Marble Reserve Ale - Marble Brewery

Beaver13

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle, mfg 12/17/12. Pours dark copper amber with a medium creamy off white head that goes to a thin film and laces the glass.

The aroma is perfumey vanilla , boozy bourbon and a little green apple.

The flavor is sweet chocolate malts with a lot of roast, bourbon with an alcohol bite and a smokey bitter finish that lingers. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, a nice bourbon beer. Still a bit on the sweet and boozy side but had some interesting flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 06:19:13 | More by Beaver13

largadeer

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A generous extra from GHB. Thanks!

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy ruddy brown. A hard pour yields two fingers of clinging foam.

Smell: Stewed dark fruits up front, toffee, vanilla. Integrated oak and bourbon. Quite a bit of jammy date and raisin. There's a faded/oxidized hop note beneath all the richness.

Taste/mouthfeel: Sugary sweet. Heavy on the dark fruit flavors - a bit more than I'd like, but it's not hugely detrimental. Dates and raisins, almost quad-like in flavor profile. Plenty of vanilla coming from the oak, along with a touch of balancing dryness. Bourbon is present but far from overwhelming. Medium in body, leaning toward full; there's a lot of residual caramelized sugar here, despite the fairly modest ABV (for the style). Alcohol is very well hidden beyond a slight warming as it's going down.

Overall: Not spectacular, but very good. Marble is getting better at these barrel aged beers. I'd take their barrel aged imperial stout over this, but it's definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 07:28:48 | More by largadeer

BentLegBrewer

Texas

4.46/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Wonderful overall beer. very heavy vanilla smell and taste. pours think smells great but if vanilla isnt your thing dont come near this. Good alcohol burn that is masked well with the creamy sweetness. Split it, dont tackle this by yourself i fear that it would be similar to going after a pint of ice cream taste great with regrets later.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 22:19:54 | More by BentLegBrewer

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A - mahogany brown with very minimal head; no real carbonation present; minimal lacing yet still sticky looking

S - light bourbon notes; some real mild vanilla; smell is pretty mild in general...probably the only aspect this beer underwhelms

T - having just had Fruet last week, I can comfortably compare this as Fruet junior; dark fruit; fig; vanilla; bourbon; burnt sugar; candied grapes...damn good

M - medium bodied; lacking in carbonation; pretty smooth; not at all boozy, but still pleasantly bourbony

O - overall, I'm really impressed with the value here...$12 for this beer is amazing. It's got great flavor and honestly, that's where this one shines. Mouthfeel and nose are less than impressive, but the Abv and flavor notes are great.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:34:12 | More by SkeeterBoganski

chugalug06

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amazing, bubbly, foamy, fluffy, cream colored head. Brew is ruby red with awesome glacial clarity and tons of browns. Good lacing too.

Great bubble gum, vanilla, oak, bourbon, sugar, dryness, cinnamon, and caramel.

Whoa. Much different than the aroma. Creamy vanilla on the back end and burnt/roasted caramel sugar on the front. Almost a rubbery aftertaste. Lots of bourbon and a bittering heat. Carbonation is nice and light; much less than the appearance.

Slightly all over the board, could use some more rounding.. Not sure I could drink a ton of this, but very glad I tried it. I’ll grab another to see what it does in time.. Beware: this brew packs a serious punch. It's a 4.25 Overall, but I don't get that choice...

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 01:22:09 | More by chugalug06

rodlavers

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2013 vintage Reserve Ale.

Served on tap at the brew pub in Santa Fe, poured into a pint glass. Probably an inappropriate vessel for a beer of this nature. Freezing cold, needs to warm up considerably.

Not really much head, which is tan in color, recedes quickly, and leaves little behind. Super dark ruby/blood red in color, perhaps a bit of dark brown wood coloring.

Smells of bourbon/vanilla forward, with molasses and maybe subtle malt.

Taste obviously similar to smell, but I'll go ahead and emphasize as necessary. Bourbon/vanilla/molasses up front, with ever-so-slight malt in the middle and sweet bourbon finish.

Mouthfeel is silky smooth with a fantastic lingering aftertaste. Medium to light carb.

