Anchor Brewing Company – Christmas Ale 2014

Anchor Brewing Company – Christmas Ale 2014

Christmas Ale
BJCP Style:  21B. Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced Beer
ABV: 5.5%
Bottled
Tasting on: 11/15/14
Glass: Stemmed Stout

Aroma: Overtones of dark, sweet malt with warm baking spices. Undertones reminiscent of BBQ sauce with smoke and cinnamon notes.  8/10

Appearance: Deep amber with a creamy, light tan head. Good clarity. 10/10

Flavor: A malt forward beginning with notes of caramel, followed by baker’s spices in the middle.  Smoke, toffee, and pine flavors conclude the beer, with hops showing up briefly in the very end. The beer features a background of malt sweetness throughout the middle and end. Minor mint flavors meet light, lingering hops in the aftertaste. 18/20

Mouthfeel: Medium body, mild carbonation, no noticeable alcohol. 9/10

Overall Impression: A complex winter warmer that features many flavors of the season in a balanced, subtle beer.  Anchor changes the recipe each year (and the tree on the label), so make sure you get to try the 2014 batch before it’s gone. 47/50

Final Score: 92%