Anchor was brewing craft long, long before craft brewing was cool.
Anchor nearly went out of business in the 60s:
Lawrence Steese bought and re-opened Anchor in 1960 at yet another nearby location, retaining Joe Allen to carry Anchor's craft brewing tradition forward. But one of Anchor's oldest accounts, the Crystal Palace Market had already closed its doors. And Steese had an increasingly difficult time convincing loyal Bay Area establishments to continue serving Anchor Steam. By 1965, Steese—like Allen six years before—was ready to shut Anchor down.In 1965,during a meal at the Old Spaghetti Factory, a North Beach restaurant known more for its eclectic décor and Anchor Steam® Beer than its spaghetti, a young Stanford grad named Fritz Maytag learned that the makers of his favorite beer were soon to close their doors forever. Despite its primitive equipment and financial condition, Fritz rushed to buy 51% of the historic little San Francisco craft brewery —for a few thousand dollars—rescuing Anchor from imminent bankruptcy.
In 1971, 100 years after Gottlieb Brekle founded the historic American brewery that became Anchor, Fritz began bottling Anchor Steam® Beer – the first bottled Anchor Steam® in modern times. By 1975, Anchor had produced four other distinctive beers, Anchor Porter®, Liberty® Ale, Old Foghorn® Barleywine Ale, and the first annual Christmas Ale. Though the terms “microbrewing” and “craft brewing” had yet to be coined, it was clear that Anchor was leading a brewing revolution in San Francisco.
I discovered them in '73 and I am personally responsible for their enormous volume growth and return to profitability. I also remember having Liberty and Porter back then in addition to the steam beer. They have always made great brews.