Overall this is delicious. It is definitely trying to be Backwoods Bastard, which is fine. It's not as good as the aforementioned favorite, but it's very good, and probably mislabeled here as an American Strong Ale. Must try. Cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2012 02:18:17 | More by rodlavers

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

reviewed blind thanks to the best BIF out there, Blind BIF 7

Bottle labeled #7 from quirkzoo

Pours from a black waxed 22 oz. bottle, its a murky deep chestnut brown with a half inch of tan foam that retreats to a layer of soapy bubbles leaving some decent lacing. The aroma is a mix of vanilla, coffee or some other roasted smell, there is a hint of sweetness that could be bourbon and maybe hazelnut as well. The first sip hits you with a lot of bourbon and vanilla, there is still that hazelnut sticking with it too. In the finish there is sort of a char burnt flavor to it that I think detracts from it a bit. Overall I am liking this beer but I think its hurt by the finish. The body seems too thin for a barleywine, maybe a strong ale as well. I've definitely never had this one before, the flavor seems very distinct to me, so I guess i'll pull off the cover and see what it is…

Marble Brewery Reserve Ale (aged in bourbon barrels)

so I wasn't too far off. Definitely one i've never had before. I really get a lot of hazelnut and that is one of my lesser favorite flavors in beer. I enjoyed it but was ready to be done with it at the end of the bottle.

Thanks quirkzoo for another new beer in this great BIF.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 06:04:16 | More by mikereaser

maximum12

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to GHB, who opened my eyes to this fine little brewery. 22 oz. bottle, black waxed, split with my wife.

Pour is darkest red leaning forward into light brown, surprisingly frothy for a big, bad, ale. Bourbon aroma washes out of bottle & fills up the room at first splash. Vanilla, candy sweets, caramel round out a nice foreshadowing.

Marble Reserve Ale is tough to pigeonhole. There's a healthy shot of caramel along with a double-shot of whiskey runs rampant over the rest of the beer, almost like a poor-man's Backwoods Bastard. Brown sugar & vanilla tidal surge underneath. Let this one warm up; it's much better. A touch thin is offset by the fact I want to gulp this like hose water.

I've been on a good-beer roll that's really going to dent my reputation as a crank; I need to choose something shitty, soon. This isn't. It morphed from good to excellent as it warmed. Very nice. Can't wait to try the stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 03:18:08 | More by maximum12

DRyan

Texas

3.65/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bomber, brewed 4/5/12 served 10/14/12, poured into a Jester King Tulip glass served at 45 degrees.

A: Pours a purplish-reddish-brown with a mildly tan head that builds somewhat like a stout, but then thins out within a couple of minutes leaving behind thick lacing.
S: Mmmmm. Vanilla beans, toffee, sweetness in general, and a hint of cognac. Smells very similar to the 5-year-old Old Dominion Millennium barleywine I enjoyed a month back.
T: Unfortunately does not live up to the aroma. It's barleywine-esque, but has a strong bite to it, and not your average alcohol bite. It's almost an astringent like flavor. Not sure how to describe it other than "dislike." As it warmed up a bit, the sting softened quite a bit, but was still there. If it wasn't for that, this would rate MUCH higher on taste.
M: Smooth, somewhat velvety, but not thick
D: If it weren't for that unknown bite this would be great. I have a second bottle I'm going to age and I hope in a year or two when I try it again that sting will be eliminated.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 00:28:34 | More by DRyan

beergoot

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Deep mahogany red body topped off with a sticky, creamy, thick head; rings of lacing cling to the glass. Aroma exudes strong caramel and nougat; butterscotch; rich toasted malt. Warmed honey flavor on the initial taste, followed by caramel and crystal malt goodness; alcohol heat and hop bitterness combine nicely at the finish. Medium-heavy body with a rich, sugary smoothness.

A deep and complex brew; nicely put together and a pleasure to drink. I'll be looking for some more bottles to sip on during the upcoming colder months...

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 19:29:49 | More by beergoot

ArrogantB

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle purchased on sale for $9.99. Wasn't sure about this one but it was quite solid. Red color, decent ring of bubbles. Aroma is real nice, brown sugar, bourbon barrels, hint of alcohol. Flavor follows the nose closely, oak, vanilla, good stuff. This feels like an old ale or barleywine and it sort of reminds me of Abacus and Bligh's in a way but it falls just a bit short. Still for $10 it was well worth the money.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 04:23:51 | More by ArrogantB

Phelps

Arizona

3.55/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

An American strong ale aged for 8 months in Woodford Reserve barrels. Poured into a snifter at Boulders on Broadway.

