America’s craft beer industry was shaken to its core last summer when it was announced that Anchor Brewing, the iconic San Francisco brewery known for popularizing steam beer, was shutting down. Sapporo, which owned the brewery at the time, shuttered the doors of the brewery, leaving craft beer fans confused and heartbroken.
The hope was that someone would recognize the value in the Anchor Brewing name and legacy and quickly purchase the brewery, rescuing it from a permanent place in craft beer history books. It took time, but now that day has arrived as billionaire Hamdi Ulukaya has announced he is purchasing the brewery, with the full intent of returning it to its former glory.
Fermentation of a Different Sort
If you haven’t heard of the name Hamdi Ulukaya, you’re not alone. He doesn’t enjoy the name recognition of wealthy folks like Warren Buffet or Bill Gates. But you have, most likely, heard of the product that helped him reach nine figures of wealth: Yogurt. Or, more specifically, Chobani Yogurt. Ulukaya founded the popular manufacturer of fermented dairy products in 2005 and his desire to expand his fermentation fetish has led him to acquire one of the most iconic beer brands in American craft beer history.
Ulukaya posted a video online just recently and expressed his desire to revive the Anchor Brewing:
“I just had lunch with four people who used to work here until it was closed,” said Ulukaya. “We talked about the past, we talked about all the years that they’ve been here, how people would come and visit this place. The technology, the beer, the uniqueness of steam beer that only Anchor Beer would do it. It was embedded in San Francisco’s fabric. When I told them that I’d like to be part of bringing this company, Anchor Beer, this dream, back to life, they couldn’t be more excited, and I couldn’t be more honored. It’s the essence of San Francisco, it’s the essence of this country that we can always bring it back stronger, better than ever before. I think the best time of San Francisco is yet to come. I can’t wait to get back to work on my part with Anchor Brewery. Let’s do this.”
Return to Greatness
Anchor Brewing has an interesting past. It was founded in 1896 and it went through a few ownership changes during its 127 years in operation. Most notably, appliance guru Fritz Maytag held the reins of the brewery from 1965 to 2010. Maytag, at the time of his acquisition, saved the brewery from closure. This time around, another entrepreneur is saving Anchor, except this time, it’s a complete resuscitation since the brewery had already been shuttered for nearly a year.
Here at Great Beer Now, the closure of Anchor Brewing came as a shock. An even greater puzzlement was that no other brewery or businessperson stepped forward to save the brand and its beer. Today, Hamdi Ulukaya is stepping to the plate, determined to return Anchor Brewing to its former glory. We wish him all the best as he works to resurrect this iconic business and restore its place as one of the most respected brands in the craft beer industry.
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