Anchor Steam Porter Review

One of the premier microbreweries in the United States is one that almost went out of business until it was rescued by a guy known for his expertise with appliances- Mr. Fritz Maytag. Maytag purchased the brewery, saving it from bankruptcy and preserving the beer recipes that made the company famous. This brewery is located in San Francisco and is known for its innovativeness in early craft brewing and also for helping to bring about the microbrew renaissance. The brewery is Anchor and one of its many great- tasting brews is Anchor Porter, a dark, bittersweet brew.

Beer Commentary:

Anchor Porter is a rich beer with a dark flavor and a brown head of foam that releases an aroma that is malty with hints of dark chocolate. Held up to a light, there is some redness to the color but it is mostly very dark brown/black. Its taste sensations include roasted malt, plums, bubble gum (from the yeast strain), brown sugar, and molasses.  

Anchor Porter is brewed using two- row barley, roasted malt, and fresh, whole hops. The final product has an alcohol level of 5.6 percent by volume. Its body is medium to full, and it offers some very good complexity and a memorable flavor.  

Anchor Porter has been brewed since 1974 and while this means it isn't nearly as old as some of the world classics, this is still quite a substantial number of years for an American porter. One has to remember that, back in the mid 1970's, there were very few craft breweries in the United States and even fewer that manufactured porter. This makes Anchor Porter one of the oldest beers of its kind in the United States.

This porter is a very good one and those who have sampled it are fully aware of its many complex attributes. As I sit here and sip on my second bottle, I am noticing more and more flavors that I didn't recognize the first time. Another thing I am beginning to notice is that this porter reminds me very much of plum wine. I don't intend for this comparison to scare anyone. This product is still very much a malt beverage. But it does taste like plum wine with a chocolate malt backbone- an interesting combination of flavors and very different from most other porter.

Bottom Line:

Porter is one of my favorite beer styles and Anchor Porter ranks right up there with the best of them. It is a memorable beer with some great complex flavors. Anchor Porter tastes different from most other porter, without a doubt. But it is very tasty nonetheless and its rich complexity makes it a great choice for those with discerning tastes.