Anchor Bock Beer Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Bock Beer
Style: Bock | ABV: 5.5% | IBUs: ~30
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into Pilsener glass

First brewed in 2005, 2014 marked the final year for Anchor's spring seasonal Bock Beer, paving the way for new seasonal releases.

I'll be honest, this wasn't a massive loss for the craft beer world, as the Bock Beer was one of the more forgettable Anchor products. However, as always, I still think it's worth adding this review to the archive.

As for construction, the malt bill was two-row pale, Munich, caramel, chocolate, and wheat. Hop bill was nugget and glacier, with a dry-hopping of glacier.

Here's how Anchor described their Bock:

The dark satiny texture of Anchor Bock®, with its rich hints of chocolate, caramel and roasted barley, is our interpretation of the historically strong German beers that signal the coming of spring.

Bock on! Let's get in the time machine and do this.

Appearance: A clear, dark brown body capped by two fingers of tannish head that recede slowly and leave great lacing.

Aroma: Roasty malt accompanied by spices, caramel, and something a little lactic. Reminiscent of their Christmas beer.

Taste: Dryish roasty malt, spice, earthiness, and a hint of something metallic. Again, parallels with their winter seasonal, though its nowhere near as rich and interesting. Grainy malt, earthiness, and mild brassy hops in the finish.

Mouthfeel: A somewhat creamy medium body with smooth medium carbonation and a drying finish.

Drinkability: Though a bit more substantive than most spring seasonals, this is still a rather easy drinker.

Verdict: Anchor Bock is solid and to style, as you'd expect from Anchor, though just a little unexciting. In the end, it's kind of a neutered version of Anchor Christmas.

Grade: B (3.6 out of 5 stars)

Note: While this review is being published in 2015 after this beer was retired, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh.

Review by Christopher Hunt

Anchor Humming Ale Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Humming Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.9% | IBUs: 65
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass
Anchor's newest seasonal, Humming Ale hit the package market back in 2010 and slots in as the fall seasonal. Fall beers are usually pumpkin related or malty, so it's always nice to see something that bucks the trend like this American Pale Ale.

Humming is actually a well-established beer term with ancient roots. Instead of a specific style, it refers to a strong, effervescent beer with plenty of character, or just a damn good pint.

As for construction of this particular brew, Humming is built with Two-Row Pale malt and is hopped and dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin hops. Nelson Sauvin is a relatively new variety (developed in 2000) out of New Zealand with a fruity profile and can be used for bittering, flavor, and aroma.

Anchor is rather spare with the language when it comes to describing Humming, saying only that it is:

[B]old, frothy, effervescent ale, with hints of citrus.

Perhaps it speaks for itself. Let's get cracking and see if this is is really a humming brew.

Appearance: A golden body capped by two fingers of creamy off-white head that fades slowly and leaves great patchy lacing.

Aroma: Lightly spicy and citrusy hops over a mild biscuity malt body.

Taste: Very similar to what the nosed promised, the profile is composed of juicy, delicately spicy, and moderately bitter hops over a calm biscuity malt backbone. Everything is balanced excellently. Husky grain and lingering bitter hops in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and a little creamy with medium carbonation and a drying finish.

Drinkability: Supremely drinkable, Humming is a great accompaniment to an early fall evening.

Verdict: A new Anchor beer is always something to look forward to, and Humming Ale doesn’t disappoint. It has all of the trademark deceptive simplicity, drinkability, balance, and craftsmanship you’ve come to expect from Fritz and the gang.

Grade: A-

Note: While this review is being published in winter, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh in fall.

Anchor Summer Beer Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Summer Beer
Style: American Pale Wheat Ale | ABV: 4.5% | IBUs: 15
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into Weizen glass

First brewed in 1984, Anchor Summer Beer is not only one of the first summer seasonals, as Anchor points out, it's also the first American wheat beer in modern times. Truly, we have a proper American pioneer here. While summer wheat brews are standard fare today, this beer was cutting-edge stuff back in the day.

It's filtered, but there's still plenty of protein left for a big head that the brewery describe as "similar to meringue." The ingredient list calls for two-role pale malt and malted wheat (wheat making up over half of the malt bill) along with Golding and Glacier hops.

