RateBeer
   Home Sign Up or Login Advanced Search
   People Ratings Events Places Forums Shop Magazine
      Top By Category  RateBeer Best  Latest Ratings  Top 50    

Home > Brewers > California > Anchor Brewing Company >

Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

* picture credits
copyright may apply

 Percentile 
88
overall
A Spice/Herb/Vegetable brewed by
Anchor Brewing Company

San Francisco, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
Find this beer

Add Distribution Data
Send Corrections

 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
8193.57/5.03.56/5.0Winter5.5%94.3 Lager glass, Tumbler P  Stats

Commercial Description:
This is our special ale from the brewers at Anchor. It is sold only from early November to mid-January. The Ale’s recipe is different every year, but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life. Since ancient times, trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with its seasons appears born anew.

Most RecentTop RatersHighest Ratings Who's Rated This?
 ultraspank (856), Dublin, Ohio, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/517/20

Dec 22, 2007  
2007. Excellent nose of spice & malt, perfume, roasted coffee, cola, and fruit (both berries and dried). The brew pours a clear ruby. The tall dense beige head is fully lasting and ultra creamy with decent lace. The brew is malty and roasted through and through. The middle has a moderate acidity and the finish is both spicy and roasted. The full body is lively and chewy like a stout. The finish feels dry. This is a very exceptional offering, I wish I would have taken home more than one bottle.

 Bullit (524), Zeist, Netherlands
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Aug 24, 2008  
Dark brown colour, tan head. Aroma is of caramel, roasted malts and spices. Flavour has roasted malts and cloves. Nice one.


 GMCC2181 (358), Bear, Delaware, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/58/103/516/20
Aug 21, 2008  
Bottle from Ibrew2or3. It says 2005 on it. Black with a small tan head. Funky aroma, not sure exactly what that is... Taste is funky as well . Black cheeries, spicy, malty cocoa, spicy. Weird but in a good way. Texture is medium and easy to drink. Overall a good beer to try. Thanks Dave!


 spikester (407), Salem, Oregon, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/104/515/20
Jul 31, 2008  
2007 version. Pours very dark brown, modest tan head, minimal lacings. Good dark roast malt aroma, some soy sauce. Taste is dark, rich coffee, chocolate, bitter hops. Nice Holiday brew.


 esjaygee (721), Oak Creek, Wisconsin, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/513/20
Jul 16, 2008  
Mahogany with a large tan slowly fading head. Aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, sweet malts, floral hops and other assorted spices. Taste is somewhat nutty and sweet with a spicy finish of nutmeg. Seems a little thin to me, except the finish which seems a little overloaded with spice.


 Ljunkan (120), Karlstad, Sweden
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/514/20
Jul 16, 2008  
Need to update this one. Sold as Anchor Christmas Ale here in Sweden, I was surprised when a friend found 4-5 bottles back in April. This beer has an absolutely wonderful aroma; a quite strong one for only 5,5% ABV. Wonderful malt, spices, pine needle... almost imperial stoutish smell. Flavour is really good, even though it maybe smells better than it tastes. Wonderful taste of Christmas-spices, particulary ginger, and some pine needle. Need too buy this again next Christmas...




WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ MORE RATINGS?
Then join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings.

Desired User Name
*
Valid Email (Needed to verify your account)
*
Relax. RateBeer is 100%, guaranteed spam-free. That's our promise to you.

I agree to the terms of the RateBeer User Agreement

RATE THIS BEER

Aroma

rating assistance

Appearance

rating assistance

Flavor

rating assistance

Palate

rating assistance

Overall impression

rating assistance

TOTAL SCORE

Comments

More Spice/Herb/Vegetables

Selins Grove Pumpkin Ale (4.12)

Midnight Sun Oak Aged Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter (3.89)

Midnight Sun Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter (3.82)

Bells Eccentric Ale (3.79)

Schooners Vanilla Bean Oatmeal Stout (VBOS) (3.77)

Founders Deca (3.75)

Alt Platz Alt Kürbis Pumpkin Ale (3.73)

Craftsman Triple White Sage (3.71)

Fantôme Strange Ghost (3.71)

Valley Brew Home Honey Im High Holiday Bock (3.7)

More California Brewers

Callahans Pub & Brewery
  San Diego
Santa Barbara Brewing Company
  Santa Barbara
Mendocino Brewing Company
  Hopland
Elk Grove Brewery
  Elk Grove
Heidrun Meadery
  Arcata
Central Coast Brewing
  San Luis Obispo
Jergensen Brewing
  Adelanto
Gekkeikan Sake (USA), Inc.
  Folsom
Brew It Up!
  Sacramento
Tustin Brewing Company
  Tustin
Telegraph Brewing Company
  Santa Barbara
Fox Barrel Cider Company
  Colfax
Island Brewing
  Carpinteria
California Cider Company
  Sebastopol
Thirsty Bear Brewing Company
  San Francisco

About RateBeer | Add A Beer | Add A Brewer | Edit Personal Info | 100 Beer Club | FAQ | Log out | Feedback? | Copyright 2000-2008, RateBeer LLC