Merry Christmas & Happy New Year (Our Special Ale) (2004)
(Batch of Our Special Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco, California, United States 🇺🇸
Spiced / Herbed / Vegetable / Honey - Spiced Regular Out of Production|
Score
7.18
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This is the thirtieth special ale from the brewers at Anchor. It is available 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. In ancient times, trees symbolized the winter solstice, when the earth with its seasons appears born anew.
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7/10
Tried
on 13 Dec 2024
at 18:47
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 4
Overall 6
Nutmeg everywhere in aroma and flavor. Roasted malt with hints of chocolate and pear. Thin to medium bodied. I would like this beer with less nutmeg. Still a quality ale.
Tried
on 26 Aug 2019
at 12:07
6/10
Tried
on 12 Sep 2018
at 09:54
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
How: Bottle.
Where: Shared at home.
Appearance: Dark amber colour with an off-white head.
Aroma: Spices, dried fruit, raisin.
Body: Medium body and carbonation.
Flavour: Dried fruit, spices, caramel.
Where: Shared at home.
Appearance: Dark amber colour with an off-white head.
Aroma: Spices, dried fruit, raisin.
Body: Medium body and carbonation.
Flavour: Dried fruit, spices, caramel.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Dec 2013
at 22:37
6.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
Bottle.Dark reddish colour with no head.Aroma is sweet and spicey with flavor of Christmas spices and raisin,prun and sweet Warming alc.Mild with hint of Wood and sweet caramel.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Nov 2013
at 03:50
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Thanks to bu11zeye for this bottle. Pours ruddy very dark brown with a tan head that never made it. Aroma is smoky, rosemary, prune. Med body or nearly. Flavor is aged, wood, with what I’d call dried rosemary twig. Pretty woody. Suspect many aromatics have departed. Drinks well. Not excessively oxidized. Still has a touch of herb tang.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Aug 2013
at 16:16
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle @ Bull & Bush Christmas tasting. Brown appearance with a light brown head. Minty, ginger, fairly carbonated aroma. Somewhat oxidized, dull toffee, minty spicy flavor. Not all that bad- well at least in comparison to the older vintages.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Dec 2011
at 16:32
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottled@Man In The Moon (had in 2010). Deep ambery colour with a small off-white head. Aroma is raisins, spices, mild Madeira like notes as well as some slight toffeeish notes. Flavour is rather similar in a very pleasant balance. Has aged very pleasantly. Man In The Moon in Stockholm certainly has some gems in their Cuveecellar.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Jun 2011
at 00:55
7.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
bottle at home ... dark brown ... thin brown lacing ... soft sweet chocolate raisine nose ... light cola ... little coconut ... little chocolate ... big soft roast malt ... hint of rum ... quite nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Apr 2011
at 13:43
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
All beers shared by csbosox, courtesy of his departed friend Mark. Cheers to you Mark.
