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Our Special Ale 2018 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company
- From:
- Anchor Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
- ABV:
- 6.9%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.89 | pDev: 7.97%
- Reviews:
- 76
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 11, 2021
- Added:
- Oct 08, 2018
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 35
This year’s brew marks the 44th annual release of this Anchor holiday tradition. Every year, Anchor creates a new, secret recipe with a unique hand drawn label for their Christmas Ale, but the intent with each brew remains the same joy for the changing seasons and celebration of the newness of life. With a heavily guarded, confidential recipe, Christmas Ale is sold only from early November to mid-January. This highly anticipated seasonal delight is complex and full in flavor, packed with toasty cocoa notes, roasted malts and strong aromas of resinous pine.
Our 2018 Christmas Ale has varying specialty malts, lending rich flavors of brûléed sugars, holiday spices and freshly baked banana bread with a velvety finish. The aromatics are quintessential for the holiday season: nutty candied yams and resinous pine. It pours a nice mahogany brown color with a fluffy, tan head.
As each Christmas Ale recipe evolves, so does its hand drawn packaging, created by long-time Anchor Illustrator Jim Stitt, who has been creating Anchor’s Christmas Ale labels since 1975. Since ancient times, trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with its seasons, appears born anew. For the 2018 release, Stitt created a brimming Korean Pine Tree for the label. Native to both North and South Korea, the Korean Pine Tree is a symbol of peace and a reminder of the spirit of the season. It flourishes in the picturesque botanical gardens just north of San Francisco, Anchor’s home base.
Our 2018 Christmas Ale has varying specialty malts, lending rich flavors of brûléed sugars, holiday spices and freshly baked banana bread with a velvety finish. The aromatics are quintessential for the holiday season: nutty candied yams and resinous pine. It pours a nice mahogany brown color with a fluffy, tan head.
As each Christmas Ale recipe evolves, so does its hand drawn packaging, created by long-time Anchor Illustrator Jim Stitt, who has been creating Anchor’s Christmas Ale labels since 1975. Since ancient times, trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with its seasons, appears born anew. For the 2018 release, Stitt created a brimming Korean Pine Tree for the label. Native to both North and South Korea, the Korean Pine Tree is a symbol of peace and a reminder of the spirit of the season. It flourishes in the picturesque botanical gardens just north of San Francisco, Anchor’s home base.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BubbleBobble:
Rated by BubbleBobble from New York
3.7/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Jan 20, 2019
3.7/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Jan 20, 2019
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by rorjets from Connecticut
3.75/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from the bottle into a snifter glass. Thin, almost non-existent head with little lacing. The body of the beer is a light brown, much lighter than the previous 2 years. Less spice on the nose, a bit more alcohol. The taste comes thru with plums, raisons, a bit of malt. Hoppy finish.
Apr 11, 2021Reviewed by Gdabeast from California
4.34/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.34/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
A truly delicious beer, working at a boutique liquor store, went through the back of the cooler and sorted through some old products, and found this gem. We also have a few others, as far back as 2015 I believe. I had the 2020 release earlier this year, and in comparison the 2018 was more mature, the hop bitterness was dulled and the malt was more pronounced and more full bodied. A fruity sweetness comes through on the palate with silky smooth mouth feel.
Jan 16, 2021Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas
4.02/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Massive, somewhat coarse and gloriously persistent tan head crowns a light amber body. A thick, slightly irregular, but unbroken ring adorns the glass wall. Before a light, excellent clarity, and streams of fine beaded, slow-rising bubbles are revealed.
Aroma: Moderate notes of pine are upfront in the aroma, followed by dark bread, bitter cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, dark fruit, and spiced Christmas cookies.
Taste: Opens with spicy notes, molasses and rich dark malt. Later in the taste, there is dark caramel, rustic brown bread, dark fruit, nutmeg and ginger. The alcohol is slightly warming, but seems absent from the taste. Later on, there is a bit of evergreen, which serves to moderate the sweetness a bit. Finishes with lingering toasted malt and slight bitter herbal hops.
Mouth feel: Full and pleasant, very soft to the touch, with only slight carbonation.
Drinkability/notes: Different every year, but as always, excellent.
Presentation: Packaged in the ubiquitous Anchor twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a pry-off crown, served in an Ommegang chalice.
Jan 10, 2021Aroma: Moderate notes of pine are upfront in the aroma, followed by dark bread, bitter cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, dark fruit, and spiced Christmas cookies.
Taste: Opens with spicy notes, molasses and rich dark malt. Later in the taste, there is dark caramel, rustic brown bread, dark fruit, nutmeg and ginger. The alcohol is slightly warming, but seems absent from the taste. Later on, there is a bit of evergreen, which serves to moderate the sweetness a bit. Finishes with lingering toasted malt and slight bitter herbal hops.
Mouth feel: Full and pleasant, very soft to the touch, with only slight carbonation.
Drinkability/notes: Different every year, but as always, excellent.
Presentation: Packaged in the ubiquitous Anchor twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a pry-off crown, served in an Ommegang chalice.
