Anchor Liberty Ale

[steveh]

Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, CA. 22 oz. bottle, 6% ABV from the Anchor web site.

First brewed in 1975 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Paul Revere's famous midnight ride. Label reports dry-hopped in "sealed vats." Nowhere does Anchor report the style of hops used in any of their beers.

Hazy, deep gold to amber color with a firm, but quickly thinning white head.

Mellow, lemon-citrus nose with some herbal spiciness back and biscuit malt sneaking through.

Lemon to grapefruit citrus flavor with a toasted, biscuit malt finish - all in a very smooth balance. Tart, bitter hop aftertaste.

Light to medium body with a crisp mouth-feel that becomes slightly syrupy with warmth.

Nice to revisit this beer after a long while. Due to the glut of A.P.As on the shelves (and in my beer of the month club shipment) in the early and mid '90s, I forgot that many of the beers that started the craze are still the best.

This is a great alternative (I didn't say replacement) to SNPA, maybe a little more balanced between hops and malts than its Chico Cousin, and a tad heavier in body.

All in all, a quality brew - sure to please pale ale drinkers.

S.

[newportstorm]

Great beer. Served it at my wedding. I also need to pick some up for this weekend - have drank Liberty Ale while following the Patriots to the SuperBowl XXXVI & XXXXIII.

Cheers!

[threecb]

With the popularity of their flagship Steam I forget about how good the Liberty really is. I'll need to pick some up. Nice review!

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by newportstorm
Great beer. Served it at my wedding. I also need to pick some up for this weekend - have drank Liberty Ale while following the Patriots to the SuperBowl XXXVI & XXXXIII.

Cheers! That's appropriate! Now, did you also pick up some Red, White, & Blue for your swill-drinking friends (or is that an oxymoron?) ;)

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
That's appropriate! Now, did you also pick up some Red, White, & Blue for your swill-drinking friends (or is that an oxymoron?) ;)

Haven't seen Red White & Blue in years. And my swill drinking friends either drink what I have in the fridge or bring their own.

I actually tried to got with Samuel Adams Boston Ale at times last year, but made sure to have some Liberty Ale waiting in the wings when the game got tight (like 4th quarter of the SuperBowl).

Cheers!

[Wilson]

I like Liberty Ale better than the Steam. Steam is readily available around here, but when I see Liberty, I snag it up. A really great brew!

[studentofbeer]

liberty always reminded me more of bell's two hearted than snpa, though i think liberty is all cascade. another interesting thing about anchor was that they use only whole hops. man, the little hop room where they have multiple bins of 200lb. hop bags smelled so good. i always thought of liberty as the rebirth of american ipa in some ways.

[fretlessman71]

All right, I can't stand it. Going to pick up some Liberty Ale in the next week - heard someone use the B word to describe it! :)

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by newportstorm
Great beer. Served it at my wedding.
Cheers!

I did the same.

I like Liberty better than Steam as well. It is a fine brew. One that I should revisit a little more often.

[hops99]

I had it on tap New Year's Eve - first time I'd had any Liberty Ale in years. I think it gets lost in the shuffle with the big IPA glut these days, but is an excellent brew.

[Bryant]

Great review. I mentioned it sometime back as well. I am the guy that drinks it from the bottle (which I do for no other beer I can think of) due to it's odd carbonation. While I am always trying the newer brews that happen to come my way, it is always a great "fallback" for me (along with Harp) when I am indecisive or there is nothing that looks particularly interesting. It has been one of my favorites for a couple of years now.
No offense to the SNPA as I really enjoy it as well, but the ALA (ha ha ha that's Alabama.... where I live... ehem...anyway) isn't as hoppy to me as the Liberty and I think that is what makes me enjoy it a bit more than most golden ales. If they carbonated it a little more, it would be the "perfect" golden ale to me.


Bryant

[fretlessman71]

I know - shake it up good before you open the bottle! ;)

Actually, I found a bottle of this a few days ago... maybe this afternoon....