Anchor Steam Beer - Anchor Brewing Company

BeerAficionadoMCMXC

California

4.08/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance is amber, but who really cares about the color of the beer so much when men can't differentiate between colors very well. My apologies to the women. The smell is impressive though. It's nutty, caramel and has notes of ripe banana esters. The taste has notes of vanilla and some nutty tones, but it is balanced by a hop finish, balanced and appetizing. Mouthfeel is medium to medium full. Overall, this beer is a high quality low alcohol beer and is great for people who love their malty taste and low alcohol percentage. It seems to catch up to all of us in the end.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 07:14:08 | More by BeerAficionadoMCMXC

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A-slightly hazy amber color with an off- white head and decent lacing

S-malt, slight caramel, pine, earthy

T-nice malt, slight caramel sweetness, pine, nice bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp and clean

O-nice crisp session beer for warm summer days

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 13:20:59 | More by MDDMD

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: 1/2" white head over cloudy amber liquid.

S: grass, oranges, honey.

T: Honey, orange, grass, herbs.

M: medium viscosity and a medium level of fine carbonation.

O: very subtle, but not very exciting. I have a feeling I should be enjoying this beer more than I am because of its history. But then again, the Bavarian purity law is also a part of history and many unexciting beers as well.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 23:30:52 | More by DaftCaskBC

joaopmgoncalves

Portugal

4.18/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: It was low carbonated and it had a small beige head. Copper coloured.
Smell: I didn't get that much of its smell but thought I caught some cherries.
Taste: It tasted a bit like toasted caramel and anything else I quite can figure out, but it excels at flavor.
Mouthfeel: It has a strong body, it kinda felt heavy in my mouth. At the end of the sip it was a little bit dry.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 23:33:50 | More by joaopmgoncalves

HabiMendes

Rhode Island

4.01/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The color is light cooper, with a slight off-white, bubbly neck that retains well. The body is clear, and emanates caramel very strongly, as well as earthy and piney tones. The light body brings caramel/toast nodes, with apparent hops. You can notice a discrete fruitness in the background (mango, bananas). The finish is strong, exposing so well the hops... It's a good Lager, with a more malty profile, and a slight background fruitness. Great beer - I like it!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 03:21:24 | More by HabiMendes

mjurney

Texas

4.88/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Appearance:
Amber color, clear. Lots of fine bubble rising up. Thick rocky head.

Aroma:
Sweet malts, some caramel, faint fruitiness.

Taste:
Bready, caramel, toasted, grassy. Some fruitiness. Hop bitterness is medium, mainly spicy-herbal, a little citrus. Sharp finish, yet very clean. Body is medium, crisp, smooth, semi-dry, well carbonated.

Overall:
One of my all time favorite beer!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 20:27:04 | More by mjurney

RuEXP1

Illinois

3.59/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Served from 12 oz bottle into standard pint. pours a dark golden color. Little to no head when poured with a medium/heavy amount of carbonation, and a light amount of lacing.

S - Smells of fruit, maybe melon? Not to strong of a smell so it's tough to tell. Hops/malt come through as well.

T - Tastes of malt and some burnt caramel. Has a slight bitterness to it as well.

M - Has a nice tingle from the carbonation. Medium bodied beer that stays crisp the whole way through.

O - Solid beer that really embodies what a pilsner should be. I would say with this beer there is nothing 'new' about it. They set out to make a really solid beer and they did just that.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 04:04:33 | More by RuEXP1

machalel

Australia

3.26/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Dark amber with a strong beige head that settles down to about 5mm and lingers for the whole glass. A small amount of thin lacing down the glass.

Aroma: The first thing that came to mind was pineapples and rockmelon, but this was followed by some malt and graininess.

Taste: Initially, I actually could taste pears, but this disappeared after a few sips. The rest of it was a bit citrusy (grapefruit & lemon rather than orange) and a bit sharp. Some wholemeal bread and black pepper in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation, medium body. A little sharp and 'zingy' on the middle of the tongue, but not in a bad way. Finish was a bit dry.

