Anchor Steam is a Taste of America's Brewing Tradition
Written: Jun 08 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Balanced traditional california beer with a sharp hops edge
Cons: Eventually the bottle is empty...
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: Anchor Steam Beer |
They don't make 'em like they used to. How many times have you heard that cliche? Thankfully, it's not always true. Anchor Steam Beer proves that you can make a beer the way it used to be done, and you can create a modern classic, develop a loyal customer base, and make money doing it. Anchor is one of the most successful small brewers in the United States, and one of the best, with an eye on quality and tradition. Anchor Steam Beer is one of the most distinctive, flavorful beers in the U.S. market -- and a personal favorite of mine!
Style:
Because Anchor Steam is generally the only steam beer you can buy, it defines the style. Whereas there were once several breweries in California making beers like this, they had all closed by the time Fritz Maytag bought Anchor. As the only remaining brand of its style, Maytag has protected the term "steam beer" under trademark law. There are some beers in other countries that describe themselves as "steam beer", but they are not brewed in the same way as Anchor Steam.
As a style, steam beer is a normal gravity, normal alcohol (about 5%) beer. It's got a copper color and a distinctive dry hop flavor.
Anchor makes no secret about how their beer is brewed. They use pale and crystal malts to a gravity of 12 Plato, hop with three additions of Northern Brewer hops to about 33 BU, and ferment at about 60 to 70 degrees, followed by a period of warm conditioning.
Sample Conditions:
My notes for this review are based on bottles that I purchased at a beer geek liquor store. The store has fast turnover, but to make sure I was getting good bottles, I pulled a six pack out of a case that was in the walk-in cooler. The beer is also widely available on draft.
Evaluation:
Appearance: Brilliant clarity and a deep, dark, bronze color. Aggressive carbonation that rises to form a coarse rocky white head that lasts and lasts...
Aroma: On a first pass, I get primarily a light earthy hop character with a little bit of a peppery edge to it. I'm looking for the supposed fruitiness that some beer writers claim is there, but I'm not really picking up on anything like that. If I really hunt and use my imagination, I could possibly see them getting an extremely light spritzy Granny Smith apple note, but it's elusive and I'm not sure it's really there at all, but rather is power of suggestion. I smell no esters nor off-aromas of any kind -- the beer is extremely clean. The malt is rather subdued compared to the aggressive hop nose, but there's a little bit of sweet light toast there.
Flavor: Some initial sweet malt with a bit of caramel and toast slides away quickly to leave a deep-seated dry earth bitter hop flavor. The bitterness sort of dances across the back of my tongue and I could almost swear I feel it lingering in my throat, though I've never heard of taste buds back there.
Brewer Notes:
Anchor Brewing is both an old stalwart regional brewery and a pioneer of the modern craft brewery movement. The company's owner, Fritz Maytag, is widely known in beer circles where he is respected for his craftsmanship and his revival of the steam beer style. Anchor's San Francisco brewery is a mecca for serious beer connoisseurs, not just for its great beer, but for its use of traditional brewing methods. From the huge copper kettles to the rows of shallow open fermenters, the brewery feels like a home for great beer.
Overall Impression:
I really love this beer, and I love supporting a brewery that keeps on eye on tradition. Anchor Steam is a refreshing, easy-to-drink beer that's not too heavy, yet is full flavored with a distinctive hop signature. Thank you, Fritz, may I have another?
Recommended:
Yes
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