JK’s rolling out the barrel to deliver some fantastic flavours at Marble
MARBLE Brewery, seemingly revitalised under new head brewer James Kemp, has launched the first of what will be an extensive series of barrel-aged beers.
Some will be based on an old ale while others on an imperial stout. I was invited to co-host a tasting at the Marble Arch when the first of these beers were introduced.
PORTENT OF USHER
Base imperial stout which comes in at 9%. James, known to everyone as JK, employs a variety of dark malts to good effect resulting in a beer with a dry and slightly roast aroma followed by a mouth-coating combination of bitter chocolate, coffee and dried vine fruits. A hint of tartness comes through and of course all this is followed by a deep lingering finish. There’s also a lightness of touch here which probably comes from the use of a small amount of candy sugar which increases attenuation and drinkabilty. This is available now but next year will see the launch of versions aged in bourbon, cognac and Grand Marnier casks amongst others.
VEREZZI AND VALANCOURT
We also tried two barrel-aged versions of the old ale, a beer style with a venerable history but which these days tends to be rather overlooked. JK explained his thinking: “I was aiming for a big smooth and juicy dark fruit and chocolatebased beer that’d work well with any ageing that I want to do; nothing too roast that I’d have to smooth the edges off, just a fantastic complex old ale that works with the flavours I wanted to develop’ he told me.
The first two releases, Verezzi and Valancourt (both at 8.9%) have been aged in sherry casks. When these sorts of beer age they can develop oxidised sherry notes so JK has both harnessed that and added to it. “My idea was that people could buy the two bottles and compare and contrast the two, one’s a dry sherry, the other medium-sweet. As the beer ages in the bottle the sherry notes will actually increase which will be fascinating to see.”
Both are richly fruity and deeply warming but there are notable differences. The Verezzi, aged in an Olorosso cask, is quite vinous and arguably the deeper and richer of the two. Valancourt was aged in a Fino cask and again while it also has a rich fruitiness there’s a slightly lighter feel to it. One taster on the night detected a slight (but by no means unpleasant) saline tang.
These really are three magnificent beers and that they are essentially the start of a whole series of aged beers from Marble is hugely encouraging. You can pick them up from Marble Brewery outlets for £6 each – not cheap perhaps, but worth every penny. Needless to say they will age well in the cellar for some considerable time.
DAMAGE PLAN
A 7.1% West Coast IPA in the Marble ‘Metal Series,’ inspired by JK’s love of that music. This is a big, golden, juicy and dangerously drinkable beer loaded with Mosaic, Equinox and Summit hops. On the nose and in the mouth there’s a whole array of fruit – oranges, pineapple, mangoes with a sharper citrus build-up to the long, dry and bitter finish with a satisfying slug of hops right at the end. Lovely stuff.