Anchor Steam Beer
Anchor Brewing Company

A sad day indeed. We long ago sipped and enjoyed many an Anchor product. Several were taken down during the first few weeks of the covid lockdowns as there really wasn’t much else to do other than try new beer. We never put the beer into words. From memory though, Steam was a fantastic sipping beverage with its profile defining bitter hoppy bite. The history and tradition, you could taste it. A real shame to hear earlier this week about the full closing of the brewery. The Christmas ale was a staple of the holidays for the past number of year. A very sad day. Pour one out for Fritz.

First time tasting this. I could see picking this up regularly 15-20 years ago, but my tastes have evolved along with so many modern beer choices. I suppose nostalgia can't keep a beer going forever. So long Anchor!

Opened on Nov 4th. Poured to a shaker.
Clear amber, 2 finger creamy foam slowly reduced to thin, good retention, spot lacing lingered to the end.
Citrus, malt driven, hint of herbal and earth nose. It keeps drawing you back in with it's fragrance and elegance.
Malty caramel palate with touch of grassy hop bitterness, uniquely refreshing, earthy, herbal, bready with hint of spice finish.
Light body but good weight, clean, smooth, engaging, very crushable.
It is sad to see this iconic beer go.

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a handsome rich copper gold with a decent pillowy white head. The smell is biscuit and grain with a hint of hop. The taste is some caramel, biscuit, grain, a little bitterness, and a decent malt backbone. It's very balanced, drinkable, and refreshing and had 2 of these after the Diamondbacks baseball game in Phoenix at Hanny's in downtown and sorry to see it go if it is indeed gone.

 

Had to try it before it was discontinued. Looks great, but lacking in much flavor at all--everything feels muted. Quite crushable though.

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours red orange with a fluffy white head. Smells of sweet grain with just a tad of smoke. Tastes of caramelized grain, nice profile. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.

Pours a copper color with a minimal head that lasts quite a while. Aroma is floral notes and roasted malts. Taste is peppery with a slightly bitter finish. Had to try this one while it was still available in the stores.

Poured from a 12 oz can dated 5/30/2023 into a Willi Becher pint glass.
L - Pours a dark amber color with a white head.
S - Smells malty and earthy.
T - Tastes of malt and caramel.
F - Medium body and carbonation.
O - Great beer when you plan on having a couple. It will be a shame to see her go.

 

On tap in San Francisco in a pint glass
Look: Transparent amber with about 1 finger of white head with decent retention.
Smell: Subtle herbs and hops
Taste: Clean and crisp. Hints of malt and caramel.
Mouthfeel: Light-medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I am extremely saddened to hear of Anchor Steam closing down (after 127 years): This is the end of an iconic American beer and brewery. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to drink this beer on tap when it was still available.

Malty with earthy hops. Its crushable. A legend has become extinct.

 

draft pour into standard shaker pint glass. deep amber with a finger of dirty white foam head. malty and caramel-forward in the nose. taste mostly follows. maybe some earthy hops in the mix as well but it’s pretty simple in its structure. medium-full mouthfeel. fairly malty mouthfeel with just enough carbonation. i haven’t had this one in many, many years but was glad to revisit. a craft beer classic.

Look: beautiful amber color. Thick white head with minor to moderate lacing.

Smell: very clean, simple, malty bread aroma. Not much going on but that’s not always a bad thing.

Taste: Watery malt. It’s simple, clean, and refreshing, but the flavor profile is milder than I would prefer. Somewhat of a lemony hops bitterness on the back end.

Mouthfeel: thin and watery

Overall: it’s an iconic trailblazer that is clean, mild, and refreshing, but a little too simple and a little too watery for my tastes.