Anchor Our Special Ale (2001 and earlier)

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

2000 - Deep ruby just the faintest bit of light makes it through. The head is small and tan. Lacing is ok. Aroma is spices galore, ginger, coriander, other stuff. The flavor is the same as the aroma. Lots of ginger. Almost a bit like juicy fruit but not as sweet. Has seriously mellowed over time. Body is medium/light.

Draft, shaker glass. Pitch brown with ruby edges and no head (bar). Chocolate and coffee malt (M); spruce, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg. Slightly warmer than the Sweetwater Festive Ale I had a few nights ago. Heavily sweet flavor becomes a moderately sweet, heavily spicy, lightly acidic finish. Medium-heavy body, creamy texture, lively carbonation. The bottom line is: deep, rich, spicey, sweet...a hot beer for a cold night.

very dark burgandy color with medium off white head..good amount of lacing leftover..smells like the red stuff in potpurri and my friend's spicy BO. tastes like spices, ginger, and tomatoes.

1999: One dimensional corainder/gingerbread beer. No complexity, or ale-like qualities apparent. Maybe this didn't hold up well to aging on the shelf at the beverage store!

2001 Vintage. Extremely spicy. Loads of nutmeg, ginger and several other spices. I normally like spiced beers, but this one is just too much. Very strong and unpleasant bitterness. - Vintages 1990 and 1991. These vintages are totally undrinkable. Don't drink them. Give them to someone else.

I have to give a thanks to M500 for letting me try these vintage Anchor special ales. 1999: Very corriander nose and flavor which really dominants everything throughout the experience. Very thick, very chewy like gingerbread cookies liquified, but there are no other subtle complexities in here. While pleasant, a couple of more flavors, even subtle flavors, would have made this good beer really something.

2001 Vintage: Tried Aug, 03
Smells of mellow spiciness, smells of burnt caramel. Tastes sweet, with a nice smoothness to it. There is a hint of sharp burnt malt in the finish. Tastes of clove, a bit of tobacco as well. A lightly carbonated beer, that is dark brown in color. Even though a bunch of protein settled out in the bottle this beer is still quite firm bodied.

2000 Vintage: Tried Aug, 03
Dark opaque brown color. Lots of protein/ particulates had settled to the bottom of the bottle. Smells of burnt caramel, molasses, bitter herbs, slightly woody and a hint of smokiness too. Tastes lightly sweet, with a hint of oxidation, but this mixes quite well with the burnt caramel notes of the beer. Not as sharply spicy tasting as when I last tried this beer about 6 months ago (or when it was young). Very good still, in fact better than when it was fresh. Quite smooth with a brown malt taste. Tastes more like molasses than anything. Overall this is not nearly as sharp and objectionable as when it was new, the sharp bitter herbal taste is now in balance with the rest of the beer.

1997 Vintage. Deep brown with a spicy ginger and cinnamon based nose. Maybe mint and coffee as well. Slightly hoppy but definite spice and coffee. Definitely reminds me of Christmas. Would go great with a well made gingerbread cookie. Finishes very smoothly for a hoppy and spicy beer. Recommended!