Review: Scrooge IPA (Iron Hill Brewing)

Groundhog Day:

A Christmas Story:

The Peanuts:

Pro Wrestling:

Soccer:

World Cup:

Phillies:

Philadelphia Eagles:

The Philadelphia Eagles Running Back – D’Andre Swift – Visits Bald Bird Brewing Company

Matrix:

Matrix Monday

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Beer Review: Terpenes in Time (BAREBottle Brewing Co)

HP Lovecraft / Cthulhu:

Beer Review: Azathoth (Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company)

Seinfeld:

The Muppets:

Other:

Voting:

Beer Review: I Voted Today (Tired Hands)
Some Beers to Enjoy After Voting
Craft Beer and Election Day: Sipping Democracy in 2024

Philosophy:

Philosophy and Craft Beer: A Confluence of Thought and Taste

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Anchor Brewing Company Ceasing Operations and Liquidating Business

B. Kline — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 12:02:00 +0000

Exterior of the Anchor Brewery

Anchor Brewing to Cease Operations, Liquidate Business

As we discussed yesterday – Anchor Brewing Could Be Sold Tomorrow – Anchor Brewing Company had their morning meeting today, and for one of the oldest craft breweries in America – the answers are in.

Sadly, this is the answer: “Anchor Brewing, the nation’s oldest craft brewery, will cease operations and the business will be liquidated, the company’s public relations firm announced today.”

Not the answer many (most, or all) were all looking for.

A month ago Anchor Brewing Company announced they were stopping national distribution and canceling their production of Christmas Ale.

The San Francisco craft brewery, which was acquired for $85 million by Sapporo in August 2017, cited “a combination of challenging economic factors and declining sales since 2016.” Ultimately, the company said the economic pressure “made the business no longer sustainable.”
Anchor Brewing to Cease Operations, Liquidate Business – BrewBound

Yesterday as we noted here on The Beer Thrillers, there was going to be a meeting and discussion of the future of Anchor Brewing Company this morning. VinePair’s reporter (David Infante) was under the impression that the brewery would be sold – with possible candidates being Russian River Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing, and Drake’s Brewing Company.

Unfortunately, it appears the route of ceasing operations was chosen.

Workers at Anchor were given 60 day’s notice today “with intent to provide transition support and separation packages in line with company practices and policies,” according to a press release.

Production has ceased at the brewery, but packaging and distribution of remaining beer on hand will continue through the end of July. Anchor’s Public Taps taproom will temporarily remain open to sell through remaining inventory, including a small batch of 2023 Anchor Christmas Ale that was brewed prior to the decision to cancel the ale’s national release.
Anchor Brewing to Cease Operations, Liquidate Business – BrewBound

In the press release junket, Anchor Brewing spokesperson Sam Singer stated that several proposed and attempted sales and buy – outs fell through over the last year. Saying: “Repeated efforts” for the attempt at sales.

Sam Singer was previously quoted to say:

The inflationary impact of product costs in San Francisco is one factor, couple that with a highly competitive craft beer market and a historically costly steam brewing technique. [They’ve] probably been mulling over this decision for a year. It’s not something they take lightly.
Sam Singer, Anchor Brewing Company spokesperson

In the press release junket, Sam Singer reiterated the above, and also stated:

This was an extremely difficult decision that Anchor reached only after many months of careful evaluation. We recognize the importance and historic significance of Anchor to San Francisco and to the craft brewing industry, but the impacts of the pandemic, inflation, especially in San Francisco, and a highly competitive market left the company with no option but to make this sad decision to cease operations.
Sam Singer, statement, as spokesperson of the Anchor Brewing Company

A Buyer

A buyer could still emerge to buy the brewery while in the liquidation phase. Though, the company is entering a process in which an assignee will liquidate the business’ assets to pay off creditors as part of a California Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors, which is an alternative to filing Chapter 7 or 11 bankruptcy.

Possible buyers could still emerge, but the odds seem dwindling, especially giving the liquidation process.

The Wednesday press release stated that the company plans to provide transition support and separation packages to outgoing employees, and that the Anchor Public Taps taproom on De Haro Street will remain open temporarily to sell remaining inventory. Brewing has ceased, but the brewery says it will continue to package and distribute beer on hand through the end of July.

