Anchor Brewing Company
Encyclopedia
Anchor Brewing Company is an American alcoholic beverage
producer, operating a brewery
and distillery
on Potrero Hill in San Francisco, California
. The brewery was founded in 1896 and was purchased by Frederick Louis Maytag III, in 1965, saving it from closure. It moved to its current location in 1979. It is one of the last remaining breweries to produce California common beer
, also known as Steam Beer, a trademark
owned by the company.
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. Whereas there had been more than 4,000 breweries at the turn of the twentieth century, only 70 remained by the 1960s.
Anchor shut its doors briefly in 1959, but was bought and reopened the following year. 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 and attention to cleanliness that are required to produce consistent batches of beer for commercial consumption. The brewery gained a deserved reputation for producing sour, bad beer.
In 1965, Frederick Louis Maytag III bought the brewery, saving it from closure. Maytag purchased 51 percent of the brewery for several thousand dollars, and later purchased the brewery outright. It moved to its current location near Potrero Hill in 1979.
Turning the failing brewery around required more than the infusion of money that his fortune made possible. Maytag also had to change the character of the beer that was produced there. Between purchasing Anchor and producing the first batches of bottled Anchor Steam in 1971, Maytag had to learn the brewing process from scratch, invest in improvements to the equipment, and focus heavily on cleanliness in the brewing process. The new beer was a definitive representative of California common beer, a derivative of historic steam beer.
During the 1980s Anchor Steam Beer began to achieve national notice and demand increased from only a few thousand cases per year that had been produced in the old location. It was the first of the modern microbreweries
, and its success inspired many others to enter the brewing business.
In 1989 the company produced a limited edition of beer (known in Sumerian as sikaru) which they named Ninkasi
after the Sumerian
goddess of beer. It was based on a scholarly reconstruction of an ancient Sumerian recipe known as the "hymn to Ninkasi". The recipe started with a twice-baked bread known as bappir
as well as malt, and was sweetened with honey and dates. It did not include hops or other bittering ingredients, so it was considerably sweeter than modern beers. The recipe is described by Charlie Papazian
.
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 Junípero Serra
, an important figure in San Francisco's and California's history
. Recently they have also begun producing a Jenever
style gin called Genevive, using wheat, barley, rye, and the same herbal ingredients as their Junípero gin.
In 2010, Fritz Maytag sold the company to the former Skyy vodka
executives Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio, who plan to expand Anchor's business while keeping its commitment to artisan brewing.
Core beers:
Occasional beers:
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
producer, operating a brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
and distillery
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
on Potrero Hill in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The brewery was founded in 1896 and was purchased by Frederick Louis Maytag III, in 1965, saving it from closure. It moved to its current location in 1979. It is one of the last remaining breweries to produce California common beer
Steam beer
Steam beer may be defined as a highly effervescent beer made by brewing lager yeasts at warm fermentation temperatures. It has two distinct but related meanings:*Historic steam beer produced in California from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century;...
, also known as Steam Beer, a trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
owned by the company.
History
Anchor began during the 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 the brewery and named it Anchor. The brewery burned down in the fires that followed the 1906 earthquake, but was rebuilt at a different location in 1907. 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. 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. Whereas there had been more than 4,000 breweries at the turn of the twentieth century, only 70 remained by the 1960s.
Anchor shut its doors briefly in 1959, but was bought and reopened the following year. 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 and attention to cleanliness that are required to produce consistent batches of beer for commercial consumption. The brewery gained a deserved reputation for producing sour, bad beer.
In 1965, Frederick Louis Maytag III bought the brewery, saving it from closure. Maytag purchased 51 percent of the brewery for several thousand dollars, and later purchased the brewery outright. It moved to its current location near Potrero Hill in 1979.
Turning the failing brewery around required more than the infusion of money that his fortune made possible. Maytag also had to change the character of the beer that was produced there. Between purchasing Anchor and producing the first batches of bottled Anchor Steam in 1971, Maytag had to learn the brewing process from scratch, invest in improvements to the equipment, and focus heavily on cleanliness in the brewing process. The new beer was a definitive representative of California common beer, a derivative of historic steam beer.
