There are winter seasonals, and then there is the OG holiday ale from San Francisco, California’s Anchor Brewing. Christmas Ale is in it’s 43rd annual vintage for 2022, each year brewed with a different blend of spices/special ingredients that take this always dark mahogany brown winter warmer in playful new directions. Once known as Anchor OSA (Our Special Ale) the annual holiday classic was first released in 1975, and is responsible for pretty much every spiced winter seasonal that is released today.

Outside of the secret recipe that changes from year-to-year, Christmas Ale also features a different festive hand-drawn tree label on each release. What many don’t know was Christmas Ale was originally a Pale Ale before it evolved into a Spiced Brown Ale. In 2020 Anchor Brewing further embraced its winter warmer status by upping the alcohol to 7% abv, which makes it an even better cellar beer than it was previously. One thing that hasn’t changed is the traditional curvy 12oz bottle format and look that has remained the same despite Anchor Brewing’s rebrand and move of their core lineup into cans. Like last year, a portion of all sales benefit One Tree Planted, a non-profit dedicated to global reforestation planting millions of trees across 43 countries. 

This year’s release is a bit of a swan song for Anchor Brewing’s recently retired Brewmaster Tom Riley, who drove the creative direction as the grand finale to his 38-year tenure at the iconic San Francisco brewery. The rye-forward ale showcases notes of orange, honeysuckle, toasted malts, and eucalyptus. Well-structured with botanicals and pleasantly herbaceous hops, finishing with a touch of spice like the warming bitter-sweet notes of Amaro, an Italian herbal liqueur often enjoyed as an after-dinner digestif. The 7.2% ale pairs well with hearty winter fare such as Roasted Achiote Chicken with Mole or a sweet treat like Chocolate Bundt Cake.

“Holidays at Anchor Brewing are always a special time to reflect on our history and the pioneering spirit that inspires our innovation,” says Anchor Brewing Company’s newly anointed Brewmaster Dane Volek. “Our incredible brewing team crafted a Christmas Ale that truly captures the essence of the holidays. We’re excited for fans to celebrate the season with us.”   

This year’s hand-drawn label features a Blue Gum Eucalyptus tree, a nod to Mary Ellen Pleasant – a 19th-century San Francisco entrepreneur, financier, abolitionist, and civil rights activist. Pleasant, who is recognized as the “Mother of Civil Rights in California” for her impact during gold-rush San Francisco, planted Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees outside her Pacific Heights mansion shortly before her death in 1904. In 1974, the city of San Francisco designated the trees a Structure of Merit, recognizing them and their accompanying honorary plaque as Mary Ellen Pleasant Memorial Park. 

Available through January 2023, Christmas Ale is offered in 12 oz bottles; signature, gold-foiled 50.7 oz magnums; and on draught at bars and restaurants across the country. Bay Area locals can enjoy Christmas Ale at Anchor Public Taps Taproom or visit the historic brewery in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood for festive Christmas Ale tours November through December. 

About Anchor Brewing Company

Established in San Francisco in 1896, Anchor Brewing Company is America’s first craft brewery, a trailblazer and industry leader that has persevered through earthquakes, fires, and Prohibition. In 1965, Anchor’s new owner Fritz Maytag revived the brewery for a new era, charting a course that was foundational in the craft beer movement. During this time, Anchor reinvented its now classic Steam Beer, introduced the first American Pale Ale, and pioneered new brewing practices—such as dry-hopping—that are still used industry-wide today. As a proudly unionized brewery, Anchor’s dynamic portfolio of beers includes complex ales, refreshing IPAs, and iconic classics such as Anchor Steam®, Liberty Ale, Anchor Porter, California Lager, and Christmas Ale. As always, Anchor Brewing remains committed to innovation while hand-crafting venerable beers that stand the test of time. Locals and Bay Area visitors can experience Anchor Brewing in-person at their iconic brewery and Public Taps taproom in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood. To learn more, visit www.anchorbrewing.com, and follow Anchor Brewing on Instagram Twitter and Facebook.