Anchor Brewing also said Wednesday that attempts over the past year to find a buyer were unsuccessful, but one could emerge during the liquidation process.
San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company says it’s ceasing operations – SF Gate

Sapporo USA

Anchor Brewing Company whilst owned by Sapporo USA has definitely been changed, there is no doubt about that. Many employees have attested to that online and in various website forums, social media pages, and blogs and podcasts.

Last month they announced they were pulling back on national distribution and stopping production of beloved and cherished Christmas Ale.

Production under Sapporo’s leadership declined in every other year with the exception of 2021, when volume increased +45%, to 72,500 barrels, its highest point since the 89,612 barrels produced in 2018, according to the Brewers Association’s New Brewer Magazine.

In 2022, Anchor’s volume declined -10% in 2022, to 65,000 barrels..

Brewbound previously reported that Anchor employees were uncertain about their fate since parent company Sapporo reached a deal to acquire Stone Brewing in June 2022, citing a “lack of transparency” in Sapporo’s plans with Stone and how it affects Anchor.”

Union negotiations were delayed at Anchor earlier this year, although a second contract has been ratified.
Anchor Brewing to Cease Operations, Liquidate Business – BrewBound

Anchor Brewing Company

For more information, view our articles here:

A History of Anchor Brewing Company

Anchor Brewing’s Brewhouse

A brief history on Anchor Brewing Company:

Anchor began during the California Gold Rush when Gottlieb Brekle arrived from Germany and began brewing in San Francisco. In 1896, Ernst F. Baruth and his son-in-law, Otto Schinkel, Jr., bought an old brewery at 1431 Pacific Avenue and named it Anchor Brewery. The brewery burned down in the fires that followed the 1906 earthquake, but was rebuilt at a different location in 1907.^[7] There is no record of what Anchor did during Prohibition, but it resumed serving Steam Beer after Repeal, possibly as the only steam brewing company still in operation.^[8] However the brewery burned down yet again within the year, and it relocated once more, this time to a building a few blocks away.

The brewery continued operations into the late 1950s, but suffered heavily from the country’s increasingly strong preference for the light lagers produced by the megabreweries.^[9] Whereas there had been more than 4,000 breweries at the turn of the twentieth century, only 70 remained by the 1960s.^[10]

Anchor shut its doors briefly in 1959, but was bought and reopened the following year.^[11] By 1965, however, it was doing so poorly that it nearly closed again. Anchor’s situation continued to deteriorate largely because the current owners lacked the expertise, equipment, and attention to cleanliness that were required to produce consistent batches of beer for commercial consumption. The brewery gained a reputation for producing sour, bad beer.^[12]

In 1965, Frederick Louis “Fritz” Maytag III bought the brewery, saving it from closure.^[13] He purchased 51 percent of the brewery for several thousand dollars, and later purchased the brewery outright.^[14] It moved to its current location near Potrero Hill in 1979.

……

In 1993, the company opened Anchor Distillery, a microdistillery in the same location as the brewery, and began making a single malt rye whiskey, named Old Potrero after the hill. In 1997, the microdistillery began producing gin, called Junípero—Spanish for juniper, and a reference to Fr. Junípero Serra, an important figure in San Francisco’s and California’s history. Recently they have also begun producing a Jenever style gin called Genevieve, using wheat, barley, rye, and the same herbal ingredients as their Junípero gin.

In 2010, Maytag sold the company to former Skyy vodka executives Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio, from Novato, California, who planned to expand Anchor’s business while keeping its commitment to artisan brewing.^[10] In 2013, the brewery launched Anchor California Lager, a re-creation of a historic Boca Brewing lager from the 1870s.^[25] The brewery also announced a major expansion plan at Pier 48 in the Mission Rock neighborhood near Oracle Park,^[26] which would expand Anchor’s maximum annual production capacity from 180,000 barrels to 680,000 barrels.^[26]

In 2014, Anchor officially announced Anchor IPA,^[27] the first India Pale Ale in the brewery’s history.^[1] Anchor ended production of its winter seasonal Bock in 2014^[28] and replaced it a year later with Anchor Winter Wheat.^[29]

In 2017, Anchor was purchased by Sapporo.^[30]

In 2019, Anchor Brewing workers voted by an almost 2-to-1 margin to join the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, making Anchor Brewing – including Anchor Public Taps, the brewery’s on-site brew pub – the first unionized craft brewery in the United States.^[31]

In 2021, Anchor Brewing announced a major makeover of their logo and beer labels. On the eve of their 125th birthday, the brewery replaced their vintage-looking labels with a large Anchor logo in a two-tone color schemes per beer. Most labels were not changed in decades or at all. The beer itself remained unchanged.
Anchor Brewing Company – History (Wikipedia)

The iconic logo for Anchor Brewing Company’s Anchor Steam Beer

Anchor Steam Beer in particular has survived fires, earthquakes, deaths of multiple owners, years of Prohibition, and threats of bankruptcy. Yet each and every time, this amber beer rose from the ashes.

