The last surviving producer was near closing in the 1960's when Fritz Maytag decided to take a look before it was gone. Little did he know he'd become the brewery's white knight. After that visit he became part owner, and then owner and rebuilder in rapid succession. Today's steam style beer is, of course, built around what Maytag saved and what he was able to resurrect from old brewing records. First you notice the color - a light amber, sometimes a touch cloudy, but always with a high level of effervescence topped by a dense head.
Taste closely follows the nose.
Bitterness is achieved through copious use of Northern Brewer hops which provides assertive, yet balanced, bitterness. All those hops are restrained by additions of caramel malt which along with the fruitiness and butterscotch yields a delightful balance of complexity. If that weren't enough, the carbonation dances across your tongue, stimulating your taste buds. Take a look at Anchor's label and you'll see why 1996 is such a big deal for the company. Not only was it 30 years previous that Fritz Maytag made his purchase, but it also marks the brewery's 100th year.