Anchor Brewing Co - Craft Beer in San Francisco, California

📜 Short History:

Anchor Brewing Co. is one of the oldest breweries in the United States, with a rich history that dates back to the mid-19th century.

The brewery was established during the California Gold Rush in 1849 by German brewer Gottlieb Brekle, who arrived in San Francisco with his family. Brekle bought an old beer-and-billiards saloon on Pacific Street near Russian Hill and transformed it into the American brewery that, twenty-five years later, would be renamed Anchor.

In 1896, German brewer Ernst F. Baruth and his son-in-law, Otto Schinkel, Jr., bought the old brewery on Pacific (the first of six Anchor locations around the City over the years) 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 Anchor Brewing from 1920 to 1965 due to Prohibition and then later due to a lack of keeping records. However, it is known that from 1965 to 2010, the brewery was located on Potrero Hill.

In 1965, Fritz Maytag, the great-grandson of the founder of the Maytag Corporation, learned that the Anchor Brewery was about to close. He bought a 51% share in the brewery for a few thousand dollars, and by 1969, he owned the entire company. Maytag is often credited with sparking the craft beer movement in the United States, as he introduced new techniques and styles at a time when many smaller breweries were closing.

In 1971, Anchor released the first post-Prohibition porter, and in 1975, they produced the first American wheat beer since Prohibition. Anchor Steam Beer, the brewery's flagship brew, has been in production since 1896.

In 2010, the brewery moved to its current location on Mariposa Street. In 2017, the brewery was sold to Sapporo Holdings of Japan. Despite the change in ownership, Anchor Brewing continues to produce a wide range of beers, maintaining its tradition of innovation and quality.