Anchor Steam Brewing to close down

[CzechCzar]

Very sad news.

San Francisco's Anchor Brewing closing after 127 years

San Francisco-based Anchor Brewing Co., known as the first craft brewery in the U.S., is shutting down after 127 years of business, citing the effect of the pandemic and inflation.

www.foxbusiness.com

 

[Rocket 1]

I hate to read that. I have many fond memories of Anchor Brewing, as the home-brew club I was involved in had a good relationship with them. One of my favorite memories was visiting for a tour. After the tour completed I got to stay behind with the brewers and staff. Guitars were produced and music ensued while enjoying a never ending tap on a pleasant day in the Bay Area.

 

[GFT et al]

Very sad to lose one of the OG west coast microbreweries. I am a Bay Area kid and remember it being a premium option when buying a six-pack. Those were simpler times, especially in the world of craft brewed American beer. San Francisco is also a brutal place to run a business in general, for a lot of reasons. I’d rather have an Anchor than many well reviewed modern micro brews. Here’s to Anchor Brewing Company and to Anchor Steam.

 

[CzechCzar]

I hate to read that. I have many fond memories of Anchor Brewing, as the home-brew club I was involved in had a good relationship with them. One of my favorite memories was visiting for a tour. After the tour completed I got to stay behind with the brewers and staff. Guitars were produced and music ensued while enjoying a never ending tap on a pleasant day in the Bay Area.

Very sad to lose one of the OG west coast microbreweries. I am a Bay Area kid and remember it being a premium option when buying a six-pack. Those were simpler times, especially in the world of craft brewed American beer. San Francisco is also a brutal place to run a business in general, for a lot of reasons. I’d rather have an Anchor than many well reviewed modern micro brews. Here’s to Anchor Brewing Company and to Anchor Steam.

Agreed wholeheartedly.

I will sorely miss anchor steam.

 

[Eric_75]

I haven't had an Anchor Steam in a long time. I'll look for a 6 pack this weekend.

 

[Lockback]

Very sad news.

San Francisco's Anchor Brewing closing after 127 years

San Francisco-based Anchor Brewing Co., known as the first craft brewery in the U.S., is shutting down after 127 years of business, citing the effect of the pandemic and inflation.

www.foxbusiness.com

This is sad news indeed and harbinger of perhaps more things to come.

 

[DesertIguana]

Well San Francisco has change, it is not longer a safe city, people are moving out & leaving daily, and this is not the only business to close.

My favorite place to eat at Fisherman's Wharf. Alioto's is closed with no projected reopening date. I ate there every time I worked in the City, ate there in 1959, ate there last time in 2005. Sad it closed, best Cioppino I ever had, and SF Sour Dough bread was to die for.

ALIOTO'S RESTAURANT – SERVING THE FRESHEST SEAFOOD, FAMILY ITALIAN RECIPES, AND THE FINEST VIEWS

aliotos.com

 

[CzechCzar]

Well San Francisco has change, it is not longer a safe city, people are moving out & leaving daily, and this is not the only business to close.

My favorite place to eat at Fisherman's Wharf. Alioto's is closed with no projected reopening date. I ate there every time I worked in the City, ate there in 1959, ate there last time in 2005. Sad it closed, best Cioppino I ever had, and SF Sour Dough bread was to die for.

ALIOTO'S RESTAURANT – SERVING THE FRESHEST SEAFOOD, FAMILY ITALIAN RECIPES, AND THE FINEST VIEWS

aliotos.com

that's the honest truth right there

 

[FL shaver]

Quit on Anchor when they were bought out. Sad to see it.

 

[SharpieB]

That really sucks.

Anchor Steam was my first REAL beer. I have always had a soft spot for that brewery. Plus they had the cool stubby-ish bottles that reminded me of the Canadian beer bottles in the 70’s.

Here’s my kinda sorta interesting story about the first time I ever tried Anchor Steam in 1991 if anyone cares…

A friend of mine won a 3 night trip to San Francisco from a radio station (Q107 Toronto) to see Tom Petty play in Oakland on November 24, 1991 when we we were 21. His girlfriend at the time was 19 and her parents wouldn’t let her go. So I got the call.

Tom Petty put on an amazing show and after the concert we went to Fisherman’s Wharf for a few drinks. We found a cool little pub (no idea the name) and I asked for something local and a bit more hoppy than my usual Molson’s or Bud. The bartender was acting weird and looked sad when he handed me my “local” Anchor Steam and I asked what was wrong. He was upset as it was just announced that Freddy Mercury of Queen had died of AIDS than night.

So my first Tom Petty concert, my first trip to California, Freddie died… and I had my first Anchor Steam…

I always bought a 6 pack when I saw it for sale in Toronto, but I haven’t seen much of it since it was bought by Sapporo a few years back.

 

[Jayson74]

Heard about this on the Basic Brewing podcast yesterday. I never had a chance to have an Anchor Steam but I really enjoyed the version I brewed a year or so ago.

 

[tehnothing]

I only had their barley wine a few times, but, much preferred it to the regular steam beer. I was always on the look out for it.

Not my photo.

 

[JWCowboy]

I saw this, very sad news indeed for a historic brewer considered one of the Godfathers of craft beer in the USA. It would appear that if the bubble has not burst for craft brewing that the industry as a whole is definitely slowing down. Several local breweries here in beer city have closed or announced closures in the last few months and that appears to be a national trend.

 

[Calyshaver]

I had a long sigh when I heard it on the news yesterday as I too enjoyed Anchor Steam as a premium beer treat in my younger years. I find it ironic that California, especially Southern is regarded as the craft brewery capital of the country considering how much water is needed for the process while the Southwest region as a whole suffers from extreme water shortages. Some great beers were born in Southern California.

 

[Eric_75]

Any North Coast Brewery fans here? I used to drink their PranQster quite often. I'm certain it used to be 7.2% ABV but the the website says 7.6% ABV now. Not that I'm complaining.

 

[Quaznoid]

First craft beer I was aware of. Hard to find here on East Coast. Could it have been available in the 1970’s?

 

[RSC]

First craft beer I was aware of. Hard to find here on East Coast. Could it have been available in the 1970’s?

Definitely available in the SF Bay Area in the 1970's, but I don't know about the East Coast.

 

[Go West Young Man]

For the record, this has litle to do with San Francisco's social/political problems, and nothing to do with the craft beer scene.
This is mostly a global mega-corp trying to shoehorn a specialty business into a standardized widget model and running the business into the ground.

 

[Juanmosey]

I used to drink it with a buddy in San Diego in the late 70s. Very fond memories. Out of the Air Force, rent was $115/month (not a typo) and had my health. We still keep in touch today.
Edit: I tell people back then downtown San Diego was mainly cheap hotels, Asian restaurants under $2 a meal, seedy bookstores and all night $1 second run movie theaters. Then in the 80s money moved in and ruined everything. Very safe city back then.

 

[Capt. Pat]

Sad to hear, but as they say times are a-changin'