Our Special Ale 2006 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company

Our Special Ale 2006 (Anchor Christmas Ale)Our Special Ale 2006 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
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From:
Anchor Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.91 | pDev: 10.49%
Reviews:
248
Ratings:
291
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 23, 2022
Added:
Oct 28, 2006
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  10
No description / notes.
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Ratings by t0rin0:
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Reviewed by t0rin0 from California

3.62/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
So I tried this again recently and its gotten a lot better. The ratings that I gave here are for the 1 year old version. When I tried this a year ago I thought it tasted like the brewers had stuffed a christmas tree through a chipper and sprayed the chips and sap into the fermenter. It was way too strong. Now, after a year, I think its mellowed nicely.

The appearance hasn't changed much in a year. It is still nice and clear. Has the same color that all the anchor christmas beers have, which is dark brownish red that looks nice in the light. There is a small head that fades to nothing except a ring in the glass. No lacing.

The smell is still of christmas tree but it has mellowed to very happy medium. It is balanced by the dark malts and a slight bit of fruityness. There is a little bit of hops present in both the aroma and taste. The flavor, like the aroma, is a more subdued version of when it was fresh. The only catch is that only certain flavors have subdued, which gives it a diferent balance. Nice flavor with just enough hop bitterness to allow it to mellow for the better over the next few years.

The body is somewhat thin but it has a good amount of texture to it. I still have a 6 pack that I will drink over the next 6 years.
Dec 20, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
pretty absurd to find this on tap right now, 16 years old or whatever it is now, and nowhere near the holiday season, good ole missoula, what a trip! dark and brown ale looking, clear and shiny and with as much tan head as liquid in the glass, looks lively for being ancient, how?! it smells only a little oxidized, nowhere near faded to oblivion, with some light winter spice perceptible and a lot of malt, root beer and cola notes in the nose, cinnamon and vanilla, cognac and weird bacterial twang, clove, smoke, its good and weird at the same time. the flavor confirms this is real dated, but it seems well enough preserved in a cold (i think) keg, mellow melting in a good way, ruby port and chestnut and sarsaparilla, tobacco, licorice, cheap red hard candy from an old lady, and some yeasty issues, but flavorful and still almost defiantly festive, which seems odd but is true, like this still takes me to a holiday table with my parents and brother and everyone else, when it really has no business doing that at this point, perhaps some psychological play here, but come on, this is sick to try at this point, and i wish i had reviewed various vintages as i had them over the years, but now i know, all are different and this is a blast to track them down. low ratings only a product of it not being objectively amazing at this point, but its cool still. unexpectedly intact!
Mar 23, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by smithj4 from New York

Aug 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.85 by DOCRW from Kentucky

Jul 04, 2020
 
Rated: 3.27 by deereless from Colorado

Dec 24, 2017
 
Rated: 3.95 by Beginner2 from Illinois

May 15, 2016
 
Rated: 4.07 by erjaq from California

Dec 31, 2015
Photo of papat444
Rated by papat444 from Canada (QC)

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Flashback #6 - 2006 Vintage, nice and warming.
Aug 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.08 by DucksFan16 from Tennessee

Jun 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by jrob21 from North Carolina

Feb 06, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by redleg411 from Wisconsin

Feb 03, 2015
Photo of wisrarebeer
Reviewed by wisrarebeer from Wisconsin

3.97/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Time to crack open a few of my vintage OSAs. Amazing how well this holds up. Very nice carbonation. Definite rounding of spices after all these years (13+ to be exact) but still very nice. Some oxidation but nothing offensive.
Jan 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Jan 15, 2015
 
Rated: 5 by DavidPerry8218 from Maine

Nov 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by JAHMUR from Connecticut

Oct 20, 2014
 
 
Rated: 3.75 by SkinniePost from Wisconsin

Apr 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by plinythederek from North Carolina

Mar 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Gonzoillini from Illinois

Jan 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by jak from North Carolina

Dec 31, 2013
Our Special Ale 2006 (Anchor Christmas Ale) from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 291 ratings