Deep scarlet-brown, clear from certain angles, but opaque when viewed clear through. A half-finger head of fizzy light tan head becomes a thin oil slick.

Oodles of toffee in the nose — smooth and sweet. Oak, vanilla, caramel and toast round things out. The lightest touch of bourbon is a little subtle for my tastes.

Same deal here. Oodles of toffee and caramel, a hint of biscuits, burnt sugar cookie and a very little bit of toasted oak and apple juice. Again, just a hope — a whisper — of buttery whiskey.

Medium light body about matches the flavor intensity: not too heavy, a little thin. Some heat on the tongue is accentuated by lightly fizzy, peppery carbonation.

Not as tasty as expected. Good, but not great, and absolutely not worth what Boulders charged me for it.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 20:27:27 | More by Phelps

womencantsail

California

3.78/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The pour is amber in color with a small off-white head. Has a pretty nice nose on it. Good bourbon and vanilla with plenty of oak and brown sugar. A nice caramel sweetness to go with some hints of dark fruit. The flavor is nice, but not quite as much so as the aroma. A bit thin with brown sugar, toffee, and dark fruit notes. Some bourbon and vanilla, but not the same level of intensity as the nose had.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 22:12:06 | More by womencantsail

brystmar

Texas

3.88/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Josh!

Brownish-red body leaves an incredible amount of lace on my glass. Head stays through sickness and in health. Lots of oxidization in the nose, yet hints of brown sugar remain too.

Bourbon barrels make their presence known in the taste, carrying the booze with them. Dark and a bit roasted, minimal sweetness, finishes dry and somewhat alcoholic. The depth of flavor here cries out for more body. Definitely a Strong Ale and not a stout.

After the Marble BA imperial stout Josh brought last time, I had high hopes for this brew. It's still nice, though not nearly as impressive. But who can blame a BA for buying a nice-looking, waxed bottle?

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 06:30:32 | More by brystmar

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 22 oz bottle into a Bell's tulip.

A- Pours a dark amber with a 1 finger light tan head. Small bubbles and trails of lacing on the glass.

S- Dark fruits, vanilla, maple and candi-sugar

T- Sweet caramel, toasted malts, dark fruits and some piney bitterness at the finish.

M- Medium body and carbonation. Very thin and slightly syrupy.

O- Nice beer that has good barrel aged characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 16:52:51 | More by kawilliams81

Duff27

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Low tanish head on a brown body. Nice alcohol legs. Leaves a nice collar.

Smells of vanilla and cherries

Taste follows the smell as far as the cherries are concerned. Vanilla is muted compared to the smell. I'd guess this a tad higher than 9%.

I feel like the mouthfeel could be a little thicker and it would be more appropriate, but maybe that's just me. Low carbonation.

Wanted to give this a 4.25 for taste so I made up with it for a 4.5 overall. Great under the radar brew. Barrel aging meld pretty damn well. Thanks egrace84.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 01:26:41 | More by Duff27

oline73

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into my snifter.

Appearance: Pours a dark reddish amber color with a half finger of off white head that fades to a layer on top of the pour.

Smell: Sweet with some nice caramel and vanilla notes. I'm getting some warm alcohol and dark fruit.

Taste: Thankfully, it's a lot like the smell. Sweet caramel and some vanilla bourbon notes. I'm getting dark fruit along with the other sweet flavors. The finish is warm and a touch bitter.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with fluffy carbonation and a finish that is a bit dry.

Overall: I really enjoyed the caramel and vanilla bourbon notes. This brewery is two for two as far as I'm concerned. I would definitely have another.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 22:27:51 | More by oline73

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Almost looks like a stout. Nice white foam and very good lacing.

Smell: Roasted coffee. Not my favorite. I wish it was a bit more complex.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Some roasted coffee with hints of spice. Good full-bodied mouthfeel that I really like.

Overall Drinkability: This was pretty good, but Abbey darkness is better.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2012 19:42:59 | More by tjsdomer2

amcmaho1

New Mexico

4.4/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I should admit...this is my favorite Marble release.
Poured into snifter at the brewery...

