Lost SF gems
By Cameron Weston
Anchor Brewing is shutting down after over 125 years. This news hits me hard, as Anchor provided such a sense of community here in San Francisco.
A landmark in Potrero Hill, it began as Golden City Brewery in 1871, ultimately becoming Anchor Brewing in 1896. It has lived through — in one form or another — the great earthquake, Prohibition and countless other misfortunes. It has been saved from the brink multiple times, most famously by Fritz Maytag, of Maytag appliances renown, in the 1960s.
In short: Thanks to some true beer lovers, Anchor has been a survivor.
My history with Anchor isn’t that long. I’ve lived in San Francisco 25 years, but I didn’t become a regular at Anchor until COVID. I was lucky during the lockdown; while I very much enjoy my husband’s company, you can start getting on each others’ nerves after months of seeing just each other. We couldn’t really do much, so we did a lot of walking. From the Castro to Golden Gate Park, to Hayes Valley, Cole Valley, even the Ferry Building. We still missed our friends.
In 2020–21, Anchor wasn’t open to sit and enjoy a can or two, but they did have a folding table set up outside and you could order a 6-pack — cold, of course — and they would bring it to you. Lots of masks and very little personal interaction. It was within walking distance, so we invited our friends one day, and soon it became tradition.
Anchor is best known for being one of the few places to still brew steam beer, a variety made by fermenting the yeast at a higher temperature than most beers, resulting in a distinctive flavor. Because at the time this variety was cheap to make it was originally considered a beer for the working class but has since become associated with the craft beer movement. And it is indeed very, very good.
The first time we all got our beers, we found a small picnic area next to a small office building. I imagine it’s there for the people who worked in the building to take a break. There are three round picnic tables and a couple garbage cans — absolutely perfect for us for social distancing.
For over a year of the pandemic we spent many days and many hours there talking about everything and about nothing. And if someone ran out of beer we’d get back on our phones, order more, and walk over and pick up more supplies. We did this at least once a month, sometimes more. It was wonderful. I think we got to know our friends better and we got to feel the sense of community that I don’t think any of us realized we were missing until we got to do it again.
As the vaccinations rolled out, we gradually migrated to a single picnic table, which felt like a huge victory. We had our little pod and it felt safe and comfortable.
Not to be overly dramatic about it, but if there’s someplace you enjoy visiting that you haven’t been, go back. If there’s someone you love who you haven’t seen or called, reach out. Or make a point to get together with your friends in your favorite place. Because the place — and the friends — won’t always be there.
This weekend, I’m going to corral my friends and make one last pilgrimage to Anchor and raise a can to the place that saved my sanity. Our sanity. I encourage you to go to your place, wherever and whatever it is, bring your friends and remind yourself what’s really important.
And when you do, raise a glass to the Fritz Maytags of the world and put out the word that we’re ready for another to swoop in and save our beloved Anchor.
Cameron Weston is a San Francisco-based writer who specializes in ugly desserts.
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