Anchor O.B.A. Our Barrel Ale

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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Awesome to get to try this at GABF 2011. Pours a mahogany color with a large off-white head. The aroma is fruity, some apricot, oak, maybe stronger spirits. The flavor was a nice and easygoing but robust mix; akin to a strong ESB in some ways, sweet fruits including darker ones, some oak, light whiskey, burnt caramel. Very nice.

Gabf. Hazy, darkish orange appearance with a foamy, cream colored head. Sweet, caramel, vanilla, toasty oaky aroma. Quite oaky, vanilla, light toffee, caramel malty flavor. Pretty tasty.

In short: A tired cheesy and nutty sweet beer. Meh
How: Magnum shared at RBSG 2011 grand tasting
> The look: Cloudy light burgundy body topped by a very small
In long: Strange nose… I noted something strangely moldy and farmhouse (almost cheesy) over the sweet malts. I’m not sure it was supposed to smell like this. Taste is nutty caramel, a bit buttery, maple syrup, coconut, other. I didn’t pick any oxidation per say but this sure didn’t taste fresh. Two years old is usually not so old for a barrel aged American strong ale but this bottle just tasted tired. At this point this beer is N.V.G. Not Very Good.

This poured a murky brown with no head at all. Aroma was very malt forward and sweet, light smoke and oak too. Flavor was very oxidized and cardboard like, lots of caramel mlats and some dark fruits. Past its prime for sure.

The last of a bottle shared by Jer. Pours with a hazed amber body with an off-white head. Aromas are sweet, malty, light oak, estery, vanilla. Flavors are oaky, malty, maple, grainy and some brown sugar. Light bubbles, lightly tannic. I would love to be able to try this again!

Magnum generously shared by ygtbsm. Thanks again Brad! Pours a dark copper/mahogany colorwith golden ruby edges and a thin half finger off white head that slowly fades into a lasting ring. Faint lacing left behind. Sweet boozy bourbon aroma with hints of caramel, toffee, rye and hazelnut. The barrel presence with toasted oak, coconut, vanilla and bourbon but it doesn’t overpower the malt notes of the base beer. Lots of biscuit, vanilla, caramel and dark fruit. Medium bodied and perfectly balanced with a nice amount of sweet bourbon, earthy oak and tons of vanilla sweetness. Theres also some toasted coconut and faint heat but not too boozy. Very nicely balanced and the abv is well masked masking it easy to drink. Malty notes of caramel, toffee, biscuit and rye. The spirit is perfectly integrated into the flavor of the beer without being astringent or one dimensional. Amazing.

1.5 liter bottle. Poured a deep amberish color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, some woodiness, and a bit fruity. Tastes of caramel, wood, dark fruits, and brown sugary.

Tepid brown, no head. Hot, lightly malty, heavy sugar and fruit, bit of toffee and paper and cinnamon through finish. Pretty aged at this stage.

1.5L (magnum) thanks to ygtbsm94 at RBSG 2011 in Philly. The pour is a flat, red amber with bubbles for a head. Nose is cheesy hops, heavy toffee and brittle, small butter. Comes across as being a beer I am not going to like very much. Taste is imperial red like with lots of specialty malts, maybe some unwanted crystal malt, and lots of syrup and maple. Stale hoppiness. Very sweet and syrupy. Sort of in between an Imperial Red and barleywine. Not for me :(

Big bottle shared by Brad at rbsg2011. Thanks Pours a dark copper amber with a sudsy tane head. Notes of strong toffee, brown sugar, oak, light oxidation.