Anchor Our Special Ale (2001 and earlier)

Formerly brewed at Anchor Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
San Francisco, California USA

12, 1999. thanks, suzy! pours a clear dark mahogany with bright bronze in the corners. no head or lace. beautiful big spice and dark wood nose. creamy medium body. a little bit of carb still showing. gorgeous blend of dark earthy spice, roast, hardwood, and caramel stickiness. luscious rounded flavors. long spicy finish.

This really had no strong aroma to it but it pour dark with a nice medium head after a sip it was very light for the dark appearance. I tasted some light hints of coffee. very nice beer.

Almost nothing on the nose. On draft, a dark cola brown, at the Dutch Goose in Menlo Park. Had this one from a bottle a couple of weeks bal, but didn’t rate it then. A nice vegetal, spicy taste. I get a bit of curry in the taste, funny enough. It’s interesting, and really nothing to complain about.

A must for the season. Some years the spice bill is just too dense, some the nutmeg too off the hook, but if you’re gonna drink it today, who knows what’s in store. I wish I were you.

The 2001, 8 years later. Pours a dark slightly cloudly brownish-red, well carbonated with great lacing. A 1/6" long-lasting head. Smells banana-ey and spicy with evergreen notes and mint, moderately roasted. And for whatever reason, clocking in at only 5.5% abv, there is a mild presense of alcohol on the nose. Considering how many different attributes are present on the nose, this should be easily hidden. Everything is very rounded-off and subtle though. Tastes "dark green," reminds me of Christmas trees, evergreen, and spinach (just saying), but very good. Spiciness is very noticeable ... curry, slight cloves. Very "earthy" in roastiness, dry and not sweet. Well-aged. My impression at first was "gee, maybe this has been in the bottle for TOO long and may have expired its deliciousness point." But after letting sit for a while and aerate, this 2001 Anchor Holiday Ale has really proven itself. Dig it.

2001 bottle from Liquid Solutions. Pours a very dark amber brown with a few tan bubbles for head. The aroma is a single thing. But that thing is a blend of evergreen and spice. Full bodied and mildly carbonated. Flavor is evergreen and spice. A touch of dark fruit. Could be cinnamon. Less than dry. Incredibly smooth. Very tasty. Rich. Wish I had another.

2001 bottle. Consumed 09.07.2009. Pour is a deep dark brown color with a virtually invisible head - carbonation still exists (great!). Aroma has mellowed quite a bit but retains notes of spices, malts, and cinnamon, with (in this bottle) just a tinge of soy - but not as distracting as many other aged beers I’ve had. Very sweet. It’s still as complex as a newer vintage, and just as enjoyable.

2000 bottle courtesy of my Secret Santa – thanks! Pours cloudy swamp water brown with chunky floaters and a half finger tan head. The nose is molasses, dark fruit and cocoa. The taste is Redman Tobacco, ashy cocoa, burnt malt and coffee grounds. Thinner mouthfeel. It’s amazing what some age does to this beer. This is pretty damn good. Thanks for the opportunity to try this Wayne!