Revere's Revenge (Anchor Liberty Ale)

Member Name: Newfloridian

Product:	Anchor Liberty Ale
Date:	30/10/03 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A rich, round bodied, strong American

Disadvantages: May be difficult to find

Until fairly recently I didn't venture into Safeways very often. So with the threat of imminent demise of the chain I followed the missus on one of her safaris into these less familiar parts. There had been a marked reorganisation of stock and I was quite surprised what they had on display in their Beers, Wines and Spirits department. (Enough to keep me running these reviews for a few days I'll be bound!)

I have already reviewed a couple of guests from the other side of the Atlantic. Here is a genuine American brew sequestered in the North East of England.

THE BOTTLE

Liberty Ale (from the Anchor Brewing Company of San Francisco) is housed in a traditional brown 12 fluid ounce bottle and sealed with a red crown cap that bears the Anchor trade mark. It bares an ornate front label which shows again the Anchor in front of an American shield and bald eagle with wings spread in a field of hopes and barley.

The rear label attests to its American authenticity (there isd a huge barcode which starts with the number '0'), converts the contents into metric (355ml) and declares the brew to be 5.9% ABV.

The neck collar gives a précis of the origin of the beer (see below) and repeats the Anchor motif.

THE BREWERY

"The rich history of Anchor Brewing can be traced all the way back to the Gold Rush, when German brewer Gottlieb Brekle arrived in San Francisco with his wife Marie and infant son Frederick. Brekle applied for citizenship in 1854, and his brewing and business acumen would soon lead to his ownership of a little San Francisco brewery on Pacific, between Larkin and Hyde, which would one day become known as Anchor. By 1896 there were more than two dozen breweries in San Francisco!

Anchor's seven unique beers - including Anchor Steam®?are all produced in one of the most traditional and handsome breweries in the world. Each brew is virtually handmade from an all-malt mash in our
handcrafted copper brewhouse, a veritable museum of the simple, traditional breweries of old. We strive to practice the art of classical brewing, and we employ state-of-the-art methods to ensure that our products are clean and clear, pure and fresh."

[Reprinted from the Anchor Brewing Company web site: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/index.htm]

Liberty Ale was first introduced on April 18th, 1975 to commemorate the bicentennial of the famous ride by Paul Revere.(%%) Liberty Ale® is brewed strictly according to traditional brewing methods, and uses only natural ingredients - water, malted barley, fresh whole hops and yeast. A special top-fermenting ale yeast is used during fermentation and is responsible for many of Liberty Ale's subtle flavors and characteristics. Carbonation is produced by an entirely natural process called "bunging," which produces champagne-like bubbles. "Dry-hopping (adding fresh hops to the brew during aging), imparts a unique aroma to the ale."

The web site also declares that the ale is brewed to 6% ABV

(%%) Paul Revere (1735-1818) American Patriot. He was a participant in the Boston Tea Party. His main claim to fame was a gallop on horseback in 1775 from Boston to Lexington to forewarn his compatriots of the advance of the British troops before the battle of Lexington in the American War of Independence. This was immortalised in a poem by Henry Wadsworth (1863)

THE TASTING

My bottle was stored in a cold room (about 40ºF ? this is an American beer after all) so I class it as cool rather than chilled. The crown cap came off with a puff of vapour. Liberty Ale pours with a good sparkle (the natural carbonation process) and generates a creamy head. It is a fairly light amber colour and is turbid in the glass. There is a gentle sparkle but no sediment.

It has a mildly malty nose. The first taste is a quite powerful and complex mixture of flavours. It is both q
uite sweet and sour with distinctly fruity and slightly citrus overtones. This then develops into a prominent refreshing bitter afterglow on the palate.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a most delightful foreign visitor to these shores. This beer is well rounded, full bodied, delicious flavours and strong for an American (6% ABV) . Drink a couple of bottles and you can begin to appreciate just what Britain's old colonies have achieved since they wrested their independence from old King George. Maybe it's a brew to celebrate one of the seminal moments in that long remembered confrontation - but maybe too it's a way of cementing the formidable bonds of friendship that stretch across the mighty pond .

Well, anyway!! Anchor Breweries Liberty Ale is available at Safeways - price £1.29 for a 12 fl oz bottle.

Would I drink it again? You betcha!

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