Anchor Our Special Ale (2004)

Formerly brewed at Anchor Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
San Francisco, California USA

All beers shared by csbosox, courtesy of his departed friend Mark. Cheers to you Mark.

Side by Side of the 1999, 2000 and 2001 Vintages:
1999 - Pour is a ruby brown, hazed, with a thin rim of an off white head. Aroma of big full nutmeg, soft, spiced coriander, bunch of yeast. Nice delicate and full nose. Taste is pretty metallic, oxidized, behind that, and after the oxidiation clears there is some of the spiced nutmeg of the nose. Palate is medium, lightly carbonated, with a lingering yeast aftertaste. (8,4,6,3,14 - 3.5)
2000 - Pour ditto to the 1999, though a bit flatter looking. Aroma is metallic showing substantial oxidation. After that clears, a bit of nutmeg, clove. Taste is showing the oxidation with a dry metallic nature, followed by spruce, nut, tree bark. Palate ditto the 1999. (6,4,5,3,11 - 2.9)
2001 - Pour ditto the 1999. Aroma is full and round, chestnut, vanilla, cinnamon, even some cranberry. Certainly the best nose of these three. Taste is really well integrated, some of the nut berry and yeast of the nose, along with a pleasant dry fruit character. However, there are also some phenols present that detract. Palate ditto the 1999. (8,4,6,4,16 - 3.6)

Side by Side of the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Vintages:
2002 - Pour is a hazed brown ruby with a 1/4 inch tan head. Aroma is big spice yeast, clove, hazel / nutmeg, dry fruit even. Nice. Taste is dry fruit light sweetness, along with the spice yeast, touch of oxidation in the back. Palate is thinner than some of the older vintages, medium to thin. (8,4,7,3,15 - 3.7)
2003 - Pour ditto the 2002. Aroma is the typical potpurri of spice, with some light metallic. Taste is showing oxidation, up front followed by the potpurri spices, dry fruit ester sweetness and a hint of vanilla. Palate is medium to thin, some light carbonation, long spiced finish. (6,4,6,3,12 - 3.1)
2004 - Pour ditto the 2002. Aroma ditto 2002. Taste is spice, cinnamon, earth, yeast and nuttiness. Nice integration of flavors, really get the malt in this more than others. Palate is medium, more full bodied than the 02 and 03. This was the class of the session. (8,4,8,4,15 - 3.9)

Tasted by itself:
2007 - Pour is hazed brown ruby with a 1/4 inch tan head. Aroma is softly spiced, potpurri, clove, yeast esters. Much more subdued than others. Taste is clove, light white pepper, general yeast. Not much malt, some faint pine hop. Palate is thin to medium, long dry pepper aftertaste. (7,4,6,3,14 - 3.4)

Bottle by way of trade at least a year ago. Sorry I can’t remember who sent this to me. If you see this rating please let me know and I’ll update the rating. Pours cloudy brown with a one finger tan head after a vigorous pour, but that faded pretty fast. The nose is cinnamon, ginger, tobacco and light chocolate. The taste is spice, slightly sour fruit, dates, tobacco juice and faint cocoa. Thinner mouthfeel. Decent brew. Probably past its prime, but there foundation is still there and it’s still tasty.

Bottle that I found in the back of my cupboard, originally bought at the Utobeer stand in Borough Market, London. Dark murky brown pour with a slight tan head. Aroma of chocolate, malt and dark fruit. Tastes of dark fruit, malty, rather thin and dull maybe due to age. Perfectly acceptable but nothing to get excited about in my opinion.

Bottle. Poured a ruby reddish brown. Nose is caramel and port like. Some light carbonation. Fairly smooth but vinuous. Lots of dark fruit flavors with a sweet finish. Possibly past it’s prime.

Pours to a deep brown body with a nice tan head that mostly but not fully dissipated. The aroma is earthy and twiggy with some ginger and cinnamon. Subtle milk chocolate. The flavor is smokey and earthy with twigs and subtle chocolate. The palate is medium bodied with some sweet earthy overtones.

2004-12, bottle, Göteborg AR: fudge and hops AP: dark amber body, low steady head F: christmas spices, fudge and hops

12 oz. bottle - thanks nugget; dark rosy brown with spotty white head; rich, deep bodied with nutty, spicy and bready aromas; malty, nutty and dry; quite nice with lots of spice, nutmeg, cloves

On tap, 2004 keg. Pours with a creamy tan head and a slightly hazed amber brown body. Decent lace. Aroma of dark toffee, caramel, coffee and light spice (very light for an OSA). Flavor of dark fruits, spice, coffee grounds (light) bitter dark caramel and light oxidation papery notes. Rounded fruit notes. Medium bodied, creamy mouth, medium to high bubbles.