Marmite Ale (@CamdenBrewery) By @SpectreUK

This is an unusual ale from Camden Town Brewery - Marmite Ale. You'll either love or hate it! I have a bit of an unusual relationship with Marmite. I don't actually like it spread on toast, but I do like other products with a Marmite flavour, such as Walkers Marmite Crisps and I tried a Marmite cheese once that was really tasty. So maybe I'll like this Marmite Ale? Cinabar's Instagram poll was sort of for it, but now it's time to open the can and find out…

 

At 142 calories this Marmite Ale is brewed with a trio of Malts including Pilsner, Raunch, and Munich, whereas Perle hops were used for bitterness, well, not forgetting the additional Marmite flavour too. The back of the can mentions that the Pilsner and Munich Malts have been toasted for a "bready balance", which makes me worry slightly about the flavour. I usually like a packet of Ready Salted crisps with an ale on an afternoon, but with this Marmite Ale I decided to have a packet of Walkers Marmite Crisps.

I first opened the crisps, as I know I love those. I hope I like the beer, because I've got four cans of it! With equal amounts of anticipation and apprehension I then cracked open the can. There was a pleasing fizz from the dark contents. There was a strange meaty smell mixed in with the aroma from the sweet biscuity malts. This 4.8% in volume Marmite Ale has a deep brown colour to it. I'd mistake it for a Porter if someone just passed it to me and didn't say what it was.

On taste this Marmite Ale tastes a lot like liquid beef jerky! No really, it does. If you like beef jerky, well, liquified… this is for you! There is a strong salty meatiness and slightly toasted smokiness to the flavour that just reminds me almost exactly of beef jerky. It's bizarre. On the first sip I decided I just didn't like it. And then strangely went back for a second sip. And then a third. I then found myself eating the crisps along side taking a mouthful of this bizarre tasting beer with each handful of crisps.

I've never tasted a beer like it. And yet after a while I realised most of my beer glass was empty and my Marmite crisps were quickly disappearing too. It was the smokiness that I was finding moreish and the meaty flavour complementing the crisps. It weird, it's brilliant, it's Marmite Ale!