# Anchor Brewing Liquidating **URL:** \ **Category:** The Pub\ **Created:** [July 12, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940 "2023-07-12T19:04:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![narcout](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/narcout/32/7683_2.png) [@narcout](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/narcout)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/1 "2023-07-12T19:04:48Z")
Bummer… > **[The oldest craft brewery in the United States is shutting down after 127 years...](https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/12/business/anchor-brewing-shutting-down/index.html)** > > Pour one out for Anchor Brewing: America’s oldest craft brewer is shutting down after 127 years in business. ---
**Author:** ![fredthecat](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/fredthecat/32/9872_2.png) [@fredthecat](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/fredthecat)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/2 "2023-07-12T19:41:28Z")
“Employees complained to VinePair last month about Sapporo’s alleged mismanagement and lack of understanding of craft beer in the US.” interesting. i do not know much about anchor’s recent history but haven listened to fritz maytag on podcasts and and anchor’s history. made me wonder about why unibroue seems no longer purchasable and anytime i look up stuff about them they are fixated on promoting their weird and out-of-brand megadeth/dave mustaine brews. very weird. ---
**Author:** ![lsales](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/lsales/32/12239_2.png) [@lsales](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/lsales)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/3 "2023-07-12T20:15:15Z")
I posted the recipes from BYO on my threads but can send them here if anyone is interested. ---
**Author:** ![dbeechum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/dbeechum/32/12418_2.png) [@dbeechum](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/dbeechum)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 8:21pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/4 "2023-07-12T20:21:07Z")
> [@](#): > > I posted the recipes from BYO on my threads but can send them here if anyone is interested. Spread them everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![brewingrover](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/brewingrover/32/13558_2.png) [@brewingrover](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/brewingrover)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 8:31pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/5 "2023-07-12T20:31:41Z")
> [@fredthecat](#): > > “Employees complained to VinePair last month about Sapporo’s alleged mismanagement and lack of understanding of craft beer in the US.” > > interesting. i do not know much about anchor’s recent history but haven listened to fritz maytag on podcasts and and anchor’s history. made me wonder about why unibroue seems no longer purchasable and anytime i look up stuff about them they are fixated on promoting their weird and out-of-brand megadeth/dave mustaine brews. > > very weird. Sapporo probably didn’t realize they were buying an urban brewery that wasn’t going to be able to be upgraded. I did the tour 10 years ago or so and it was a beautiful space. The mash tun was built into the center of the building and there were two giant copper kettles built into the space as well. I hadn’t seen Old Foghorn since pre-pandemic and that’s the beer I will miss the most. It was an outstanding barleywine. ---
**Author:** ![BrewBama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/brewbama/32/21184_2.png) [@BrewBama](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/BrewBama)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 8:33pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/6 "2023-07-12T20:33:25Z")
Sad times ---
**Author:** ![brewthru](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/brewthru/32/19_2.png) [@brewthru](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/brewthru)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/7 "2023-07-12T20:40:44Z")
Anchor Steam was good years ago. Absolute crap recently. ---
**Author:** ![jeffy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/jeffy/32/12842_2.png) [@jeffy](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/jeffy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 8:45pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/8 "2023-07-12T20:45:22Z")
I also toured the brewery several years ago. I’m glad I got the opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![TechBrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/techbrew/32/19_2.png) [@TechBrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/TechBrew)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:01pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/9 "2023-07-12T21:01:48Z")
I am so sorry to hear this, even though the quality had gone down in recent years. I make a California Common a couple of times a year, and when people ask me what that is, I say it is similar to Anchor Steam. Most people, especially in the Bay Area, know what that means because they have had one. ---
**Author:** ![brewthru](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/brewthru/32/19_2.png) [@brewthru](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/brewthru)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:04pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/10 "2023-07-12T21:04:00Z")
Yes, even on the East Coast of the USA we know a good, meaning old time, Anchor Steam. ---
**Author:** ![Cliff](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/cliff/32/19_2.png) [@Cliff](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/Cliff)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:18pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/11 "2023-07-12T21:18:31Z")
> [@brewthru](#): > > Anchor Steam was good years ago. Absolute crap recently. after sapporro bought them they contracted out the brewing of most of their beers and the character and quality suffered greatly. Most of the anchor steam that was purchased post 2017 was brewed by a pretty crappy contract brewery based out of San Jose, CA ---
**Author:** ![chumley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/chumley/32/12153_2.png) [@chumley](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/chumley)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:57pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/12 "2023-07-12T21:57:52Z")
Anchor Steam was the first craft beer I started to drink in 1985. It was a wonderful beer back then. Yes, I would like to see a recipe for it. ---