Drinkability: Well this was my first California Common, and I wasn't really sure what to expect. Overall, I think that it is a nice drop, one that would go with a lot of different styles of cuisine, but I'm not sure if I would buy it to savour on its own merits.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 08:56:25 | More by machalel

ranger7

Texas

4.16/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a Samuel Adams etched glass.

A - Amber and gold glow with a very minimal bright white head.

S - Smells a bit sweet, kind of like honey. Maybe a little bit of hops bitterness.

T - A slight tang of hops, but mostly a soft, sweet taste. Nicely balanced.

M - Hardly any carbonation, which is good.

Summary - Anchor Steam is really a great beer. It's hard to explain, but it is just so smooth and balanced and drinkable. There is just the right amount of hops and sweetness. Possibly one of my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:00:19 | More by ranger7

estlinska

Arkansas

4.11/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a standard shaker from the bottle on 4/5/13. The color is a nice bronzed amber color with deep orange hues to it. It has a very active head of off-white bubbles and promises to be pretty active on the tongue. I've recently become a fan of the Northern Brewer hops and they definitely work well on the nose of this beer. The beer is very much full on malt and caramel with that distinctive lager yeast smell of fresh baked bread. The Northern Brewer hops play well to the background with good woodsy and minty smell to the background. The taste is fairly mild, but like expected, very active. It's a good malt and caramel backbone with that great scrubbing of the Northern Brewer hops giving that woodsy taste and a touch of lemon rind maybe to it. The mouthfeel is very full bodied and again, very active carbonation. This is a great session beer and very good overall. Without much surprise, it is the standard in my mind of a Steam Beer (I refuse to use California Common lol).

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 22:26:02 | More by estlinska

TheMarkE

California

3.54/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Amber, decent head, good lacing.

Smell: Grains and yeast.

Taste: Mild. Malts and a hint of spice. Salty and sweet.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, crisp, and dry. Slight salty aftertaste.

The Verdict: Not bad. I know it’s highly regarded by many, but it’s a bit too mild for my taste. I did enjoy it, but not enough to go looking for it.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 02:47:06 | More by TheMarkE

CrazyDavros

Australia

2.53/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75

Pours dark amber with a large white head.
Nose shows grainy malt, cardboard notes, soft spicy hops and a bit of wholegrain bread.
Slightly better flavours, more malt. Other than that, not much difference.
Body seems watery.
Not sold on this at all.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 22:49:29 | More by CrazyDavros

Waypoint

New York

3.46/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A :Good light brown color nice carbonation.

S: Light malt aroma.

T: Mild flavor low amount of hops

M: Medium body smooth to swallow

O: A nice easy drinking beer refreshing but no wow factors. I liked the beer but I think that there are way too many other beers out there that are much more interesting.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 02:29:49 | More by Waypoint

AmitC

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The old legend of craft brewing.

Poured from the atypical bottle style of Anchor brewing co. into a snifter. Amber color. Almost negligible head. Decent lacing. Some bubbles.

Aroma is of slight malt and some caramel. Some minor grains and hops are apparent too.

Taste is a lot like malt liquor with some qualities of a lager. Slight graininess, a decent amount of malt flavor and a nice balancing act by hops. Finish is a lot grainy and dry.

Mouth feel is light to slightly medium bodied. Low to moderate carbonation. Very light with no warmth and astringency.

Style Rate: 4.25
Personal Rate: 3.5

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 02:35:33 | More by AmitC

sommersb

Tennessee

3.99/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 02-20-2013
Freshness: Bottling code 2SJ (09-10-2012)
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Signature glass
Purchased: Single from Whole Foods, Nashville

I don't care for Anchor's bottle dating system. I guess its better than nothing, but is so cryptic it's useless when I'm in a store. I probably would have passed on this sample since it is 5 months old...

Pours a clear copper color, with a good sized off-white head. Both retention and lacing are good.