Here's how Anchor describe the finished product:

Crisp and cool as a San Francisco summer. The crisp, clean flavors of Anchor Summer Beer are refreshingly light, a thirst-quenching American-style filtered wheat beer.

Well, it's the dead of winter now, but let's think warm thoughts and time travel back to summer when this brew was fresh.

Appearance: A crystal-clear golden body capped by a mountain of densely packed white head that fades slowly and leaves nice, patchy lacing.

Aroma: Mild grassy hops over a pale, slightly sweet, and wheaty malt body with just a touch of honey.

Taste: A mix of weak lemony and grassy hops, golden fruit, and grainy malt. Just a little thin and not quite as interesting as the nose suggested. Apples and husky malt in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with smooth carbonation and a clean finish.

Drinkability: An easy drinker if it holds your interest.

Verdict: Up to this point in my journey, the Anchor beers I’ve tried have always been incredibly solid and have held up remarkably given their age. Unfortunately, Anchor Summer Beer just doesn’t live up to the rest of the line for me in the flavor department. I can see this being the right beer for the market back when it was introduced, but today it just comes off as a little too thin and bland for my tastes.

Grade: C+

Note: While this review is being published in winter, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh in summer.

Anchor Porter Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Porter
Style: American Porter | ABV: 5.6% | IBUs: 40
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Dating back to 1972, Anchor Porter is one of the longest surving dark American beers on the shelf today. Like all of the old-school Anchor brews, this is a beer that helped define the American version of its style. Anchor call this the definitive American Porter, and I have to agree with them.

The ingredient bill calls for Two-Row Pale, Caramel, Black, and Chocolate malt varieties along with Northern Brewer hops (added at what the brewers describe as a high rate). Anchor pride themselves on having crafted a dark beer with that's surprisingly light on the palate and define the finished product as:

With deep black color, a thick, creamy head, rich chocolate, toffee and coffee flavors, and full-bodied smoothness, Anchor Porter is the epitome of a handcrafted dark beer.

It's definitely Porter weather outside, so let's dive in to a classic.

Appearance: A dark brown, essentially black body with laser beam ruby-red highlights. Up top, there’s about two fingers of creamy tan-tinged head that feature great retention and lacing.

Aroma: Sweet toasty malt accompanied by mild notes of chocolate, dark fruit, and creamy lactose.

Taste: A sturdy roasted malt backbone with notes of chocolate, coffee, mild spice, and dark fruit. Bitter coffee-ish notes and a good dash of lactic notes cut the malt nicely. Roasted malt and dark fruit in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: A smooth and creamy medium body with good carbonation. The finish dries just a little.

Drinkability: This is a smooth drinker and a brilliant session choice.

Verdict: Anchor Porter is tasty, highly drinkable, and a perfect example of the American Porter style. While it may not be absolutely bursting with flavor, it’s solid and expertly crafted, like every other Anchor beer.

Grade: A-

Anchor Liberty Ale Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Liberty Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.9% | IBUs: ~45
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Originally brewed in 1975 to commemorate the bicentennial of Paul Revere's ride, Anchor's Liberty Ale is one of the American beer landscape's most important forefathers. Looking at a beer shelf today it might be hard to imagine, but back when Fritz and company first brewed up Liberty, there were simply no hoppy beers on the American market. This was it.

Not only was it the first hoppy American beer since prohibition, it was also the first single-hop beer and the first dry-hopped beer since the dark days as well. Truly revolutionary stuff here.

Anchor call Liberty an IPA, and it may well have been back when it was new, the market has moved on a little since the mid-70's. Therefore, I'm listing it as an American Pale Ale. I'm not alone in this, as its listed as an APA on virtually every beer site out there.

The ingredient list is about as stripped down and simple as possible, with Anchor only claiming Two-Row Pale malt and fresh whole-cone Cascade hops. Certainly can't get much more pure than that.

Here's how they describe the finished product:

The champagne-like bubbles, distinctive hop bouquet, and balanced character of Liberty Ale revives centuries-old ale brewing traditions that are now more relevant than ever.

So, how will the first hoppy modern American beer hold up now that hops are more prevalent than ever? Let's find out.

