Let Freedom Ring, with Liberty Ale!
Written: Oct 04 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The hops, the sweet malt, the complex goodness
Cons: No negative points come to mind
The Bottom Line: Liberty Ale is an American classic and one of my all- time favorite ales.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Anchor Liberty Ale |
Anchor Brewing Company is a landmark in the business of beer, owned by home appliance magnate Fritz Maytag, one of the founding fathers of the craft beer movement. Anchor brews many good- tasting products, including a few that are benchmarks for their respective styles. One of these is Liberty Ale, a carefully crafted brew that was introduced in 1975.
Basic Characteristics of This Beer:
Liberty Ale pours to an orange/tan color with a frothy head of creamy white foam that settles down after a few minutes but retains some of its composure throughout the drinking experience. The aroma of the beer is striking and it catches your attention immediately. I could detect a floral hop bouquet in the nose, along with some fruity notes and some herbal scents.
Many complex flavors are present in this beer, and it satisfies the drinker all the way from the initial sip to the final swallow. The hop flavor is the most noticeable. Anchor brews this beer using Cascade hops in the main brewing process, including dry- hopping with Cascades later in the brewing cycle. These hops are definitely easy to detect, and they provide the beer with a citrus- like goodness that isn’t overbearing or too bitter.
But hops are not the only taste sensation that you experience with Liberty Ale. There is also a malty sweetness that greets the palate with a toasted malt flavor with hints of caramel. The aftertaste is lip- smacking good, with the taste of sweet malt and citrus lingering in the mouth and tempting you to open up another bottle.
Liberty Ale is a little stronger than most other beer. It weighs in at 5.9 percent alcohol by volume and there are 187 calories in a 12 oz. serving.
Food Compatibility:
This ale goes best with any type of red meat. I have consumed a bottle (or two, or three, or four, etc) with a grilled steak and it made for a heavenly combination. I think it would also be tasty to consume Liberty Ale with barbecued foods, stew, and most other hearty meat dishes.
Final Thoughts:
Anchor Brewing Company is one of the nation’s most renowned makers of craft beer, thanks to the investment made by Mr. Fritz Maytag. The brewery was on the brink of extinction when Maytag purchased it more than 30 years ago, turning it into a craft- brewing pioneer that is one of the best known and most respected brewing operations in the U.S and around the world.
Liberty Ale is one of my favorite ales for countless reasons. From the appearance, all the way to the aftertaste, this is a beer that satisfies. Starting with the complex nose, you can tell that the drinking experience is going to be a good one. How many brands of beer offer so much distinction before you even take your first sip? Just thinking about that wonderful aroma is tempting me to run to the store and load my shopping cart with 6- packs.
I like the fact that this ale is generous with the hops without going overboard. And I like the fact that it attempts (successfully!) to balance out the bitterness of the hops with a good dosage of sweet malt. Even though the hops are the most dominant flavor in this beer, the malty sweetness is just as important and just as memorable.
Liberty Ale is a classic beer that many other brewers have tried to emulate over the years. Some have come up with a few good imitations, but there’s only one Liberty Ale, brewed by the folks at Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco. If you haven’t sampled a bottle in a while, grab a six pack on your next trip to the beverage store and you will quickly remember the greatness of Liberty. The combination of fresh hops, barley malt, yeast, and water combine to create a smooth, delicious ale that satisfies most anytime and anyplace!
Recommended:
Yes
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