During the 1980s Anchor Steam Beer began to achieve national notice and demand increased from only a few thousand cases per year that had been produced in the old location. It was the first of the modern microbreweries
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
, and its success inspired many others to enter the brewing business.
In 1989 the company produced a limited edition of beer (known in Sumerian as sikaru) which they named Ninkasi
Ninkasi
Ninkasi is the ancient Sumerian matron goddess of the intoxicating beverage, beer.Her father was Enki, the lord Nudimmud, and her mother was Ninti, the queen of the Abzu. She is also one of the eight children created in order to heal one of the eight wounds that Enki receives. Furthermore, she is...
after the Sumerian
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
goddess of beer. It was based on a scholarly reconstruction of an ancient Sumerian recipe known as the "hymn to Ninkasi". The recipe started with a twice-baked bread known as bappir
Bappir
Bappir is a Sumerian term used to describe a twice-baked barley bread that was primarily used in ancient Mesopotamian beer brewing. Historical research done at Anchor Brewing Co...
as well as malt, and was sweetened with honey and dates. It did not include hops or other bittering ingredients, so it was considerably sweeter than modern beers. The recipe is described by Charlie Papazian
Charlie Papazian
Charles N. "Charlie" Papazian is an American nuclear engineer who founded the Association of Brewers and the Great American Beer Festival, and wrote The Complete Joy of Home Brewing. Papazian is the current president of the Brewers Association...
.
In 1993, the company opened Anchor Distillery, a microdistillery
Microdistillery
A microdistillery is a small, often 'boutique', distillery established to produce beverage grade alcohol in relatively small quantities. While the term is most commonly used in the United States, micro-distilleries have been established in Europe for many years, either as small cognac distilleries...
in the same location as the brewery, and began making a single malt
Single malt whisky
Single malt whisky is a whisky made at one particular distillery from a mash that uses one particular malted grain, which is ordinarily barley.Single malts are typically associated with Scotland, though they are also produced in various other countries...
rye whiskey, named Old Potrero after the hill. In 1997, the microdistillery began producing gin
Gin
Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
, called Junípero — Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
, and a reference to Junípero Serra
Junípero Serra
Blessed Junípero Serra, O.F.M., , known as Fra Juníper Serra in Catalan, his mother tongue was a Majorcan Franciscan friar who founded the mission chain in Alta California of the Las Californias Province in New Spain—present day California, United States. Fr...
, an important figure in San Francisco's and California's history
History of California
The history of California can be divided into several periods: the Native American period; European exploration period from 1542 to 1769; the Spanish colonial period, 1769 to 1821; the Mexican period, 1821 to 1848; and United States statehood, which continues to the present day...
. Recently they have also begun producing a Jenever
Jenever
Jenever , is the juniper-flavored and strongly alcoholic traditional liquor of the Netherlands and Belgium, from which gin evolved...
style gin called Genevive, using wheat, barley, rye, and the same herbal ingredients as their Junípero gin.
In 2010, Fritz Maytag sold the company to the former Skyy vodka
SKYY vodka
SKYY vodka is produced by SKYY Spirits LLC in San Francisco, California. SKYY Vodka is 40% ABV or 80 proof; SKYY 90 Vodka is a 90 proof high-priced brand aimed at martini drinkers. When SKYY Spirits LLC first launched in 1992 SKYY vodka was its first product; its creator, Maurice Kanbar, claims the...
executives Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio, who plan to expand Anchor's business while keeping its commitment to artisan brewing.
Products
Anchor has a year-round range of five beers, as well as several occasional beers.Core beers:
- Anchor Steam: 4.9% alcohol by volumeAlcohol by volumeAlcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
(abv) - Anchor Small: 3.3% abv
- Liberty Ale: 6% abv
- Anchor Porter: 5.6% abv
- Old Foghorn Barleywine: 8-10% abv
Occasional beers:
- Anchor Bock: 5.5% abv (January-April)
- Summer Beer: 4.6% abv (April-August)
- Humming Ale: 5.5% abv (August-November)
- Christmas Ale: 5-6% abv (November-January)