Anchor Steam Beer

Brewed by Anchor Brewing Company
Style: California Common
San Francisco, California USA

12 oz. bottle. Minimal head, Amber, clear in appearance. Very little aroma, (a little single malt?) with some hops. Very British in taste. Not what I was expecting from Anchor, but good. Compared to Liberty Ale, this is slightly disappointing.

Brown bottle, 1 pint 6 ounces, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savoured on November 15 2009; eye: polished copper, clear, no effervescence, beige head that falls and turns into a tiny ring, no lacing; nose: resinous hops, malt, light fruity, light citrusy, caramel, grain; mouth: resinous hops, malt, light citrusy, light orange, dry finale in hops with presence of malt, nice bitterness, slightly sweet, surprising astringency, medium body, slick, rather carbonated; overall: fine FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 1 pinte 6 onces, via Importations Privées Bièropholie (merci Hughes!), savourée le 15 novembre 2009; œil : cuivre poli, claire, pas d’effervescence, mousse beige qui tombe et se transforme en un petit anneau, pas de dentelle; nez : houblon résineux, malt, léger fruité, léger citrique, caramel, grain; bouche : houblon résineux, malt, léger citrique, léger orange, finale sèche en houblon avec présence de malt, bonne amertume, très légèrement sucrée, surprenante astringence, corps moyen, coulante, plutôt carbonatée; en résumé : bien

Bottle. 12 oz. Pours clear amber/orange with a modest white head. Aroma of hops, citrus, hay, wheat, and hints of banana and vanilla. Medium bodied with a light, easy finish. Good brew.

Rich amber color with creamy head. Very smooth taste and I would recommend it to anyone

Bottle. Don’t understand what makes this beer stand out. Tastes like any other premium lager to me. Anyway. It still has a good taste and I would recommend it to anyone who has not drank it before.

Bottle. Grainy, fruity aromas, hint of honey. Taste is malty sweet, quite refreshing. Medium carbonation provides for good mouthfeel.

Given a higher overall impression for the uniqueness of the style. Poured off red/orange and smelled of hops, with the sour tastes very upfront. Although fairly balanced, it leaves much to be desired is not what I look for in a beer.

I’m not a huge fan of the California Common Beer category or "Steam beer" category. I find the body to be thin and slightly overcarbonated, with a sour and slightly blackberry, slight mint, and bitter currant hop flavor (notably from Northern Brewer hops). The esters although they are vital to the classification of this beer just don’t do it for me. I’ve had to drink 3 6-packs to try to understand what it is that people see in this beer, and I still don’t really care for it. It’s definitely brewed to correct style, but I’ve come to realize that I really do not enjoy the California Common style. I found the same sour hop characteristics in their Porter yet enjoyed it even less.