Anchor Our Special Ale (2003)

Dark brown color with a beige head. The taste is sweet but with a complex mix of spices and malts. Nice.

A little too spicy for my tastes, but good nonetheless for a winter seasonal. Phenol, clove, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon are the flavors, with a buttery piney finish.

Magnum, courtessy of Ruffian. Pours a clear dark brown and a tan head. Piney aroma with underlying chocolate notes. Flavor is smooth and creamy porter-like, with some pine notes. I could really give this some high marks without the pine for a porter, but otherwise rather nice.

very piney. Dark color. Nice head. Rich and full bodied. Its ok if you like spices like clove.

A complex winner in this catogory. I expected more alcohol in the flavor but it was muted along with a complex flavor of spices

This is my first Anchor special christmas ale. I have heard good things about this unique beer. So I am happy to be rating it. When I first popped the top off I was blown away by strong ginger spice aroma. I swear it was freshly baked ginger cookies! Ok, this beer has a lot going on here. Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, pine and spruce taste. Maybe hints of leather and a chewy mouthfeel. Rich and satisfying. Another good one from Anchor.

Bottled. Interesting variety, not your standard overspiced holiday beer. Seems like a porter base, with a taste of cinnamon, ginger, pine, and bits of wild cherry or sour apple. Brown body with red highlights, brown thin head. Leaves some sticky to lick your lips to. Not fantastic, but still very nice.

Deep ruby red color with a tan head and a beautiful aroma of orange, ginger and spice. I love this beer and look forward to it every season. 2003 is a good year. Lots of nutmeg, clove and ginger on top of a strong malty sweetness. Sharp on the tongue with a nice bitterness in the finish.