 sfontain (500), Columbus, Ohio, USA
Dec 29, 2006 Updated: Jan 1, 2008
1/1/2008: 12 oz. bottle. Our Special Ale 2007. Dark brown pour; very minimal head that dissipates into a tiny ring. Aroma of caramel, dark fruits, and spices including cloves and nutmeg. Flavor of brown sugar, spices, caramel; very light roast. Medium-bodied with very little carbonation after half an hour. Better than 2006 if I recall, but nowhere near the 2003 version.
7/4/7/3/15 = 3.6
12/29/2006: 12 oz. bottle, Our Special Ale 2006. Firstly, I can’t believe I somehow missed the 2005 offering. Secondly, why the hell are the latest years lumped together into one beer? Pour is very dark brown with a hint of garnet when held to a light; the pour gives a short-lived, creamy, tan head that dissipates into a medium-sized ring around the top of the beer; a small amount of head can be revived by swirling. Aroma is spicy with cinnamon, cloves, licorice, bubble gum, and caramel. Flavor is worse than the 2004 beer, which was worse than the 2003 beer (why is this beer getting worse every year?); surprisingly nondescript and fairly sour; cinnamon, cloves, malt, and rotting vegetables (nice); more hops than previous years if I recall correctly. I can’t get over the sourness of this or the lack of the complexity we saw in previously years. Palate is smooth if a little light. I rate this beer perhaps more seriously than I rate any other beer because it was mindblowing in ’03; this isn’t a bad beer, but it’s by far the least outstanding Our Special Ale I’ve had to date. I will be cellaring about 4 of these, and I’ll give it another try next year.
8/4/7/3/15: 3.7
GMCC2181 (345), Bear, Delaware, USA
Aug 21, 2008 Bottle from Ibrew2or3. It says 2005 on it. Black with a small tan head. Funky aroma, not sure exactly what that is... Taste is funky as well . Black cheeries, spicy, malty cocoa, spicy. Weird but in a good way. Texture is medium and easy to drink. Overall a good beer to try. Thanks Dave!
spikester (390), Salem, Oregon, USA
Jul 31, 2008 2007 version. Pours very dark brown, modest tan head, minimal lacings. Good dark roast malt aroma, some soy sauce. Taste is dark, rich coffee, chocolate, bitter hops. Nice Holiday brew.
esjaygee (721), Oak Creek, Wisconsin, USA
Jul 16, 2008 Mahogany with a large tan slowly fading head. Aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, sweet malts, floral hops and other assorted spices. Taste is somewhat nutty and sweet with a spicy finish of nutmeg. Seems a little thin to me, except the finish which seems a little overloaded with spice.
Ljunkan (120), Karlstad, Sweden
Jul 16, 2008 Need to update this one. Sold as Anchor Christmas Ale here in Sweden, I was surprised when a friend found 4-5 bottles back in April. This beer has an absolutely wonderful aroma; a quite strong one for only 5,5% ABV. Wonderful malt, spices, pine needle... almost imperial stoutish smell. Flavour is really good, even though it maybe smells better than it tastes. Wonderful taste of Christmas-spices, particulary ginger, and some pine needle. Need too buy this again next Christmas...
TaxiDriver (474), Stadland, Germany
Jul 13, 2008 Bottle. Dark vanilla, malt, sweet red wine, christmas spices. Large brown creamy sparkling head, long lasting; nearly black body. Moderate sweet, then it gets a little bit bitterer with some hints of coffee; average duration. Medium body, creamy texture with a soft carbonation. Really something special!
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