Anchor Brewing...DONE

[npsp]

Certainly wasn't started by Fritz, Anchor Steam was started in the late 1800s. He bought it/resurected it and, later, sold out to Sapporo. Biggest f'n mistake

You are correct, Fritz resurrected the brand not started it.
We had a keg of Anchor Steam at our rehearsal dinner. It was good thing our wedding wasn't until later in the day or several guests wouldn't have made it.

 

[hammies]

Sapporo didn't know what it had. They could have pumped the marketing and distro and it could have been a premier west coast beer. Instead they let it languish with the exception of an ill-advised logo refresh. Dumb asses.

 

[SeaFoamGreen]

Haven't had one in eons, but this tune always come to mind:

Gigin alone at the bottom of the hill
Our protagonist named Bill
Sets his sights on an anchor steam pint
All he needs is thirteen quarters
Congregated in his hat

If you know, you know.

 

[92122]

How Sapporo USA Sank Anchor Brewing Co.

Anchor Brewing Co. is closing after 152 years brewing beer. Workers say parent company Sapporo USA led to the historic brewery's demise.

vinepair.com

And now they own Stone.

 

[jkb]

I don't like the idea of an institution (like Anchor Brewing) going under, but......

Let's not forget that they sold out.

Same with Stone.

They sold out to a big corporation who did big corpo things and low and behold they made changes that caused consumers to jump ship and stop buying their beer. Classic story.

If the owners of Anchor and Stone were sick of the brewing industry and wanted out, they could have sold it to someone who wanted to keep it independent, but ultimately they decided to get the bigger paycheck from big corpo money. That's their right but it's especially hypocritical from people like Greg Koch and Steve Wagner (founders of Stone) who were so fiercely independent and anti big beer from the very beginning. Most of their marketing hinged on the very idea. I'm still flabbergasted that they actually signed those papers.

I'm hoping someone independent buys Anchor and keep the heritage alive.

I don't give a sh!t about Stone. Fvck those guys.

 

[abalone]

Hubs and I loved Anchor Steam, but in the early '80s we were most enthralled by the beer and atmosphere at Mendocino Brewing Company in Hopland. THAT felt like our first craft beer experience, not Anchor, which felt BIG, not craft. Mendocino Brewing Company was the first brewpub in the state, only the second in the country. Cheers

 

[PRCD]

I’m taking this as another sign of San Francisco’s ongoing flourishing

 

[PRCD]

If you guys want a craft beer experience just brew your own damn beer it ain’t hard

 

[abalone]

If you guys want a craft beer experience just brew your own damn beer it ain’t hard

Dare I say, not everyone who wants a "craft beer experience" wants to become a brewer who drinks beer at home.

 

[PRCD]

Dare I say, not everyone who wants a "craft beer experience" wants to become a brewer who drinks beer at home.

You sound like you have trouble putting stuff into an InstaPot and making dinner. If you want the craft experience, do the craft. Or visit a German brewery. Tired of this hipster LARPing over svcky beers.

 

[abalone]

You sound like you have trouble putting stuff into an InstaPot and making dinner. If you want the craft experience, do the craft. Or visit a German brewery. Tired of this hipster LARPing over svcky beers.

You do you, Bobby, and feel free to stay angry with others who aren't like you.

Seriously, I love well-crafted furniture, so I need to make my own? Same with a car, or home, or wine, clothing...I can only appreciate and enjoy if it's hand crafted, by me? smh

 

[john4surf]

Without permission:
“NEWS

San Fran socialists killed historic Anchor Brewing, critics say

It survived Prohibition, the Great Depression, two world wars, and even the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 — but it couldn’t withstand the woke left.

As drinkers mourned this week’s sudden closure of Anchor Brewing Co., the 127-year-old company that pioneered America’s craft beer industry, critics blamed the stunning collapse on socialist activists who drove labor costs to unsustainable heights.

“You schmucks ruined a legacy business,” San Francisco political commentator and former mayoral candidate Richie Greenberg told The Post. “Your union fought for 25% raises, and now your members are getting 100% of zero. Bravo.”

Japanese beer giant Sapporo, which has owned the San Francisco mainstay — beloved for signature brews like Anchor Steam Ale and Anchor Liberty Ale — since 2017, said the brand was crippled by sales losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, while angry workers faulted Sapporo’s mismanagement and poor marketing.”

 

[hammies]

Without permission:
“NEWS

San Fran socialists killed historic Anchor Brewing, critics say

It survived Prohibition, the Great Depression, two world wars, and even the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 — but it couldn’t withstand the woke left.

As drinkers mourned this week’s sudden closure of Anchor Brewing Co., the 127-year-old company that pioneered America’s craft beer industry, critics blamed the stunning collapse on socialist activists who drove labor costs to unsustainable heights.

“You schmucks ruined a legacy business,” San Francisco political commentator and former mayoral candidate Richie Greenberg told The Post. “Your union fought for 25% raises, and now your members are getting 100% of zero. Bravo.”

Japanese beer giant Sapporo, which has owned the San Francisco mainstay — beloved for signature brews like Anchor Steam Ale and Anchor Liberty Ale — since 2017, said the brand was crippled by sales losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, while angry workers faulted Sapporo’s mismanagement and poor marketing.”

Blame-O-Rama!

Critics on the right: Unions
People who worked there: Mismanagement and bad marketing
Management: Low sales (see: bad marketing)