Sometimes you try a beer that completely blows you away. Occasionally it can be the moment that influences your enjoyment, and when you try the beer again it's not quite as good as you remember – but sometimes it genuinely is that good.
The best beer that fits this example for me is Anchor Christmas Ale 2011. I shared it at Christmas with my uncle and step-dad in a great family-get-together moment, and the beer really surprised me with a world of flavours I wasn't expecting. Suffice to say I'd already had a few and eaten loads of cake, so when I found a couple left in my local beer shop last week I had to see if it really was as good as I remember.
The first thing you get with this beer are aromas of sweet cherry, cloves and ginger, backed up by a touch of classic American piny hop and fern aromas. The palate then hits you with a world of caramel and light mocha malt flavours before those cherries, cloves and ginger follow from the nose. These characteristics build and build, turning into spicy liquorice notes with the tiniest hint of chilli heat on the finish.
It's not a heavy beer like a lot of porter and Belgian dubbel style Christmas beers either, weighing in at only 5.5%. All those flavours are packed into a surprisingly fresh and dangerously drinkable beer, with nods to the German bock style.
Every sip had more flavour; beautifully spiced, complex, warming and moreish. As you can probably tell, I'm pretty chuffed. The only shame is it's a secret recipe that changes every year. On the flip side, I can't wait to see what next year's tastes like.
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