Reviewed by misteil from Ireland
3.9/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
just bought a bottle of this in a bottle shop i like, thought i was getting this years version, but it’s the 2018 version, let’s see if it holds up.
look: three finger rocky off white head with great retention, loads of lacing, beer is a murky light chestnut brown colour, slow moving carbonation within.
smell: it smells quite nice, really malty, rich dark malt aromas, rye bread, caramel, toasty, dark fruit, plum, fig, christmas cake quailities, dark chocolate, nicely sweet, exciting.
taste: that’s pretty nice alright, loads of malt flavour, smokey tobacco, black bread, brown bread, unami flavour, earthy, caramel, some dark fruits, plum and raisin, fig, dark chocolate, moderate bitterness on the finish, smokey malt flavours linger, pretty nice alright.
feel: light to medium bodied, light carbonation, a bit thin and watery, nice lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue, hint of warming from alcohol.
overall: a nice festive brew, would like to try the 2020 if i could get it, good stuff.
Nov 25, 2020look: three finger rocky off white head with great retention, loads of lacing, beer is a murky light chestnut brown colour, slow moving carbonation within.
smell: it smells quite nice, really malty, rich dark malt aromas, rye bread, caramel, toasty, dark fruit, plum, fig, christmas cake quailities, dark chocolate, nicely sweet, exciting.
taste: that’s pretty nice alright, loads of malt flavour, smokey tobacco, black bread, brown bread, unami flavour, earthy, caramel, some dark fruits, plum and raisin, fig, dark chocolate, moderate bitterness on the finish, smokey malt flavours linger, pretty nice alright.
feel: light to medium bodied, light carbonation, a bit thin and watery, nice lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue, hint of warming from alcohol.
overall: a nice festive brew, would like to try the 2020 if i could get it, good stuff.
Reviewed by mschrei from Illinois
4.06/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Part of three year vertical. One year old, middle child of the group. Creamy head and lacing. Slight spice on scent and taste. Light to medium bodied, a bit thin. Not bad, but weakest of the group.
Dec 21, 2019Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan
3.72/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
This pours an amber color with amazing foam retention. Menthol, eucalyptus, wintergreen bomb. Heavy aroma, a touch medicinal, thinner body than I'd like for the botanical buffet going on here. I wonder how much time will mellow this out into the excellent, always different brew I've come to expect each year.
Nov 28, 2019Reviewed by Bluecrow from New York
4.15/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
—aged a year, this clear deep amber bottle pour hosts a thin cap and a light caramel aroma. The flavor is rich with toasted malt and a bit of burnt candi sugar. There is is ginger-nutmeg note too. The finish is dry. This is great.
Nov 09, 2019Rated by NeilSilber1 from California
3.84/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.84/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours dark amber with thick khaki head and warming winter malty notes and nicely balanced hop zip.
Jul 13, 2019Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts
3.94/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Always a favorite, I was able to enjoy this in late April on tap. There were no signs of aging in the tasting.
Near black in color where light passes through the edge. Good, lasting head, slightly beige. Excellent blanket of lace.
The smell is very smooth with definitive darker malts like chocolate. Light cream. No evergreen to the nose like past versions.
Rich body with an equally rich fudge like flavoring. The carbonation is ample but not as dominating as the full mouthfeel. Think chocolate egg cream. Relatively short aftertaste with more of the same.
Overall, this recipe is a nice departure from past entries but it's still a bit one dimensional.
Apr 28, 2019Near black in color where light passes through the edge. Good, lasting head, slightly beige. Excellent blanket of lace.
The smell is very smooth with definitive darker malts like chocolate. Light cream. No evergreen to the nose like past versions.
Rich body with an equally rich fudge like flavoring. The carbonation is ample but not as dominating as the full mouthfeel. Think chocolate egg cream. Relatively short aftertaste with more of the same.
Overall, this recipe is a nice departure from past entries but it's still a bit one dimensional.
Reviewed by ONUMello from Ohio
3.9/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a tulip
A: Dark brown, one finger head
S: Dark roasted malts, baking spice, a hit of hops
T: Tons of malts, baking spice, hints of cocoa and caramel
M: Medium-bodied overall, warming (though not boozy) and a bit sweet
O: A good example of the style, I just wish the palate had a bit less malt
Apr 12, 2019A: Dark brown, one finger head
S: Dark roasted malts, baking spice, a hit of hops
T: Tons of malts, baking spice, hints of cocoa and caramel
M: Medium-bodied overall, warming (though not boozy) and a bit sweet
O: A good example of the style, I just wish the palate had a bit less malt
Reviewed by TooManyGlasses from Canada (AB)
3.98/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a fairly clear deep brown with reddish highlights and 1 and1/2 fingers cream coloured head.
Aroma sweet caramel malt, some peat, clove, brown sugar, plums.
Taste starts with some burnt sugar, dark fruit, but coats with slightly resinous piney hops.
Mouthfeel is medium leaning towards thin - but still creamy and smooth - leaves with bittersweet candy-pine finish.
Mar 12, 2019Aroma sweet caramel malt, some peat, clove, brown sugar, plums.
Taste starts with some burnt sugar, dark fruit, but coats with slightly resinous piney hops.
Mouthfeel is medium leaning towards thin - but still creamy and smooth - leaves with bittersweet candy-pine finish.
Our Special Ale 2018 (Anchor Christmas Ale) from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
172 ratings
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