California, United States
Fritz Maytag buys Anchor Brewing
A failing San Francisco brewery was bought and rebuilt around traditional methods at the low point of American brewing diversity.
1965
Why it matters
Generally taken as the starting point of American craft brewing, and the survival of the California Common style.
How well this is established
| Certainty | Documented. Supported by contemporary records that survive and are agreed on. |
|---|---|
| When | 1965. Known to the year rather than to the day. |
| Where | California, United States |
Styles this shaped
Traditions
- American craft brewing — The post-1980 American movement built on intense hop character, reinterpretation of European styles, and rapid categorical change.
Either side of this
← 1960: Berliner Weisse declines and is reinvented · 1966: Pierre Celis revives witbier →
See the whole sequence on the beer history timeline.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.