I mentioned a few days ago some beers that I buy when I see. Last Friday, my local liquor store had some Anchor Steam Beer. I'd only seen it once before, so I jumped on it. It comes around every once in awhile.
Anchor Steam is widely regarded as the grandfather of the modern craft beer movement. The Anchor Brewing Company was slated to be closed in 1965 when it was bought by Frederick Maytag III. The brewery was suffering because tastes were shifting towards those light, fizzy pilsners that are everywhere now (and that the craft movement is railing against).
The brewery was making what was called "steam beer," now widely called California Common (because Maytag trademarked the steam beer name and he's the only one allowed to use it).
Maytag stubbornly kept brewing Steam beer, rather than succombing to the pilsnerification of American beer-and good for him.
note: Maytag sold Anchor Brewing in 2010, so I'm not sure how that has affected quality. Anyone have an opinion on that?
Steam Beer is made with lager yeast, but is fermented at warm temperatures (like an ale). It's almost like a reverse Kolsch I guess. It's very fizzy, which is where some think the "steam name comes from.
Anyway, it's a good beer, with a good story, so I drink it when I find it. It's not one of my favourites, though. The guys a beeradvocate.com give it an A-, which I don't really get, but you can't argue with taste, I guess.
Anchor Steam Beer by the Anchor Brewing Company
Very fizzy, good head. Amber coloured/bitterness,slight tang I'm not crazy about/bready malts/some unknown flavour that I recognize from many danish beers, not sure what it is/dry finish/fruity, berry flavour. raspberry?
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