Appearance: Deep amber-tobacco body, minor translucence. Frothy off-white head, spotty retention...nice lacing though. This beer looks exactly like it's been living in a bourbon barrel.

Smell: It's served a bit cold, but notes of vanilla, bourbon, char, toasted coconut, hazelnut, and alcohol are present immediately. The barrel notes on this beer stand out very nicely, and seem really nicely integrated; nothing is standing out too much as to overshadow the subtleties of the base beer.

Taste: Very big bourbon, vanilla, and hazelnut again. There's some nice hoppiness adding some counterbalance to the sweeter barrel notes, along with some nice biscuit malt finish. This is a really rich beer, and very complex.

Mouthfeel: Bordering on being a bit thin, considering the gravity of the beer. I'd like a little more chewiness and viscosity to the body, but as it stands now it's far from being undrinkable. I like the beer's dryness though...

Overall: Another exceptional seasonal release. This is one which ages gracefully, but is also exceptional fresh.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2012 20:32:35 | More by amcmaho1

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Drew at a recent tasting.

The beer is transparent and fairly dark brown with a quarter inch or so of tan head that leaves some decent lacing on the snifter. The aroma brings caramels, malt, oak, booze. Nice flavor, with a prominent oak barrel presence throughout. Vanilla and bourbon impart a lasting sweetness that is balanced by a tannic, oaky character. Medium bodied and creamy. Overall, a solid beer and a nice surprise, as this beer wasn't on my radar. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 01:39:16 | More by Huhzubendah

drabmuh

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Drew for opening this bottle, a long time want of mine, served in a snifter. Beer is sort of copper / orange with a little haze, might just be a little chill haze though. A tight little off white head of tan bubbles, some lacing, low carbonation.

Aroma is sweet, caramel and that's about it.

Beer is medium in body and good, hides the alcohol well in a malt backbone that dominates the beer. The finish isn't too bitter or dry, a nice bodied beer with good connectivity, I'd have ti again.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 21:03:27 | More by drabmuh

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Drew for sharing this bottle. Served in a SAVOR wine glass.

Pours brown with a nice tan head. Average lacing and a bit of a collar on the way down. The nose carries caramel with some bourbon and oak notes in the background. The flavor focuses on the oak bourbon barrel character, and also presents a touch of vanilla. Average duration of the flavor through the finish with some slight sweetness and a relatively-full, creamy mouthfeel. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 16:39:22 | More by Thorpe429

mactrail

California

4.43/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great aroma of whiskey and malt. A touch of smoke, a lot of sweet malt, and a boozy, mellow finish. Just enough hops to provide some bitterness to ease all the richness. Coppery amber in the wine glass. The barrel smell and flavors are not overly strong but they make an impression with the first sniff, and linger along with the hops at the end. Nose of smoky whiskey lingers even longer.

Sensationally good stuff. Not quite as sweet and syrupy as a barley wine. One of the better barrel-aged beers I've tried. Perfect sipping ale for three of us on a chilly night. Sweet like a liqueur with an herbal note.

My bottle neck was dipped in black wax and the date was 12-14-10. I bought it in Santa Fe last summer so it must be a year old.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 05:00:27 | More by mactrail

SykDoc

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this courtesy of Albuquerque Beer Geek, much thanks.

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass, sadly my tulip was not in a good state. It pours a nice ruby/brown color. A 1 inch tan head forms and reduces to a nice over-the-top lacing. Carbonation is visible.

The aroma is a great blend of citrus hops combined with an oaky/vanilla sweetness. The malty sweetness and bourbon are definitely present.

The taste is great as well. A great blend of bourbon/alcohol combined with citrus hops, oaky-vanilla sweetness and a solid malt backbone.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a modestly low level of carbonation for the flavor. This does allow is to go down smoothly with a gentle texture and a minimal dryness at the end.

This is a great beer. I consider myself fortunate to have gotten my hands on it and would happily have another if given the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 00:56:00 | More by SykDoc

injuredreserve

Louisiana

4.47/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Ruby red with thin tan head.

S: Bourbon and alcohol up front, followed by caramel malts and dark fruits.

T: Creamy caramel malt balance. Little alcohol burn linger.

M: Creamy, medium bodied that coats the tongue.

O: Very much enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 00:02:04 | More by injuredreserve