Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

Dark brown color with a slightly reddish tone. Head is decent, tan colour. Aroma is pleasent- sweet, enticing with various spices, nutmeg and cinnamon are noticeable. Taste is soft and creamy, very pleasent. Its a great seasonal brew i look forward to every year.

I was not crazy about the fact that the recipe was changed for the 2005 vintage. I thought it threw the beer horribly out of balance, it did right some of the previous wrongs in the right, but still this could be a lot better. A completely different spice profile this time around, that almost reminded me of a Belgian style strong ale.

2007 bottle! Pours a dark espresso brown. Off white thick, frothy, and creamy head. Looks a lot like root beer. Roasted/toasted caramel aroma. Malty with some essence of chocolate, and spicy brown sugar. Very intense punch of flavor right to the tongue, slightly smoky oak. I also get some nutty notes, and some creamy milk chocolate in the finish. The palate is very unbalance. Harsh flavor and mouth feel all over at first, but as it roll to the back of your tongue it mellows out a bit. Buttery and full. It’s interesting, but could be better.

2006 bottle. Pours dark brown with light brown head. Aromas of toasted malts ,sweet sugar and spices. Flavor is mostly toasted malts with some spices. Finishes dry. Thin mouthfeel, somewhat watery with avearge carbonation.

2007 Bottle. Brown pour with thick and foamy brown head. Great spice aromas. Mint, coriander, and spruce are present in flavor. Lots of spice. Medium mouthfeel. Very different.

2007 Bottle. Mild spice. A little black licorice. Not too sweet. Solid. Definitely one to look forward to every year.

Easter Sunday. Magnum bottle hanging around from before Christmas. Hadn’t realized the recipe changed enough. Just a solid spicy beast of a brew. It was a little hot and young but that didn’t stop us from enjoying it.

Aroma is of sweet molasses and barley. It is a nice, rich dark color. Flavor is very coffee-like with hints of barley and molasses. Crisp on the palate and a bit of a bitter finish. Overall not too bad.