Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

2006 bottle. Dark brown with a medium sized off-hite head. Strongly spiced aroma, strong clove, along with resin, allspice, cardemum, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Dark dried fruit in the background. Flavour is sweet and spiced. Finishes dry thanks to resin and spice. I’d like to say that the beer is too spiced for my taste, but the mix of spices is so interesting I can’t stop taking another sip and discover more.

2007, bottled. dark ruby with tan head. overwhelming aromas of nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie. slight bit of anise, spruce, and black licorice. medium full body that tingles with a good dry hop to balance the complex flavors.

(2007)Aroma of molasses, prunes and slight licorice. pours a very dark brown with tan foamy head. Licorice again up front, gingerbread. Mid range body. Finish has slight alcohol and is fairly dry. Enjoyable

2006 Fir ’n’ spruce flavoured and aroma ale. Always somewhat different and interesting and carbonated. Pours yellow with off-white head. Full mouthfeel. 2007 dark fruit, nice roasted chestnut dryness, licorice..even better. 2008 on tap at Cole’s, bit sour and chocolately.

2005 tasting notes. Ruby red with a grey massive head. Sweet and spicy aroma with some orangy fruits and perfume. The flavours are spicy but balanced and it finishes a bit dry.

2007 12oz bottle - pours a very deep ruby red color with medium sized tan head. Aroma is full of medium toasted caramel, fair amount of cinnamon, vanilla, bit of anise, spruce tips, orange peel, cherry syrup. Flavor is malty, nutty, touch of caramel, seville oranges, spruce. Finish is mildly bitter, a bit too much for the style, IMO. I think given a few years the spices would mellow a bit and the bitterness would drop out a bit, and would overall be a bit better.

I think this has mellowed nicely since I first tried it late last year. Dark brown pour and bubbly and persistent tan head. Aromas of anise, chicory, caramel, vanilla, and juniper. Mostly the same flavors, with added cola taste. Refreshingly light on the palate. It’s spicy, but not in a bad way, I think. Worth revisiting with some age.

Red to dark brown in color with a nice tan colored head. Smell is of a fresh spruce tree, it smells like Christmas. Flavor has slight hints of pine with a delicate malty sweetness that balances out the spices and hops nicely.