Anchor Our Special Ale (2004)

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

Bottle courtesy of Enniskillen. Parallel tasting of 2003, 2004 2005. Nose is more fruity than the 2003, but has malts, caramel, and spices; body is a little darker than 2003, walnut with a thin tan head; Flavor of plums, malts, and spices

12oz bottle. Pours a ruby mahogany with a medium tan head. Aroma of lots of spices--very sweet with brown sugar, anise, nutmeg--mainly Christmas/winter spices--some roasted malt. Actually has some coffee notes in the taste, which is unlike the 2005, if I recall. Otherwise the taste follows the aroma, though it’s not near as sweet as the aroma leads on. I think I may like the 2005 better.

Bottled. A very dark brown coloured beer with a fast dissipating off-white head and a goodly amount of yeast at the bottom of the bottle. The aroma is heavily spiced with ginger. nutmeg and cinnamon together with some licquorice root notes and a ton of sugar. The taste shares these smells but it’s really over-sweet and over heavy on some of these spices, especially the ginger. I really expected to love and relish this but it fell really short of my expectations and I ended up happy it ended.

Dark brown colour with thick tan head. Roasted carmel malt nose with hints of spices. Carmel malt and alcohol taste with lingering bitter woody alcohol finish.

Opened 12/21/06 - 12 oz. bottle - color of dark brown tan head - nose of coffee , chocolate , nutmeg , and hint of sweet white corn - taste of coffee , bitter chocolate , nutmeg , malts, earthy , and a little alcohol - dry on the palate - aftertaste of coffee grounds , milk chocolate , and short pleasant

Excellent aroma of spices with a slightly toasted scent... very warm and inviting. Dark brew with a smooth creamy head that is pleasant but lacks in retention. Flavor is a wonderful bouquet of spices and an almost grape-ish/raisin-ish ester flavor. The flavor blends well if not a bit on the sweet side. This brew is smooth and pleasant and a good balance of body and sweetness... overall an excellent beer

I’ve also had it cellared for a year and was disappointed compared to the other vintages. Good head but was very light tasting compared to other years.

Been in the cellar for about a year. Aroma is toasted with some mild coffee. Almost all hoppiness has vanished. Additional smells of allspice and nutmeg. Head is creamy, light-brown with excellent lacing. Body is clear/flat and black in color. Initial flavor is lightly sweet with a short fonish. Taste is watery/flat with a moderate alcohol finish. I don’t think this stood up as well as some people think it does. I can’t see holding any of this for another year. Didn’t progress well, at all.