Anchor Brewing Company, America's first modern craft brewery, is set to reintroduce its classic beer labels after a rebranding effort faced significant backlash. The brewery has received federal approval for new labels that will feature the original artwork for Anchor Steam Beer and Old Foghorn Ale, created by longtime designer Jim Stitt.
Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya purchased the historic San Francisco brewery in 2024 and vowed to restore its beloved branding. Ulukaya also acquired the brewery's 2.17-acre Potrero Hill campus, leading to speculation about the potential reopening of the landmark taproom. Recent sightings of staff at the Potrero Hill facility and Ulukaya's social media posts, including a photo inside the brewery's taproom, have further fueled these hopes.
The brewery ceased operations in 2023 after enduring years of financial difficulties, marked by declining sales and rising operational costs. Critics of the brewery's closure pointed to a combination of factors, including increased labor costs and the controversial 2021 rebranding that altered the appearance of the beer cans and labels. "You schmucks ruined a legacy business," Richie Greenberg, a San Francisco political commentator, stated in 2023 regarding the situation.
Anchor Brewing, which had operated at its Potrero Hill location since 1979, was one of the last remaining producers of steam beer. The company had been in business for over 127 years before its closure.