Marble Reserve Ale
Marble Brewery

Marble Reserve AleMarble Reserve Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Marble Brewery
 
New Mexico, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.07 | pDev: 9.09%
Reviews:
52
Ratings:
163
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 22, 2021
Added:
Nov 21, 2009
Wants:
  45
Gots:
  23
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4 by Phoodcritic from Michigan

Mar 22, 2021
 
Rated: 4.17 by beer_wanderer from New Mexico

Jan 11, 2021
Photo of lordofthewiens
Reviewed by lordofthewiens from New Mexico

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear red/brown color. Modest tan head, some lace.
Aroma of booze, sweet malt, dark fruit.
Taste of bourbon, vanilla, molasses, raisins.
Sweet, easy-drinking.
Nov 20, 2020
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

2.84/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5
Currently #11 in the Top New Mexico beers list.

BOTTLE: 1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass format with a standard pry-off crown cap. 2018 vintage. Sleek label design.

9.0% ABV. "Reserve ale | ale aged in oak barrels." "Aged in bourbon barrels."

Served chilled into a Guinness goblet and allowed to come to temperature over the course of consumption.

HEAD: ~2cm in height. Very pale khaki-white colour. Supple, creamy, somewhat thick. Not frothy or weak, but not viscous or robust either. Leaves no lacing on the sides of the glass as it recedes. Retention is average for the style & ABV (~2-3 minutes).

BODY: Deep auburn in colour. Translucent. Nontransparent. I see no yeast/lees within. Could be more vibrant, but it has a glow to it.

Appears aptly (i.e. mildly) carbonated. I note no obvious flaws.

AROMA: Leather, molasses, gooey goopy malt sweetness, rich barrel sugars, scintillae of dark fruit (plum & raisin mainly), a faint suggestion of tawny port wine/grape, caramel, brown malt.

I'm not finding overt bourbon barrel or oak wood...just barrel sugars (no toasted white oak, coconut, or authentic vanilla).

No overt hoppy aromatics. No overt off-notes. Doesn't seem boozy.

Aromatic intensity is above average. Suggests a somewhat complex ale that's on the sweeter side but lacks the rich barrel character they so openly market it for.

TASTE & TEXTURE: Thick and gooey, but lacking the refined richness of malt character it needs to justify it. Comes off a bit over-sweet and overly heavy as a result, though it does drip with hints of barrel character...barrel sugar sweetness, some leather. No oak, overt bourbon, rich white oak, toasted coconut, or authentic vanilla though.

Caramalt, brown malt, hints of dark fruit. No overt hoppy notes or off-notes. I do get a hint of burnt malt bitterness towards the finish.

Smooth, wet, filling, unrefreshing. Dries towards the finish, allowing its raisin flavour to rise to the surface.

OVERALL: It'll prove a bit of a chore to finish this given its sweetness and weight, but it's not a bad beer by any means. More time in barrels to mature, a better selection of bourbon barrel to begin with, and better attenuation would help this get more in line with the complex barrel-aged ale profile they're clearly after. I wouldn't buy this again or bother aging it...too sweet, sludgy, and heavy.

C / AVERAGE
Jul 30, 2018
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Picked up a bomber from TW Arrowhead on 3-1-18 for $13.99. Bottled on 11-4-17.

Beer poured reddish brown with an okay off white head that dissipated quickly.

Nose is quite nice, bourbon forward with notes of vanilla and some citrus.

Taste is light bourbon and vanilla, citrus, finishing with a decent pine bite.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied and very smooth.

Overall a pricey indulgence that was very enjoyable. Reminds me of the Founders hoppy barrel aged beer. Well done!
Jun 30, 2018
 
Rated: 4.11 by MattSn from Oregon

Mar 22, 2018
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.51/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to leftpaw for bringing this one out to March Madness. Pours a dark brass and copper kind of color, thin off white head in the 1/5" range. Aroma of vanilla, wood and booze.

Taste had the old days maltiness, toffee, more wet muddled vanilla. This is definitely old ale territory, the hops are super mild and not contributing much of anything to the beer. The alcohol has a sting and a slight metallic, dark fruit and nuts bitterness about it. The mouthfeel is sticky. The barrel notes are less than average, does not seem to be a long time spent in barrels. Light sweetness. Equal parts old ale, english barleywine, bdsa and quad at times. Its good and was relatively affordable at $15 I think.
Mar 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.18 by shelby415 from Oregon

Feb 18, 2018
 
Rated: 4.44 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Sep 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.52 by raspy22 from Arizona

Sep 19, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This was poured into a snifter. The appearance was a ruddy brown color with a one finger white to off white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute leaving a light foamy trickling lacing. The smell had a deep caramel maltiness combining with a decent boozy vanilla and offering a delicate chocolate and coffee. The taste had a deep sweet boozy hotness allowing the chocolate, coffee and vanilla to combine and intermingle with the booze. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a fair sessionable aspect about it. The carbonation was good for the style as it was fairly harsh but not too much. Light boozy vanilla rolls over my tongue to the finish. Overall, wow, what a really nice offering!
Jun 22, 2017
 
Rated: 3.84 by Bum4ever from California

Jun 14, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by EMV from Pennsylvania

Jan 30, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by shigg85 from Japan

Dec 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by suckaj from Florida

May 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by tgates from Minnesota

Feb 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by mflamar from New York

Jan 15, 2016
Photo of denver10
Reviewed by denver10 from New Mexico

4.01/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours caramel brown with a slight khaki head. Aroma is sweet with a touch of roast; bourbon, vanilla from the oak, toffee, dark pitted fruit, bread, leather. Flavor follows suit but with a bitter earthy and herbal finish. A thinner medium body. Overall, good beer.
Dec 11, 2015
Photo of larryi86
Reviewed by larryi86 from Delaware

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Thank you gatheredwaters for this
22 oz bottle, dated 9/3/14, poured into a snifter

A- A clear deep red/brown with a two finger off white head.

S- Bourbon, toffee, caramel, some dark fruits, faint vanilla, oak, hints of earthy/piney hops.

T- Caramel, toffee, dark fruits oak, some bourbon, char, earthy/wet grass hops.

M- Medium body.

O- A decent bourbon barrel beer, could be balanced better. Smelled great up taste didn't follow up that while. Remind me of a barelywine.
Aug 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.59 by BMart from Pennsylvania

Jul 13, 2015
Marble Reserve Ale from Marble Brewery
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 163 ratings