Great Dane Drop Anchor Steam

Spelled as Drop Anchor Steem at the brewery booth and on draught during Great Taste of Midwest 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin. Pours a semi-clear brownish amber colored brew with a fast dissolving off-white head. Aroma of roasted caramel malt, some bread crust, a hint of yeast and citrus. Taste is medium bodied, with flavors of roasted caramel malt, some bread dough and a touch of citrus. Finish is a little gritty with a toasted malt aftertaste that slowly disappears. More of a brown/amber ale than a California common but still enjoyable.

A light malty aroma on this brown pour. Somewhat nutty aroma. A crisp, clean body tasting mainly of bread but with a little yeast and hops.

Draft at the brewpub. Poured a clear copper color. Head was white, thin, and left a bit of lace behind. Not much aroma other than a whiff of graham cracker and light citrusy hops. Dry and crisp on the tongue. Flavor was as bland as the aroma. There was some toasted bread, nuts, and nonspecific subdued fruits. Pretty typical example of a marginal (at best) style.

12 ounce pour at downtown location

This looked to be a good starter to the evening. It also turned out to be my only one as I got stuck driving but the Black Watch Scotch Ale should be on tap for at least a little bit longer in cask form. If not, there’s always something in the cellar. I wanted to give this a shot since the other alternative I was aware of was to try Anchor Steam. I’ve got nothing against Anchor but when I can support the local guys I go for it.

Aroma / Appearance - The caramel body had a short half finger head that soon faded away to a slick oily covering. Caramels, cherries and wheat dominate the nose with a hint of citrus on the background.

Flavor / Palate - Toasted rye bread, apple butter and malts form an interesting but relatively simple complexion. It doesn’t change much as it warms. It is a great session beer for those times when you don’t want the relative complexity of a porter or stout. On the whole I wouldn’t mind having a growler of this to open a tasting with; it wakes up the palate enough to get things going without leaving more than a dry slightly bitter finish.

Pint at the downtown location. Poured a clear medium amber with a very nice initial cap of white head. Aroma was soft and pleasant with lightly toasted caramel and wisps of floral notes. The flavor followed suit, with soft caramel at the core and mild floral bitterness and lemon zest gracing the edges. Crisp and refreshing on the palate. Nice non-offensive, highly-sessionable brew.

(Tap) Pours a copper color with an average head. Decent lacing. Some citrus, with a long and dry aftertaste. Not particularly complex. Otherwise, it’s pretty good.

Glad to see they brought this back after a long hiatus....but why in midwinter? A light, clear, amber brew with a short but pervasive head with some leggy lace. Clean tasting and crisp, light body with a fair amount of bitterness. Dry. Not a lot of depth or character, but very easy drinking.

Dark amber color with a thin head. Mild hops aroma. Kind of a dusty taste, yet slightly sweet. A little lemon, perhaps? A pinch o’ malt. Oddly tasty.