Christmas and the Birth of American Craft Brewing

When, in the fullness of time, long after the American beer drinkers had languished amid the depravity of bland, international brews purporting to be pilsners, a young Stanford graduate arose to redeem the American brewing industry. His name was Fritz Maytag, and the beer was San Francisco’s iconic Anchor Steam.

After Maytag bought and revived the failing brewery in the late 1960’s, the San Francisco landmark became America’s first craft brewery.  Since 1975, Anchor has produced an annual Christmas Ale with a secret recipe that differs slightly each season.  In the early 1990’s, beer writer Michael Jackson featured Maytag and Anchor Brewing on his “Beer Hunter” series – YouTube currently features Jackson’s “California Pilgrimage” in five parts, and if you follow the link below you can lean more about this history of this pioneering brewery and its iconic “steam” beer.

This year’s 2011 “Special Ale” pours a dark mahogany with a luscious, tan head. Its creamy, chocolaty aroma invites the drinker to experience an intriguing, spicy, and hoppy roasted malt flavor, which ends with a dry, slightly alcoholic finish that you wouldn’t expect from this beer’s modest 5.5 % ABV. Merry Christmas!