In the vein of books like The Widmer Way, San Francisco, California pioneers Anchor Brewing Company have produced a new book from historian David Burkhart on their iconic “steam beer” also known as the California Common style. The Anchor Brewing Story: America’s First Craft Brewery & San Francisco’s Original Steam Beer, is a 288-page insider’s guide to America’s first craft brewery in a sweeping illustrated format with over three hundred images (many published for the first time) and original homebrew recipes for four of Anchor’s iconic beers (Anchor Steam®, California Lager, Porter, and Liberty Ale).

Born and brewed in San Francisco, Anchor Brewing Co. has a heritage dating back to 1896 and rooted in the California Gold Rush. Resolute and resilient, it has survived earthquakes, fires, insolvency, and Prohibition. In 1965, when mass-produced beer dominated the American brewing landscape, Fritz Maytag rescued the nation’s smallest brewery from the brink of bankruptcy, preserving the legacy of its ground-breaking Anchor Steam® beer. Focused on tradition, quality, and flavor, Maytag transformed Anchor Brewing Co., igniting a revolution that paved the way for the craft beer movement. That foundation informs Anchor Brewing’s spirit of innovation today. The brewing team continues to hand-craft venerable beers that delight fans and stand the test of time.

Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, The Anchor Brewing Story is a book for beer drinkers, homebrewers, pro brewers, entrepreneurs, San Francisco-philes, and anyone who loves a good comeback tale. Following its release, the book will be available in hardcover ($32.50) and as an ebook ($13.99) with distribution online and retailers around the country.  

About the Authors

Award-winning author and historian David Burkhart is an honors graduate of Yale. In 1991, he joined the small staff of Anchor Brewing Co., where he worked side-by-side with owner and brewmaster Fritz Maytag. In his thirty-plus years at Anchor, Burkhart has done nearly every job at the brewery, adding Anchor brewery historian to his many titles in 2010. His books on the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and mixologist William T. “Cocktail” Boothby have won numerous awards. Burkhart is also a professional trumpeter; a founding member of the Grammy-nominated Bay Brass; a performer with San Francisco’s Symphony, Opera, and Ballet; and a professor at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
 
Fritz Maytag grew up in Newton, Iowa. He graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1955 and Stanford in 1959, where he subsequently studied Japanese. The owner of York Creek Vineyards and chairman emeritus of Maytag Dairy Farms, Anchor Brewing Co., and Anchor Distilling Co., Fritz is the recipient of the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional and Lifetime Achievement Awards.

About Anchor Brewing Company

Established in San Francisco in 1896, Anchor Brewing Company is America’s first craft brewery, a trailblazer and industry leader that has persevered through earthquakes, fires, and Prohibition. In 1965, Anchor’s new owner Fritz Maytag revived the brewery for a new era, charting a course that was foundational in the craft beer movement. During this time, Anchor reinvented its now classic Steam Beer, introduced the first American Pale Ale, and pioneered new brewing practices—such as dry-hopping—that are still used industry-wide today. As a proudly unionized brewery, Anchor’s dynamic portfolio of beers includes complex ales, refreshing IPAs, and iconic classics such as Anchor Steam®, Liberty Ale, Anchor Porter, California Lager, and Christmas Ale. As always, Anchor Brewing remains committed to innovation while hand-crafting venerable beers that stand the test of time. Locals and Bay Area visitors can experience Anchor Brewing in-person at their iconic brewery and Public Taps taproom in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood. To learn more, visit www.anchorbrewing.com, and follow Anchor Brewing on Instagram Twitter and Facebook.