Bruce Joseph

Anchor head brewer Bruce Joseph took over to a newly created head distiller position and in Dec 1994, they began producing Old Potrero Single Malt Rye Whiskey. In 2023, Bruce Joseph, the master distiller for Hotaling & Co., received the Distinguished Service Award by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) after working in the spirits industry for over 30 years. Starting out as a brewer, he and Fritz Maytag were brought on by Anchor Brewing in 1980 to attempt one of the first Pot Distilled 100% malted rye whiskeys in the modern era with Old Potrero. 

A San Francisco native, Bruce believes in drinking better, not more. Whether it’s a cocktail or higher end whiskey, the experience is what makes drinking memorable. When drinking, Bruce commonly listens to Merle Haggard, Steve Earle and The Pogues. 

Bruce works hard to keep Hotaling & Co. in San Francisco and honor the spirited history of the city. In 2023, Bruce ensured Old Potrero launched the Boothby cocktail, honoring the historical San Francisco Bartender, William Boothby, who wrote one of the first cocktail books in America.