Starting the Month with Beer: June 1-4

Blue Island Brewing

After 11 years, Blue Island Brewing Co. has had to call it quits.

They had been trying to work with their landlord and the village, which said that their building was up to 2/3 empty, when they had mostly been using the extra space for storage and for shows, including live concerts and the Witch-O-Rama Market and Drag Shows (photos above).

BIBC was co-founded by Bryan Shimkos, previously with Flossmoor Station, Rock Bottom and Ale Syndicate. They will be hosting a final garage sale the weekend of June 6 and 7.
   

Anchor Brewing

There are some hopeful signs that the shuttered Anchor Brewing in San Francisco may finally be returning to production.

Anchor was closed down by owner Sapporo three years ago. A year later it was purchased by Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder of Chobani, who announced plans to open shortly. But since that time, the plant continued to deteriorate, and a stink from old wastewater tanks plagued the neighborhood.

But now, VinePair reports, drawing from other sources as well as its own research, that noted a social media photo of a technician beside their copper kettle. The grounds and building are getting cleaned up and painted. Later, there were reports of contractors on-site, including the co-founder of 21st Amendment. Anchor has been securing state permits to begin operation, and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has approved two new labels for Anchor Steam and the Old Foghorn Barleywine.

At this time, though, no schedule for reopening has been announced, and none of the former workers at Anchor have been contacted, as Ulukaya has promised.

Getting to be World Cup time again, and this time the matches will be during the day and evening on OUR time. Please forward me any info on beer places that will be showing the footie!

Tuesday, June 2

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Wednesday, June 3

Thursday, June 4