Anchor Steam – Anchor Brewing

20130626-124135.jpgOn a recent trip I had a good amount of time in the air to kill and decided to see if there were any decent beer options to be had at 35,000. Luckily for me Virgin America had two non-macro options to choose from, Anchor Steam and Gordon Biersch Marzen. I decided to go with a dependable Anchor Steam as my inflight libation.

Anchor Steam is the flagship beer of Anchor Brewing. Based in San Francisco, they are widely credited as being the birth place of the modern craft beer movement. Using a classic recipe that dates back to the gold rush, Anchor prides itself on its heritage and quality beer.

20130626-123758.jpgThough I was unable to procure a glass, I gladly accepted my slightly weathered 12oz plastic faux bottle. The bottle was coded 3A3 which appears to mean it was bottled on April 3rd. The aroma had the distinctive caramel malt with a bit of doughiness and some subtle grassy hops. It has a medium body but was a bit over carbonated, but this might be more to do with the cabin pressure. The flavor starts with a dominant caramel malt that leads into a roasted malt and finishes with a classic bitter hop. The aftertaste has a lingering grassy hop bite with a roasted malt backing.

Though I wish I could have had a glass to pour it into, it still delivered a decent drinking experience. This brew is one of my tried and true standbys that never disappoints when ordering from a less craft centric establishment. It’s worth a try for its role in the craft beer scene if nothing else. As the craft movement grows in popularity, the hipper airlines will hopefully expand their offerings, but for now it’s a good start.

Name Anchor Steam
Brewery Anchor Brewing
Style California Common /
Steam Beer
ABV 4.9%
Availability Wide Release
Rating 3.5 out of 5

Cheers (from 35,000 feet)!
Beer Guy LA

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