Posted on 04/26/2010 8:52:24 PM PDT by SmithL
SAN FRANCISCO -- Fritz Maytag, the washing machine heir who launched the microbrewery movement, has sold Anchor Brewing Co. in San Francisco to a pair of Bay Area entrepreneurs who plan to preserve and expand the iconic brand.
No terms were disclosed for the sale of the 70-person Mariposa Street brewery and distillery that traces its roots to the Gold Rush, when local brewers produced a heady elixir known as steam beer.
In 45 years at the helm of Anchor Brewing, Maytag helped spark a revival in the craft of making beer by hand and inspired thousands of entrepreneurs to follow him in creating small, artisanal breweries.
Keith Greggor, 55, and Tony Foglio, 64, two veterans of the spirits industry, say they plan to expand Anchor Brewing's operations and cement its position as a font of artisanal beers and spirits.
"This is something we want to build on for the rest of our careers and pass on to the next generation," said Foglio, who will serve as chairman while Greggor runs the operation.
"Combining Keith and Tony's passion for the Anchor Brewing Co., their industry experience and expertise only means that Anchor will be enjoyed in San Francisco for generations to come," Maytag, who will serve as chairman emeritus, said in a statement.
Maytag, who was traveling Monday after announcing the sale to employees, could not be reached for further comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Jaaa.. nectar for the masses.
Anchor brews some great beers. I’ve been drinking it (although not exclusively) for about 30 years. Best thing to come out of the Bay area since Carol Doda....
Nico Freccia, co-founder of the 21st Amendment Brewery Cafe in San Francisco, said when Maytag was rebuilding Anchor Brewing in the 1960s and 1970s, mass market brands dominated the market, and there were only about 70 breweries in the country21st Amendment's "Brew Free! or Die" IPA is the only canned beer that I'll drink.
I always liked the concept of Anchor Steam better than the beer itself - it’s just not my preferred style. It’s like the time I visited a couple of distilleries in Scotland - I appreciate the fact that I was trying something of unusual quality, but even the best single-malt scotch can’t hide the fact that I don’t like scotch. I have similar experiences with coffee and with wheat beers.
Anchor certainly did help start the brewing revival in our country, though, and I do like some of their other beers (especially Old Foghorn.)
Good beer, but will continue to boycott all things San Fransicko.
Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long while, like maybe 4 decades.... The "Twin Peaks"... you know she's still around, and still performing?
I love how educational Free Republic is. Now I have googled Carol Doda and subsequently oogled Carol Doda’s.
Thank you Jim R. He isn’t dead yet Jim.
Darn. oogled = ogled
Your sign is pretty funny.
Nobody in the history of the world had thought of naked dancing as entertainment before 1964 in SF. Who knew?
I prefer oogled.
My old neighbor always pronounced it oogle....even got vanity plates for his truck: I OOGLE U
ogle or oogle does not really matter.
But they were definitely worth looking at.
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