Side by Side of the 1999, 2000 and 2001 Vintages:
1999 - Pour is a ruby brown, hazed, with a thin rim of an off white head. Aroma of big full nutmeg, soft, spiced coriander, bunch of yeast. Nice delicate and full nose. Taste is pretty metallic, oxidized, behind that, and after the oxidiation clears there is some of the spiced nutmeg of the nose. Palate is medium, lightly carbonated, with a lingering yeast aftertaste. (8,4,6,3,14 - 3.5)
2000 - Pour ditto to the 1999, though a bit flatter looking. Aroma is metallic showing substantial oxidation. After that clears, a bit of nutmeg, clove. Taste is showing the oxidation with a dry metallic nature, followed by spruce, nut, tree bark. Palate ditto the 1999. (6,4,5,3,11 - 2.9)
2001 - Pour ditto the 1999. Aroma is full and round, chestnut, vanilla, cinnamon, even some cranberry. Certainly the best nose of these three. Taste is really well integrated, some of the nut berry and yeast of the nose, along with a pleasant dry fruit character. However, there are also some phenols present that detract. Palate ditto the 1999. (8,4,6,4,16 - 3.6)
Side by Side of the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Vintages:
2002 - Pour is a hazed brown ruby with a 1/4 inch tan head. Aroma is big spice yeast, clove, hazel / nutmeg, dry fruit even. Nice. Taste is dry fruit light sweetness, along with the spice yeast, touch of oxidation in the back. Palate is thinner than some of the older vintages, medium to thin. (8,4,7,3,15 - 3.7)
2003 - Pour ditto the 2002. Aroma is the typical potpurri of spice, with some light metallic. Taste is showing oxidation, up front followed by the potpurri spices, dry fruit ester sweetness and a hint of vanilla. Palate is medium to thin, some light carbonation, long spiced finish. (6,4,6,3,12 - 3.1)
2004 - Pour ditto the 2002. Aroma ditto 2002. Taste is spice, cinnamon, earth, yeast and nuttiness. Nice integration of flavors, really get the malt in this more than others. Palate is medium, more full bodied than the 02 and 03. This was the class of the session. (8,4,8,4,15 - 3.9)
Tasted by itself:
2007 - Pour is hazed brown ruby with a 1/4 inch tan head. Aroma is softly spiced, potpurri, clove, yeast esters. Much more subdued than others. Taste is clove, light white pepper, general yeast. Not much malt, some faint pine hop. Palate is thin to medium, long dry pepper aftertaste. (7,4,6,3,14 - 3.4)
Side by Side of the 1999, 2000 and 2001 Vintages:
1999 - Pour is a ruby brown, hazed, with a thin rim of an off white head. Aroma of big full nutmeg, soft, spiced coriander, bunch of yeast. Nice delicate and full nose. Taste is pretty metallic, oxidized, behind that, and after the oxidiation clears there is some of the spiced nutmeg of the nose. Palate is medium, lightly carbonated, with a lingering yeast aftertaste. (8,4,6,3,14 - 3.5)
2000 - Pour ditto to the 1999, though a bit flatter looking. Aroma is metallic showing substantial oxidation. After that clears, a bit of nutmeg, clove. Taste is showing the oxidation with a dry metallic nature, followed by spruce, nut, tree bark. Palate ditto the 1999. (6,4,5,3,11 - 2.9)
2001 - Pour ditto the 1999. Aroma is full and round, chestnut, vanilla, cinnamon, even some cranberry. Certainly the best nose of these three. Taste is really well integrated, some of the nut berry and yeast of the nose, along with a pleasant dry fruit character. However, there are also some phenols present that detract. Palate ditto the 1999. (8,4,6,4,16 - 3.6)
Side by Side of the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Vintages:
2002 - Pour is a hazed brown ruby with a 1/4 inch tan head. Aroma is big spice yeast, clove, hazel / nutmeg, dry fruit even. Nice. Taste is dry fruit light sweetness, along with the spice yeast, touch of oxidation in the back. Palate is thinner than some of the older vintages, medium to thin. (8,4,7,3,15 - 3.7)
2003 - Pour ditto the 2002. Aroma is the typical potpurri of spice, with some light metallic. Taste is showing oxidation, up front followed by the potpurri spices, dry fruit ester sweetness and a hint of vanilla. Palate is medium to thin, some light carbonation, long spiced finish. (6,4,6,3,12 - 3.1)
2004 - Pour ditto the 2002. Aroma ditto 2002. Taste is spice, cinnamon, earth, yeast and nuttiness. Nice integration of flavors, really get the malt in this more than others. Palate is medium, more full bodied than the 02 and 03. This was the class of the session. (8,4,8,4,15 - 3.9)
Tasted by itself:
2007 - Pour is hazed brown ruby with a 1/4 inch tan head. Aroma is softly spiced, potpurri, clove, yeast esters. Much more subdued than others. Taste is clove, light white pepper, general yeast. Not much malt, some faint pine hop. Palate is thin to medium, long dry pepper aftertaste. (7,4,6,3,14 - 3.4)
Tried
on 05 Feb 2010
at 11:57