IT’S OFFICIAL: ANCHOR BREWING SALE A DONE DEAL

 It’s the official end of an era. San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Co., owned and run for the past 45 years by Fritz Maytag, is now part of Anchor Brewers & Distillers LLC. The acquisition, announced in April, was officially completed in August. Anchor Steam, Liberty Ale and other libations, such as Junipero Gin and Old Potrero Whiskey, are now in the hands of experienced alcoholic beverage entrepreneurs Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio. Their previous ventures include helping turn little-known Skyy Vodka into an international brand, before it was bought by Gruppo Campari in 2OO1. “We’re going to increase the capacity of the brewery and expand the spirit and distilling side of the business without losing sight of quality,” said Greggor, the new company’s CEO.
For Greggor and Foglio, Anchor Brewers’ chairman, the primary focus has been on the kind of craft beers and artisan spirits pioneered by Maytag. Affiliated companies include Preiss Imports, a San Diego distributor of high-priced single malt whiskeys and other limited-edition spirits, and Scotland’s BrewDog Brewery. The new company also has a co-distribution deal with Berry Bros. & Rudd, Britain’s 3O2-year-old global purveyor of fine wines and spirits. As such, Anchor Brewery’s Junipero Gin and Old Potrero Whiskey should be showing up on foreign shores, much to the delight of Maytag, who formulated the two spirits in 1996 and ranks Berry Bros. & Rudd “second to none”. Maytag remains as chairman emeritus.