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

nhindian

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a Delirium Noel snifter.

A - This actually poured out a lot darker than I thought it would've. Nearly pitch black, it has only extremely dark ruby highlights to keep it from being completely opaque. Builds about 2 fingers worth of creamy, tan head with decent retention. Scattered lacing throughout.

S - The smell is where this beer differentiates itself from many others. There is so much going on in the nose that is completely unique and really hard to place. That's one of the reasons I like holiday beers so much; they usually have interesting spices and flavors that are uncommon in typical beers. In this beer I'm getting lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, and some woody and nutty notes as well.

T - While the nose dominated in spices, the taste is actually a bit more refined. Here the flavors blend nicely together to simulate almost eating a Christmas cookie. There are the initial flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg, but there's also a thick, but nice, bready characteristic. Almost like a gingerbread cookie. Sweet as well as spicy, the finish is pleasantly long.

M - Mouthfeel is moderately heavy with low carbonation. While the beer is relatively spicy, it isn't incredibly dry, which I feel works well with rest of the flavors.

D - Drinkability is moderate. This beer is certainly full-bodied and heavily flavored for the ABV, but I think it's a bit too boisterous. The spices do get to me after a while, and it took me a while to finish this beer. I couldn't see myself having too many more of these in a night.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 04:55:01 | More by nhindian

Casey3236

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%

06-08-2013 04:20:09 | More by Casey3236

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +2%

05-21-2013 20:00:25 | More by InspectorBob

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