Appearance: A slightly hazy golden-amber body capped by two fingers of creamy whitish head that feature terrific retention and lacing.

Aroma: Bright, fresh, citrusy, and floral hops over a slightly grainy caramel malt body—I can already tell this is going to be solid.

Taste: Up front, a wave of brassy and somewhat juicy citric hops lead the way. Underneath, there’s an understated biscuity malt backbone keeping everything in check. The end result is a well balanced English-style Pale Ale with some extra American-style bite. Leafy bitterness and biscuity grain in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and slightly creamy with smooth carbonation and a drying finish.

Drinkability: A perfect session choice, this is a beer that aches for repetition.

Verdict: Back in the dark days, I’m sure it took a pretty exceptional beer to get people back into drinking the hoppy stuff. Liberty obviously fit the bill back then, and is still a mighty tasty brew today. Despite the massive changes this beer has seen in it's 35+ years, it holds up beautifully. Respect your elders.

Grade: A

Anchor Old Foghorn Ale Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Old Foghorn Ale
Style: American Barleywine | ABV: ~9.0% | IBUs: ~65
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

Here we have an American Barleywine that was first brewed in 1975 (predating Bigfoot by almost a decade). That blows me away, especially considering the dire state of the American brewing scene in the dark days of the mid-70s. It's a rare thing to find an American beer that's been available for 35 years, even more so a good one.

While Old Foghorn is truly a founding father of the American scene, it was inspired by a trip Fritz took to England in 1975. He was so taken by the traditional brewing processes he saw used and the Barleywine style he discovered that he got right to work on Old Foghorn as soon as he got back.

Anchor is a known for their vagaries, and plenty swirl around Old Foghorn. They list the alcohol content at 8-10%, leading me to believe the recipe shifts a little each year. I know for sure that the recipe for their Christmas Ale changes each year, but I have yet to find a solid answer for Old Foghorn. With that in mind, I've decided to put up just one review for this beer, instead of yearly installations. To be safe though, I want to mention that the notes below were taken from a six-pack bought in early 2009.

As for ingredients, Anchor only reveal that Two-Row barley makes up the backbone and that Cascades are the only hops employed (this was actually one of the first commercial uses of Cascades). The beer is dry hopped for nine to eighteen months with additional Cascades after brewing for an extra splash of hops. Only the first run of the mash is used for Old Foghorn, so it actually takes three mashes to get enough wort for just one batch. The beer also undergoes bunging (stop laughing!) to give it what Anchor describe as "champagne-like bubbles."

Another question up for debate is American Barleywine vs. English Barleywine. I've seen this described as an English-style, probably due to the the facts that this is such an early attempt that the American style had not evolved yet and that Anchor themselves describe it is as being "based on traditional English barley wines". However, based on the facts that this is the beer that kicked off the American Barleywine and that it is hopped exclusively with Cascades, I'm going with American. Let me know if you disagree.

Here's how Anchor describe the flavor profile:

Because of the high original gravity, the yeast is unable to ferment all of the sugars. As a result, [Old Foghorn] is high in alcohol, and is slightly sweet, due to the residual sugars. Old Foghorn also has a pleasant hop bitterness, due to the large quantity of hops used during brewing, and a unique hop aroma due to the dry-hopping and aging.

Alright, that's enough rambling (I can't help it when we're talking about Anchor!)—let's get tasting.

Appearance: A deep red-brown body with two fingers of off-white head that leaves patchy lacing.

Aroma: Rich, toffee malt with lots of banana notes (more like actual banana than artificial). Once the head breaks, the banana-pudding fades a bit and the booze really shines.

Taste: Dark fruit over an assertively solid toffee malt backbone. This is reminiscent of a rich desert. There are some definite hop notes in here. While the alcohol profile is pretty big, it compliments everything perfectly. In the end, a boozy, fruity aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full and silky-smooth with moderate carbonation. You can really feel the booze in your throat.

Drinkability: Very tasty, but the alcohol will slow you down eventually.

Verdict: Old Foghorn is truly a great beer, and it's clear why it has been brewed for over thirty years. Like a boozy, rich desert, this is a perfect beer for after-dinner contemplation. If you're looking for a starting point for exploring the world of Barleywines, this would be an excellent choice.

