The Beer Hall of Fame—if such a thing existed—would be filled with personalities and innovators, world class brewers and unsung heroes—a good swath of whom would have forged their careers in the United States during the 1980s. To fully appreciate where American beer is today, it’s best to examine that decade where roots were put down, iconic brands were formed and consumers had true flavor introduced to their pints.
The groundwork for what made the 1980s successful for craft beer was laid in the 1960s. That’s when Fritz Maytag bought the floundering Anchor Brewing in San Francisco, modernizing and revitalizing the brand. Thanks to this, it’s considered an early craft brewery.
Then, in 1976 Jack McAuliffe, Suzy Stern and Jane Zimmerman opened New Albion Brewing in Sonoma, California, making it the
