Mar 7, 2011

Williamsburg AleWerks Red Marker Ale

The red ale is a style of beer that I have never really been able to get into. I’ve tried. Believe me.

There’s no one reason that I can specifically pinpoint as to why I’m not a fan. It’s not like I take a sip and throw the rest away. It doesn’t disgust me or anything like that, it’s just not a style of beer that I really enjoy. That said, whenever I see a new bottle from a brewery I respect, or even a company I’ve never heard of, I continually give the style a chance to win me over.

The latest challenger to bring my palate around to liking this style of beer is from Williamsburg AleWerks. Their Red Marker Ale was picked up a couple of weeks ago and cracked open this weekend. It’s a pretty decent little brew, but once again, I just can’t get behind a red ale to save my life.

Appearance

Pouring a slightly murky, reddish brown in color, the brew sits with a small cap of off-white head that faded to a thin patchy film on the surface.

Aroma

Light caramel malt, a subtle roast, light fruits and a welcome, though light hop presence will the nose with a nicely balanced aroma.

Taste

It’s not a bad tasting brew. There’s a combination of sweet caramel malts, a light toast like breakfast cereal and subtle fruits (red apple) that come together nicely over a crisp mouthfeel. A decent hop bitterness comes in with the finish.

Overall

Red Marker isn’t a bad ale in terms of it’s overall character. There are some elements within it that I like (the apple and light toast on the malt), but, the red ale genre is once again shunned by my palate. I’m sure this beer has plenty of fans that will be more than happy to drink my share that will remain on the shelves. There are other beers from Williamsburg AleWerks that I will gladly purchase in its stead.

Rating: 3/5

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