Anchor Brewing historian writes his goodbye
Column: Anchor Brewing's historian of 31 years, David Burkhart, tries to say goodbye to a company that taught him lessons about beer, brewing and life
Anchor Steam Beer is San Francisco’s liquid treasure. And the story of Anchor Brewing is as unique as it is compelling: its Gold Rush roots; its 1871 birth as Golden City Brewery; its becoming “Anchor” in 1896; its demise in the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire and rebirth in 1907; its closure from Prohibition to Repeal; its burning and reopening in 1934; its closure in 1959 and reopening in 1960; its rescue from bankruptcy by Fritz Maytag in 1965; and the craft beer revolution that he and his brewery ignited.
I was a member of the Anchor team for more than 31 years — almost half my life. Like most everyone there in 1991, I started out on the bottling line. Fritz wanted you to learn how to do everything, encouraging everyone to find and blossom in the duties that best suited their individual talents. Working side-by-side with Fritz and his team — some of whom are still at the brewery today — taught me many lessons about beer, brewing, and the values that make for a great product, a great company and a great life.
Source: SFGATE
