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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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-B. Kline

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ZX Ventures Fully Acquires RateBeer: What It Means for Craft Beer Enthusiasts

B. Kline — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 14:32:20 +0000

ZX Ventures Fully Acquires RateBeer: What It Means for Craft Beer Enthusiasts

In a move that’s stirring up some chatter in the craft beer world, ZX Ventures—the venture capital arm of global brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev—has fully acquired RateBeer.com, the popular beer ratings website. For those following this story, this isn’t entirely new; ZX Ventures had already made an initial investment in the platform back in October 2016. But now, the company has taken the final step, purchasing the remaining shares and gaining full ownership.

RateBeer has been bought by ZX Ventures (photo courtesy of ZX Ventures / RateBeer)

Let’s dive into what this means for craft beer fans, RateBeer users, and the industry at large.

The Deal: What We Know

While the financial details of the transaction remain under wraps, ZX Ventures has confirmed that the deal is closed. In their statement, they emphasized that RateBeer will continue to operate as an independent entity, with its familiar rating system staying intact. So, if you’re a long-time user worried about changes to your beer-rating rituals, breathe easy—at least for now.

ZX Ventures hinted at exciting developments, including expanding RateBeer’s reach into “new areas.” One pilot program already underway is an affiliate marketplace in Australia, which could pave the way for similar ventures in other regions. Additionally, users can look forward to further upgrades to the platform’s user experience—a likely nod to improved functionality and design.

RateBeer’s Journey to Now

Since ZX’s initial investment in 2016, RateBeer has undergone several changes. Co-founder Joe Tucker noted that the funding allowed the platform to modernize its infrastructure, including a revamped website, updated code, and even the development of an in-house mobile app. These upgrades were necessary for RateBeer to stay competitive in an increasingly crowded beer-review space.

Tucker, who will remain with the company as its global community manager, shared that this additional investment will help expand RateBeer’s footprint—starting with an e-commerce platform in Australia. “It’s something we want to fully develop there,” he said, “and it will certainly have application elsewhere.”

Day-to-day operations will now be overseen by Douglas Mitchell, freeing Tucker to focus on community engagement—something he says he’s passionate about.

A Divisive Move

Not everyone is raising a glass to this acquisition. When ZX Ventures initially bought into RateBeer, backlash erupted from some users and even prominent craft brewers like Dogfish Head and Karl Strauss. Concerns about the site’s independence and unbiased ratings led some breweries to request their beers be removed from the platform entirely.

Joe Tucker addressed these criticisms, acknowledging that the controversy cost RateBeer “a few” users. However, he countered that the site gained about ten times more users in the same period, setting records for new ratings and beer additions. “We’ve created this culture that’s still flourishing,” he said.

As for the tensions this acquisition has sparked, Tucker said he welcomes the dialogue. “It shows how passionate people are,” he noted, adding that the criticism offers valuable insight into what users care about most.

What’s Next for RateBeer?

With ZX Ventures at the helm, it’s clear that RateBeer is setting its sights on growth. Whether that means new tools for beer lovers, expanded global access, or further integration into the e-commerce space, one thing is certain: RateBeer is evolving. And while the partnership with Anheuser-Busch InBev may make some craft beer purists uneasy, it also brings resources and opportunities that could benefit the platform’s millions of users worldwide.

For now, Tucker assures the RateBeer faithful that the core mission remains the same: providing independent, consumer-driven information about beers and breweries.

The Bigger Picture

This news comes on the heels of RateBeer’s annual release of its “Top 100 Brewers” list. This year, Vermont’s Hill Farmstead Brewery claimed the top spot, followed by heavy hitters like Russian River Brewing and Trillium Brewing. The list’s prestige underscores RateBeer’s continued influence in the craft beer world, even as it transitions under new ownership.

As this story unfolds, it raises questions about the intersection of craft beer’s fiercely independent spirit and the growing presence of big beer in the industry. For local breweries, avid beer enthusiasts, and curious newcomers alike, it’s a trend worth watching.

What Do You Think?

How do you feel about RateBeer’s acquisition by ZX Ventures? Does it change your perception of the platform or its reviews? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s keep the conversation going!

Stay tuned to The Beer Thrillers for more updates and insights into the craft beer world. Whether it’s brewery news, beer reviews, or industry analysis, we’ve got you covered. Cheers!

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.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

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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 #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of August 2024.) 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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