Anchor California Lager is a history lesson you can drink. Released in 2013, it is Anchor’s re-creation of the lager brewed by Boca Brewing in 1876, widely considered California’s first genuine lager beer. Made with two-row California barley, Cluster hops, and Anchor’s own lager yeast, then krausened and lagered in the brewery’s cellars, it is about as old-school as an American lager gets.

The basics

• Brewery: Anchor Brewing Company (San Francisco, CA)
• Style: American Lager
• ABV: 4.9%
• IBU: 37

What to expect

California Lager pours a rich golden color with a lingering creamy head. The aroma is clean and inviting, with light malt sweetness and a floral, slightly spicy edge from the Cluster hops, one of America’s oldest hop varieties. The flavor stays in that same classic lane: bready malt up front, a gentle hop bitterness in the middle, and a crisp, dry finish that leaves you ready for another.

The body is light to medium with moderate carbonation, and the whole beer is built around drinkability. It is not a beer that demands your attention, and that is the point. It tastes like beer in the best, most uncomplicated sense: balanced, refreshing, and easy to pair with just about any food.

Our rating

6/10

Rated by Alex (6). Alex gives this one a 6, and the score tells the story of a good, honest lager that never quite excites. It is well made and historically interesting, but it does not stand out in a crowded field of craft lagers. Worth trying for the heritage alone, and a fine choice when you want something simple and cold.