A great body and an even better personality!
Written: Aug 15 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Appearance, Aroma, Flavor and Overall Impressions
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: Definitely one of the best porters I’ve tried. Robust, malty, port-like character, and a coffee-dryness and smokiness strike a perfect combination. If you like porters, try this one.
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| andaryl's Full Review: Anchor Porter |
The year was 1965 and the Anchor Brewery in San Francisco was faced with closure. Backed by his family fortune and business know-how, Anchor Steam lover Fritz Maytag stepped up, rescued the company and somewhat inadvertently inspired the USA microbrew revolution. The story is something of a legend and Anchor Steam is actually a unique beer style, that’s even more American than Budweiser.
Anchor Steam is what made this brewery famous, but last night I discovered a beer that anyone who takes his or her beer seriously should try. I hate to start out a review by giving away the plot, but Anchor Porter, brewed since 1974, is certainly one of the best examples of its kind, it may be the best in the USA (as beerfly’s profile reads “more research is required”), and from personal experience I would only rate Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter better.
Porter- A Quick Intro
Porter, for those unfamiliar with the style, is something of a lighter version of a stout. It was developed by a brewer in Victorian London, in response to common requests for an entire, which was a mixture of pale ale, brown ale and old ale. They’ve changed a little from those earlier days, with technological developments adding the roasted malt dimension, and porter even disappeared from England and Ireland in the 1970’s. However the same microbrew revolution that Fritz Maytag helped develop was also responsible for the reemergence of this style.
Today’s porters are dark, robust, medium to full-bodied ales with a coffee or chocolaty toasted malt character.
Anchor Porter
Now, normally at this stage of a review, I’d try and pull a few facts from the website, but Anchor for all its fame and recognition, decided that its website is more useful for promoting their calendar than telling us all about malt, hops, gravity, IBU’s etc. Forgive my cynicism, as I do love this brewery. Instead I can tell you that this beer weighs in at a just above average 5.7% ABV and then tell you the corporate label speak:
“Our old-fashioned porter is virtually handmade, with an exceptional respect for the ancient art of brewing. We use 100% malted barley, generous amounts of fresh, whole hops, entirely natural carbonation, and a simple natural brewing process which is like no other in the world. The deep black color, the thick creamy head and the intensely rich flavor of Anchor Porter have earned this delicious and unique brew a worldwide reputation for outstanding quality. It is aesthetically pleasing and wholly superior in every respect.”
Bold words – but not unjustified!
Tasting Notes
The first words that jumps out from the label description are “aesthetically pleasing”. The body is thick and full, very dark, black with something of a ruby red hue. The beige foam is dense and requires very little encouragement in the pour, and is extremely enduring. This beer certainly has the looks that make you want to find out about the personality.
There’s an initial chocolate aroma that quickly escapes the bottle, although after pouring I did find this character somewhat harder to detect. It’s malty for sure, in fact I really didn’t get much hops, there’s a slight nuttiness and even a mild vinuous fruitiness. The special inviting character, however, has to be a strong port-like aroma something that would have led me to believe something stronger than 5.7%.
A light carbonation greets the tip of the tongue, but overall it’s a very smooth texture, nicely comforting and warming. It does border on the lighter side for a porter, medium-bodied, which might make you drink this a little quicker than the flavor and character demand.
The port-like character is confirmed right at the front of the palate. There’s a firm maltiness, and a fruity estery bubble-gum middle. The traditional dry coffee-like flavors entertain the latter half of the palate, while the initial chocolate I got in the aroma also appears but very briefly, requesting little attention. There’s a slightly sharp bitter dryness to the finish, more espresso-like than the citrus that many west coast brewers opt for, while it does round out with an impressive smokiness and comforting alcohol warmth in what is a long lingering aftertaste.
Verdict
This is a fantastic robust porter with a rich malty nose and palate. The port flavor and aroma enhance the brew, while the dry finish strikes up a perfect balance. Any porter drinker or anyone who is serious about their beer should certainly give this wholly satisfying brew a go.
Recommendations
This is not a beer that makes too many demands for food, but of course the Guinness and Oysters pairing would stretch this far, as would Porterhouse Steak (although personally I prefer an IPA) and Chocolate Mousse. It does seem perfectly suited as a nightcap, or after-dinner cigar beer. It’s certainly in the lower alcohol content and lighter bodied category of nightcap beers, so 2 or 3 of these and a late night movie seems like the perfect pairing.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
andaryl
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Member: Andrew Smith
Location: California via Yorkshire
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