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Anchor Small Beer

Anchor Small Beer

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 Percentile 
21
overall
A Bitter brewed by
Anchor Brewing Company

San Francisco, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
3352.63/5.02.63/5.03.3%11.2 English pint P  Stats

Commercial Description:
The tradition of brewing two distinct beers from one mash has existed for thousands of years, and for centuries the term "small beer" was used in English to describe the lighter and weaker second beer. We make our Old Foghorn Barleywine Style Ale from the rich first runnings of an all-malt mash, and Anchor Small Beer is our attempt to duplicate the "small beers" of old by sparging that same mash: sprinkling warm water over the Old Foghorn mash after the first wort has run off, thereby creating a second, lighter brew from the resulting thinner wort. We believe you will find Anchor Small Beer delicious—similar to what modern brewers call a "bitter"—and we hope you will also enjoy the idea of reviving an ancient brewing tradition, which is something of great importance.

Most RecentTop RatersHighest Ratings Who's Rated This?
 dornoy (619), Lyngby, Denmark
1.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
3/102/53/102/57/20

Apr 18, 2005  
Low white head on an amber body. If any beer should be called "bitter", this is a good candidate. The taste was very bitter, and I couldn’t really find any attractive taste in it. Good for the experience, but I wont’t have any of it again.

 yobdoog (367), Woodridge, New York, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/56/104/513/20
Aug 10, 2008  
Clear light brown yellow. Light bitterness and easy to drink. Smooth and not much flavor. Really interesting how this is made and is well done IMO.


 17thfloor (636), Chicago, Illinois, USA
2.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
4/103/56/103/512/20
Aug 5, 2008  
Pours a nice clear amber with a medium off-white frothy head. Weird funky moldy sour malt aroma with some mild hops. A nice dry bitter flavor, tea like, softly fruity. Toffee finish. Easy drinking for a bitter, avoids all that chewy sweetness. Recycling is good.


 spikester (389), Salem, Oregon, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
4/104/56/104/513/20
Aug 4, 2008  
Amber with strong white head and good amount of lacings. Nice hoppy aroma. A bit light for a bitter it compares well to something like St. Pauli Girl and is a good session choice. The only negative would be a slight soapiness on the palate. You cold drink this stuff all day without any ill effects. Kudos to Anchor for doing something quite special. From a 22 ounce bottle that cost $2.99 USD.


 jjuf1853 (196), Land O Lakes, Florida, USA
2.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/55/103/510/20
Aug 2, 2008  
Draft sample offered after the Anchor Brewery tour. Interesting style and concept although I found the flavor and aroma a little uninteresting. Liked the bitterness, but that was about it. Glad I got a chance to try it though.


 HughConway (259), USA
2.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/55/103/512/20
Jul 29, 2008  
Bottle. Pours yellowish amber with fairly stiff white head. Not much for an aroma, taste is straw and grass, bitter finish.




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