Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

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

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Tumbler

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Deep mahagony color, thin creamy tan head. Licorice and cola aroma with some sasparilla and spruce. Rich mouthfeel, though not as full as some other years. Flavors of nutmeg, cola some spruce and a hint of hops. Dusty, relatively dry and slightly astringent finish. There’s no mistaking this beer and it is welcomed warmly each year.

Dark mocha appearance with a quick fading, tan head. Gingerbread aroma with a touch of licorice. Well carbonated, medium-bodied mouthfeel. Ginger, cinnamon and other seasonal spices in the taste. Dry, bitter but not harsh. Did not notice any sweetness as I had in previous years’. Earthy, lasting finish.

UPDATED: NOV 29, 2008 2008. slightly malty, pines, cinnamon, nutmeg. Typical christmas ale, only a little bit better. I always expect a bit more from this brewer, and they delivered on this one. Great seasonal.

I really look forward to this release, and 2005 is no exception. Pours dark, nearly opaque with a beige head that diffuses quickly. Full body and spicy. One of my favorite beers.

UPDATED: JAN 15, 2006 Pours a really nice ruby/brown with a two finger tan head that fades slowly to a nice cap, and leaves tons of lacing on the sides of my glass as I drink it. Smell; cinnamon, nutmeg, a bit of chocolate and a little pine tree. It smells sweet, and the spices definitely make me think of the holidays. Taste; the spices hit first, cinnamon and ginger, caramel, a little bit of pine tree, and just enough of a hop bite to it. I also get a little vanlla as it gets warmer. It’s not as sweet as the smell would have led me to believe, which I’m thankful for. Mouthfeel is medium to full in body, and very smooth. I find that I have to make myself slow down a little as I drink this. I picked up a bottel to try since I’ve never had this before, now I’m going to have to go out and get more.

Bottle. Dark brown with short lasting beige-brown head. Dried ginger, nutmeg, liqourice, rasted coffee beans, slightly medicinal, malty and bitter finish. Full flavored, medium bodied, solid christmas ale.

On tap at The Village Tap. Poured nice and dark with a thin head. Lots of coffee, burnt wood, clove, and other spices. Finishes with a really nice hop kick that really makes this one stand out. This is good one that makes the impending cold a bit easier to take.

UPDATED: DEC 22, 2006 Marcello Wine Market, Baton Rouge, La. - 12 oz bottle. Pours a dark purple, almost jet black, with a tight, but long lasting khaki colored head. Aroma is spicy. Hints of licorice, coffee, some Karbona spot remover. Flavor is of course spicy and Christmasy. This year, I pick up a definite strain of Horehound candy. The old fashioned kind you find in old General Stores. Hints of licorice and Christmas spice as well. Mouthfeel is a tad thinner than expected. Good winter warmer. 2006 - (saving for future reference in case it becomes an actual entry). Dark purple pour - close to black tar, with a tight, but long lasting off-white colored head. Aroma is Christmasy spicy. Hints of peppermint in the aroma, some Karbona spot remover as well. Flavor is of course spicy and Christmasy. This year, I pick up a definite strain of peppermint candy - but not very pronounce. Brief hints of licorice and Christmas spice as well. Mouthfeel, like last year is a tad thinner than expected. Decent - but not as dood as 2005’s. 7 4 6 3 14 = 3.5

very dark almost black pour with a nice grey head. cinnamon cookie aroma with some maple syrup nutmeg is a major player here. first thing i noticed was not the flavor, but how thin this was. that surprises me. some bitter sweet cocoa floats around with some almond notes. nutmeg, and sugar cookie fill in the rest. i’m glad the seaonals are here.

Dark garnet in color with a small, light-brown head that is mostly diminishing. Big nutmeg aroma (that always reminds me of sunblock) along with some lightly roasty malt and dark/bittersweet chocolate. Sprucy hops initially in the flavor, followed closely by a whole lotta spices: nutmeg, cinnamon & cloves. Lightly roasty malt flavor lingers with the mellow, creamy nutmeg and some bitter cocoa powder. A touch too thin on the palate, and the carbonation level can be distractingly high at times, but still a very good holiday offering.