Anchor Announces Second Brewery in San Francisco

February 18, 2013 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

The San Francisco Chronicle broke the news tonight that Anchor Brewing Co. will be building a second brewery near the waterfront at Pier 48, in partnership with the San Francisco Giants and their 27-acre Mission Rock development project. The Anchor Brewery space will apparently be 212,000 sq. ft., and will include “production and distribution facilities, a restaurant, museum and other public attractions.” It will also allow them to increase brewing capacity to approximately 600,000 barrels, while keeping all of their brewing operations within the city limits. The new facility is also expected to more than double the number of Anchor employees. Below is Anchor’s artist’s design for the new brewery.

For now, you can read the story at the Chronicle’s Anchor Brewing plant on S.F. waterfront. I spoke to Anchor Brewery co-owner Keith Greggor this evening and learned that there will be an official announcement tomorrow morning around 10 a.m. where we’ll learn more details, and I also have scheduled an interview with Greggor afterwards to go over the project in more details, so stay tuned.

And here’s what it should like inside part of the 212,000 sq. ft. building.

The Celebrator Silver Polka

February 18, 2013 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

During last night’s Celebrator 25th Anniversary Party, Vic Kralj, from the Bistro, wrote a spoof of “Roll Out the Barrel” for our silver anniversary, entitled the Celebrator Silver Polka. Then he rehearsed it with regulars and friends from his beer bar, unveiling it as a special surprise for Tom Dalldorf during the party. Below is a video the evening’s performance.

And here’s the sheet music, if you want to sing along.

Afterwards, Tom was presented with a framed copy of the song.

And later he and Arlene posed with some of the culprits who perpetrated his surprise.

Celebrator Anniversary Party 2013 Video

February 18, 2013 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Videographer Steve Atkinson again was on hand at last night’s 25th Anniversary Party, the last big event in this year’s SF Beer Week. Here’s his fun video of the evening’s festivities.

Celebrator 25th Anniversary Party

February 18, 2013 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

The closing event for SF Beer Week was again hosted by the Celebrator Beer News, who held their 25th Anniversary Party at the Oakland Marriott Convention Center on Sunday. Over 600 people attended the festival, which had a Mardi Gras theme, and 50 breweries were pouring their beer.

The tap handle for the beer that a group of Celebrator writer’s collaborated on to celebrate our 25th anniversary at Sierra Nevada Brewing

Some festival attendees really got into the Mardi Gras spirit.

Though not everybody, as evidenced by the Beer Wench, Ashley Routson, and recent husband Angelo De lseo.

Steve Altimari, from High Water Brewing, also made a special blended beer for our 25th anniversary celebration.

The view from the Brewing Network corner.

Midway through the festival, all of the Celebrator writers in attendance got up on stage and we drank a toast to craft beer, the brewers and our industry, and I introduced publisher Tom Dalldorf.

Then Tom led us in a 25th anniversary toast.

Del Grande, Bison Brewing owner, dressed as a bison, giving high fours to anyone who would lend a paw.

Fraggle and a bemused Jen Muehlbauer.

Rich Norgrove, from Bear Republic and Brian Ford, from Auburn Alehouse, bookending a friend who’s name I can’t remember, another brain cell casualty of getting old.