Over 150 years, Anchor Brewing Company has evolved into a legendary brewery making many iconic beers.

But more so than any other, Anchor Steam Beer endured. This is the liquid gold that kept the pulse of this San Francisco brewery alive from the very beginning.
Surviving Earthquakes, Fire, Prohibition, and Near Bankruptcy: Anchor Brewing Has Run on ‘Steam’ for More than 125 Years – Hop Culture

For More Info on Anchor Brewing Company

The following comes from Untappd. Anchor Brewing Company is a Subsidiary of Sapporo Breweries, and is considered a macro brewery from San Francisco California. They have 341 unique beers and over 1.3 million ratings, with a global average rating of 3.52 (as of 7.12.23). Their Untappd description reads: Brewing hand-crafted beer in the heart of San Francisco since 1896.

You can follow them on these social media platforms:

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

-B. Kline

MAPS OF BREWERIES

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The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Anchor Brewing Could Be Sold Tomorrow

B. Kline — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 20:44:00 +0000

Anchor Brewing Company Could Be Sold – As Soon as Tomorrow

We will likely hear an announcement tomorrow morning, possibly as early as 10 AM EST, on the fate of Anchor Brewing Company. One of the oldest breweries in America. (Yuengling Brewing holds the distinction of being the oldest ‘continuously operating’ craft brewery.)

Tomorrow morning, employees of Anchor Brewing Co. will gather at the historic San Francisco firm’s plant on Potrero Hill for an all-hands meeting with leaders from its parent company, Sapporo USA. There, VinePair has learned, they may be told that the 127 year-old company is being acquired by another Northern California craft brewery.

Representatives for Anchor, considered by many the pioneer of the American craft brewing movement, and Sapporo USA, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate that bought the iconic brewery in 2017, declined multiple requests for comment about this situation. Three current employees have confirmed that there’s a full-team meeting scheduled for Wednesday at 9 a.m. local time. Normally, that wouldn’t warrant a story. But there’s nothing normal about what’s been going on at Anchor lately.
Anchor Brewing Could Be Sold As Soon as Tomorrow – VinePair

As we stated previously here on the blog, Anchor Brewing Company on June 11th, exactly a month ago, announced that they would cease distributing nationally. They also announced that they were stopping production of their legacy, and historic beer – Christmas Ale.

(Anchor Brewing Will No Longer Be Sold Nationally)

The last few years at Anchor Brewing Company has been tumultuous to say the least. In 2021 they underwent a rebranding that failed and fizzled out, leaving many of their workers disgruntled, annoyed, and some laid off.

Sapporo USA has been “picking fights” with the worker unions and causing issues as well. And of course, the announcement that Anchor Brewing Will No Longer Be Sold Nationally last month has done nothing to help things as well.

Roughly around the time of the announcement, Sapporo USA also removed and gutted much of their sales team, further leading many to see the writing on the wall and the brewery’s soon sale, demise, or closure coming.

Last week, the company had a mere 600 barrels of Anchor Steam scheduled to be brewed over the entire month of August, a tiny quantity that another current worker, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation from the company, described as “absurd.”

Workers are in the dark, their livelihoods hanging in the balance. One worker tells VinePair that Sapporo USA execs had been spotted inventorying the plant’s equipment, a worrying development. But: “They haven’t mentioned shit to us” about job security, another current employee says. “Upstairs,” shorthand for Anchor’s white-collar offices above the brewhouse, has become “a ghost town.” A gradual exodus has pared the close-knit workforce from around 85 people to just 30 or 40.
Anchor Brewing Could Be Sold As Soon as Tomorrow – VinePair

Tomorrow Morning’s Meeting

Tomorrow morning’s meeting will explain the future for Anchor Brewing Company; for the public at large, and its employees. Many of who say they are completely in the dark still about what is going on with their own jobs, employment, working environment, etc.

