Our Special Ale
(has 20 batches)
Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco, California, United States 🇺🇸
Spiced / Herbed / Vegetable / Honey - Spiced Winter Out of Production|
Score
7.07
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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.
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8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
As Anchor Brewing Merry Christmas Happy New Year 2017, 6.7% ABV. Bottle, 0.355l. Deep ruby, almost black pour. One finger creamy brown head, long lasting. Thick lacing as it goes down. Strong malty herbal nose, caramel, cake, notes of cocoa and herbal liquor. Medium body, soft carbonation. Regular texture, slightly prickly. Roasty bittersweet taste and aroma. Aroma of caramel, toffee, candy and cake. Roasty. Herbal liquor, slightly boozy. Bubblegum aftertaste, drying mouthfeel. Medium to long finish, mildly bitter and dry. Overall, quite tasty. Rich and fairly complex, this is one quality brew.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Aug 2018
at 14:39
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
2017 version. Bottle from Pivoteka. Lost rating from April 13th. Very dark brown body, blackish, with a lasting tan head. Full malty aroma, sweetish and nutty. Malty taste, again dry and full, light bitterish touches, just vagueliy herbal/piney, ending a bit watery. Okay beer, expected more.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Jun 2018
at 21:38
4.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 4
Texture 6
Overall 3.5
Aus der Flasche 2016-01 getrunken. Nicht wirklich meins, spannend war nur der deutliche Kakaogeschmack.
Tried
on 09 Mar 2018
at 13:03
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
2017 version at 6.7% abv. Pours opaque black with a huge light brown head that shows good retention and very nice lacing. Aroma shows a clean mix of roasted malts and coffee, slight toffee and spiciness. Overall not so complex, but very clean and quite strong. Taste follows the aroma with a good balance of sweet and bitter notes and a slightly bitter, dry finish. Roasted malts, coffee, and a plesant warming/spicy feel. Medium bodied with low to medium carbonation, overall quite soft in the mouth. In short, a well made robust porter with a delicate warming/spicy feel. Nice one.
Tried
on 27 Feb 2018
at 10:28
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle, 355 ml, courtesy of JFK10000. Shared with him and Max. Dark brown, medium beige head. Chocolate, bit spicy, caramel, sweet, medium bodied. Bitter finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Feb 2018
at 19:13
7.5/10
Very different than the 2015. Lots of cinnamon here, plenty clove, quite herbal. Dry. Cold, bitter, and dark, just like Christmas! Humbug.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Feb 2018
at 23:00
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle of 2017 vintage, bought at Best One, Bedford, drunk at home. Rich dark brown with purplish hue. Opaque with a wisp of khaki head. Spruce, allspice, oak, a touch of molasses. Bittersweet taste with earthy hops asserting at the end. Woody and slightly astringent finish with liquorice and medicinal herbs in the aftertaste. Highly carbonated. A brilliant beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Dec 2017
at 11:07
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottled 355ml. -from Pivoteka Zagreb as Anchor Christmas Ale 6.7%ABV. Almost black coloured, medium sized pale beige head, chocolate and alcohol in the nose. Moderate sweet malty, caramel, light chocolate, cardammome, touch of caramel and cinnamon with mild spicy finish. Nothing more nothing less than ok.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Dec 2017
at 10:34
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 8
2017er Flasche, tolles Design, ich liebe die Idee mit den jährlich wechselnden Bäumen. In der Nase Röstmalz. Im Trunk frisch, würzig, dann mittig Röstmalz. Supergut trinkbar, dürfte aber gern mehr Bumps haben.
Tried
on 19 Dec 2017
at 14:39
8/10
Had this last night. Thanks Kevin W. !!!
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Dec 2017
at 21:57