RIP Anchor Brewing

The oldest craft brewery in the United States is shutting down after 127 years (msn.com)

Legendary San Franciso-based brewer, now owned by Saporro, announced its turning off the taps this morning, citing the economy, covid, etc. Had made a lot of changes lately, the biggest backfire being the change of its iconic logo.

 

Dark, dark day, I loved me some Anchor Steam. We're heading to California next week and I was looking forward to having a couple.

 

Real Rainier, RIP. Olympia, RIP. Blitz/Henry's, RIP. Anchor Steam, RIP. Someone is killing the great beers of the West Coast.

 

Lots of factors killing breweries. The list is long.
In the end, it's business and a successful business is hard to maintain.

 

I mean, good god, what were they thinking?



RIP Anchor Steam.

Spoiler: Clear photo but HUGE.

 

First micro I ever had. A lot of great legendary beers have left the building in recent years. Bridgeport in Portland was one of the first micros. Gone. Widmer seems to be a shell of itself. One of the reasons I have had no issues with companies that cash out/ take on a corporate partner - helps ensure they get shelf space and capital to try new things, expand etc. Shoot, they cancelled the Oregon Brewers Festival this year - it might never come back. Too expensive for the breweries, attendance down due to weather, COVID etc.

 

I dunno. Oly is the only one your list I ever tried and it was terrible. That was more than 30 years ago.

 

I had a restaurant owner friend stock it just for me.

Loved the Bridgeport at the Pearl District brewpub. The full flight was interesting.

 

Hey, I'm an old fart, prefer Coors Banquet above all, don't drink the micros, too hoppy, fruity, heavy, whatever for my taste.

All of the above beers tasted great when they were ice-cold. But, like I said, I grew up drinking Stroh's, Utica Club, Genessee, National Boh, Miller High Life, etc.

Just kind of sad that another thing instantly identifiable as San Franciscan has bit the dust. Like Rainier and Seattle, Olympia and the PNW, Blitz/Henry's with Portland. Hell I don't think PBR is brewed in Milwaukee anymore.

 

Aww no way! Love Anchor. It’s an easy beer to drink. Damn. I’m going to slow sip the Anchors in my fridge.

 

The big macros snapping up micros/crafts ended up being a real shot in the arm to the smaller brands because it gave them a wider distribution network and better marketing, and the big companies rightfully nurtured them as profit centers, rather than snuff them out as some feared initially.

The big problem was Anchor was snapped up by a Japanese company, Sapporo, which doesn't have the distribution network that an established U.S. MMS company has. I haven't seen Anchor sold in my neck of the woods in at least 10 years.

I've kind of lost my mojo on craft beers because 90% of them today are some form of IPA. A sixer of those will make me hurl.