Anchor Our Special Ale 2001

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

This one might have been my least favorite beer of the vertical. Notes of ginger on both the palate and aroma gave this a cough-drop kinda feel. It's almost like they dumped a spice cabinet in the secondary, because there's a lot of stuff going on in this and it's really hard to pick anything else out, other than the ginger. Some cinammon maybe? Some nutmeg? Some of the verisons taste similar I will admit and the changes are very minor, but this has a bunch of ginger in it and I just didn't care for it much. Never have been a huge fan of ginger.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Vertical from 1996-2004. This was the winner hands down. Just enough time to tone down the spices and pine flavor. A perfect balance of chocolate, caramel, ginger, cinammon, and wheat flavor. I enjoyed this more than any others I sampled.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

~ 06-11-2003, 2001 sample, aged approximately 18 months before sampling:
Does pine tar have a taste? You know, that black stuff baseball players rub on a baseball bat to make it sticky, right before they are up to bat? If it is actually a tar made from (and perhaps tastes like) pine, this beer is what I would assume it tastes like. Near-black, with a thin, even layer of foam hugging the edge of the glass throughout the entire glass. Nice Belgian lace, too, And the aroma is nice too. Very piney/sprucy, of course, but with hints of orange(?), spice, and (perhaps) everything nice. As ussual, it's hard to put a finger on all of the flavors going on with the Our Special Ale's -- this one in particular is a bit of an enigma. Overall, enjoyable for a rare treat once and while, but a bit of an overload even before you finish the end of a single pint (let alone all night with a six-pack). Thus my average rating for the drinkability for an otherwise extra-ordinary ale.

~ 01-17-2004, Tasted as part of "O'Brien's Seven-Year Anchor Our Special Ale Vertical Tasting" event, 17JAN04, from a 1,5L Magnum, 4-oz sample:
Definite licorice-like notes, along with some more complex fruit-like esters. Very firm in the mouthfeel, quite sturdy, and yet pleasant and warming.

~ Overall:
Along with the `00, this was one my favorites of the bunch. The general consensus was that about two years is the bare minimum for OSA to achieve it's "Prime Time" I tend to think that this one has even more room for improvement. :)
//TB

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Dark brown color, large head, spicy aroma. Medium bodied brown ale, malty with a nice hop bite. Spiced with nutmeg and ?. Lots of spices, but cannot identify. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clear. Aftertaste is slightly bitter and a little rough. Bottle aging should mellow this beer.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Poured a dark brown, red color with a small tan head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of pine and spice, chocolate and light roast as well. Roast, chocolate, pine and other spices.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 2

dark ruby colour, fine head; huuuuuhhh ... is it ginger I smell here ? God, I don't like ginger ... there are also notes of nutmeg; unbalanced and definitely cough sirup-like, too much carbonation, very bitter, desperately long, whimsical finish with a final, deep, killing touch of ginger - this is indeed a 'special' ale !

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Just got ahold of this one and I was more impressed by it than last years. Smelled nicely of spices with a large, rich head and the flavor was very spicy and reminds me of a pine tree.