Bruce Joseph, the master distiller who spent 45 years at San Francisco-based Hotaling & Co. (formerly Anchor Spirits) and was among the pioneers of the U.S. craft distilling movement, has retired, the company announced. He’s best known as the creator of Old Potrero, the country’s first 100% malted rye made on copper pot stills since before Prohibition.
Joseph’s career at Hotaling & Co. began under founder Fritz Maytag, who became famous in craft beer circles for revitalizing Anchor Brewing Co. and its flagship brand, Anchor Steam, after purchasing the company in 1965. Anchor Steam’s rise was considered the early dawn of the craft beer movement. Anchor Spirits was founded in 1993 as an outgrowth of the brewing operation.
“As I reflect on my career over the last 45 years, beginning as a young brewer at Anchor, I realize how fortunate I was to have a ringside seat for not only the craft brewing revolution, but the rebirth of craft distilling,” Joseph said in a statement.
After spending 13 years as a brewer, Joseph moved over to the distilling side after Anchor Spirits was founded. Through much trial and error, he eventually created the innovative rye that met Maytag's goal of having a whiskey that tapped into 18th-century style. Old Potrero 100% rye was distilled in copper pot stills and barreled in 1993. Three years later, it was launched in a market where rye was nearly extinct as a style. It also reintroduced pot-distilled 100% ryes to American palates.
Joseph later extended into gin with Junipero, also copper pot-distilled. Genevieve whiskey followed in 2007, featuring a genever, a gin-whiskey hybrid based on the historical forerunner to gin. In 2017, Anchor Brewing was sold to Japanese brewer Sapporo, and distilling side continued separately. The following year, the spirits side became Hotaling & Co., the distiller of Old Potrero and importer of brands including Arran, Old Pulteney, Kavalan, Nikka, and more.
Under Joseph’s guidance, the Old Potrero line has grown to include several expressions. This includes the staple rye, alongside 16 year old bottled in bond, and Christmas Spirit 12 year old, a whiskey aged in barrels that previously held Anchor Steam ale. There were also two single barrel expressions, and as of October 2024, a California Cellar Series of wine-finished ryes, made in collaboration with Silver Oak and Sonoma Portworks.
Joseph leaves the distillery reins with head distiller and blender Kevin Aslan, senior distiller Mike Boo, and distillery and facility manager Adam Hall.