Talk has centered around sale of the company. There has also been talk of what Sapporo USA plans on doing with the brand, and iconic beers as well. Beers such as the Anchor Steam Beer, or the Liberty Ale (IPA); talk of moving production of key beers to the newly acquired (by Sapporo USA) Stone Brewing Company in San Diego is also a possibility.

Tomorrow should offer some answers. And they may not be all bad. A source close to the proceedings who is not authorized to speak publicly about it tells VinePair that rather than Anchor’s demise, tomorrow will be “a good day for [its] future.” At the 9 a.m. meeting, “Anchor is going to announce that it is being sold to another well-known craft brewer from Northern California.”
Anchor Brewing Could Be Sold As Soon as Tomorrow – VinePair

VinePair seems to think the leading candidates to possibly buy Anchor Brewing Company are Russian River Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing, and Drake’s Brewing Company. VinePair stated that none of the breweries have responded to comments by them however. As understandably, any breweries interested in the purchasing would be keeping things close to the vest at a time like this.

Acquisitions and mergings have been quite the rage in the brewing industry lately. With several happening – including the started and failed merge of Cape May Brewing and Flying Fish Brewery; the acquisition of Flying Dog Brewery by F.X. Matt Brewing Company (Saranac Brewing), and the acquisition of DuClaw Brewing Company by River Horse Brewing.

Tomorrow’s meeting will define the future for Anchor Brewing Company no matter what. So please stay tuned here to the blog for more details then.

A brief history on Anchor Brewing Company

A brief history on Anchor Brewing Company:

Anchor began during the California Gold Rush when Gottlieb Brekle arrived from Germany and began brewing in San Francisco. In 1896, Ernst F. Baruth and his son-in-law, Otto Schinkel, Jr., bought an old brewery at 1431 Pacific Avenue and named it Anchor Brewery. The brewery burned down in the fires that followed the 1906 earthquake, but was rebuilt at a different location in 1907.^[7] There is no record of what Anchor did during Prohibition, but it resumed serving Steam Beer after Repeal, possibly as the only steam brewing company still in operation.^[8] However the brewery burned down yet again within the year, and it relocated once more, this time to a building a few blocks away.

The brewery continued operations into the late 1950s, but suffered heavily from the country’s increasingly strong preference for the light lagers produced by the megabreweries.^[9] Whereas there had been more than 4,000 breweries at the turn of the twentieth century, only 70 remained by the 1960s.^[10]

Anchor shut its doors briefly in 1959, but was bought and reopened the following year.^[11] By 1965, however, it was doing so poorly that it nearly closed again. Anchor’s situation continued to deteriorate largely because the current owners lacked the expertise, equipment, and attention to cleanliness that were required to produce consistent batches of beer for commercial consumption. The brewery gained a reputation for producing sour, bad beer.^[12]

In 1965, Frederick Louis “Fritz” Maytag III bought the brewery, saving it from closure.^[13] He purchased 51 percent of the brewery for several thousand dollars, and later purchased the brewery outright.^[14] It moved to its current location near Potrero Hill in 1979.

……

In 1993, the company opened Anchor Distillery, a microdistillery in the same location as the brewery, and began making a single malt rye whiskey, named Old Potrero after the hill. In 1997, the microdistillery began producing gin, called Junípero—Spanish for juniper, and a reference to Fr. Junípero Serra, an important figure in San Francisco’s and California’s history. Recently they have also begun producing a Jenever style gin called Genevieve, using wheat, barley, rye, and the same herbal ingredients as their Junípero gin.

In 2010, Maytag sold the company to former Skyy vodka executives Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio, from Novato, California, who planned to expand Anchor’s business while keeping its commitment to artisan brewing.^[10] In 2013, the brewery launched Anchor California Lager, a re-creation of a historic Boca Brewing lager from the 1870s.^[25] The brewery also announced a major expansion plan at Pier 48 in the Mission Rock neighborhood near Oracle Park,^[26] which would expand Anchor’s maximum annual production capacity from 180,000 barrels to 680,000 barrels.^[26]

In 2014, Anchor officially announced Anchor IPA,^[27] the first India Pale Ale in the brewery’s history.^[1] Anchor ended production of its winter seasonal Bock in 2014^[28] and replaced it a year later with Anchor Winter Wheat.^[29]

In 2017, Anchor was purchased by Sapporo.^[30]

