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Anchor Our Special Ale 2010

Anchor Our Special Ale 2010

Rated 3.675 by BeerPals
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Brewed by Anchor Brewing Company

San Francisco, CA, United States

Style:  Spiced Beer

5.5% Alcohol by Volume

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The brewers of Anchor Steam® Beer are proud to announce the release of our thirty-sixth 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. Our tree for 2010 is the Ginkgo biloba tree.

ID: 40087 Last updated 2 weeks ago Added to database 14 years ago

Key Stats

98
percentile

0

Drunk

13

Reviews

0

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Statistics

Overall Rank1254
Overall Percentile97.7
Style Rank20 of 1281
Style Percentile98.4
Lowest Score3.1
Highest Score4.3
Average Score3.831
Weighted Score3.675
Standard Deviation0.352

Rating Distribution

Beer vs Style

13 Member Reviews

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  • OH6GDX 8392 reviews
    rated 3.8 12 years ago

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

    Bottled (2010 vintage, from Alko). Very deep ruby red colour, mediumsized beigeish brown head. Aroma is lots of spices, some mild dark fruits, raisins, toffee/fudge and some herbal notes. Flavour is spices, plum, raisins, mild

  • MMMMBEER 1119 reviews
    rated 3.7 13 years ago

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

    They clame they use a different recipe every year but for some strange reason it always taste exactly the same, very good but the same. Dark brown brew very tall long last crown. Mild coffee, hints of chocolate, lots of Christmas spice (clove, cinnamon) and hints of raisin . Yummy aroma as always. Malts are heavy sweet and roasted, massive spice with a mild lingering bitterness. Some cherry and plum make their way through. Taste like Christmas. I like this year’s version just like every other year.

  • KINGER 2328 reviews
    rated 3.6 13 years ago

    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.

  • CYBERCAT 13018 reviews
    rated 3.6 13 years ago

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

    Aroma is strong with woody, evergreen and spicy components, the latter mainly cinnamon. It pours a dark, barely transparent brown with a fairly thick, if not too persistent, head. Flavor is woody and spicy with a malty hint and just a pinch of citrus. Texture is smooth and just a little fizzy, leaving behind a subtle tingle.

  • THIRSTYONE 563 reviews
    rated 3.9 13 years ago

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

    Never having had there holiday beer i had higher expectations for spices, it was a fine beer.I enjoyed it,the color and flavor was great.I will recommend this beer,not sure im going to buy it again at those prices.

  • JKBPILL 201 reviews
    rated 4.1 13 years ago

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

    This to me is the standard for spiced winter ales. It pours a nice brown with a white head that hangs around and provides nice lacing. The mouthfeel was not to heavy but the spices were noticeable immediately. It tasted of cinnamon and nutmeg along with some carmel notes and some spicy hop notes.

  • PORTERHOUSE 544 reviews
    rated 3.4 13 years ago

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

    Watery. A perfect ale to drink to the recession. Anchor skimped on everything from hops to grain this year. I am so disappointed. This is the beer that I look forward to each year. This one sucks!!!!!!!!!!!

  • RJA 2975 reviews
    rated 3.1 13 years ago

    Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

    A deep brown ale. The head is small, creamy in texture and light beige in color. Some hang time. An impressive lacing of a thick, soapy ringlet that seems to try ever so slightly to climb up the sides of the glass. The nose is some dark chocolate, light on the nose and a more robust detection of spices, like cinnamon. Thin, lightly carbonated. Cinnamon jumps to the front in the tasting. But really a nice winter warmer.

  • BLUESANDBARBQ 2568 reviews
    rated 4.2 13 years ago

    Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

    I love Anchor: always classy good beers. This year's Special Ale pours a deep mahogany color with a sustained tight near perfect head and some residual lacing. Some carbonation. Spice and herb aromas of spearmint, some clove, pleasant sweet malts, a touch of cinnamon and slight pine hops. Taste is slightly minty with a touch of cocoa and chocolate malts, some spices and very slight hops bitter in the end to offset and mint tingle and sweetness. Extremely nice beer - never disappointing.

  • SLOWRUNNER77 5682 reviews
    rated 4.3 13 years ago

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

    another year, another christmas tree in a bottle, though this may be the smoothest and mellowest in years. similar to past vintages with a unique look, aroma, and blend of spices. orange peel, cinammon, piney goodness. gotta love it.

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