12 oz single from my annual sixer. Usual presentation The usual, dark walnut brown pour with plenty of quite rich looking head. Some good looking lace as usual and the beer looks its usual, rich color. All of the expected and normal herbal, lightly spiced notes with the emphasis on some more bitterness than in the past. Some really light licorice but a beer that seems to have less influence on the fruity side of things. A little bit of sweet and sour on the back end. Mouthfeel does not seem...
Notes on beers brewed by
Anchor Brewing Company
Anchor Humming Ale
Usual Anchor presentation. Bottle says 5.9% alcohol. Dot-matrixed freshness says OLU. Always interested by a new Anchor brew, so here we go. Bottle produces a beer that looks a little macro in its appearance except for a much better head that is solid and is retained well. Neutral nose and some simple, balanced malt and hops make up this easily drinkable and simple brew. In true Anchor style, this beer sits in the well-made category without setting the world on fire. A light fruit note is...
Our Special Ale 2008 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
2008 vintage that is approx. 1 year old (I purchased my usual, 2009 sixer a couple of days ago). The usual Anchor code, 8OU dot-matrixed on this baby. Nice, mocha colored head on top of the usual dark brown, garnet body. Head is maintained nicely and the lace is nicely broken on the glass and firm on the surface. The nose is surprisingly muted for the OSA. Normally one gets plenty of herbal spices but after a year this seems muted somewhat. ...
Anchor Summer Beer
Seems strange to have not reviewed this over the years, so it's about time I did. Classic, Anchor bottle with e usual dot-matrixed code on the rear - 9MK (difficult to be sure if the last letter is actually that). Pour is a surprisingly well carbonated golden, clear body underneath a rocky id somewhat flimsy head. A multitude of bubbles accumulate on the inside of the glass. BIG fan of te ABV which adds to the drinkability of this beer and saves it for me a little. It drinks a little like a...
Anchor Bock Beer
This one has been a LONG time coming - glad to get here eventually. Not available in GA, this one came from a recent jaunt up the east coast. 8JW dot-matrixed in the usual Anchor manner. Good, mahogany color from a noisy pour. Rich body, head and lace - very nice looking. Head is very nicely retained with good lace. Tastes lack a bit of sweetness that I was looking for, and have an almost tea-like taste. Good mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden. Some bitterness in the finish, but not much....
Anchor Small Beer
I've been wanting to try this for a while, and I finally got around to getting some on my recent jaunt up the East Coast (we don't get this particular Anchor product in GA). $3.79, it came from State Line Liquors. 1 Pint, 6 floz "Anchor Style" shaped bottle, a really good looking presentation. 7LP in the usual Anchor style, dot-matrix printing on the rear label. Pour reveals plenty of head and lace, and a lovely golden, orange clear body. Lace is very good, carbonation is high. Very mild...
Our Special Ale 2006 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
On tap, East-West Connector Taco Mac. As usual, served too cold. The usual "coke like" pour with burgandy highlights at the edges. Very small head and some lacing, but the lacing seemed a little thin. Lack of substantial body also reflected in the mouthfeel. Obviously OSA like, with darker spices (cinnamon and all spice) very upfront. This years version seems to lack a bit of body for me, although I will definitely have to drink more to get the full effect. A bit more bitterness than I...
Anchor Old Foghorn
Update: 4AT coded bottle (April 2004) consumed January 2007. 7oz bottle getting toward three years old. Very deep malts and lots of sweetness with a hop edge. This stuff seems to be peaking since I can hardly imagine it getting any better. Original Review: (Unsure of bottle age). Delicious. Pale red pour with a clarity that I found striking and unexpected. Small head that leaves quickly as expected. Lots of alcohol in the nose, and some distinct hoppiness that suprised me. The taste is not...
Our Special Ale 2004 (Anchor Christmas Ale)
Updated Review 01/08 === Bottled. Part of a recent 03-07 vertical. This was the sweetest of the vertical with the usual notes but oxidation being prevelant. Enjoyable at four years old. Original Review 12/04 === Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, $4.25. Very nice. Beautiful, deep, dark brown, almost black, with a lovely dark tan head. Very, very smooth drinking with just the right amount of carbonation. The bartender seemed to think there was a lot of gingerbread in the beer, but I didn't pick that up. I...
Anchor Liberty Ale
I'm sure this is a quality beer to many, but it's simply not "my cup of tea". If you like aromatic hops, then go right ahead, you won't be disappointed, but if your senses are offended by overpowering flavors then this will not work for you. The pour is an attractive, hazy orange, but the smell dominates all other senses. If you are not a hop head this instantly ends the experience for you. I wouldn't be surpised to see lots of very high scores and several low scores for this beer, split into...
Anchor Porter
Extremely nice. All that you would want in a Porter, plus a little bit of an unexpected bitter and dry finish as a bonus. Classic black pour, with a small but creamy head. I like my Porters to exhibit that creamy quality and the smoothness of this beer is really rather good. Not quite up to the standard of my favorite, St. Peter's, but nevertheless a fine example. Aroma is that of some burned malt, and the hops are well understated until the end. Another beer that I would recommend to people...
Anchor Steam Beer
$7.99 a sixer, Green's Atlanta, GA, USA. I enjoyed this beer, but I suspect that may have been simply because after over exposure to Miller Lite, Bud, Rolling Rock etc. one tends to relish even the most ordinary of tastier microbrew styles. Good light brown head and a decent enough head (that nevertheless faded very quickly) was followed by a slightly dry and slightly thin experience. Balanced and simple caramel malts and light fruity/floral hops but not much to distinguish it from many...