Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

Poured much darker than I thought it would. Almost like a porter to echo Strykzone’s comments with a full tan head. Sweet aroma of something that I can’t make out. Taste is full, sugrary and lingers. Not something I’ll pick up every year. Kind of a let down considering how reliable the guys at Anchor are.

Pours like a porter. Body is almost black with red highlights and a medium sized light brown head. Aroma is malt and vanilla with some roastiness. Flavor is mixed and just a bit confused. It is pretty well balanced and features some mild coffee, caramel, nuts, dark fruit, and some tart hop. An aftertaste of dry malt and hops singes the throat and tongue. This beer is flavorful and interesting but tries to do too much.

12 oz bottle 2007 batch. pours a dark brown with huge tan head which lingered throughout the drinking. Aroma was spicy and malt like you’d expect from a winter warmer. Flavor is more malty and some spice - nutmeg and gingerbread - yet overall it was more similar to a brown ale. Mouthfeel was medium-to-thin with some carbonation and a dry aftertaste. Was a good beer, but the aroma was more appealing than the taste delivered.

12oz, 2007, relatively fresh. Pours a cola color with a large, foamy off-white head that has very good retention. Interesting, unique aroma. Smells like those candies that are caramel with the white chewy center. Can’t remember what they’re called. Other aromas include Christmas, nutmeg, belgian-like yeast, hot cocoa, a slight roastiness. Man, this smells pretty awesome. Tastes like a Christmas ale with a little dark twist. Spicy, gingerbread, somewhat roasty, faint chocolate, holiday spices (ginger, cinnnamon, etc). Not incredibly drinkable but definitely interesting and tasty. A nice little beer.

2007 Batch:
Deep black coloured body with a dense tan head, that fades quickly. About 80% opaque - very nice colour. Aroma of roasted malt, nutmeg, cloves, gingerbread and even a little bit of horsehound. Medium-bodied; Strong spicey flavour with nuts, roasted malt, chestnuts, licorice and toffee loaded into the taste. Aftertaste shows mostly malt character, tucked into nuts and bittering licorice. Overall, a good, long-lasting spicey beer, perfect for christmas and the new year celebration time of year. I liked previous years’ better, but this was still a solid offering. Rating for this batch: 8,4,7,2,14

2007 edition. Nice aroma but thin mouthfeel and bitter taste. Not as big as the inviting seasonal aroma would promise.

Bottle (2007 Edition): Sweet, malty aroma; Like a barley wine. Smells of malts, sugarcane, nutmeg, and toffee. Poured dark ruby with a small, dense, tan head that lasted throughout. Clear. Sparkling. Heavily sweet flavor. Tastes of caramel, malts, nuts, sugar, nutmeg, molasses, and honey. Vinous. Really nasty flavor. Medium body. Dry texture. Lively carbonation. Dry, sweet, malty finish. I poured this out.

Bottle (2006 edition) from Corks, Bristol. Deep ruby red colour with a short-lived tan head. Big aroma of christmas cake with plenty of cinnamon, nuts and dark fruit. Chewy mouth feel with plenty of spiced flavours and a dry, hoppy finish. Very enjoyable.