Beer of the week: Anchor Steam

Reviewed by Bill Manley, LINK

Type California common beer

Maker Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco

Alcohol 4.9 percent

Cost $4.50 for 16 ounces at Sobo Pizza Kitchen and Ale House, 4414 Monarch Way, Norfolk

The American craft brewing movement began with one man. In 1965, Fritz Maytag purchased a small, ailing brewery in San Francisco; within 10 years, he was producing world-class beer. By the late '70s, the demand for his Anchor Steam beer was so strong they couldn't keep up.

Anchor Steam is an odd but approachable beer. It is essentially a lager fermented at warmer ale-like temperatures, which imparts a rich, fruity character. It pours a bright copper color with a stark white head. Both the aroma and the flavor are full of malt, with a tinge of grainy sweetness mixed with the slightly sulphurous tang of hops. It is easy drinking and approachable to even the most die-hard "macro" beer fan. Many of the country's best beer bars reserve at least one tap for Anchor products out of respect for the legendary brewery and the movement it spawned. Anchor Steam is a classic, bursting with flavor.