Aromas remind me somewhat of a pilsner, with sweet pale malts and earthy hops.

Taste is clean and lager-like; the caramel maltiness is balanced by woody/earthy moderate hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel is crisp and highly carbonated with a lager cleanness, finishing with a moderate wood and earthy bitter note.

Overall a good thirst-quencher; tastes much like a pilsner and seems well-made.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 20:07:29 | More by sommersb

jamiejohnson

California

4.45/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I genuinely love this beer. Super session craft brew that's smooth and super tasty. But to be honest I'm rating it so high because of the pioneer factor. I'm 55 yrs old and to anyone else who endured the fizzy 70's and 80's, especially in a rural area like where I grew up - you know what I mean. Fritz and Homebrew Charlie P saved the day and instigated the craft beer gold rush. Nowadays there's literally thousands of excellent brews out there. Thank you so much Anchor Brewing

Way back then
I drank pee
Anchor Steam
Set me free

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 05:09:30 | More by jamiejohnson

Alextricity

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Enjoyed straight from the bottle at Green Dot Stables in Detroit, Michigan.

Anchor Steam is a beer that I've wanted to try for awhile now, but just now decided to finally order one and get my first taste. I had never had a beer of this style before, so I was actually surprised. With the ABV and the name "Steam" beer I was expecting a light beer that was light on flavor and pretty much a slightly better version of an adjunct lager... it's better than that. The smell is of malts with a fair amount of hops. The taste has mild hops on the front, with a malty and bitter finish. I was not expecting this beer to taste the way that it did, but I enjoyed it. I had Black Crown by Budweiser just last week, and honestly, this tastes like a craft version of that beer. It has a similar malt aftertaste with a trace of wood, but with a bit less sweetness and more bitterness. Clearly, this beer is MUCH better than Black Crown will ever be, but that's a beer a lot of people are familiar with that I would compare this one to.

Would not exactly be my beer of choice (There's nothing offensive about it at all and it's a solid, craft beer), but it's a very respectable beer with a lot of history behind it.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 04:52:54 | More by Alextricity

Mike151014

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

poured into pilsner glass from bottle at about 38 degrees.

L- Amber color with slightly amber tinted head, two fingers, which hung around for most of the drink. Moderate lacing not much carbonation.

S-The malty hops are the first aroma, followed by a sweet tinge of caramel. Other than that there wasn't anything that stood out. Don't let the smell fool you, this beer is very good.

T-Again the hops are the first thing I tasted, a delicious brew all around. The after taste left a sweet caramel note that hung around for a bit.

F-Feel was a little flat, and dry.

O-Very well done you can taste the quality.

poured from a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 23:42:09 | More by Mike151014

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.46/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass at fridge-cellar temperature.

L – Medium amber color with a 4-finger frothy, rocky, cream-colored head. Really nice retention and some awesome lacing. Clear with only a few bubbles.

S – Caramel and toasted malts with earthy, woody hops. Plain and simple.

T – Starts off sweet with caramel malt and somewhat of a brown sugar taste. Toasted malt comes in next followed closely by a bitter blast of very earthy, oaky, and maple-y hops.

F – Medium-bodied with good carbonation, a crisp, creamy, and slightly sticky mouthfeel, and a slightly bitter and very dry finish. Bitter and dry woody hop flavors linger for a bit.

O – This is a nice, tasty, drinkable, and refreshing beer. It’s the example that all other members of this style are based on. Nothing more needs to be said.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 04:38:36 | More by BlackBelt5112203

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

In the book of Frankiepop, the American classic Anchor is a tad overrated. However, Frankie likes a beer with a little more sweetness and dare I say, a little more flavor. True this special lager beer is nice beer. Easy to drink, a good summer choice, and with a refreshing twist of lemony citrus twang. So it is not an American crappy lager. No, Anchor is kind of creamy, kind of foamy, and kind of smooth. It's more of a bitter beer, a nice light hoppiness that makes IPA guys smile a little.

