• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Beer Info

Beer News, Beer Releases and New Breweries

  • Home
  • Top 10 Beers
    • Ales
    • Lagers
    • Barrel Aged
    • Hybrid
    • Specialty
  • GABF
    • 2021 GABF
    • 2020 GABF
    • 2019 GABF
    • 2018 GABF
    • 2017 GABF
    • 2016 GABF
    • 2015 GABF
    • 2014 GABF
    • 2013 GABF
    • 2012 GABF
    • 2011 GABF
    • 2010 GABF
    • 1987 GABF
  • World Beer Cup
    • 2022 World Beer Cup
    • 2018 World Beer Cup
    • 2016 World Beer Cup
    • 2014 World Beer Cup
    • 2012 World Beer Cup
    • 2010 World Beer Cup
    • 2008 World Beer Cup
    • 2006 World Beer Cup
    • 2004 World Beer Cup
    • 2002 World Beer Cup
    • 2000 World Beer Cup
    • 1998 World Beer Cup
    • 1996 World Beer cup
  • U.S. Open
    • 2022 U.S. Open
    • 2021 U.S. Open
    • 2020 U.S. Open
    • 2019 U.S. Open
    • 2018 U.S. Open
    • 2017 U.S. Open
    • 2016 U.S. Open
    • 2015 U.S. Open
    • 2014 U.S. Open
    • 2013 U.S. Open
    • 2012 U.S. Open
    • 2011 U.S. Open
    • 2010 U.S. Open
    • 2009 U.S. Open
  • U.S. Open Cider
    • 2021 U.S. Open Cider
    • 2020 U.S. Open Cider
    • 2019 U.S. Open Cider
    • 2018 U.S. Open Cider
    • 2017 U.S. Open Cider
    • 2016 U.S. Open Cider
    • 2015 U.S. Open Cider
  • U.S. Open College
    • 2021 U.S. Open College
    • 2019 U.S. Open College
    • 2018 U.S. Open College
    • 2017 U.S. Open College
    • 2016 U.S. Open College
  • More
    • Craft Beer Releases
    • Schools
      • United States
      • Canada
      • Europe
    • Writers
      • Edwin Arnaudin
        • Zebulon Artisan Ales
        • Highland Brewing
      • Morgan Forsyth
      • Paul Leone
      • Austin Foster
      • Anne-Fitten Glenn
    • Books
      • Starting a Brewery
      • Homebrew
      • History
      • Fun & Games
    • Fun Facts

Anchor Brewing Releases 45th Annual Christmas Ale

November 19, 2019 by Dow Scoggins

San Francisco, California – Forty-five years ago, Anchor Brewing Company released the first holiday beer in America since Prohibition and has continued this annual tradition ever since. Year after year, Christmas Ale is crafted with a heavily guarded recipe and designed with a unique hand drawn label, but the inspiration behind each brew remains the same: joy for the changing seasons and celebration of the newness of life. The 2019 Anchor Christmas Ale (6.9% ABV) is sold only from early November to mid-January. It is rich with robust malt flavor, yet balanced and drinkable, making Christmas Ale the perfect drink for holiday gatherings near and far.

“We are committed to preserving Anchor Christmas Ale’s signature style while adding new ingredients to enhance this annual delicacy. Slightly darker than last year’s Christmas Ale, the 2019 edition is layered with toasted caramel and coffee flavors with subtle hints of Mexican chocolate, rounded out with herbaceous spices. Crack open a bottle for a spiced whiff of western evergreens, roasted malts and coastal flowers,” shared Anchor Brewmaster, Scott Ungermann. “It’s a rich, round and full bodied-treat with a silky, smooth finish. Christmas Ale is best served in a big open glass at a table full of family and friends.”

A beloved tradition for many Anchor fans is to collect multiple iterations of Christmas Ale over the years. The beer’s wintry spiced flavors evolve over time, making vertical tastings an interesting and decadent holiday activity. For the second year in a row, Anchor kept Christmas Ale’s ABV at 6.9%, a level fitting for long term storage. “People love to align past Christmas Ale styles in vertical tastings,” said Ungermann. “An added bonus of this holiday tradition is that the beer can age gracefully for years to come.” Christmas Ale should be stored in a dark and cool place for the best results.

As each Christmas Ale recipe evolves, so does its hand drawn packaging, created by long-time Anchor Illustrator Jim Stitt, who has created Anchor’s Christmas Ale labels every year since 1975. Since ancient times, trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with its seasons, appears born anew. This year, Stitt illustrated the Western Arborvitae – the “tree of life” – across the label. It is an evergreen conifer native to Northern California, the same region that Anchor has called home for over 123 years. Before modern medicine, properties of Western Arborvitae leaves were believed to have healing properties – hence, the moniker “tree of life.” 2019 Anchor Christmas Ale proudly wears this tree and symbolizes the start of a strong, healthy beginning.

Anchor Christmas Ale makes a special holiday gift for the brewing expert, beer beginner, party host and everyone in between. Available in a gold-foiled, 50.7oz magnum format as well as regular 12oz bottles, it is both the perfect centerpiece at a festive gathering and the ideal brew to enjoy on a cozy night by the fire. “One of the best parts about Christmas Ale is that it can be enjoyed from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. As long as the holiday season has commenced, one can enjoy this very special tradition in hand,” Ungermann shared. Suggested food pairings are roasted meats, pecan pie and any chocolate-based dessert.

Anchor’s 2019 Christmas Ale is available in 6-packs and gold-foiled 50.7 oz. magnum bottles, as well as on draught in select stores, bars, and restaurants including Anchor Public Taps and the Anchor Brewing Taproom in San Francisco.

For more information on the history of Anchor Christmas Ale, please watch the following video: Anchor Christmas Ale Video. You can find a brew near you by using the Anchor Beer Finder.

Learn more about Anchor Brewing at www.anchorbrewing.com and follow @anchorbrewing on social media.

About Anchor Brewing Company
Anchor Brewing Company’s roots date back to the California Gold Rush making it one of America’s oldest breweries. Its Anchor Steam® Beer is San Francisco’s original since 1896. In 1965, Fritz Maytag acquired and revived the struggling brewery at a time when mass production of beer dominated and seemed unstoppable. Maytag started a revolution in beer that originated today’s craft beer movement. An undisputed icon, Anchor is America’s first craft brewery where beers are handmade in our traditional copper brewhouse from an all-malt mash. At Anchor, we practice the time-honored art of classical brewing, employing state-of-the-art methods to ensure that our beers are always pure and fresh. We know of no brewery in the world that matches our efforts to combine traditional, natural brewing with such carefully applied, modern methods of sanitation, finishing, packaging and transporting. To learn more visit www.anchorbrewing.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Primary Sidebar

Follow us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

2022 U.S. Open Beer Championship  
Medal Winners

 
2021 U.S. Open Cider & Beverage Championship  
Medal Winners

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017

Copyright © 2023 · BeerInfo.com. All Rights Reserved.