Phil Stitt, Anchor Brewing Company Label Designer and Painter

When a friend invited me to see the work of Phil Stitt, resident label designer since the 1970s of the Anchor Brewing Company Christmas ales, I immediately got excited.  The first time I went to Anchor was when I was a college student studying microbiology and we snuck in Petri plates to try and "capture" some airborne microorganisms, hoping to culture their special brewery yeast.  I don't remember whatever happened to that experiment but I do remember the lovely smells and the beautiful, sculptural copper kettles.

Anchor Brewing Compnay

Phil's work was a mix of portraits and landscapes.  It is interesting to me that someone with the skills to do graphic design is also skillful at painting.

 It is clear that his pantheon of painters include Manet, Klimt, Monet.

This landscape of the Palace of Fine Arts was a particular favorite of mine.  

Phil Stitt

And Anchor generously poured their beers for the guests.  Nibblies and pizza were also provided.

 Info on their brewery tours can be found here.