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Our Special Ale 2011 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company
- From:
- Anchor Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
- ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.83 | pDev: 14.88%
- Reviews:
- 287
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 10, 2021
- Added:
- Oct 19, 2011
- Wants:
- 12
- Gots:
- 64
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by brewerburgundy:
Reviewed by brewerburgundy from West Virginia
3.58/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle, Sam Adams perfect pint, uselessly 'clever' Anchor dating code of 1DH.
Bloody cherry red is this long running beer, a standard light brown head deflates slowly to a good solid finger of foam.
Sweet malty cherry juice backs a fresh, scrubbed clean spruce herbal aura. I smell lavender and sage, but there seem to be a bevy of herbs in there.
Cherry juice is a big part of the flavor, sweet and malty again. Licorice now joins, as does rhubarb, roast, and sarsaparilla. Interesting things afoot here, let it warm; it's fairly sweet and I get a little bit of cola too.
Though it doesn't have much heft, the palate is satisfying and a little chalky like the pastel violet candies, which I also smell in the nose. Carbonation is medium-high.
Now that I've finally gotten around to trying Our Special Ale I'm left unsure of whether I really like this year's iteration. I find it interesting, but sort of without direction. The herbs and spices seem to dominate, but not by much and it otherwise doesn't rely on any other element. The fact that it changes every year does hold appeal for me though.
Dec 21, 2011Bloody cherry red is this long running beer, a standard light brown head deflates slowly to a good solid finger of foam.
Sweet malty cherry juice backs a fresh, scrubbed clean spruce herbal aura. I smell lavender and sage, but there seem to be a bevy of herbs in there.
Cherry juice is a big part of the flavor, sweet and malty again. Licorice now joins, as does rhubarb, roast, and sarsaparilla. Interesting things afoot here, let it warm; it's fairly sweet and I get a little bit of cola too.
Though it doesn't have much heft, the palate is satisfying and a little chalky like the pastel violet candies, which I also smell in the nose. Carbonation is medium-high.
Now that I've finally gotten around to trying Our Special Ale I'm left unsure of whether I really like this year's iteration. I find it interesting, but sort of without direction. The herbs and spices seem to dominate, but not by much and it otherwise doesn't rely on any other element. The fact that it changes every year does hold appeal for me though.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours dark brown with an inch-plus of tan head. Plenty of tattered lacework with persistent retention. Spruce and earthy spice in the nose. Medium bodied with a tacky, almost chewy mouthfeel. Roasty malt with dark chocolate and molasses on the palate. Finishes with a drying bitterness and earthy spice.
Dec 10, 2021Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.24/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.24/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Brown appearance, red edges, beige head in the half inch range. A little bit of woody, brown malt.
Plenty of toffee, peat malt, almost no hops, tiny bit of bitterness. Not really warming. Cola like notes. Decent in limited quantities.
Dec 20, 2015Plenty of toffee, peat malt, almost no hops, tiny bit of bitterness. Not really warming. Cola like notes. Decent in limited quantities.
Rated by kscaldef from Oregon
2.75/5 rDev -28.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
2.75/5 rDev -28.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Smells nice and caramelly, but tastes a little too much like chewing on a tree.
Jul 02, 2015Reviewed by AndyAvalanche from Massachusetts
3.93/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle poured into a bulbed pint glass. Liquid comes out sort of a muddy Amber color to light brown. When held up to the light you can see Amber highlights and that it's slightly hazy. Brown eggshell colored head with mostly small bubbles. Ok lacking.
Smell is pretty good. Dark malts are present, it has a nice dark bready/cakey essence to it. Hints of licorice, clove, molasses, prunes, and dates.
Tastes pretty good, certainly has a Christmas like vibe to it in tbe flavors. Again there's a good dark grain bill. Hints of earthy clove, molasses, licorice and a bit of spicy fruit cake flavors. Pretty good, I've had it fresh too and I think it's held up pretty well.
A head medium feel with a flavor that lingers for about a second. Good carbonation level. Sweet and better at the same time with acidic finish similar to a red wine. Good beer, I'd probably only drink it winter time but it's still good. I've liked all the Christmas ales so far and don't regret any of them. They certainly serve their purpose.
Mar 18, 2015Smell is pretty good. Dark malts are present, it has a nice dark bready/cakey essence to it. Hints of licorice, clove, molasses, prunes, and dates.
Tastes pretty good, certainly has a Christmas like vibe to it in tbe flavors. Again there's a good dark grain bill. Hints of earthy clove, molasses, licorice and a bit of spicy fruit cake flavors. Pretty good, I've had it fresh too and I think it's held up pretty well.
A head medium feel with a flavor that lingers for about a second. Good carbonation level. Sweet and better at the same time with acidic finish similar to a red wine. Good beer, I'd probably only drink it winter time but it's still good. I've liked all the Christmas ales so far and don't regret any of them. They certainly serve their purpose.
Our Special Ale 2011 (Anchor Christmas Ale) from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
710 ratings
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