Marble Red Ale - Marble Brewery

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A soft pour into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip produces a one finger thick, nicely tanned head. The beer is a dark, concentrated red hue that shows a clear, bright ruby hue when held up to the light. Ahh, the aroma is explosively hoppy, this is most certainly not a malt focused, forgettable "Red-Ale"; packed with enough hops to scream look at me. Aromas of dank herbaceousness, fresh cut pine needles, spicy-oily citrus, dirty grapefruit, lychee, big tangelo zest aromatics and, quite simply, a note that smells characteristically of "hemp" that it makes me think I have become lost in some hippy party.

The beer is quite bitter tasting, and much more light bodied than I was expecting; but that makes for extreme quaffability. Despite the rich color the malt character plays a much subdued role here; much of this is just a perception because of the over-the-top hop character that contributes flavors of pine sap, dank hemp oil, green tobacco, and a biting herbal, peppery bitterness. A secondary hop character of grapefruit, lychee, and bright bergamot is noticeable just behind the herbal hop character. There is actually a little bit malty, even if it is quite subdued; there are touches of toasted malt, some light caramelized malt character as well as a nicely caramelized biscuit note that are just barely noticeable as the beer warms up a bit more. The malt tends to linger in the finish after the abrasive hop character has had a chance to dissipate.

Wow, what an aggressively hoppy beer; I was expecting this to be hoppy, but the hop character has completely drowned out the malts that are only noticeable because of the rich color that this beer has. This might even be more hoppy than the IPA, at least to my poor shocked tasted buds that were expecting a somewhat malt balanced beer. This is a fantastically tasty, if you are a die-hard hophead. This is definitely not the most balanced beer, nor is it delicate and soft, make not mistake this is an in your face, harsh, explosive, celebration of the hop. This is a definitely must try session beer for the hop-heads out there.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 03:12:14 | More by Gueuzedude

ocelot2500

Arizona

4.35/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear amber, mahogany color with a tight off-white head that leaves a good amount of lacing on the glass.

Smells of sweet toffee and citrus. Lots of sugar in the nose.

Tastes of caramel malt with a good dose of hops. Plenty of toffee and caramel with a syrupy sweetness. Biscuit, bread notes come through as well. Citric hops come through and adds a bitterness to cut the sweet.

Mouthfeel is medium with a smooth amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2010 04:01:26 | More by ocelot2500

Phelps

Arizona

4.15/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Looks: irrepressible. The beer pours a lovely light mahogany with hues of dark orange tippling about. A tightly woven head of light peach sits atop, reluctant to leave, while battalions of bubbles rise to meet it. I let the beer warm for a good ten minutes and the head doesn't even budge. Spotted lace in varied shapes and sizes, from tracks to webs to full sheets. Glorious.

Smells: straightforward. Grapefruit citrus with some piney spice mixed in and backed by sweet caramel and honey-glazed toasted biscuits.

Tastes: solid. Perfect blend of citrus and pine in the hops, with a bitterness that's dialed back to an acrid tinge at the back of the tongue, reminding of orange pith. Sweet raw sugar, maybe a bit of caramel malt. Every now and then I get the flavor of a handful of skittles. More like an IPA than a red, but it's still a good flavor. A nice bready biscuit flavor comes out more as the beer warms, but more malt would be desired.

Feels: dulcet. Medium carbonation, with a soft feel just a shade under medium. A little tongue-numbing.

Drinks: like hoppy red ale -- the best kind.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2010 07:37:43 | More by Phelps

yemenmocha

Arizona

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a crimson red with generous head that leaves plenty of lace. Nose has plenty of toffee and candied citrus. On the palate the toffee comes through again with passion fruit citrus to balance. Has that "juicy fruit" flavor to it. Medium to light bodied and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2010 02:41:18 | More by yemenmocha

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Continuing my beer journey through New Mexico. I've already reviewed the Marble IPA and really enjoyed it. But, I think I like this hoppy red even more. In some slight ways reminded me of Nugget Nectar.

Beautiful beer. Pours with a nice 2 finger off white head. Nice and creamy and still it collapses upon its own weight. Excellent clumpy lacing. Deep amber color, certainly some reddish/maroon tints.

Aroma is bright, fresh and full of hops. Pine like with a small amount of sweetness. There is certainly a sense of the malt in the aroma. Slightly toasty.

Flavor is fantastic and in my eyes very well balanced. Big hop punch up front followed by a nice toasted malt flavor.  While there is a pine note still, I get more citrus peel in the flavor. A real toasted sense to the malt flavor. Dark crusty bread with hop bitterness in the aftertaste. I really like this.

Slightly carbonated, medium bodied. A little oily.

I found this to be wonderfully drinkable. Another of my favorites in the Hoppy/Red category.

Well done and I continue to be impressed with Marble.

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2010 23:53:49 | More by Reagan1984

pokesbeerdude

Colorado

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a six pack of this at Jubilation Liquors in Albuquerque, around $8.

A: Clear red in color, verging on brown, cream colored head, about half an inch thick, great head retention, nice lacing, a few bubbles of carbonation. Nice looking beer.

S: An abundance of resiny citrus hops, some nice pine accents as well, underneath all of that is a nice biscuity malt profile, somewhat roasty as well. Nice smelling beer.

T: Follows the nose nicely, up front excellent hop profiles of grapefruit and citrus rinds, biscuity, and just a hint of roasted malts and a few nice honey and caramel malt notes. The tastes blend together to make a nice bitter tea-like profile. Just a touch of alcohol. Excellent.

M: Lighter body, medium carbonation, dry, just a hint of alcohol warmth. A little more body would be nice, but it works well with this beer.

D: A little on the strong side to be a session, but this is very easy to drink. One of my favorite red ales, working through the six pack of this over the last few weeks has been a pleasure. Excellent beer. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 01:29:00 | More by pokesbeerdude