Anchor Small Beer

Back on International Stout Day I entered DrinkDrank's competition and was victorious!!  Well, okay i WAS the only entrant, but still Craig was as good as his word and sent a prize across the atlantic to me.

I received a lovely looking pint glass, details of the Albany Pump Station on the side, nice looking place with some tasty sounding ales. Cheers Craig.


Obviously I had to have an American beer to christen the glass, and only had the Anchor Brewery bottle 'Small Beer'.
I didn't know much about this beer so looked it up online, this is from their own website:

A unique low-alcohol brew reminiscent of an English bitter, with a light amber color and lots of hop character, Anchor Small® Beer is certainly not small on flavor.
Made from the second runnings of our Old Foghorn® mash, Anchor Small® revives the ancient brewing tradition of creating two distinct beers from one mash – a sweeter, stronger and more expensive barleywine made for sipping, and a more plentiful drinking beer. We sprinkle warm water over the Old Foghorn mash after the first “wort” has run off, creating a second, lighter brew. Technically, both beers are "ales" because they are made with top-fermenting yeast. Like its forebears, the result is an easy-drinking “session” beer.

 I noticed that on Ratebeer opinion is split between those who enjoy it and those who consider it a weak light 'whats the point?' brew that pales next to their other beers.

I found it to be a nice session beer as they describe it, very drinkable. Its 3.3% abv, and i paid £3.29, volume is the odd figure of 650mls.

 A light golden colour, small head that reduces to a ring. Very well carbonated, perhaps a tad too gassy.
Aroma is light citrus with some grain and cereal. Its dry and crisp, light biting citrus and malts, thin in the mouth, a little oily but great fresh flavours of fruit and small amounts of caramel sweetness.

I'd certainly drink it again, it does exactly what its supposed to do, a session bitter that I wish I'd had a session on rather than just the one bottle.

Perhaps this is how the British brewers should make their new lower alcohol 2.8% beers, and get some flavour into them.