**Author:** ![TechBrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/techbrew/32/19_2.png) [@TechBrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/TechBrew)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 10:50pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/13 "2023-07-12T22:50:32Z")
In my understanding of history, the term “steam beer” was originally a bit pejorative, but a generic term applied to many beers. Anchor trademarked that name sometime around the late 1970s, so the style had to be called “California Common” instead of “Steam Beer”. Now that Anchor is going under, does their trademark disappear? Can commercial brewers call their brews “Steam Beer” without fear of legal consequences? It may not be a big issue, since I have found very few commercial breweries who make California Common. More than once I have been disappointed because I have seen a California Common listed on a website, but when visiting the brewpub found that they do not have any available. ---
**Author:** ![brewthru](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/brewthru/32/19_2.png) [@brewthru](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/brewthru)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 11:35pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/14 "2023-07-12T23:35:47Z")
Had to be called “California Common” due to Anchor Steam ---
**Author:** ![lsales](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/lsales/32/12239_2.png) [@lsales](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/lsales)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/15 "2023-07-12T23:53:17Z")
> [@dbeechum](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > I posted the recipes from BYO on my threads but can send them here if anyone is interested. > > Spread them everywhere. As you wish. ![b3d32b197e2d6fe699adcaa83a6e3ba5.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/2X/6/6fd51c5e4031f754edcd2566826463acfdb01abf.jpeg) ![f92f9b70b2e11829c2eddcdaf7a49b1b.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/2X/e/e9b519aa9f1111e6fcf7101fd7a4a3209d43aa32.jpeg) ![5ffcdcb237016e8c9b3a70d14a32abc2.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/2X/d/d4d478400e68af81c044c90f49001f0d71da19dc.jpeg) ![8f4c79959797fae17c9ad4b15e8c5834.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/2X/c/caa5efc55f23250e077f1d00d76905f52c5b8062.jpeg) ![409967d26c852bc1255d6303d789a93c.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/2X/b/b2a4335d8aeeff5fbbb30a456341920b4bd743ad.jpeg) ![89c5c3ec500bd6baba989b132252a233.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/2X/c/c8f5d50755b889522aae2fe6aa6a6656c6ecbf15.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![dbeechum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/dbeechum/32/12418_2.png) [@dbeechum](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/dbeechum)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 1:18am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/16 "2023-07-13T01:18:05Z")
> [@richard](#): > > Now that Anchor is going under, does their trademark disappear? Can commercial brewers call their brews “Steam Beer” without fear of legal consequences? Probably not - the trademark would be part of Anchor’s IP to be liquidated. Whoever buys the IP (since I’m sure it will be sold), will keep the trademark since it’s arguably one of the most valuable bits. ---
**Author:** ![mdixon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mdixon/32/19_2.png) [@mdixon](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mdixon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 12:19pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/17 "2023-07-13T12:19:41Z")
Everyone should realize we all contributed to their demise. When was the last time you purchased Anchor other than for a BJCP class, Christmas Ale, or Old Foghorn? With the saturation of breweries people stopped buying Anchor and sales declined to the point the parent company wasn’t willing to accept it anymore. Am I sad, yes, but I know I was one of the reasons they won’t be around anymore unless someone buys the assets to resurrect the brand. ---
**Author:** ![denny](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/denny/32/13092_2.png) [@denny](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/denny)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/18 "2023-07-13T14:49:57Z")
> [@mdixon](#): > > Everyone should realize we all contributed to their demise. When was the last time you purchased Anchor other than for a BJCP class, Christmas Ale, or Old Foghorn? > > With the saturation of breweries people stopped buying Anchor and sales declined to the point the parent company wasn’t willing to accept it anymore. > > Am I sad, yes, but I know I was one of the reasons they won’t be around anymore unless someone buys the assets to resurrect the brand. Ya know, I’m not gonna buy beer just to keep a historic brewery alive. I’m gonna buy it if I like it. ---
**Author:** ![brewingrover](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/brewingrover/32/13558_2.png) [@brewingrover](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/brewingrover)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/19 "2023-07-13T15:26:34Z")
One analysis  here, it sounds like Sapporo didn’t know what to do with their purchase > **[How Sapporo USA Sank Anchor Brewing Co.](https://vinepair.com/articles/sapporo-usa-anchor-brewing-liquidation-analysis/)** > > Anchor Brewing Co. is closing after 152 years brewing beer. Workers say parent company Sapporo USA led to the historic brewery's demise. I realize this is primarily sourced from employees, but the rebrand was a disaster IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![mdixon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mdixon/32/19_2.png) [@mdixon](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mdixon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 4:23pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940/20 "2023-07-13T16:23:06Z")
> [@denny](#): > > Ya know, I’m not gonna buy beer just to keep a historic brewery alive. I’m gonna buy it if I like it. The question is did you buy it regularly? If the answer is no, and for most people that is the case, then it’s the reason they are closing. It happens all the time in the beer business, but typically not to those who are well established. I can think of three right now within 30 miles who are for sale or closing. I didn’t buy Anchor because it was one of the more expensive brands on the market. I vividly recall the first time I got my hands on a Liberty Ale, but that experience wasn’t enough to keep me coming back on the regular. I do hope someone resurrects the brand, and soon. I would also hope they would scrap the new branding in favor of the old. [Next page](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/anchor-brewing-liquidating/32940.md?page=2)