Arrived yesterday: two bottles of Anchor Christmas Ale just in time for the holidays. This year is the 45th edition of this Christmas classic, and while the recipe is a secret that changes each year, there are hints in the press release about what might have gone into it:

“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.

The label changes each year as well, with a new hand-illustrated tree. This year’s tree is Western Arborvitae, the “tree of life,” a native Californian evergreen conifer.

I’m looking forward to trying this year’s edition, and I’ll have more about it coming soon.