On Wednesday, July 12, 2023, news broke that San Francisco’s legendary Anchor Brewing would cease operations come the end of the month. The company cited slow sales and economic hardship as reasons behind the closure. Many SF locals hoped that a buyer would swoop in to save the brewery, and it looks like there may be a glimmer of hope. According to VinePair, Anchor Brewing union employees have sent a letter with the intention to buy the company and turn it into a worker-run and owned co-op brewery.
A week after the news of the closure broke, employees sent a letter stating their intent to buy and run the brewery to Sapporo, which bought Anchor Brewing in 2017. The union’s business agent Pedro de Sá stated that they asked the Sapporo USA president to answer regarding the possibility of working with the union by Friday, July 21st. The offer is a long shot–the liquidation of Anchor Brewing has been assigned to a third party, tasked with selling business assets to benefit creditors.
Anchor has had ups and downs in the past. It survived nearly closing previously in 1959, reopened in 1960, and then survived another potential closure in 1965, at which point Fitz Maytag bought 51% of the company.
Anchor Brewing has been a beloved San Francisco institution for 127 years. The brewery was one of the earliest innovators in the craft beer movement, and its most iconic creation is the revolutionary steam beer. It was also the first brewery in the world to have its own in-house distillery.
In 2017, Anchor opened a public taproom at 495 De Haro Street in San Francisco, which has been a gathering place for craft beer enthusiasts since. While Anchor Brewing’s future is uncertain, you can still visit Anchor Public Taps until August 1, 2023.