Anchor Steam Beer

I never had a problem opening a sealed case in PA (in the era of both the "case law" and when many beers were still in deposit bottles in unsealed cases) to look for a date code. Either just pop a flap and pull out a bottle or ask. Seems like it would not be a problem in this era when distributors can sell less than case quantities. (Straub's "greenie" throw-aways used to be packed in cardboard cases with the flaps just interlock folded, not glued or taped, which was nice for checking their dates).

Odd that the cases containing the new consumer-friendly date-coded Anchor beers don't have the date on them - pretty sure the old method was stamped on the case as well as embossed into the back label. I sorta remember rejecting newly delivered Anchor cases just by looking at the dates- but maybe not.

 

Yup, the date was indeed on the case in that stupid code they used.

Cheers!

 

You can brew some delicious beers yet that stupid code..err..running and ducking for cover.

 

The good news is that they are no longer using that stupid code!

Cheers!

 

I'm still working on getting Anchor beers back to Casper.

 

So it's now a blazing hot summer here in New England and I'm reporting back in on my recent fresh sixer of Anchor Steam and the my jury of one agrees with the OP - yes, I do indeed think it tastes similar to an Octoberfest! Much more smooth and malty than I seem to remember; it didn't seem to have that dirty skanky hop presence that I always attributed to the Northern Brewer hops and the San Francisco steam beer brewing process - but that may just be the conditions described in my original post... Still went down quickly and I look forward to enjoying the rest but I'm going to age one for six or eight months, maybe a year, and see what it does just for curiosity.

 

Considering how many folks from states from its home of California to the northeast report difficultly finding "fresh" Anchor Steam and other Anchor beers, seems a waste to "age" such a beer that has always been understood to be best consumed fresh.

If someone wants to try Anchor Steam at 6-8-12 months old, it's easy enough to find on many retailers' shelves already.

 

Unfortunately that is all too true (and not just for Anchor beers).

Non-cheers for too many old beers on beer retailer's shelves!!

 

Good point, and yea, I guess I can search around to find some older stuff, but to each his own. Aging beers that are not typically age-able is kind of an interesting experiment that I've done - inspired by John Kimmich of the Alchemist. Google his video on BA of him doing a side by side of fresh vs. 9 month old Heady Topper - it shows how the taste, color and character changes, but largely still enjoyable to drink by his standards. I've done this with one year and two year old Heady (you can read my results on this forum), one year old Nothing Gold from Bissell (and have a two year old in the fridge). I'm not saying it's a "hobby" for everyone by any measure, and certainly nothing you'd want to do with a four or six pack, but just kinda fun to try on a one-off basis if you've got the fridge space and curiosity to stash one away. Thanks for the input!