I on the otherhand found the taste a little weak. I prefer a Tecate, a Greek Marathon, or a European lager like Carlsberg. Anchor's summer citrus quality is nice. Very west coasty. Anyway, I'm saving the rest of the six pack for July! Still above average ratings though I will stick Anchor's wonderful Porter. Blow me down. Got to admit as it warms the more I drink the more I likey....

So pair this on a hot day with some nice traditional Jazz music. I might suggest a cd by Bucky Pizzarelli called Challis in Wonderland where this guitar phenom sits in with some wonderful arrangement with a small string section performing some old great jazz pieces arranged by Challis who worked with Bix Beiderbecke. Another wise choice might be Hampton Hawes trio music.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 02:57:38 | More by frankiepop

SometimesIfart

Michigan

2.24/5  rDev -42.3%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A - Pours dark gold with a finger and a half of white head. Left no lacing.

S - Sour malt and creamed corn.

T - Predominantly creamed corn, With a bit of the " steamed " character.

M - Medium slightly smoky body with heavy carbonation.

O - Overall, What the hell? Why is their so much praise for this beer? Perhaps I just got a bad bottle, But it tasted like a slightly smoked corona.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 21:22:59 | More by SometimesIfart

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

4.39/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz into a pint. About time I got around to this classic craft brew!

A - Frothy off-white head off the pour atop a relatively clean light amber body. The head recedes to a thin soapy film, but never dissipates entirely, leaving a sticky bunch of lacing down the glass.

S - Mild overall, with caramel malt and crisp grassy hops coming through upfront. There's a touch of fruitiness as well, as well as some malty sweetness. Simple and balanced aroma.

T - Follows the nose, but still exceeds expectations. A nice base of toasty caramel malt, almost giving it an English feel, but the zesty hop profile pulls it back to America. Toffee-like sweetness to the malt, with lemongrass, clean barley malt, and a crisp citric character. The finish is punctuated with a mild grassy hop giving it a balanced feel overall. There's a mild fruitiness throughout as well that I can't quite put my finger on, though I'm almost positive I'm picking up some peach and apricot notes. Overall an immensely drinkable profile.

M - Medium bodied, with just the right viscosity, and a fine carbonation that compliments the body perfectly. Crisp and slightly dry, but somehow velvety smooth at the same time.

D - An all around superb beer, and a true testament to the uncompromising quality of craft breweries, even ones as big as Anchor. A balanced, tasty, and incredibly drinkable ale; a true classic.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 02:57:10 | More by Converge

Hendy011

3.56/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Nice head of foam lasts 5 minutes, leaves lacing on the glass.

S - Straight hops smell, barley, little bit of roasted smell.

T - Comparable to Lionshead, but much more full. Tastes like pancakes. Bitter aftertaste with taste of alcohol.

F - Feel is great, very little carbonation.

O - Pretty good. Similar to a light lager, ale. Nothing too notable about this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:15:43 | More by Hendy011

DragonzBreath

Michigan

3.51/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Anchor Steam Beer, while choosing this beer a got a little history on the beer.
link below)

This beer poured orange crisp and a bit cloudy.
Lots of bubbles...a bit right up front..malt and citrus fight in this beer.
a good beer.
I would like to enjoy this at the brewery.
Abv 4.9

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 21:34:07 | More by DragonzBreath

T100Mark

California

4.48/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Serving Type - The classic 12 ounce brown bottle in a 16 ounce mixing glass (the bottle looks so cool).

Appearance - A perfect copper color. I wish the beer left a little more lace around the inside of the glass however.

Smell - Good.

Taste - Flavorful. The beer has a slight botanical flavor. The balance between malt and hops is ideal. Very drinkable!

Mouth - Tart yet clean.

Overall - This is the first micro brew I remember being aware of (as a young boy, I watched my father drink one at Fisherman's Warf). Yes, I'm a little biased. I love this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 04:18:29 | More by T100Mark