{"id":128784,"date":"2025-03-12T16:50:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T16:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/recipes\/category-a-b\/beer\/requiem-for-anchor-holiday-ale-so-cal-craft-beer-blog\/"},"modified":"2025-03-12T16:50:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T16:50:30","slug":"requiem-for-anchor-holiday-ale-so-cal-craft-beer-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=128784","title":{"rendered":"Requiem for Anchor Holiday Ale \u2013 So Cal Craft Beer Blog"},"content":{"rendered":" \r\n<br><div>\n\t\t\n<p>by C. C. Hansen<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3289\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/2023\/12\/19\/requiem-for-anchor-holiday-ale\/anchor-holiday-array\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-holiday-array.png\" data-orig-size=\"955,534\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"anchor-holiday-array\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-holiday-array.png?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-holiday-array.png?w=955\" width=\"955\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-holiday-array.png?w=955\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3289\" srcset=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-holiday-array.png 955w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-holiday-array.png?w=150 150w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-holiday-array.png?w=300 300w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-holiday-array.png?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 955px) 100vw, 955px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Anchor Holiday Ales of Yore (image courtesy Anchor Brewing)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">The other day it hit me: I hadn\u2019t seen any Anchor Brewing Merry Christmas Happy New Year Ales in my local liquor and grocery stores. And then I remembered: the 48 year tradition ended last year. Devoted fans of this blog may recall that a year ago I declared in last year\u2019s <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/2022\/12\/21\/happy-holiday-ale\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cHappy Holiday Ale!\u201d<\/a><\/strong> post that Anchor\u2019s holiday ales are the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For years, I\u2019ve looked forward to Anchor\u2019s ales at this time of year, excited to see what new flavor profiles I can identify and what the featured tree species will be. Fun fact: I love trees, I have relationships with certain trees, and when I lean into one of my genetic strains \u2014 <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotclans.com\/blogs\/macg\/mackay-clan-history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Clan Mackay<\/a><\/strong>, Edinburgh and the Shetland Islands \u2014 I could swear that there\u2019s some ancestral Druid whispering into my soul from the aether.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3304\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/2023\/12\/19\/requiem-for-anchor-holiday-ale\/anchor-46\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png\" data-orig-size=\"1283,733\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"anchor-46\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png?w=1024\" width=\"1024\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3304\" style=\"width:500px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png?w=150 150w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png?w=300 300w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png?w=768 768w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/anchor-46.png 1283w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Courtesy of the Anchor Brewing website<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Writing for the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/newschoolbeer.com\/home\/2022\/10\/anchor-brewing-releases-2022-christmas-ale-for-48th-year\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New School Beer website<\/a><\/strong> last year, Ezra Johnson-Greenough wrote that 2022\u2019s Christmas Ale was \u201ca bit of a swan song for Anchor Brewing\u2019s 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.\u201d There was no indication that Riley\u2019s swan song would also be a farewell to this long-lived holiday ale tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I love the way that Johnson-Greenough describes the flavors of this last brew: \u201cThe 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.\u201d Who <em>wouldn\u2019t<\/em> want to drink something with those flavors, perhaps around an outdoor fireplace, campfire, or fire pit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Really, though, I should have seen this holiday ale\u2019s demise. On June 11 this year, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidehook.com\/drinks\/anchor-brewing-end-sales-outside-california\">InsideHook\u2019s<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidehook.com\/drinks\/anchor-brewing-end-sales-outside-california\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Tobias Carroll shared a Tweet<\/a><\/strong> from David Infante breaking the news: Sapporo (Anchor\u2019s owner since 2017) confirmed they would no longer be producing the brewery\u2019s Christmas Ale. For a range of reactions from the beer nerd(?) community, check out the discussion thread in BeerAdvocate\u2019s Forum titled <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beeradvocate.com\/community\/threads\/anchor-brewing-co-cuts-national-distribution-cancels-christmas-ale.673134\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cAnchor Brewing Co. cuts national distribution, cancels Christmas Ale.\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3292\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/2023\/12\/19\/requiem-for-anchor-holiday-ale\/all-things-must-pass\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/all-things-must-pass.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"all-things-must-pass\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/all-things-must-pass.jpg?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/all-things-must-pass.jpg?w=1024\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/all-things-must-pass.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3292\" srcset=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/all-things-must-pass.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/all-things-must-pass.jpg?w=600 600w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/all-things-must-pass.jpg?w=150 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>These days, my Inner Druid is trying to stuff my soul\u2019s inbox with as many quotes as possible from as many worldwide sources as possible to remind me that change is a part of being human, and \u201cyou\u2019d better learn to accept it.\u201d I\u2019ve tried hard to ignore the Druid\u2019s messages, but he kept hitting \u201crefresh\u201d on George Harrison\u2019s iconic 1970 album cover, \u201cAll Things Must Pass.\u201d So, I\u2019ve got to let the Anchor Christmas Ale be part of Christmas Past\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Do You Drink Now?