It was San Francisco but California beer has come a long way since then (and is arguably the best beer in the world) and sadly they just didn’t keep up.
Anchor was everywhere when I lived in SF for a good while. It was the reliable staple when you knew everything else at the party would taste like bitter barf. It did sell where it was made; perhaps they could've made a stronger effort to make a name for it elsewhere.
I don’t know about breweries in CA but the ones in CO all have beer that is up and down the “heaviness” scale. Most breweries you can get a light larger that’s like 4.1 ABV all the way up to double IPA’s that are running in the 9-10% ABV
The tucked away little towns built by German hands are imo, some of the prettiest places in Texas. It makes you realize that places are what they are because of the people who made them and live in them. When humans love their craft, it shows. Imo, the love of one's craft is an area that German people have shined in for a long time. I am thankful.
For those not from Texas or not having visited before, two of the towns that almost certainly are being referenced by parent poster are New Braunfels and Fredericksburg. Both are somewhat well known by Texans but probably not known well outside of here (well, perhaps if you like wine you know of Fredericksburg otherwise).
Both are very cozy towns that are a bit touristy (Fredericksburg more so) that really cherish German culture and you can get about as authentic an experience as you can get in the States in each town. It is really neat
Yeah, the Buc-ee’s and Coopers of New Braunfels really brought me back to the old German countryside. :)
The most popular spots there aren’t even remotely German (even the non-chains like Gristmill), but it is interesting how appealing the German look is to some of the architecture in the old town. People’s infatuation with the location (including my own) does seem to be very superficial rather than any real relationship to Germany.
Yeah hence the “as you can get” qualifier. I do think the experience walks the line on kitsch, but in the absolute most positive way possible. There’s a lot of genuine love for the culture in both locations, even if it isn’t exactly 100% German. Bucees fits right in, since they really know how to kitsch it up. Wurstfest is a lot of fun
> it is interesting how appealing the German look is to some of the architecture in the old town
Architecture is a huge deal! Imo, it is fair and good to appreciate the architecture of other places.
I humbly implore you to read the book, "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. It tells the story of the work that historically went into a cathedral. They didn't just spring up, some of these were generational projects. Architecture is a really big deal.
Since moving to the bay area 15 years ago, I've personally had this happen twice to my employer (get bought by people who don't have intimate knowledge of the particulars of the business, then mismanaged, then shutdown).
I dont know why, but I can confirm this is "so Bay Area/SF" for me relating to my personal experience.
I did the tour once. Seemed like a solid camaraderie among the team crafting and operating. Shame; but what is in a name; in a world where name and meaning is sold and operated.
And now a short eulogy by our AI overlords ...
In the realm of brewing, a twist of fate,
Anchor Steam Brewery faced a daunting weight.
Under Sapporo's wing, a Japanese beer,
A tale of transformation, not to disappear.
From the city of San Francisco, so bold,
Anchor Steam's journey began to unfold.
But in the hands of Sapporo, a foreign hand,
The winds of change swept across the land.
Japanese beer, a new direction took flight,
Blending cultures, merging flavors with lack of delight.
Anchor Steam's legacy, now intertwined,
A fusion of traditions, a brewing bind.
A brewing tale, int
In the realm of craft brewing, a dark twist unfurls,
Anchor Steam Brewery caught in a whirl.
Taken over by Sapporo, a corporate hand,
The essence of craft lost in their command.
Once a beacon of independence and pride,
Anchor Steam now struggles, feeling tied.
Sapporo's grip, a suffocating hold,
The spirit of creativity, slowly sold.
Gone are the days of small-batch delight,
The heart and soul of craft, now overshadowed,
By profit margins and strategies so hallowed.
San Francisco's brewing heritage, now in decline,
As the corporate machine leaves little room to shine.
The authentic flavors, once revered and pure,
Now diluted, a hollow allure.
Yet, amidst the gloom, craft brewing persists,
A movement resilient, fueled by passionate fists.
Independent brewers, like rebels in the night,
Keep the spirit alive, their craft alight.
Let us raise our glasses to these true artisans,
The pioneers who defy corporate dominions.
Craft brewing's spirit, forever untamed,
In their hands, the legacy reclaimed.
