Anchor Our Special Ale 2009
Anchor Our Special Ale 2009
Rated 3.689 by BeerPals
Brewed by Anchor Brewing Company
San Francisco, CA, United States
Style: Spiced Beer
5.5% Alcohol by Volume
Availability of this beer is unknown
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The brewers of Anchor Steam Beer are proud to announce the release of our thirty-fifth annual “Christmas Ale.” Every year since 1975 the brewers at Anchor have brewed a distinctive and unique “Christmas Ale,” which is available from early November to mid-January. The Ale’s recipe is different every year—as is the tree on the label—but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life. Since ancient times, trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with its seasons, appears born anew. Available in 12-ounce bottles, magnums, and on draught.
ID: 37213 Last updated 13 years ago Added to database 14 years agoKey Stats
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Drunk15
Reviews0
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Statistics
| Overall Rank | 1150 |
| Overall Percentile | 97.9 |
| Style Rank | 18 of 1270 |
| Style Percentile | 98.6 |
| Lowest Score | 3.5 |
| Highest Score | 4.3 |
| Average Score | 3.827 |
| Weighted Score | 3.689 |
| Standard Deviation | 0.274 |
Rating Distribution
Beer vs Style
15 Member Reviews
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7
February 2011 Vertical Tasting including '10,'09,'08,'07: All four bottles fared very similar with the exception that the spice influence faded as expected from most recent to oldest. The 2010 had a tangy after taste while nutmeg and ginger were prominent. 2009 showed a vanilla undertone. 2008 was my favorite and had very little spice. 2007 was most aromatic but the taste was severely muted. Not worth aging overall.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
sampled 11/8/09. 12oz bottles with ryan. pours a deep brown color. medium head. aroma is fruity, lots of spices, pine. taste is fruity, chocolate, cinnamon, a little pine, vanilla. body is medium. aftertaste is a little sweet.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7
Bottled (2009 vintage). Deep amber colour, small brown head. Aroma is fruits, spices, plum, vanilla and some mild notes of berries. Flavour is liquorice, fruits, wood, spices and some mild wooden notes. Quite sticky palate.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7
2009 bottle sampled fresh. A very good year for Anchor OSA. The beer is a mix of trees, pine/spruce/juniper, spice and malt. There are really more flavors in this beer than your average winter warmer, but Anchor continues to make them all mesh together. There are notes of vanille, cardamom, nutmeg, pine needles, cocoa powder, rum, malt and toffee. The taste starts off sweet but finishes fairly dry. The mouthfeel is creamy and good. It’s one of the best Winter beers around, in my opinion.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
Very dark brown with a massive thick cap, lacing was sticky. Dark cold smelling malts (yes cold has a smell), some vanilla, very mild coffee, some cheese cake, nutmeg and possibly walnut all comes through. THIS SMELLS AWSOME!! Such a heavy malt charter that’s so thick and smooth. Sweet nuts, honey, vanilla, and coffee can all be easily tasted. The sweetness is perfect it’s there but not so much you get sick of it after a few glasses. Such a good Christmas brew it is by far my favorite one. CANADA HAS JUST BEAT DOWN THE STATES TO WIN THE GOLD METAL!!!!! SUCK IT BURK!!!
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Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
Comes out of the bottle a deep, barely translucent mahogany with a thick, cinnamony off-white head that hangs around for a while. Aroma is malty and fruity with floral and spice hints. Flavor is fairly strong, malty and fruity and a little spicy, mainly of cloves. Texture is thick, smooth and somewhat tingly.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7
From Lennox Liquor Store. Not "simply terrific" but quite enjoyable nonetheless. Poured one-point-five finger's worth of creamy tan head above a dark yet clear amber body. Aroma hinted at malt and no more than that. Flavour was almost too sweet; cloying, anyone? Not all that impressive but at least it was nearly enjoyable.
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Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
This is sort of like a dark lager, but has some characteristics of a porter and dunkel. Appears a dark dark brown, but isn't very heavy. I am tasting chocolate, caramel, and coffee malts....maybe a little toffee too? All those nice holiday spices with what appears to be spruce, but only mild. A light hop finish to balance it all out. An all-around solid brew.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
another year, another solid "christmas tree in a bottle" beer from our friends at Anchor. great fresh aroma of spices. dark ruby color, khaki head. i'll agree that the flavor and feel are lacking (just a touch) from years past, but still a solid beer.
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Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
Simply terrific. Every year is better than the last. Well, except for this one. The appearance, aroma and mouthfeel are terrific, but the taste is a little off. It's a little flat. There are plums and spice here. But there is a little funk. Still a great seasonal beer. Very worthy of a high rating.
