Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

Brewed by Anchor Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
San Francisco, California USA

Serve in Lager glass, Tumbler

Bottle 2007 version. Pours a very dark reddish brown color with a very nice looking 2 finger slightly tan head that doesn’t seem to want to go down! Cinnamon spice type aromas in the nose and sweet smelling. Interesting flavors here...definite cinnamon and then bitter almost clove like taste. Lighter mouthfeel than I would have expected from the look. Fairyl carbonated. Bitter after taste, almost medicinal.

For what this is, it is a solid winter beer that has become a tradition, .....but this just came off to spiced and having a odd metalic twang throughout. I love Anchor, remember this in the day in college when you’d be all like, winter beers rock, then pound one and puke, good times.

[355ml bottle, Cornelius Beer & Wine, Edinburgh] 2009 vintage. Dark brown pour with a thin head. Aromas are bitterer than previous versions, woody, clovey, and with plenty of lemon or orange peel. Taste is bitter juniper, astringent lemon juice and cloves. If other vintages were like mulled wine, this one is like mulled gin. Not as clovey as the 2008, and not as floral as the ’07. But like all Anchor winter beers, remains eminently drinkable and would really benefit from cellaring. [09/12/2009]

2008 magnum, dark brown with a fluffy tan head, aroma is sweet and spicy. Flavor is deep sticky maltiness with a nice piney hop and then spices like all spice, nutmeg, etc. Nice and Christmasy tasting, one of my fave Christmas beers.

Dark opaque brown, frothy tan head. Intriguing aroma of raw brown sugar and holiday spices-cinnamon, cloves maybe coriander (mace? ginger? something weird, but it works). Smooth and light bodied, very full flavors. Unusually rich and complex for a low strength brew.

Appearance: Poured a near black color with hints of red. Nice dark cream 3 finger head. Very reminiscent of Guinness. Smell: Very strong aroma of hops with a nice mix of spices. Taste: Nice smoked flavor building into an interesting mix of spice and a hint of coffee. Lightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel: Slightly bubbly at the beginning from the carbonation followed by a smooth, medium-body. Not as thick as I expected. Goes down very smooth. Drinakbility: For what it is, a winter warmer, it has high drinkability. It’s not something you grab when looking for refreshment but I could see enjoying a couple in one sitting. Overall: I think the 2006 was a high quality beer. It has a nice flavor that will send me out to buy a 6-pack before they’re gone. I would recommend it as a winter warmer.

2009 draft at Taco Mac in Roswell labled as Anchor Christmas ’09. Poured a ruby brown with no head. Aroma was of christmas spices, nutmeg?, allspice and cinnamon. Taste was an extreme of these spices, lots of all of em. Mouthfeel was ok, not full not thin and watery, just in the middle. Flavors consisted of tons of spice and some sweetness, maybe too much. I enjoyed one pint, not sure if I could have drank another one.

The aroma of cloves, malts, and small notes of vanilla. The color is light brown, very dark amber. The flavor of malts and spice are very nice for the holiday season.