• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

Anchor Brewing gets a brand revamp. Check it!

January 28, 2021Keith Gribbins

San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Co. celebrates its 125-year anniversary this February. Wowsers. The brewery was founded in 1896, but its big craft moment came in 1965 when indie beer pioneer Frederick Louis Maytag III bought it, saving it from closure. It wasn’t his intention to get into the beer business or create a revolution:

“The 26-year-old Fritz Maytag stepped in and gave [previous owner Laurence] Steese $5,000 to keep Anchor open, buying a 51 percent interest in the company. In a January 1983 article in Inc., Maytag described the reason for his investment: “I was sort of drifting along, the way you do when you get out of graduate school, looking for something to do. … [Anchor] needed an angel, someone to come through with a tiny bit of money. [My intention was] to give a little advice and go away.” Before he stepped in, the company was in such desperate financial condition that “[Anchor was] selling the old wooden beer kegs on the sidewalk for 50 cents …,” according to Maytag in a March 1999 article in the San Francisco Chronicle.

It would take years for Maytag to get the brewery in working order, but as he did, he reimagined cheap beer into a higher class of beverage alcohol. Some highlights: Anchor and Maytag pushed expensive two-row barley malt (rather than the less flavorful six-row variety). The brand would not include any adjuncts like corn or rice. Rather than use pellets or extract, Anchor was famous for using whole hops. Anchor was also one of the first U.S. breweries to embrace brewery fans tours, use four-packs and charge that hefty, premium price.

Alas, Maytag sold Anchor in 2010 to the Griffin Group, a local investment firm, and then Japan’s Sapporo bought Anchor in 2017. Ah, times, they do change. Here’s a good example: Anchor Brewing Co. products are getting a new look — a new “retro-modern aesthetic” on cans and bottles of brands like California Lager, Liberty Ale and Anchor Porter. New beers from Anchor’s innovation team led by Pilot Brewer Dane Volek will debut this March too with the new branding. The brews include a Tropical Hazy IPA and Crisp Pilsner, along with Anchor’s first 100-calorie brew, Little Weekend, a light Golden Ale brimming with juicy mango flavor.

Join us and #RaiseYourAnchor to the next 125 Years.
Forged in San Francisco in 1896.
Rooted in trailblazing tradition.
Dedicated to preserving our past, innovating for the future, and making damn good beer for years to come.
Click our link in bio to learn about the next 125. pic.twitter.com/rbE8qLnuM5

— Anchor Brewing (@AnchorBrewing) January 25, 2021

To the press release!

“During this moment where we are celebrating Anchor’s legacy by growing for the future, our innovation team is excited to introduce new brews that we’ve spent a year perfecting,” says Dane Volek, who has been with Anchor Brewing for 13 years. “We are inspired by Anchor’s deep roots to pull out some surprises, introducing Anchor to new audiences in 2021 while laying the groundwork for another 125 years as the brewery that changed the way many Americans experience beer.”

Dig this! To commemorate the 125th anniversary and celebrate the new packaging, Anchor is offering retro-priced $1.25 Anchor Steam six-packs from their Public Taps Beer to Go pick up location in San Francisco. Starting January 25th orders can be placed online at AnchorBeertoGo.com for pick up Thursday, January 28 through Sunday, January 31. Orders are limited to (1) six-pack of cans and bottles per person and are only available from the Anchor Public Taps Beer to Go location.

What else is going on?

As part of its investment for the future, Anchor continues its sustainability efforts in 2021. The brewery is completing a water treatment project with Cambrian technologies that will allow Anchor to recycle industrial use water and dramatically reduce its overall water usage, while the brewery’s recent shift toward the production of cans further reduces its carbon footprint. Additionally, Anchor has committed to continuing its partnership with Baykeeper, a non-profit that fights for the health of the beautiful San Francisco Bay, and has forged a new partnership with the California State Parks Foundation in support of their mission to protect the state’s parks.

Anchor steam
Anchor Brewing workers officially ratify union contract — details here
Ballast Point sells for $1 billion, Anchor Brewing sells for $85 million. What’s the big difference?
SF-Giants-2014-WS-Champs-logo Ancher Steam crop
Anchor Brewing teams up with the San Francisco Giants with Giants Orange Splash Lager
Troegs-Nimble-Giant
Marketing idea of the week: Tröegs packs prize contest cans in random Nimble Giant packs

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • The case for full facility disinfection for breweries in the post-COVID era
  • MadTree set to convert old airplane hangar into its third brewery
  • Fulton Brewing commissions label art from Marvel artist to launch new kingdom of IPAs
  • Arizona Wilderness raises funds for LGBTQIA+ license plate and more drinks to know this week

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • Cleaning home table sanitizing kitchen table surface with disinfectant spray bottle washing surfaces with towel and gloves. COVID-19 prevention sanitizing insideThe case for full facility disinfection for breweries in the post-COVID era
    June 8, 2023
  • Arizona Wilderness PrismArizona Wilderness raises funds for LGBTQIA+ license plate and more drinks to know this week
    June 7, 2023
  • FSBC-Image-1Here’s the fastest growing brewery in the U.S. according to Untappd
    June 6, 2023
  • MONTUCKY-HERO-IMAGE___Montucky Cold Snacks announces new mascot and contest winner, plans to plaster his face on its beer cans this fall
    June 5, 2023
  • Video: Watch how Country Malt Group started in a shed and became an America beer supplier success story
    June 5, 2023
  • Constellation sells Funky Buddha and Four Corners back to original owners, says see ya to craft sector
    May 31, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC