Bruce Joseph

Bruce Joseph’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and a lifelong love for spirits and the city of San Francisco. Having grown up in California’s Central Valley, about 90 miles east of San Francisco, after high school, Bruce headed to San Francisco State University. In 1980, he found work at Anchor Brewing. Hired as a brewer right out of college, Bruce was one of only a dozen employees in the early days of Anchor. It didn’t take long for him to climb the ranks, quickly moving into the cellar and brewing operations.

In 1993, Anchor’s owner, Fritz Maytag, decided to venture into distilling. Bruce, though a brewer by trade, eagerly took up the challenge. When Anchor Distilling launched, he became its first full-time distiller. That same year, Bruce and Fritz began working on Old Potrero, a 100% malted rye whiskey made using copper pot stills—a style unseen in the U.S. since before Prohibition. It debuted in 1996, helping to spark the American craft whiskey revival.

Bruce didn’t stop with rye. In 1996, he helped develop Junipero Gin, a bold, unfiltered gin at 98.6 proof, designed for gin lovers rather than the neutral spirit market. He and the team ground botanicals themselves, choosing to leave the gin slightly hazy for better flavor and mouthfeel.

Over the years, Bruce oversaw the creation of more spirits: Old Potrero Holtaling’s Whiskey (2006), Genevieve Gin (2007), JH Cutter Whiskey (2018), and the seasonal Old Potrero Christmas Spirit (2024), distilled from Anchor’s Christmas Ale and aged 12 years.

In 2017, when Anchor Brewing was sold to Sapporo, the distillery part of the business spun off as Hotaling & Co., which is named after a historic San Francisco warehouse Bruce not only preserved Anchor’s legacy by moving the original copper pot still to Pier 50, he also mentored a talented team, including head distiller Kevin Aslan and others. 

In 2023, the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. honored Bruce with its distinguished service award for his industry contributions After 45 years, he retired on February 13, 2025—his 69th birthday—transitioning to Master Distiller Emeritus and consultant.

Married with three adult children, Bruce still lives in the Bay Area. He says that when savoring a dram of Old Potrero, his favorite music includes fellow California native Merle Haggard. Bruce also says that as a recent retiree, he would like to volunteer more with his son’s nonprofit, and possibly dive deeper into politics. 

From homebrewer to industry pioneer, Bruce Joseph’s story shows how dedication, bold experimentation, and a strong team can spark lasting change. Though he’s stepped away from the still, his influence will echo in every bottle bearing his spirit.

Contributed by Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee