Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

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

Poured from a 2007 vintage 12oz bottle and served in a shaker. This beer poured a dark brown hue with ruby red highlights around the edges of the glass. A two-finger thick head of tan foam lasted throughout most of the glass, leaving behind a decent amount of spotty lacing. The aroma of the beer was made up of caramel, cocoa, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and also a touch of mint. Smelled wonderful...not overly spiced, but very inviting. The flavor of the beer included light cocoa, roasted malts, light holiday spices, and a sweet, brandy-like note. Definately not as interesting or appealing as the aroma had suggested. The mouthfeel was medium-bodied and slick with moderate carbonation. The flavor was a bit of a let down, but this great smelling brew was still a tasty Christmas treat.

A beautiful rich looking, clear brown that shimmers burgundy red when held up to the Christmas tree lights:) Has a lasting lively and thick tan head that laces the glass. Aroma is unique, it is very sprucy(how appropriate!) with a hint of roasted malt(smoky chocolate). Flavor is of toasty malt and spruce and finishes long and dry with hints of smoky roasted malt. It feels foamy/creamy but not overly so. This is the best brew they’ve made for Christmas/New Year in recent years.

Draft- Country House. Black liquid with thick tan head. Very smooth, sweet taste- licorice, spice, chocolate. Some orange peel at the end to balance the sweetness. I enjoyed this beer- it really was a "holiday" ale- very spicy, sweet, different. Not just a dark beer labeled as a holiday ale.

2007 bottle. Opaque black color, good head that is almost instantly gone. Almost no aroma, and flavors are really underwhelming, except for a hint of ?lavender? This is just bland, dark stuff, and a real disappointment.

Strong aroma of figs, nuts, caramel swirl. Taste follows through with that and nutmeg. Dry finish. Alcohol blends well and is lower than expected for a winter brew.

12oz bottle from 2006 batch. Pours a deep coffee brown, tan head. Nose was both sweet and spicy. This brew helped to keep me warm on a cold night.

A lively and warming aroma filled with over-ripe cherries, figs and sweet cocoa. Dark and mysterious, with a very coloured thick head. Sizzles on entrance, bursting with those cherries. Sweet malt and playful hops continue throughout the mouth, but unfortunately finish short. Still, a christmas tradition well worth waiting for!

Beautiful beer. Absolutely beautiful. Dark brown, almost ruby color with a nice fluffy head. Smells pretty sweet, a bit malty, but mostly sweet. Hmmm.. not quite as intense as I was hoping out of this one. From the look and smell, I was expecting a whopper of a taste and it just wasn’t there. Sweet taste with some evident spices but didn’t really taste any malt in there. I think I probably should have held on to this one for a while. Only bought one bottle and wanted to try it, probably should have waited.