Anchor Steam Holiday Ale

I picked some of this up last night but haven't tried it yet, anyone had it yet? Any good?

TheJadedDog said:

I picked some of this up last night but haven't tried it yet, anyone had it yet? Any good?

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Picked some up today. I will try it tomorrow during Soperbrew's fabulous Friday night happy hour.

Also scored Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner and a random few bottles of Saint Arnolds Divine Reserve 7! It's like the heavens parted for me as I walked into the beer store!

Had two last night. I think that if I made it I would like it a touch less bitter. I suspect that it has some spices in it but they seem subtle and I'm not sophisticated enough to nail it down. I like the body of it a lot. Not sure what kind of malt and hops are in it. I'd love to read a real critique.

Saccharomyces said:

Also scored Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner

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I had some of that tonight. it tasted good, lots of maltiness.
look at the bottom right of the label.
It says ale. I found it funny

TheJadedDog said:

I picked some of this up last night but haven't tried it yet, anyone had it yet? Any good?

Click to expand...

yes. It is quite tasty.
I haven't found a holiday ale this year that was nasty.
Jubelale rules on tap. But RedHook Winterhook was off the hook in bottles.
Widmer Brrr was good, but I am having Snow Plow withdrawal.

Santa, please -- hook me up with some Snow Plow stout goodness.

I'm glad to hear the Anchor is tasty. I bought one of the Magnum bottles a couple week ago.

thataintchicken:

I have a grocery store that has 22oz Snow Plows... PM me... I'd ship some for some Pliny or other stuff I cannot get here in Idaho.

Lemme know!

Had the anchor both out of the bottle and on tap, it's delicious.

I wasn't a big fan. Local pizza place has it on tap. Vanilla and anise along with some other stuff. Not a big spice in the beer fan.....

I've been drinking Anchor Christmas since the early 80's...it was one of the first craft brews I ever had, and I've had (and liked) it just about every year since.

Bought a sixer of the 2008 Anchor Christmas last week. Tried one at the end of an evening where I had several other beers (mostly hoppy pales and IPAs) and didn't really like it. Thought I'd give it another try with a fresh palate over the weekend. And again tonight. By now I've tried it cold, warm, with food, without food...

I gotta say: yuck

There is a TON of dried fruit flavor here. I'm not opposed to some raisin or plum undertones, but this stuff tastes a lot like prune juice. There aren't many craft brews I'll dump, but I'm pretty sure the rest of this is getting deep-sixed.

I'll probably give it another shot, on the off-chance that I just got some bad bottles, but this doesn't taste like a defect. More like a recipe problem -- maybe way too much crystal 120 or something.

I just picked up a bottle of this.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle at about 60F.

Tastes very heavily of dried/dark fruit. Raisiny/plumb. Also some cinnamon and nutmeg and vanilla in the finish. I'm also picking up some coffee/roasty flavors too. Maltiness is reminescent of a Scottish Ale. I like a good malty beer on a cold day (or a warm one for that matter). This is very tasty.

Mine had a strange, minty or wintergreeny flavor.

I didn't hate it, but glad I only picked up a 12oz 'er.