Anchor Liberty Ale

Brewed by Anchor Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
San Francisco, California USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

Soap white to off white thick, foamy head. Cloudy with an yellowish/orange color. Very nice. Smell of citrus with slight peach notes. I tasted a grapefruit citrus. Not bad by any means, but seemed to be the dominating flavor. This beer coates the throat and tongue very nicely and seems to hang around for a minute. This is a nice spring and summer beer for me.

Though simple, this bittersweet ale is quite effective. A solid, and very drinkable, example of an American pale ale. Pours light gold, cloudy. Aromas of harsh american hops and light malt; these are well balanced out by a smooth, slightly sweet and slightly bitter taste. The aroma alone is harsh, but married together with the taste it does very well. The mouthfeel is light, yet there is body there; it has a dry finish. A bit of caramely sweetness comes out while drinking. Not complex, but very pleasant.

pours golden amber with very thin/ fading white head. Fairly carbonated. Smells of refreshing lemony citrus. Tastes the same way. Not as bitter as I would have expected given the description. Yum

Bottle. Hoppy grapefruit aroma with sweet biscuity notes. Golden-orangey colour, hazy, with a white head. Heavy bitterness with undertones of sweetness. A little oily on the palate. Lively carbonation. A good beer, but not an awful lot to get excited about. A little overrated.

12oz bottle, purchased at Oliver’s Market off Stony Point Road in Santa Rosa. Pours a bright, honey-orange color, lightly effervescent, high clarity (despite the fact that a touch of yeast dropped during the pour); foamy, well-textured white head with great retention and lacing; a gorgeous pour. Very clearly presented citrusy Cascade hops in the aroma: citrus blend, touches of grapefruit; the malt core itself is quite light (always preferable, in my mind, when the alternative is a pronounced Crystal character), showing just hints of tea and crystalline sugars; touches of red apple and pear from the yeast; the hoppiness here is fresh, vibrant, and (again) very clearly presented in the nose. Medium body; moderate CO2; lightly creamy, non-astringent and no alcohol; the malt core takes a slightly more pronounced role in the mouth, showing a biscuity note that merely approaches a rounder caramel character (none of the pronounced, rough Crystal notes) along with a light crystalline bit of sugar; well-attenuated, but not exceptionally dry; medium hop bitterness and flavor that, while not nearly as resiny or intensely tongue-numbing as other pale ales and IPAs, again clearly and charismatically presents the citrusy Cascade notes; the malt core seems rather English-influenced, while the hoppiness is all American C-hops: and yet, there overall effect is a citrusy British-style pale ale, with a rather prominent red fruit note and pear character from the yeast; the prominent grapefruit and carbonation on the tip of the tongue just makes this a touch difficult to dive into at first, but the overall effect is a beautifully composed pale ale with a lively and clear citrus hoppiness. Tasty, well-made stuff. Medium finish of biscuity malts, light toastiness, and lingering citrus hop flavor; softly bitter.

Bottle. Hazy golden orange with persisting white head. Aromas of grass, malt, yeast and orange. Flavors of caramel, biscuit, grapefruit, orange, and yeast. Salty. Much depth between the malt and hops and yet very balanced. Medium-thin body with creamy mouthfeel and lively, soft carbonation. Still a benchmark APA.

Draft at redlight redlight. Pours bright gold with a bright white head and good lace. Very nice nose with lots of grassy hops. Some citrus and some herb aromas as well. Flavor is pretty mild with a good mild bitterness that is refreshing and dry but not very complex. The body is a little too thin but overall a decent easy to drink beer.

12oz bottled Oct 13, 2009. Pours light golden amber, touch of haze, with a large off-white fluffy head that leaves spiderwebs of lacing, maintains a light cap. Aroma is citrus, orange, floral hops, a little bread or yeast. Moderate strength. Flavor is very nice, crisp floral hops, a touch of citrus, earth/pine, a little caramel malt to balance, finishes clean with good bitterness. Mouthfeel is slick, smooth, good carbonation. A nice, easy drinkin’ APA.