In 2019, Anchor Brewing workers voted by an almost 2-to-1 margin to join the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, making Anchor Brewing – including Anchor Public Taps, the brewery’s on-site brew pub – the first unionized craft brewery in the United States.^[31]

In 2021, Anchor Brewing announced a major makeover of their logo and beer labels. On the eve of their 125th birthday, the brewery replaced their vintage-looking labels with a large Anchor logo in a two-tone color schemes per beer. Most labels were not changed in decades or at all. The beer itself remained unchanged.
Anchor Brewing Company – History (Wikipedia)

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The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

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Anchor Brewing Will No Longer Be Sold Nationally

B. Kline — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 02:33:00 +0000

Anchor Steam Beer

Anchor Brewing Company

Anchor Brewing Company is about as old as it gets for craft beer in America; and as important as it gets for craft beer as well.

They have been a mainstay in the brewing industry since their founding in 1896. Nearly going out of business before being saved by Maytag in the 1960s (yes, the appliance company Maytag).

A brief history on Anchor Brewing Company:

Anchor began during the California Gold Rush when Gottlieb Brekle arrived from Germany and began brewing in San Francisco. In 1896, Ernst F. Baruth and his son-in-law, Otto Schinkel, Jr., bought an old brewery at 1431 Pacific Avenue and named it Anchor Brewery. The brewery burned down in the fires that followed the 1906 earthquake, but was rebuilt at a different location in 1907.^[7] There is no record of what Anchor did during Prohibition, but it resumed serving Steam Beer after Repeal, possibly as the only steam brewing company still in operation.^[8] However the brewery burned down yet again within the year, and it relocated once more, this time to a building a few blocks away.

The brewery continued operations into the late 1950s, but suffered heavily from the country’s increasingly strong preference for the light lagers produced by the megabreweries.^[9] Whereas there had been more than 4,000 breweries at the turn of the twentieth century, only 70 remained by the 1960s.^[10]

Anchor shut its doors briefly in 1959, but was bought and reopened the following year.^[11] By 1965, however, it was doing so poorly that it nearly closed again. Anchor’s situation continued to deteriorate largely because the current owners lacked the expertise, equipment, and attention to cleanliness that were required to produce consistent batches of beer for commercial consumption. The brewery gained a reputation for producing sour, bad beer.^[12]

In 1965, Frederick Louis “Fritz” Maytag III bought the brewery, saving it from closure.^[13] He purchased 51 percent of the brewery for several thousand dollars, and later purchased the brewery outright.^[14] It moved to its current location near Potrero Hill in 1979.

……

In 1993, the company opened Anchor Distillery, a microdistillery in the same location as the brewery, and began making a single malt rye whiskey, named Old Potrero after the hill. In 1997, the microdistillery began producing gin, called Junípero—Spanish for juniper, and a reference to Fr. Junípero Serra, an important figure in San Francisco’s and California’s history. Recently they have also begun producing a Jenever style gin called Genevieve, using wheat, barley, rye, and the same herbal ingredients as their Junípero gin.

In 2010, Maytag sold the company to former Skyy vodka executives Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio, from Novato, California, who planned to expand Anchor’s business while keeping its commitment to artisan brewing.^[10] In 2013, the brewery launched Anchor California Lager, a re-creation of a historic Boca Brewing lager from the 1870s.^[25] The brewery also announced a major expansion plan at Pier 48 in the Mission Rock neighborhood near Oracle Park,^[26] which would expand Anchor’s maximum annual production capacity from 180,000 barrels to 680,000 barrels.^[26]

In 2014, Anchor officially announced Anchor IPA,^[27] the first India Pale Ale in the brewery’s history.^[1] Anchor ended production of its winter seasonal Bock in 2014^[28] and replaced it a year later with Anchor Winter Wheat.^[29]

In 2017, Anchor was purchased by Sapporo.^[30]

In 2019, Anchor Brewing workers voted by an almost 2-to-1 margin to join the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, making Anchor Brewing – including Anchor Public Taps, the brewery’s on-site brew pub – the first unionized craft brewery in the United States.^[31]

In 2021, Anchor Brewing announced a major makeover of their logo and beer labels. On the eve of their 125th birthday, the brewery replaced their vintage-looking labels with a large Anchor logo in a two-tone color schemes per beer. Most labels were not changed in decades or at all. The beer itself remained unchanged.
Anchor Brewing Company – History (Wikipedia)

But now, it would seem the brewery has again fallen on hard times. They will be limiting their footprint, as well as limiting their scope, production, and beers that will be distributed, some of which are celebrated favorites of the craft beer community.

