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Our Special Ale 2013 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company
- From:
- Anchor Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
- ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 83
- Avg:
- 3.66 | pDev: 12.57%
- Reviews:
- 128
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 24, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 04, 2013
- Wants:
- 8
- Gots:
- 82
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ExtraStout:
Reviewed by ExtraStout from Massachusetts
3.48/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.48/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Appearance: Great color here--very dark amber with a beautiful tan head that stands tall and recedes rather slowly. The lacing is pretty good too.
Smell: There's a lot going on. Chocolate, roasted malt, molasses, ginger, fruit...and more aromas I'm sure. This is one unusual winter warmer, but I like the smell.
Taste: This is a letdown. There's a lot of flavors, but it leaves a weird taste in my mouth, and it finishes rather odd, and not in a good way. There is the roasted malt, chocolate, ginger, citrus...I don't know. It just doesn't work so well.
Mouthfeel: Things might come together better if this didn't have such a flat mouthfeel. A little more carbonation may have helped. Again, I don't like the finish at all.
Overall: I have a lot of respect for Anchor, as they are usually very consistent. I do appreciate the effort to provide a winter warmer that is unique, but not everything works too well here.
Apr 03, 2014Smell: There's a lot going on. Chocolate, roasted malt, molasses, ginger, fruit...and more aromas I'm sure. This is one unusual winter warmer, but I like the smell.
Taste: This is a letdown. There's a lot of flavors, but it leaves a weird taste in my mouth, and it finishes rather odd, and not in a good way. There is the roasted malt, chocolate, ginger, citrus...I don't know. It just doesn't work so well.
Mouthfeel: Things might come together better if this didn't have such a flat mouthfeel. A little more carbonation may have helped. Again, I don't like the finish at all.
Overall: I have a lot of respect for Anchor, as they are usually very consistent. I do appreciate the effort to provide a winter warmer that is unique, but not everything works too well here.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by jeburgdo from Nevada
3.31/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.31/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Found this 2013 magnum bottle in a local store in 2023. Had to pick it up.
It is well past it's prime. While it looks great, with a thick head that settles into a creamy top and lasts, the smell is not great. 10 years of ageing (probably in not ideal conditions) has taken it's toll on this low ABV beer. You get whiffs of vinegar.
But past that, the taste is quite nice. It's subdued, but you get some spices with a soft and creamy mouth feel. Sorry of like a boozy fruit cake vibe going on, in a good way. Lively carbonation . Subdued and mellow tastes overall. So just hold your nose and you're in for a treat! The tastes are quite nice and surprisingly good after 10 years.
I wouldn't suggest ageing this one 10 years, but if you miss Our Special Ale and find it, don't hesitate.
Dec 24, 2023It is well past it's prime. While it looks great, with a thick head that settles into a creamy top and lasts, the smell is not great. 10 years of ageing (probably in not ideal conditions) has taken it's toll on this low ABV beer. You get whiffs of vinegar.
But past that, the taste is quite nice. It's subdued, but you get some spices with a soft and creamy mouth feel. Sorry of like a boozy fruit cake vibe going on, in a good way. Lively carbonation . Subdued and mellow tastes overall. So just hold your nose and you're in for a treat! The tastes are quite nice and surprisingly good after 10 years.
I wouldn't suggest ageing this one 10 years, but if you miss Our Special Ale and find it, don't hesitate.
Reviewed by BigBry from Canada (AB)
3.75/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Excited to see this one on the rotating tap list on a recent trip to National Beer Hall, Westhills.
Standard pint glass, clear dark brown, tan foam and lacing.
Malty sweetness aroma, some pine.
Flavor is typical of a winter warmer, spice like ginger, nutmeg, slight bitter finish.
Nothing overly special, but nothing wrong with it either. I assume this is at or near its peak. Would love to be able to do a vertical of these one day.
Thin, lighter side of medium body.
Feb 25, 2017Standard pint glass, clear dark brown, tan foam and lacing.
Malty sweetness aroma, some pine.
Flavor is typical of a winter warmer, spice like ginger, nutmeg, slight bitter finish.
Nothing overly special, but nothing wrong with it either. I assume this is at or near its peak. Would love to be able to do a vertical of these one day.
Thin, lighter side of medium body.
Reviewed by jakecattleco from California
4.01/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.01/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Did a magnum vertical on Christmas Eve of the 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. For my palate I preferred them in the following order: 2015 > 2013 > 2014 > 2016. Really enjoyed the more roasty and coffee attributes of the 2015 vs. rest.
Dec 25, 2016Reviewed by pants678 from California
2.63/5 rDev -28.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
2.63/5 rDev -28.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Brown, tan lacing.
Pine, malt.
Bit of nutmeg and ginger, not much else. Bite on the end is weak. Needs anything, too approachable.
Thin, lighter side of medium body.
Dec 17, 2016Pine, malt.
Bit of nutmeg and ginger, not much else. Bite on the end is weak. Needs anything, too approachable.
Thin, lighter side of medium body.
Our Special Ale 2013 (Anchor Christmas Ale) from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
701 ratings
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