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve got two suggestions for readers wondering about alternatives to the Anchor Christmas Ale experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cCelebration\u201d from Sierra Nevada<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3300\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/2023\/12\/19\/requiem-for-anchor-holiday-ale\/sierra-nevada-celebration\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/sierra-nevada-celebration.png\" data-orig-size=\"657,1201\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"sierra-nevada-celebration\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/sierra-nevada-celebration.png?w=164\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/sierra-nevada-celebration.png?w=560\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"164\" height=\"299\" src=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/sierra-nevada-celebration.png?w=164\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/sierra-nevada-celebration.png?w=164 164w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/sierra-nevada-celebration.png?w=328 328w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/sierra-nevada-celebration.png?w=82 82w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 164px) 100vw, 164px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Courtesy Sierra Nevada website<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m not aware that Sierra Nevada changes their recipes all that much, but the other night I cracked open a can of <a href=\"https:\/\/sierranevada.com\/brews\/celebration-ipa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Celebration<\/strong><\/a>, and it was absolutely sublime. Might have been the company, might have been the Southern greens, bacon, pork, and cubed potato crisp <em>potage<\/em> I whipped up, but, yeah, it was coppery and orange-zesty. Here\u2019s how Sierra Nevada describes it on their website:<\/p><p>\u201cFreshly picked hops, rushed from farm to brewery, fill Celebration IPA with powerful citrus and pine flavors. When you\u2019re on the slopes with friends or building a backyard campfire for the fam, you need a beer as fresh as fallen snow. Pure hops, balanced with rich caramel malt, make this a celebration in every sip.\u201d<\/p><p><em>(For more about Sierra Nevada, whose history is almost as long as the resurrected Anchor Brewing\u2019s, check out my <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/2022\/04\/13\/sccbb-archives-sierra-nevada\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cub reporter review in the SCCBB Archives<\/a><\/strong>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cOld Speckled Hen\u201d from Morland &amp; Company\/ Greene King<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3299\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/2023\/12\/19\/requiem-for-anchor-holiday-ale\/old-speckled-hen\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/old-speckled-hen.png\" data-orig-size=\"635,437\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"old-speckled-hen\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/old-speckled-hen.png?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/old-speckled-hen.png?w=635\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"206\" src=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/old-speckled-hen.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/old-speckled-hen.png?w=300 300w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/old-speckled-hen.png?w=600 600w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/old-speckled-hen.png?w=150 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Courtesy Greene King website<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The other day I was listening to an audiobook \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Gun-Street-Girl-Detective-Duffy\/dp\/1633880001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Gun Street Girl<\/em> by Adrian McKinty<\/strong><\/a>. I think it\u2019s Book 4 in a mystery series I savor, set in the Belfast of the 1980s, during the Troubles. I was letting the Irish reader Gerard Doyle\u2019s lilting accent wash over me when I was suddenly pulled out of the lulling river of words upon hearing that the book\u2019s protagonist, Inspector Sean Duffy of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, had wandered into a pub and ordered a pint or three of Old Speckled Hen. I\u2019d forgotten all about this brew, and how much I enjoyed it.<\/p><p>According to the Greene King website, Old Speckled Hen sports a \u201cdistinctive rich malty taste bursting with toffee character, fruity aroma and [is] deliciously smooth.\u201d I did not know that OSH dated only from 1979 (just a year before Ken Grossman brewed his first batch of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in Chico, California). The MG British Automotive company commissioned Morland &amp; Company to brew an ale to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the company\u2019s factory in Abingdale, Oxfordshire. For the full <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greeneking.co.uk\/our-beers\/old-speckled-hen\/history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hen History, click on the link<\/a><\/strong> and settle yourself into a deep, rich brewing tradition that may have had a Druid or two involved. Or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you plan to fill your Anchor Holiday Ale void this year? Let us know! If you use WordPress, you can leave a comment below, or you can email us at socalcraftbeer@gmail.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>No matter what your special holiday libation might be, from all of us at the So Cal Craft Beer Blog, peace and blessings of the winter solstice, and best wishes for a minimally stressful, maximally joyful season of celebration!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cheers!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2104\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/2022\/12\/21\/happy-holiday-ale\/cch-obc-peace-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/cch-obc-peace.png\" data-orig-size=\"1551,1516\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"cch-obc-peace\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/cch-obc-peace.png?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/cch-obc-peace.png?w=1024\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"146\" src=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/cch-obc-peace.png?w=150\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/cch-obc-peace.png?w=150 150w, https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/cch-obc-peace.png?w=300 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2014 Chauncey B, the So Cal Craft Beer Blogger<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instagram and Threads: @socalcraftbeer<br\/>Facebook: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/socalcraftbeer\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/socalcraftbeer<\/a><br\/>Mastadon: <a rel=\"mention\" class=\"u-url mention\" href=\"https:\/\/hostux.social\/@socalcraftbeer\">@<span>socalcraftbeer<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Featured photo at the top of this post by C.C. Hansen. \u201cSunset on Another Year in My Neighborhood\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\t<\/div><div>\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t<strong>Published<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-12-19T18:00:00-08:00\">December 19, 2023<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2023-12-20T09:52:20-08:00\">December 20, 2023<\/time>\t\t<\/p><!-- .site-posted-on -->\n\t<\/div>\r\n<br>\r\n<!-- \/wp:post-content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by C. C. Hansen Anchor Holiday Ales of Yore (image courtesy Anchor Brewing) The other day it hit me: I hadn\u2019t seen any Anchor Brewing Merry Christmas Happy New Year Ales in my local liquor and grocery stores. And then I remembered: the 48 year tradition ended last year. Devoted fans of this blog may [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":128785,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[137],"tags":[15425,30570,3171,3767,6710,2171,2697,33245],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-128784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beer","tag-ale","tag-anchor","tag-beer","tag-blog","tag-cal","tag-craft","tag-holiday","tag-requiem"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Requiem for Anchor Holiday Ale \u2013 So Cal Craft Beer Blog - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=128784\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Requiem for Anchor Holiday Ale \u2013 So Cal Craft Beer Blog - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"by C. C. Hansen Anchor Holiday Ales of Yore (image courtesy Anchor Brewing) The other day it hit me: I hadn\u2019t seen any Anchor Brewing Merry Christmas Happy New Year Ales in my local liquor and grocery stores. And then I remembered: the 48 year tradition ended last year. 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