Holiday Beer 2011 #3: 2 Wassails
15 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Anchor Christmas, beer, Gold Star Chili, James D. Robertson, our special ale, rivertown brewing, spiced winter ale, Uncategorized
First let me get to the new kid on the block: Rivertown Winter Ale, from Lockland, Ohio. This is a big time local wassail where Rivertown reveals its Cincinnati location. Its use of cinnamon reminds me immediately of locally famous Gold Star Chili, just a bit, despite its 7.5% strength, a remarkably drinkable ale. A smooth-spicy experience, with molasses providing additional fermentation, and of course the cinnamon. A home town recipe to be sure.
Then there is the 37th edition of Anchor’s famous “Our Special Ale”. A Christmas wassail that uses the signature spruce profile, but in a more subtle presentation. It reminds me of James D. Robertson’s comments that the first few “special ales” were not wassails at all. This latest version serves as a reminder of its holiday roots, where spices compliment, rather than overwhelm, the final presentation.
Incredibly well made. I also recall recall what a sales representative from Anchor told me a couple months ago: that the parameters of the basic recipe have been thoroughly established. Who knows? Next year’s recipe may not be a spiced ale at all.
Cheers!
The 36th Edition
09 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Anchor Brewing, Anchor Christmas, beer, Lakefront brewing, our special ale, samuel adams, Uncategorized, wassail
This is a review of Anchor’s “Our Special Ale”, the 36th edition of their Christmas ale.
The famous aromatic spruce essence is right up front on the nose of this 36th version. This is the first edition produced after Fritz Maytag’s retirement, and perhaps the brewery being owned by a whiskey distiller, explains why I think for the first time (I maybe wrong), a 5.5% abv designation is found on the Merry Christmas & Happy New Year label.
The beer itself is quite smooth, although nowhere near the flavor complexity achieved in some earlier versions. The famous spruce signature acts as an anchor (no pun intended, or perhaps maybe not!) keeping this wassail in focus, all the way to the semi-dry finish.
Easy to drink, the aftertaste is slightly chalky, but not unpleasant.
Released on November 1, this is the freshest example I have ever sampled. I’ve been trying the special ales since the 17th edition. I still recall reading James Robertson’s review of the 16th version, where he stated that he remembered the very early editions that were non-wassail, and he said that he missed them. After 20 years of sampling these magnificent spiced ales, I would not begrudge Anchor if they decided for the 37th to start in a new direction. In other words, maybe it is time to cut the spruce loose, although its legendary popularity may make that seem improbable. Wassail was an exciting and novel holiday treat back in the early 1990′s. Its popularity amongst beer seekers created such classics as Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig and Great Lakes Christmas Ale. Eventually this lead to such high powered offerings as Lakefront Holiday Lager.
Much of the mystique and aura associated with these annual offerings has become almost expected. Those who are new to Anchor’s Christmas will experience an exciting new universe that I first discovered two decades ago.
Cheers!
Home For The Holidays Part 2
25 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment
in american ale, Anchor Christmas, August Schell, beer, holiday beer, La Binchoise Speciale Noel, Uncategorized, wassail
Because of Charles Dickens, Christmas and associated holidays will always have a supernatural touch added to memories. Call this The Ghosts of Christmas Past as I remember memorable pleasant moments that now seem irretrievably lost:
For example, at one time, here in the state of Ohio, beers produced by The August Schell Brewing Company were available, including their annual winter/holiday offering. sometimes called Blizzard, but more often called Snowstorm.
Not only does Schell change the recipe every year, it also changes recipe styles. Forgive this old beer drinker’s war story, but I remember sampling their Cherry Bock, over a decade ago, when a carpenter friend I worked for, ordered a half-barrel to start up his holiday season with very festive authority.
This year I gather, that Snowstorm is a Baltic porter, but alas, unless I travel to another state, it will appear and disappear without ever tasting it.
Other famous American holiday brews sometimes take unexpected turns. Goose Island Christmas Ale, which use to be a Midwestern holiday staple (available often in affordable 12 packs) is now a limited 22oz affair. It seems the brewery in Chicago has gone off in nearly an entire new direction, with its Bourbon County Stout, which it describes on their web page as “a great cigar beer”, which personally I find aesthetically disgusting, but that’s just me.
One great Christmas ale that I am so happy to discover is still being produced, and that is the Belgian masterpiece La Binchoise Speciale Noel. Probably my favorite wassail in the entire world.
Speaking of spice ale, I recently tried Anchor Brewing’s “Our Special Ale” 35th edition, which is a lively, dark mahogany colored pour, with that prerequisite spicy-spruce aroma in the nose that is a trademark for a recipe that varies from year to year. I have sampled their Christmas Ale since the 17th edition, and this year’s version is not the most memorable, Although it is fairly easy to drink, with moderate strength, the palate starts out front with a citrus-soapy approach, but then gives way to some chocolate notes that seem hesitant at best. This ale is good, but not remarkable, when compared with other previous manifestations.
But of course, this holiday season is just getting started.
Thank you!
