Our Special Ale 2013 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
- ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 83
- Avg:
- 3.69 | pDev: 12.47%
- Reviews:
- 127
- Ratings:
- From:
- Anchor Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Avail:
- Retired (no longer brewed)
- Wants
- 8
- Gots
- 82
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
Notes:
Reviews: 127
| Ratings: 700
| Log in to view all ratings and sort
Reviews by JohnnyK:
More User Reviews:
LiquidAmber from Washington
3.97/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a dark russet brown with a fine two finger tan head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of sweet bready, lightly toasted malt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice very seasonal. Flavor is a nice blend of caramel and lightly toasted malt, cinnamon, ginger, light nutmeg and allspice, a hint of pine. Finishes with an herbal bitterness and residual seasonal spices. Surprising light creaminess and medium body. A pleasant and well spiced winter ale, lying in style somewhere between a dark bitter and very light brown ale. I liked the spicing this year and it fit well with the malt body. A nice light ale for the holidays. This was one of the better tasting years for me, although I miss the pine element that is frequently.
Mar 18, 2014
3.97/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a dark russet brown with a fine two finger tan head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of sweet bready, lightly toasted malt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice very seasonal. Flavor is a nice blend of caramel and lightly toasted malt, cinnamon, ginger, light nutmeg and allspice, a hint of pine. Finishes with an herbal bitterness and residual seasonal spices. Surprising light creaminess and medium body. A pleasant and well spiced winter ale, lying in style somewhere between a dark bitter and very light brown ale. I liked the spicing this year and it fit well with the malt body. A nice light ale for the holidays. This was one of the better tasting years for me, although I miss the pine element that is frequently.
Mar 18, 2014
ONUMello from Ohio
3.93/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a pint glass
A: Dark brown color, 1/2-finger head
S: Pecan pie, brown sugar, molasses, ginger and licorice
T: Lighter & less complex than the nose, lots of baking spices with malt & ginger
M: Medium-bodied, smooth & spicy
O: Not my favorite but a great nose/mouthfeel and a pleasant flavor profile
Nov 30, 2013
3.93/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a pint glass
A: Dark brown color, 1/2-finger head
S: Pecan pie, brown sugar, molasses, ginger and licorice
T: Lighter & less complex than the nose, lots of baking spices with malt & ginger
M: Medium-bodied, smooth & spicy
O: Not my favorite but a great nose/mouthfeel and a pleasant flavor profile
Nov 30, 2013
KYGunner from Kentucky
3.75/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
So deep brown it appears black the head rose to a thick finger of foam with a stout look but a short life.
The scent is very fruity with dark fruit aromas like plum and prune. A touch of spruce and anise round out the spicy scent of Christmas.
The anise or licorice flavor hits the front of the palate as a dried fruit holds nearer the end. The spruce or pine tree hits with a sharpness as I detect a ginger or nutmeg.
The feel is very thin, astringent and highly carbonated with a touch of booziness.
I found this to be a good ale with all the trappings of a winter warmer but the feel is simply not up to snuff.
Dec 21, 2013
3.75/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
So deep brown it appears black the head rose to a thick finger of foam with a stout look but a short life.
The scent is very fruity with dark fruit aromas like plum and prune. A touch of spruce and anise round out the spicy scent of Christmas.
The anise or licorice flavor hits the front of the palate as a dried fruit holds nearer the end. The spruce or pine tree hits with a sharpness as I detect a ginger or nutmeg.
The feel is very thin, astringent and highly carbonated with a touch of booziness.
I found this to be a good ale with all the trappings of a winter warmer but the feel is simply not up to snuff.
Dec 21, 2013
BeerFMAndy from Wisconsin
4.08/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle poured into a snifter.
5.5% ABV
A - Dark chocolate brown with ruby highlights, the 2013 vintage of Our Special Ale is almost black looking and crowned with an off-white head that dots the snifter in lacing as it subsides.
S - Deep toasted malt pulls through the woody, pine-like aroma of Our Special Ale, introducing rich complexities of raisin and plum into the beer. Hints of ground nutmeg and ginger add a subtle spice to the beer while a swirl releases brown sugar and caramel sweetness for a lingering complexity.
T - Substantially more shallow in flavor, Our Special Ale has a somewhat thin malt base consisting of toast and hints of roast which work well with the beer's overall earthy profile, sprinkled with spice but, sweetness is strangely absent as are the fruit complexities.
M - With a medium-light body this Winter Warmer has a smooth, easier drinking flavor profile than that of some of the more robust, truly warming winter beers but, that doesn't stop it's earthiness and delicately lingering spice from completing the seasonal beer.
O - Despite the recipe changing from year to year, Anchor's Our Special Ale always seems to remain familiar; robust earthy, pine-like aromas and malty, toasted flavor with a sprinkle of holiday spice. This year has a fantastic and complex, welcoming aroma that unfortunately dies off slightly in flavor but the smooth body allows the beer to finish out nicely for a winter treat.
Dec 22, 2013
4.08/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle poured into a snifter.
5.5% ABV
A - Dark chocolate brown with ruby highlights, the 2013 vintage of Our Special Ale is almost black looking and crowned with an off-white head that dots the snifter in lacing as it subsides.
S - Deep toasted malt pulls through the woody, pine-like aroma of Our Special Ale, introducing rich complexities of raisin and plum into the beer. Hints of ground nutmeg and ginger add a subtle spice to the beer while a swirl releases brown sugar and caramel sweetness for a lingering complexity.
T - Substantially more shallow in flavor, Our Special Ale has a somewhat thin malt base consisting of toast and hints of roast which work well with the beer's overall earthy profile, sprinkled with spice but, sweetness is strangely absent as are the fruit complexities.
M - With a medium-light body this Winter Warmer has a smooth, easier drinking flavor profile than that of some of the more robust, truly warming winter beers but, that doesn't stop it's earthiness and delicately lingering spice from completing the seasonal beer.
O - Despite the recipe changing from year to year, Anchor's Our Special Ale always seems to remain familiar; robust earthy, pine-like aromas and malty, toasted flavor with a sprinkle of holiday spice. This year has a fantastic and complex, welcoming aroma that unfortunately dies off slightly in flavor but the smooth body allows the beer to finish out nicely for a winter treat.
Dec 22, 2013
Our Special Ale 2013 (Anchor Christmas Ale) from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
700 ratings
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