Anchor Steam's plight serves as a reminder,
Of the importance of staying true, never blinder.
To support local breweries, their craft we embrace,
Preserving authenticity, in each brewing chase.
If you enjoy Anchor, highly recommend Olfactory in Dogpatch… which is a rare (very new) SF brewery specializing in lagers and pilsners which are excellent.
the thing about anchor (and i don't mean only steam, but also lager, pilsner and liberty ale) it's that I can hop into safeway or liquor store on the corner and it will be there. cold and nicely balanced.
new craft breweries are nice for when you go out, etc. or live near by. but it doesn't replace something you can buy on the go .
Sierra Nevada always fills that niche for me: ubiquitous and of reliable quality. I don't like every SN beer, nor are they my absolute favorite, but their popular ones are consistently solid.
kirin/asahi for me only good when it's going together with yakitori. and bottle of sake.
longboard/trumers are kinda ok but they are somewhat not right . anchor steam bears for me and for my wife have better taste (we come from lager/pilsner dominating countries)
Agreed. I love a good traditional pilsner, but there's nothing ubiquitous on the market. Scrimshaw is good, and somewhat available, but it's not everywhere.
I really would like to see an analysis of Japanese companies expanding into overseas markets through acquisitions or mergers. Are there any standout successes? What factors limit Japanese companies when they expand in this way?
In my very qualitative experience working in and with Japanese companies, what is usually the case is that most such acquisitions tend to stagnate. A big reason for that is the highly disciplined and exacting culture in Japan, which they find hard to export over into other countries' cultures.
Moreover, the Japanese executives who are brought in to set things up (and whose responsibility it is to create said culture), mostly mull about going back to HQ instead of doing their jobs. This is especially the case for situations where relocations are hard for their families.
On the other hand, some of the best results often came when HQ was represented by someone much more wizened and experienced, almost retirement age. Almost all such folks I've met were exceptionally sharp and brilliant, and didn't have any obligations like family or HQ. Those guys didn't really give a shit and just gave the task their best shot, in very Japanese fashion.
I quickly looked top 100 listed companies. What I can easily found is Firestone by Bridgestone. CBS/Columbia/BMG by Sony has been the way to expand their business for entertainment (then gaming). Moreover, maybe Daikin NA acquisition worked well. Beam by Suntory (non-listed) seems to fine. There's very few than I expected.
Once they did away with their iconic branding I couldn't find their beer in stores in the East Bay -- and when I noticed it I didn't recognize it. California Lager was one of my favorite beers. RIP old friend.
Yeah, that rebrand was a big mistake. It marked exactly when I couldn’t find it at the grocery store and bought something else. Eventually I did find the new yellow box, but by then I was trying new things…
I don't think this is as much about Japanese management, poor flavor, etc. As has been pointed out by the comments.
I think this is a simple combination of the decline of SF retail and the decline of alcohol culture. I would not be surprised to see more breweries following even in cities with healthier foot traffic.
There's a deep irony. Anchor's lager was unique because it was terrible.
They wanted to set up a "modern" lager brewery like what was killing off all of the historic beer styles on the East coast. But they did not have any of the refrigeration equipment. So the entire concept of "steaming" beer was the result of a low-tech hack/workaround to make a "modern" lager beer without the facilities. It exists today as a unique historical artifact, but it was honestly pretty lucky to survive past the introduction of real lagers in California on kitsch alone.
The story is remarkably similar to Boudin sourdough. That "signature" taste is not from San Francisco's air (or not entirely), but it's of a normal sourdough bread aged incorrectly.
I listened to a podcast with one of the people involved in leading the unionisation, it sounded like the company was already in bad shape before that point. During the process, they also had contact with other Sapporo owned breweries in Japan who had unionised and stayed successful.
> Anchor Brewing was a cockroach. The San Francisco brewery survived the great earthquake of 1906, the subsequent fire that destroyed the city, its owner being run over by a cable car right after the fire, World War I, the Volstead Act, World War II, a series of midcentury closures and re-openings…
56 comments
[ 4.8 ms ] story [ 113 ms ] threadTradition only goes so far.
As someone who likes hoppy + low ABV beers the death of the Session IPA has hit me hard.
Now I think I East Brother is the best regional option for pilsner - just a little extra maltiness is really nice.
