Our Special Ale 2016 - Barrel-Aged (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company

 

2016 Xmas ale asked in wine and whiskey barrels for 1 year. Tap at the brewery

Pours a thick creamy nitro looking head that never fades (still there 25 min later), thick lacing, dark molasses brown color pretty much no light coming through

Nose big dark fruits, fig, date, molasses, nice spices nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, etc, little dark malt and cocoa, cinnamon, big vanilla barrel, nice bourbon notes and a touch of red wine, creamy malts

Taste big lush malts, toasted brown malts little cocoa, touch toasted and roasty, dark fruits, fig and big date, little nutty, some spices nutmeg cinnamon clove like, touch candy apple, caramel, then vanilla barrel, little red wine but faint, little toasted oak and bourbon, rye whisky more than bourbon, actually a big rye whiskey flavor, cocoa fudge notes, mild sticky finish, no alcohol, little bitterness

Mouth is med to heavier bod, little syrupy sticky, nice fluffy carb, hint of alcohol warmth

Overall this as a really fun and tasty beer. Great barrel characters, nice aged malt spices and esters, phenols, etc. Very enjoyable.