SF Trademark #2 -- Steam Beer

Marks are used to represent goods or services in a certain market. It's no surprise, then, that a company in a port city (San Francisco, of course) would use a maritime figure to represent its product.

Anchor Brewing registered this symbol in 1984, claiming to have used it in commerce since 1971. The name of their most popular product, "Steam Beer," was also registered in the early 80's, though they claim on their website to have used it in commerce for decades:

Anchor Steam derives its unusual name from the 19th century when "steam" seems to have been a nickname for beer brewed on the West Coast of America under primitive conditions and without ice. The brewing methods of those days are a mystery and, although there are many theories, no one can say with certainty why the word "steam" came to be associated with beer. For many decades Anchor alone has used this quaint name for its unique beer. In modern times, "Steam" has become a trademark of Anchor Brewing.