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

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Bottle. Pours a very deep brown color with just the barest hint of ruby showing through when backlit. Fantastic light brown head forms, very dense and composed of tiny uniformed shaped bubbles and never really fades away. Nice spice aroma with nutmeg and cinnamon being the dominant things I pick up. Lighter bodied, a touch thin and watery at times. Nicely done spice additions play well in flavor. Nutmeg, cinnamon and perhaps clove. Light dry hops in the finish. Other than mouthfeel this was a spectacular beer.

Bottle. Pours a ruddy murky brown with a fluffy tan head. Nose is slightly earthy, with dusty cocoa notes, light nutmeg, hint of cinnamon and light hops. Many other spices in there, but I can’t seem to discern the others. Taste brings forth spiced cakes, light oatmeal cookies, brown sugar oatmeal, powdered milk and cocoa. Lots of spice throughout the taste as well - clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Body is medium with a creaminess about it despite the full carbonation feel at times. Finishes with lots of spices, cocoa, light herbs, piney hops, and oatmeal cookie notes. Very nice this year. Brings out the holidays indeed!

Very pretty ruby crimson color through the light, pellucid with an otherwise unassuming dark asphalt color. The head is off-white, nearly tan; fizzy, non-retentive. Moderate lacing. Nose of light dark cocoa/chocolate and piney fruity herbs and hops. The flavor is bright up front with zesty hops then mellows to a large chewy body of mainly chocolate and other lightly roasted malts and light cloved orange notes. The finish is a bit much for my palate, seems to just dance over it like water on a hot skillet. Very nice edition of this seasonal gem.

I always know when the holiday season is here when I spot this beer on the shelves. Has it really been 31 years that they have been making this gem? This Christmas Ale pours a dark brown color from a 12 oz bottle. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is nutmeg, cinnamon and orange peel. There are other aromas in there as well as some hop aromas but I need a better nose then mine to pick them out. A medium bodied ale. Malts are chocolate and semi sweet. Hops are citrusy. But the spices dominate the flavor with nutmeg, cinnamon, orange peel, chocolate and raisins. Yet with all those spices it has a nice fruity finish. This has all the indication of being an excellent brew this year. Will need to get a couple of 6 packs to age and let mellow. Oh, and this year’s tree is Quercus Agrifolia. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

aroma is spicy. like a cinnamon roll. this beer is fucking delish. taste is rum-like and carroty. beatiful black baby of mine.

Clear brown coloured with a beige head. Aroma of liquorice, chocolate and spices with notes of orange peel. Flavour of liquorice and chocolate with notes of spices and orange peel. The palate is a bit watery.

Bottled. Dark amber wih a small, beige head. Fresh, rather hoppy aroma with chocolate, raisins and coffee. Fresh and fizzy palate. Chocolate, raisins, figs, coffee. Rather bitter finish.

UPDATED: NOV 30, 2006 this beer is great, I wait all year for it. always forget what it tasted like and every year it’s a little different anyway!! it perfect. Spicy aroma, nutmeg I think- -WOW this is the best I can remmember. HA HA. very good mouthfeel and very nice subtle aftertaste not overpowering but lingering nonetheless

Nice dark amber, very nice brownish head. Nice compleax aroma from clove, ginger, brown sugar, some cinnamon, spices, caramel, raisins, nuts, chocolate and some roasted notes. Flavor is a bit more hoppy, still spicy, milk and quite bitter. Bitter finish and I was hoping for a better body.

Bottle. Tan medium sized fizzy head with fine and very large sized bubbles, sparse lacing, mostly opaque, fizzy carbonation, and a reddish brown hue. Malty, caramel, cinnnamon, nutmeg, sweet, and spicy aroma. Flavor was sweet, malty, thin, watery, burnt taste, and hint of chocolate. Smooth, watery, thin mouthfeel. Light-medium body.