Grade: A

Note: While the review above is being posted in 2010, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh in 2009.

Anchor Christmas Ale 2008 Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Christmas Ale 2008
Style: Winter Warmer | ABV: ~6.0%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Anchor releases a slightly different Winter seasonal each year, known as Christmas Ale. They've been doing this since 1975, back in the Dark Ages of American beer. The beers age gracefully, and I intend to save a couple bottles for an update next Winter. This year's offering, the 34th, is in the classic stout little Anchor bottle adorned with an achingly beautiful label featuring a Jeffery Pine tree. Each year's Christmas Ale features a different tree, a nod to the tradition of trees representing the Winter Solstice, when the world is born anew.

Anchor are quite secretive with the details each year, not releasing (as far as I've found anyway, feel free to correct me in the comments) the specific style, the alcohol content, or the ingredients. Even the name doesn't seem to be nailed down 100%, as it appears with names as varied as Our Special Ale and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Anchor simply calls it Christmas Ale on their site, so that's what I'm going with. For simplicity's sake, I've listed the beer as a Winter Warmer and the ABV as ~6.0% (I've seen it listed, without documentation, anywhere from 5.5% to 8%). Let's try to unravel this year's mystery.

Appearance: A thick, dark brown body allows hardly any light to penetrate. What light does manage to make its way through manifests as brilliant ruby. Pours a healthy caramel-colored, two-finger high head that leaves dramatic lacing. Simply put, this is a gorgeous beer.

Aroma: Dominant are cloves and spices, especially nutmeg that is reminiscent of eggnog (quite appropriate for the season), with some pine on the edges. There is a solid roasted malt background, but not much in the way of hops. A very unique start.

Taste: Not quite as brilliant in the mouth as in the nose, but still damn good. Sour dark malt with a lot less of the spices coming through. There's lots of chocolate and dark fruit with some pine coming from (I'm guessing) the hops. I'm not sure what the ABV is exactly, but I would estimate its somewhere between 5.5 and 6.5% ABV.

Mouthfeel: A chewy medium body with moderate carbonation. Even though I don't know the exact style, this seems a little thinner than it should be. The finish is somewhat dry.

Drinkability: Definitely something you savor over a period of time, Christmas Ale is something I would enjoy at a rate of one glass per evening.

Verdict: A great holiday sipper, with a complex malt body and lots of spicy fireworks. I'm very much looking forward to trying this vintage again this time next year, to see what has changed.

Grade: B

Anchor Steam Review

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Anchor Steam
Style: Steam/California Common | ABV: 4.9%
Serving Method: 22 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

It doesn’t take much digging into the history of the craft-brewing movement to run into Fritz Maytag and his Anchor Brewing Company. In 1965, Maytag rescued the failing sixty-nine year old Steam Beer Brewing Company. While he had no prior experience in the brewing world, through sheer drive and determination Fritz was able to turn the brewery around, in the process renaming it after its most popular beer.

Rather than chase the mega-brewers, Anchor decided to position itself as a traditional brewery using traditional ingredients to court the more discriminating beer drinkers that pined for authenticity. Fritz Maytag was a true pioneer in the craft-brewing world, helping to start a revolution we can all be thankful for.

The flagship Anchor brew is Anchor Steam, which happens to be the quintessential Steam beer. Steam beer dates back to the mid-1800s, when settlers in California improvised a way of brewing beer with lager yeasts at warmer ale temperatures. The style we now know as Steam beer is really California Common beer. Anchor Steam typifies the style and as it evolved from traditional Steam beer the California Common style came into being.

Appearance: Clear orange/amber body with a huge and off-white craggy head that leaves decent lacing

Aroma: Caramel and toasted malt ride atop more subtle hops and lemon notes

Taste: Quite bitter up front with rich toasted malt, caramel, banana, and citrus right behind - this is a full-bodied beer

Mouthfeel: Smooth with a good amount of carbonation, leaves a nice grain-like aftertaste

Drinkability: While you can’t doubt the boldness of this beer, it’s still wonderfully sessionable

Verdict: This beer easily earns its status as an absolute legend by being both crucial to the revival of American beer and downright delicious. We owe this beer a lot, buy some and enjoy a few pints of your history.

Grade: A