Our Special Ale 2010 (Anchor Christmas Ale) - Anchor Brewing Company

dwilson01

California

4.2/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

poured from a bottle into my arrogant bastard pint glass, a nice reddish mocha colored head tops the brew about a finger thick. The dissipation is slow and even leaving thick fingers of lacing on the sides of the glass. The body itself is a dark ember color, hellish red tints show up on the edges when held up to the light.

The scents are very subtle but I get a pine and spice smell right off the bat. The malt imparts some smaller amount of roasted nut to it which balances nicely.

The flavor is just what I expected from the smell plus some added sweetness. I get the holiday spices like crazy in the mid-late taste which remind me of sitting near the fireplace sipping some spiced tea. Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice all combined into one lighten the flavor. The woody pine forest flavor comes through in the fore, fades quite a bit and then comes back in the aftertaste to linger for a while. It tastes like it would if I bit into a chuck of douglas fir tree. The late flavors that I pick up are from the malt, a sweeter molasses and maple syrup come on strong to balance the pine and spice flavors that I love so much.

The mouthfeel is great, smooth and sweet, not too thick and not too thin it's just right.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 05:30:05 | More by dwilson01

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%

05-04-2013 13:07:19 | More by SmellsofMahagony

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.46/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A 355ml bottle with a BB of Sept 2012. Picked up ages ago from Trembling Madness in York (they were selling off old stock at the time and I noticed this among the selection). It's been stored in my garage ever since - I'm expecting it to be somewhat faded but we'll see. Season's greetings!

Poured into a Delirium chalice. A very dark ruby-brown hue with medium carbonation. Produces a large head of creamy light-brown foam that lasts for a few minutes before reducing to a patchy surface layer. Looks pretty good for its age. Aroma of sweet, fruity malt with notes of ginger, clove, mild cinnamon, spice, brown sugar, caramel, faint pine resin and yeast. Surprisingly well rounded.

Tastes of fruity roasted malt with a spicy character and a dry, bitter finish. Notes of ginger, cinnamon, mild clove, spice, pepper, subtle roasted grain, brown sugar/caramel, faint pine resin and earthy yeast. There is a pretty harsh cardboard flavour in the background - this has deteriorated somewhat over the course of time. A considerable and slightly herbal bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth and spritzy, like soda, but rather thin and lacking in body. A dark, spicy beer such as this could do with being thicker. Quite astringent, with an aftertaste of cardboard, bitter stewed leaves, spice and a vague fruitiness.

Not a bad brew, even after the time that has passed. However, it's clear from the flavour that this is over the hill. It looks the part, and the aroma is a satisfying blend of malt and spice with a touch of resinous hops. The taste falls along the same lines but has wet cardboard notes that indicate a degree of oxidation. The body feels subpar - too thin to do the flavour justice. All in all a good effort and a decent brew, but not intended to be kept quite so long. A belated Merry Christmas...

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 00:52:51 | More by jazzyjeff13

elchingen

Georgia

4/5  rDev +2%

02-15-2013 18:01:34 | More by elchingen

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

02-15-2013 02:34:48 | More by DaPan

wtkphoto

Texas

4/5  rDev +2%

02-13-2013 05:02:10 | More by wtkphoto

322wingedfoot

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%

02-10-2013 18:10:55 | More by 322wingedfoot

Thunder

Georgia

1.5/5  rDev -61.7%

02-08-2013 23:23:45 | More by Thunder

DmanGTR

New York

4.75/5  rDev +21.2%

01-28-2013 17:03:48 | More by DmanGTR

Budinetz

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%

01-16-2013 20:06:02 | More by Budinetz

aorloski

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2%

01-11-2013 00:05:28 | More by aorloski

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

12-26-2012 21:31:07 | More by morebeergood

Extrajoker00

Ohio

4/5  rDev +2%

12-26-2012 03:41:54 | More by Extrajoker00

priwen

Arkansas

2.25/5  rDev -42.6%

12-15-2012 17:27:30 | More by priwen

pants678

California

2.6/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Hazy brown like a porter with a wheat bill to it.

Chocolate on the nose prevalently, ginger and mint. Doesn't disappoint here.

I agree with Inashsig, watery. I said in my original review it could use some mellowing from age but I was wrong. Ginger prevails leaving the dark malts so far in the background. There's the faintest peppermint on the back end. Did not take a turn at all like I'd wanted.

Still has a soda body which would be fine if there was more flavor to work with.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2012 06:02:00 | More by pants678

RogerTheShrubber

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%

12-09-2012 01:57:36 | More by RogerTheShrubber

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

5/5  rDev +27.6%

12-07-2012 15:39:59 | More by Damian74Shensky

solarbeers

California

3/5  rDev -23.5%

12-05-2012 04:35:57 | More by solarbeers

sludgy

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

12-03-2012 01:05:05 | More by sludgy

roblund

California

4/5  rDev +2%

11-30-2012 19:55:51 | More by roblund

jucifer1818

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%

11-30-2012 04:12:42 | More by jucifer1818

lnashsig

Texas

3.05/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Many thanks to Ding for this one. 2010 vintage, 1 of 5 in a vertical. Poured from bottle into oversized snifter. Pours a nearly black/brown color, as it pours, some light comes through. Very little to no head retention. Smell- ginger root, liquorice, brown sugar. Ginger is most prevalent flavor. Some sweet molasses wafts. Taste- tight carbonation, liquorice on the back of the throat, and then a semi-sweet malt presence. It is really lacking in the sweetness I was expecting, it is actually quite watery. I get ginger on the aftertaste, maybe a hint of peppermint. A little bizarre. Drinkable but not what I was hoping it would be. Glad to taste it regardless, as it is a totally different experience than older vintages I have tried so far.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 02:05:53 | More by lnashsig

KAP1356

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

11-21-2012 12:30:17 | More by KAP1356

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%

11-03-2012 14:14:52 | More by RobertColianni

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a snifter. This beer is almost two years old - I forgot about it in the back of my fridge.

A: Pours an opaque dark brown/amber color with a finger of light tan head. Retention is average.

S: Woah, allspice and nutmeg are very prominent in this beer. Behind that, I get a bit of caramel sweetness and burnt sugars.

T: Similar to aroma - lots of spices - allspice, ginger, and a bit of spicy pepper. As the beer warms, I get some toffee and burnt sugars - quite nice. The malt profile is a bit more intense and complex than the aroma let on.

M: Medium mouthfeel with medium to high carbonation.

O: Not bad with a nice malt flavor, but the spices are a bit much. Either more malt flavor is needed, or less spices are needed to balance the beer out.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 03:02:36 | More by coreyfmcdonald