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Anchor Our Special Ale (2005 and later)

Percentile
91
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
10633.56/5.03.55/5.0Winter5.5%94.7Lager glass, Tumbler
Commercial Description:
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. <br /><br /> Editor’s Note: due to the significant similarity in style and strength from year to year (despite potential differences in the exact spice blend), this beer is no longer separated by vintage.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 topherh (928), Kearney, Missouri, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/514/20
Jan 12, 2009  
2008 Bottle pours deep brown with red at the edges. Aromas of chocolate, ginger and other spices. Flavor is malts, nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate, and a little clove.


 DocHop (278), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/56/103/515/20
Jan 11, 2009  
Pours a very dark brown, ruby with a lasting tan head. Sweet, malty, caramel corn aroma along with hints of vanillas and spices. The sweet flavors come out at first, but the body is too thin to hold the flavor. Turns a little dry towards the finish but leaves a nice candy sweetness as it fades. Slightly roasty caramel dominates the flavor.


 BillKismet (1944), Seattle, Washington, USA
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/105/55/103/511/20
Jan 11, 2009  
2008. Deep dark brown with nice creamed top. Light allspice, roast barley, and raisin in aroma. The flavor is again of allspice, perhaps a hint of nutmeg, raisin, and caramel. Subtle spicing compared to the earlier versions, and as such, it comes off as under-powered and disappointing.


 rocbyter (919), Waterbury, Connecticut, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/102/516/20
Jan 10, 2009  
Spicy cinnamon and nutmeg aroma. Dark amber-brown color with a medium light brown head. mild spices and malts in the beginning getting slightly minty in the the middle and fading in the finish. Palate is a little light but besides that this is the prefect Christmas beer.


 mgermani (865), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/102/58/104/516/20
Jan 10, 2009  
Pours a clear dark brown with a tan head with poor retention. Pfeffernusse aroma, molasses and spice (ginger, allspice). Nice chocolaty malting, lightly buttery and fruity with mild hops. Decent carbonation, and a nice creamy body. Easily my favourite Christmas beer!


 OldGrowth (1426), North Carolina, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Jan 8, 2009  
bottle, from Cary Whole Foods. Good aroma, sweet, caramel, spice, ginger, clove, evergreen. Some vanilla. Got a whiff of grapefruit now and again. Orangy brown color, Good head, ok lace. Bitter sweet flavor, take on a root beer taste, I mean a good root beer, not some canned crap, Molasses, ginger. Medium body, lite creamy mouth feel, spiced sweet finish. Good beer, another surprise I hadn’t got to this sooner beer. I’ve had it for years. Aroma kept me sniffin’, flavor was good in the spiced, but not overly done.


dzzz333 (21), Elkton, Maryland, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Jan 7, 2009  
Its Black! its Darkness in yo mouth! strong, bold, with spices all defines this beer to the fullest. One of my favorite holiday beers and a must have for the season -End


 FunkyBrewster (490), Chicago, Illinois, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/516/20
Jan 7, 2009    Updated: Nov 11, 2009
Pours a dark brown with a soft red hue and a thick tan head. Aroma is very much like spiced Christmas cookies, like ginger. A nice bit of roasted malt as well. Flavor starts with the same bit of bold baked cookie sweetness and picks up the spices halfway through. The spices are much more bold on the back of the tongue. Finishes very sweet but then gets hit by a short lasting bitterness. Medium-full body and moderate carbonation. Very rich Christmas Ale that is rich and creamy. Represents the season very well!



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