Our Special Ale 2017 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company

If anybody still has the 50.7 magnum of 2017, I would love to purchase one!

Johan

Had Our Special Ale 2017 on Dec. 31, 2025, poured from 50.7-oz. magnum bottle into chalice.

Pours apparently black, but deep mahogany-brown with clarity when back lit, with 2-finger-plus light-tan head, with excellent retention, leaving scattered rings of Belgian lace down the glass. Aromas of caramel malt, mild hop spice and sweet citrus off pour, joined by mild chocolate aroma, with all aromas slowly diminishing. On tasting, begins smooth, sweet caramel, with a hint of citrus, and then a lot of piney hops, which carry through dark but mild chocolate into a drying, crisp, piney, slightly citrusy and lightly roasted malt finish.

After cellaring for years, and then saving after the July 2023 closing of Anchor Brewing in hopes of opening it to celebrate the brewery's reopening, I gave up on NYE 2025 and finally opened my 2017 magnum. Lighter, and far more drinkable than expected, but perfectly balanced between malt, citrus, and pine.

 

Look: Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a glass - heavy dark brown coloring. Almost can't see through the glass. Not much foam risen to the surface but a bit of lacing happening as the foam goes down.
Smell: Aromas of caramel, spices, pumpkin, banana bread. This really reminds me of the holidays here.
Taste: Heavier on the banana bread side with hints of caramel and the ending of some spices. Very well done.
Feel: Heavy bodied, rich, easy to drink, not as carbonated.
Overall: This is an okay beer! I had the 2022 version with 7.2% ABV but it is worth trying!

Bottle from the cellar.

Pours dark brown with an inch-plus of beige foam. Spongy lacing with persistent retention. Licorice, spruce bark, cardamon, and light roast in the nose. Medium bodied with a soft but tacky mouthfeel. Bakers chocolate with earthy spice on the palate. Star anise, spruce, faint nutmeg. Finishes fairly dry with lingering roast and spice.

Had two of these chilling in the back of one of the beer fridges in the cellar, figured might as well pop one.

Pours a brown cola like appearance but for the 1/3" beige head. Not much going on aroma wise, there is a light brown malt and tree bark aspect to it. Very mild in this regard.

Taste offers slightly different track. Light pine bitterness that wasn't in the nose. Light uncarbonated cola aspect in the mouth feel. Hint of dark fruit. Almost vinous. Not really getting anything sweet along the lines of brown sugar that some have reported. Usual pinch of nutmeg. Light unsweetened toffee presence. A bit prickly carbonation. No alcohol warmth. Almost no hop presence.

I don't really know that I agree with this being a winter warmer, but its a relatively difficult beer to categorize, so its one of those, "won't say right or wrong, just that I understand." Somewhere between a brown ale, porter and winter warmer I guess.

Looks and tastes like a non bitter porter. Very creamy and has a lot of different aromas/flavors going on. Christmas spices, caramel, licorice, and pine needles. Very delicious. Almost wish I would’ve waited longer to crack it open but I treated myself for my birthday.

 

 

reviewed after two years on the shelf- this one held up great liked it better than the 2019 . nice spice and malt flavors

Reviewed at two years old with a three year vertical. Oldest of the group. Dark, creamy thick frothy head. Bit of spices on the nose. Flavorful, but spices are muted. Thick full body, most well rounded of the three. Tasty.

 

 

 

 

 

2017 edition enjoyed in May 2019....nothing like a good winter beer in late spring. Pours a deep brown, almost black with 1 finger deep tan head. Smell of Christmas spice - nutmeg, clove, dark fruits, hint of licorice and some definite sherry notes from the age. Taste slightly sweet yet a vinous tartness pokes through - brown sugar, spices, caramel, dark fruits, and again a bit of sherry with some hoppy bitterness at the end. Creamy moderately carbonated mouthfeel, slightly sweet yet tart on palate with a nice touch of lingering bitterness.

 

 

12 oz bottles on two occasions.
Lightly spicy.