Anchor Brewing Company No Longer Nationally Distributed

According to S.F. Chronicle (The San Fransisco Chronicle) the brewery has announced that they are significantly scaling back distribution.

Anchor Brewing Co. is significantly scaling back its distribution — and canceling Christmas this year.

The San Francisco brewer will halt national distribution of all of its beers, including its signature Anchor Steam Beer. Currently, the beer is available in all 50 states. Going forward, Anchor beers will be available only within California, which represents 70% of its sales, according to a company representative.

Then, this coming holiday season, Anchor won’t be releasing one of its signature offerings: Anchor Christmas Ale, a dark winter warmer made annually since 1975. A small amount, however, will be for sale solely at Anchor Public Taps for visitors to the tasting room.
S.F.’s Anchor Brewing slashes national distribution, cancels cult-favorite beer

Directly from an unnamed employee of Anchor Brewing:

time-intensive and costly brewing and packaging requirements
Anchor Brewing Company Employee when asked why they are scaling back

It appears the craft boom is certainly on the decline. Perhaps not a complete “bubble bursting” yet; but it certainly seems to be slowing down, and possibly shrinking in on itself.

With big news in recent months of FX Matt Brewing Company (Saranac Brewing) Acquiring Flying Dog Brewing as well as River Horse Brewing Company Acquiring DuClaw Brewing Company; and now with the news of Anchor Brewing scaling back, it is certainly pointing at a shrinking of the craft beer scene.

Anchor Brewing is cancelling Christmas this year.

Going forward, the San Francisco-based company will no longer sell its beer nationally. Though people will still be able to buy the beer in California.

The brewery also won’t be putting out its signature “Anchor Christmas Ale.” A spokesperson said it wasn’t likely to return next year either.

The change is due to the cost of brewing and packaging. Beer sales dipped by about 3% last year.
San Francisco – based Anchor Brewing no longer selling nationally

Christmas (Ale) is Cancelled

Cult favorite, beloved craft beer, cherished Christmas ale, has been cancelled going forward. Much to chagrin of thousands of craft beer fans across the United States (and abroad).

arrett Kelly, a former brewer at Anchor, said the recent news confirmed concerns he and others voiced after the sale to Sapporo. “The loss of a beer as iconic as the Anchor Christmas Ale, the first American holiday beer post prohibition, is a loss for not only beer nerds like me, but anyone with an interest in preserving culture against the grinding pressure of corporate Darwinism,” Kelly wrote to The Chronicle.

Anchor typically begins brewing Christmas Ale in June at its Potrero Hill production facility, where it has operated since 1979. The beer arrives on shelves nationally each November. Christmas Ale is known for its annually changing combination of spices — last year’s version was advertised as offering “notes of orange, honeysuckle, toasted malts and eucalyptus” — and a changing, hand-drawn label of a tree to match. That was designed by artist Jim Stitt for decades until his retirement in 2019. Anchor redesigned all of its labels in 2021.
S.F.’s Anchor Brewing slashes national distribution, cancels cult-favorite beer

The San Fran area craft beer scene has also seen its own acquisitions and merges in recent months.

After a period of strong growth, the craft beer business has recently faced stagnation and consolidation. Locally, Drake’s Brewing Co. of San Leandro acquired Bear Republic of Cloverdale, and San Francisco’s Speakeasy Ales & Lagers was acquired by Fresno’s Full Circle Brewing. Beer sales were down about 3% by volume last year, according to the National Brewers Association, with craft beer sales about even. Because it’s not independently owned, Anchor doesn’t meet the association’s definition of a craft brewery.
S.F.’s Anchor Brewing slashes national distribution, cancels cult-favorite beer

For More Information on Anchor Brewing Company

The following comes from Untappd. Anchor Brewing Company is a macro brewery from San Fransisco, California. It is a subsidiary of Sapporo Breweries. They have 338 unique beers and over 1.3 Million ratings, with a global average rating of 3.52 (as of 6.11.23). Their Untappd description reads: Brewing hand-crafted beer in the heart of San Francisco since 1896.

You can follow them on the following social media pages:

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Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

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You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.