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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Hints of spice, tar and chocolate. Deep ruby color(under halogen). Malty, hoppy flavor with hints of creosote (tiny hints). Nice mouthfeel, not too thin. Aged well over the past few months, but perhaps this is where the tarry notes came from. Really it is quite tasty. Leaves the mouth with a dark, spicey, sort of astringent feeling. Can’t wait for 2006.

UPDATED: JAN 18, 2011 2005 version: Tap, ’t Klooster Delft. Sold as "snow Anchor". Loads of clove both in aroma and flavor. Very spicy, with clove up front. Some malt and raisin. Lacks balance. 6 3 6 2 10 = 2.7 2007 version: bottle: Strong aroma of red berries, cardemom and ginger. Spicy, yet warm alcoholic flavor with red berries. Thin. Too spicy to be really enjoyable. 2010 version: bottle. Dark brown color. Anis, dried fruit, orange peel and cardemom in the aroma. Sweet, spicy flavor with lots of citrusfruit, cinnamon, anis and cardemom. Spicy, but still satisfyingly balanced. (7 4 7 2 13 = 3.1)

Bottled: Red brown head. Quite unclear. Light brown dense head. Sweet liqourice aroma. More subtle than the 04. Flavour of fruits and spices and light chocolate and liqourice. Is quite smooth and subtle, but lacs a little bit compared to the 04. Would like a little more power in the flavours and aromas. Nice one though. Had it both on bottle and tap. Tap is better than the bottle, but I havn’t taken notes of my experience.

Bottle. Poured a black color with a huge frothy light brown head that lasted. Good complex sweet spicy aroma. Medium body with a sticky texture. Good sweet bitter spicy flavor with an average finish. Complex good brew.

Bottle. Dark brown colour with a beige head. Aroma is roasted, caramel, alcohol. Flavour is sweet, cardamom, spices, roasted. Nice beer.

Malzig-fruchtiger, etwas scharfer und sehr würziger Geruch, der mehr verspricht, als das, was das Bier dann tatsächlich auch zu bieten hat. Malzig-würziger, aber noch milder Antrunk, minimal bitter. Später malziger und süßer, besonders die starken Gewürznoten, die im Geruch prägend waren, fehlen mir hier. Zum Ende hin etwas grasig und röstmalzig. Fast schon entäuschend. Test vom 27.6.2007, Gebinde: Glasflasche Noten: 11,8,8,9,10,8 - 8,55

Dark reddish brown with a thin moka head. Butterscotch, cinnamon and thyme in aroma. In mouth, a rather spciey malt, perfumey, a bit buttery. Molasses. Almost detecting rosewater in finish. Interesting, but not to par with previous versions. Dégustation de Vieux Stocks III, Oct. 13, 2006. Bottle bought in late 2005.

UPDATED: NOV 22, 2006 2005 Bottle... Clear, way dark, crimson ale with a small, fizzy, tan head. Smells like a combination of black bread and gingerbread. Spicy, gingerbread flavor. Lightly malty. Well-bittered. Balanced nicely. Medium-bodied and creamy with lively carbonation. Tangy, spicy finish. Extremely nice for what it is... a light winter warmer.

very dark brown colour and a big creamy beige head; a ton of spices (as usual for those Anchor Christmas beers): cloves and ginger dominate; notes gingerbread; oily and medium-bodied; high carbonation, dryish spicy finish where some chocolaty notes appear - rich and tasty but not quite the way I like it

Bottle (vintage 2007): Deep ruby amber coloured, a bit hazy, small off-white foamy layer; christmas spices, coriander toasted malt and dried fruits in the nose; moderate to solid - relatively dry - bitter-sweet flavour, medium bodied; dry bitter finish, rounded by some toasted malt and spices. Pleasant, well rounded stuff.............