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Our Special Ale 2005 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company
- From:
- Anchor Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
- ABV:
- 5.8%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.85 | pDev: 12.47%
- Reviews:
- 240
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Nov 18, 2021
- Added:
- Nov 04, 2005
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 8
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DogFood11:
Reviewed by DogFood11 from California
4.6/5 rDev +19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.6/5 rDev +19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured into a snifter it forms a reddish/tan head that is silky smooth and leaves sporadic lacing on the way down. dark dark brown/black mix of color. Looks like a meal in a bottle.
smell is spicey and floral with some dark fruity backbone. truly a spectacle and one of the most complex smelling beers I've ever sampled.
Super fine carbonation hits the palate then the explosion hits. All the dark goodness of mollasses, chocolate, raisin, hit you up front then the spices take charge, I mostly get cinnamon, ginger and cloves but its beautifully balanced angainst this dark winter warmer. A bit of citrus at the end cleans things up and the mouthfeel is light for such a dark beer. Truly a spectacle that must be sampled at the very least.
This is nightcapper material. I can't think of too many beers that I would be able to give a fair shake after consuming this. Its pallate friendly but its so complex that anything after this would be a challenge.
Nov 16, 2005smell is spicey and floral with some dark fruity backbone. truly a spectacle and one of the most complex smelling beers I've ever sampled.
Super fine carbonation hits the palate then the explosion hits. All the dark goodness of mollasses, chocolate, raisin, hit you up front then the spices take charge, I mostly get cinnamon, ginger and cloves but its beautifully balanced angainst this dark winter warmer. A bit of citrus at the end cleans things up and the mouthfeel is light for such a dark beer. Truly a spectacle that must be sampled at the very least.
This is nightcapper material. I can't think of too many beers that I would be able to give a fair shake after consuming this. Its pallate friendly but its so complex that anything after this would be a challenge.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas
4/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Deep, dark amber brown in color, with a massive, dense, and persistent tan head, and thick, utterly glass-coating lacing.
Aroma: Deep notes of coffee, figs, dark roasted malts, bitter cocoa, dark plums, raisins, vanilla, wood, and somehow spicy alcohol.
Taste: Begins with a wave of dark malt, soon followed by wood and vanilla. As the taste progresses, warming spicy alcohol presents. Later in the taste, bitter cocoa, and dark fruits present. Christmas spices, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla are present also. Late in the taste, tea-like hop notes appear. Finishes with a long, mild herbal bitterness.
Mouth feel: Very soft and full, quite pleasant.
Drinkability/notes: A venerable example, which has more than withstood the test of time. Might we all, in old age, be infused with fire and grace.
Presentation: Packaged in the ubiquitous Anchor twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a twist-off crown (as Anchor did for a brief time), served in a New Belgium Brewing chalice.
Dec 31, 2015Aroma: Deep notes of coffee, figs, dark roasted malts, bitter cocoa, dark plums, raisins, vanilla, wood, and somehow spicy alcohol.
Taste: Begins with a wave of dark malt, soon followed by wood and vanilla. As the taste progresses, warming spicy alcohol presents. Later in the taste, bitter cocoa, and dark fruits present. Christmas spices, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla are present also. Late in the taste, tea-like hop notes appear. Finishes with a long, mild herbal bitterness.
Mouth feel: Very soft and full, quite pleasant.
Drinkability/notes: A venerable example, which has more than withstood the test of time. Might we all, in old age, be infused with fire and grace.
Presentation: Packaged in the ubiquitous Anchor twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a twist-off crown (as Anchor did for a brief time), served in a New Belgium Brewing chalice.
Reviewed by mfnmbvp from Illinois
3.95/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12 oz. bottle, with a more than obvious vintage date, and a code on the label 5OU. I'm cracking open a little piece of history here today, in the spirit of the Christmas season. Anchor Brewing Co.'s Christmas ale, vintage 2005. This bottle is eight years old this year, making this the oldest beer I've ever drank. I have no idea what to expect.
Poured into a clear balloon snifter.
A - Pours a thick viscous ruddy caramel color; nearly opaque in the glass with some caramel coloring around the edges when held to the light. Conjures about a quarter finger of light brown foam. Forms a ring of bubbles around the glass. Produces a nice thick finger of mocha foam when given a good swirl. Looks excellent.
S - Smell is of sweet caramel malt, earthy tea leaves, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, dark fruits - raisins, black cherries, currants, figs, hint of faded herbal spice, vanilla, and some woody earth character.
T - Taste follows the nose: smooth creamy caramel, toffee, notes of chocolate / cocoa, earthy tea leaves, wood, twigs, some vanilla, some vinous grape / cherry / berry notes, and some raisin / fig presence.
M - Feel is smooth and creamy, but still retains a bit of crisp carbonation to it, even after all this time. Light-bodied, and slightly watery. Some dark chocolatey roast notes lingering on the palate.
Overall, I'd say this was an excellent winter warmer that has thoroughly stood the test of time well. Definitely excites me to try out the other vintages to see what they hold. Definitely worth seeking out.
Anchor Brewing Our Special Ale 2005 ---4/5.
Dec 24, 2013Poured into a clear balloon snifter.
A - Pours a thick viscous ruddy caramel color; nearly opaque in the glass with some caramel coloring around the edges when held to the light. Conjures about a quarter finger of light brown foam. Forms a ring of bubbles around the glass. Produces a nice thick finger of mocha foam when given a good swirl. Looks excellent.
S - Smell is of sweet caramel malt, earthy tea leaves, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, dark fruits - raisins, black cherries, currants, figs, hint of faded herbal spice, vanilla, and some woody earth character.
T - Taste follows the nose: smooth creamy caramel, toffee, notes of chocolate / cocoa, earthy tea leaves, wood, twigs, some vanilla, some vinous grape / cherry / berry notes, and some raisin / fig presence.
M - Feel is smooth and creamy, but still retains a bit of crisp carbonation to it, even after all this time. Light-bodied, and slightly watery. Some dark chocolatey roast notes lingering on the palate.
Overall, I'd say this was an excellent winter warmer that has thoroughly stood the test of time well. Definitely excites me to try out the other vintages to see what they hold. Definitely worth seeking out.
Anchor Brewing Our Special Ale 2005 ---4/5.
Our Special Ale 2005 (Anchor Christmas Ale) from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
279 ratings
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