RateBeer

Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

Percentile
91
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
Find this beer

Add Distribution Data
send corrections | shelftag |
RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
10363.56/5.03.56/5.0Winter5.5%94.9Lager glass, Tumbler
Commercial Description:
This is our special ale from the brewers at Anchor. It is sold only from early November to mid-January. The Ale’s recipe is different every year, but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life. Since ancient times, trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with its seasons appears born anew. <br /><br /> Editor’s Note: due to the significant similarity in style and strength from year to year (despite potential differences in the exact spice blend), this beer is no longer separated by vintage.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 luttonm (281), Belgrade, Serbia
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/104/512/20
Jan 2, 2009  
Draft. Caramel, butterscotch nose with spied clove, nutmeg, allspice body. smooth, full flavor but really not something that taste goods to me. another anchor beer I can’t stomach.


 GodOfThunder (860), Orlando, Florida, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/56/103/512/20
Jan 2, 2009  
Pours dark and with little head. Fairly creamy and smooth. Smell is spicy and full of caramel. Flavor is a bit of a letdown. Mild, grainy and lacking on the spice. Almost tastes like it has been sitting for too long. It isnt terrible, but it isnt as good as I would have hoped.


 trevor211 (504), Seattle, Washington, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/56/103/515/20
Jan 1, 2009  
So Christmassy! Pours dark, a deep brown with an average head. Smells like butterscotch - sweet, buttery caramel malts, brown sugar and baking spices. Flavor is like a pastry in a glass. No joke. Nutmeg, cloves and allspice up front, with some stale grain and hazelnut flavors, too. Festive, for sure, but it leaves something to be desired. Thin? Stale? Very creamy. It needs something fresher, thicker, maybe heavier. Really not bad, though.


 KnN (716), Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
3/104/57/103/514/20
Dec 31, 2008  
Pours a really nice deep brown/black color with a thin white head. My immediate impression on the aroma was wet dog which was a little off putting. Flavor is some malt, a little biscuit, but a lot of all-spice, mace and cloves. For all of that, the mouthfeel is a little thin. A touch of bitterness. Not terrible, not great.


 yespr (11958), Copenhagen O, Denmark
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/513/20
Dec 30, 2008  
35.5 cL bottle. Pours dark brown to black with a quickly diminished tan head. Dry malty, roasted and with a light spice touch and somewhat wineous wooden. Roasted malt flavoured, quite dark and dark wineous fruity too. Light bitterness coming into the finish along a mild fruity hops note. Solid bitter and roasted acidic dry finish.


 JamesD (194), Centreville, Virginia, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/56/104/514/20
Dec 28, 2008  
Bottle 2008 vintage. Pours black like a porter. The aroma is spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. The flavor is very malty with some spicy hints. I could detect what I thought to be caraway, perhaps some clove too. Cinnamon might also be present. This beer is very earthy and if there was anything like orange or lemon peel, or coriander, I could not detect it.


 mspindler (301), Alta Loma, California, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/56/103/513/20
Dec 28, 2008  
12 oz. bottle. pours a very dark mahogany with a fluffy beige head that dissipates quickly. Malty aroma with some pine and berries. Flavor is some burnt maltiness, cinnamon, more pine and hints of berries. Finish is an unusual bitterness and maybe some cloves. Medium bodied and a bit too carbonated.


 timfoolery (484), California, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/515/20
Dec 27, 2008  
Bottle from Wesside as a gift for my birthday/Xmas. I had this brew before I dressed up as Santa... Anyway, this 2008 Special Ale was full of malty goodness and had a light bit of Xmas spice to it. I was worried it would be like the Liberty, which I was not a fan. This, however, was an excellent drink and very smooth in the cold.



CONSIDER FREE RATEBEER MEMBERSHIP



Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings. Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!

SIGN UP NOW »

View Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104


About RateBeer | Add A Beer | Log In | Edit Personal Info | 100 Beer Club | FAQ | Feedback?
Copyright © 2000-2009, RateBeer LLC