What is Anchor up to?

Maytag was content to let Anchor remain the same size. The new aren't that's all that going on. Have to agree with you that the new releases seem forced and don't meet the high standards of the core lineup.

 

I agree in regards to their mediocre (IMO) new releases except for their lager. I love that beer. I'd buy it more often if it weren't so pricey.

 

The lager is a great brew but I consider it part of the core now.

 

I had to go to the Anchor website to look that up: a Blackberry IPA!?!

My guess is that Anchor is creating all of these new beers to provide the beer consumers that are interested in the 'next new thing' something to buy. Sierra Nevada added two new year round beers in 2016: Sidecar (brewed with orange) and Tropical IPA.

The business environment for distributing craft breweries is very, very competitive right now. It seems that many (most?) of the large(r) distributing craft breweries think this means they need to add more and 'exciting' beers to their product line to increase (or maintain) sales?

Cheers!

 

Most likely the new beers coming out are to adapt to the new trends because you need to adapt to survive. And I believe the Christmas ale is a different recipe every year. You may have just gotten bunk batches you didn't care for although I hear last year's was one of the best in recent memory.

 

I also feel that Mark Carpenter's stepping down from his head brewer duties (after having brewed for them for 40 years) has played a pretty significant role in the changes at Anchor over the past year plus as well.

 

I dunno, for whatever reason that Blackberry IPA caught my eye. I'm game to give a few bottles a shot.

 

Michael, let me know what you think of this beer.

Cheers!

 

I've been quite disappointed by the majority of their new beers. I really like their core line up.

Go West IPA was not good, Anchor IPA was also substandard, the Spring Saison was vile, double liberty, odeprot... all meh.

 

I have had Sidecar a few times (draft pints). I think it is a nice, enjoyable beer. I don't know whether I would choose to buy a 6-pack of this beer but I did enjoy drinking those draft pints on those few occasions.

I have yet to try Tropical IPA but I will order a draft pint once I see it on tap.

Cheers!

 

Blackberry? Please elaborate?

 

No problem. I'll report back here most likely. It'll be some time in April, though.

It's all over my Twitter feed lately, called Blackberry Daze, so that's all I know. I'm hoping that it's a nicely balanced blend of flavors, and not similar to a wine cooler. If it's hoppy like an IPA that would seem a good bet.

 

Anchor Brewing has been one of my all time favorite breweries for many decades.....since Fritz and Mark C are no longer involved and there is new ownership, of course there will be some changes as they update their core brews and see what trends are popular out there now.....fruit in IPA's is obviously a big thing now, hence their new Blackberry Daze IPA.....I have enjoyed all there new beers, just wish our shitty NE OH distributor would get their beers out into the marketplace here on a more regular basis.....Anchor Steam, Anchor Liberty Ale, Our Special (Christmas) Ale, Old Foghorn, and Anchor Porter are all decades old icons that deserve respect and the honoring of their place in the modern "craft movement", which goes back to the 1970's.....cheers!

 

Was excited for that Blackberry IPA, but really didn't like it all sadly. Just didn't work for me.

 

Do you have examples of fruited IPAs that you did like?

Cheers!