* Originally built up by Germans
* Run into the ground by San Franciscans
* Rescued and reinvigorated by an Iowan
* Run into the ground by Japanese
which actually is a perfect SF story.
Both are very cozy towns that are a bit touristy (Fredericksburg more so) that really cherish German culture and you can get about as authentic an experience as you can get in the States in each town. It is really neat
The most popular spots there aren’t even remotely German (even the non-chains like Gristmill), but it is interesting how appealing the German look is to some of the architecture in the old town. People’s infatuation with the location (including my own) does seem to be very superficial rather than any real relationship to Germany.
Architecture is a huge deal! Imo, it is fair and good to appreciate the architecture of other places.
I humbly implore you to read the book, "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. It tells the story of the work that historically went into a cathedral. They didn't just spring up, some of these were generational projects. Architecture is a really big deal.
I dont know why, but I can confirm this is "so Bay Area/SF" for me relating to my personal experience.
But it goes further, including a disastrous rebranding that is probably familiar to many.
A rich kid of German descent who bought a brewery. Go figure.
And now a short eulogy by our AI overlords ...
In the realm of brewing, a twist of fate, Anchor Steam Brewery faced a daunting weight. Under Sapporo's wing, a Japanese beer, A tale of transformation, not to disappear.
From the city of San Francisco, so bold, Anchor Steam's journey began to unfold. But in the hands of Sapporo, a foreign hand, The winds of change swept across the land.
Japanese beer, a new direction took flight, Blending cultures, merging flavors with lack of delight. Anchor Steam's legacy, now intertwined, A fusion of traditions, a brewing bind.
A brewing tale, int In the realm of craft brewing, a dark twist unfurls, Anchor Steam Brewery caught in a whirl. Taken over by Sapporo, a corporate hand, The essence of craft lost in their command.
Once a beacon of independence and pride, Anchor Steam now struggles, feeling tied. Sapporo's grip, a suffocating hold, The spirit of creativity, slowly sold.
Gone are the days of small-batch delight, The heart and soul of craft, now overshadowed, By profit margins and strategies so hallowed.
San Francisco's brewing heritage, now in decline, As the corporate machine leaves little room to shine. The authentic flavors, once revered and pure, Now diluted, a hollow allure.
Yet, amidst the gloom, craft brewing persists, A movement resilient, fueled by passionate fists. Independent brewers, like rebels in the night, Keep the spirit alive, their craft alight.
Let us raise our glasses to these true artisans, The pioneers who defy corporate dominions. Craft brewing's spirit, forever untamed, In their hands, the legacy reclaimed.
Anchor Steam's plight serves as a reminder, Of the importance of staying true, never blinder. To support local breweries, their craft we embrace, Preserving authenticity, in each brewing chase.
new craft breweries are nice for when you go out, etc. or live near by. but it doesn't replace something you can buy on the go .
but I guess i am asking for too much
Or grab a case of Kirin or Asahi from costco.
Moreover, the Japanese executives who are brought in to set things up (and whose responsibility it is to create said culture), mostly mull about going back to HQ instead of doing their jobs. This is especially the case for situations where relocations are hard for their families.
On the other hand, some of the best results often came when HQ was represented by someone much more wizened and experienced, almost retirement age. Almost all such folks I've met were exceptionally sharp and brilliant, and didn't have any obligations like family or HQ. Those guys didn't really give a shit and just gave the task their best shot, in very Japanese fashion.
I think this is a simple combination of the decline of SF retail and the decline of alcohol culture. I would not be surprised to see more breweries following even in cities with healthier foot traffic.
They wanted to set up a "modern" lager brewery like what was killing off all of the historic beer styles on the East coast. But they did not have any of the refrigeration equipment. So the entire concept of "steaming" beer was the result of a low-tech hack/workaround to make a "modern" lager beer without the facilities. It exists today as a unique historical artifact, but it was honestly pretty lucky to survive past the introduction of real lagers in California on kitsch alone.
The story is remarkably similar to Boudin sourdough. That "signature" taste is not from San Francisco's air (or not entirely), but it's of a normal sourdough bread aged incorrectly.
I wonder if they would have been better able to control costs and stay in business if their workers hadn't unionized?
So maybe it survives this one too?