Clown Shoes Leviathan Triple IPA

 Clown Shoes Leviathan Triple IPA.

10% ABV. Intense. Hoppy.  Clown Shoes Beer, Boston, Massachusetts & Windsor, Vermont.

Clear, golden hued, small ivory head.

In the nose: dankness. Rich fruit. Fairly pungent and potently powerful.

In the mouth: Boom! Massive attack of hop bitterness, with blast of alcohol heat. Sticky hops dripping all over the palate. Citrus peel set on fire. Packs a punch all down the windpipe. Mucho malt. It’s a monster. 

What is scarier than a Leviathan? THREE Leviathans! No logo is safe from these Miocene Epoch monstrosities. Luckily for us these 50-ton killers are long extinct. So raise a glass to these terrifying beats and crack open some Herman Melville. This big, bad, bruiser of a Triple IPA features waves of mighty hop flavors from relentless dry hop additions of Mosaic, Azacca, and El Dorado.

Clown Shoes Space Cupcake India Pale Ale

Clown Shoes Space Cupcake India Pale Ale.

6% ABV, Clown Shoes Beer, Boston, MA. 

Clear, golden/amber color, large and lace-leaving white head. 

In the nose:  the nose: Dankness. Ripe citrus and stone fruit. Candied apricots meets orange peel. 

In the mouth: Juciy and dank at first, full on fruity, good blast of bitterness, before ending long and dry.  Medium bodied and extra crinkable. Loads of hoppy delights to be found here. Stone and citrus fruit flavors abound, festooned in brash bitterness. 

I like this one. The only problem is that it's over far too soon. 

Every Space Cupcake has been evil…until now.

This rebellious little turncoat thought he was fighting the good fight as a member of the Space Cake Armada. Turns out he was unwittingly an enforcer of galactic tyranny. One daring escape later (with a healthy dose of mayhem on the way out), the first Space Cupcake to escape the Armada is free to stop following orders and start following his moral compass.

Space Cake’s signature sweet malt backbone and juicy hop profile meet a sessionable ABV in this American IPA. Mosaic hops are front and center in the citrusy aroma and flavor this delectable IPA presents.

Clown Shoes Clementine White Ale

Clown Shoes Clementine White Ale. White Ale brewed with coriander and other natural flavors. 

5 % ABV, 20 IBU. Clown Shoes Beer, Boston, MA. 

Just a little bit hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: ah! Citrus fruit and coriander. Note perfect witbier nose. Nicely spicy. 

In the mouth: Light bodied, lean and fruit flavored. Light yeasty texture, brief spices. Just a touch of spices, and lot of wheat and citrus. Smooth and lovely. Very likable. An excellent rendition of the witbier style. 

Clementine is Clown Shoes Beer’s Belgian style White Ale. Light-bodied and crisp, this is a terrific White Ale with plenty of zest! Hazy in appearance and healthily carbonated, it utilizes Chambly yeast to energetically shape its wheat malt base. Incorporated in the brewing process is Clementine, sweet orange peel, a hint of Coriander, and Summit hops.

Clown Shoes Advent Party Crasher American Imperial Stout

Clown Shoes Advent Party Crasher American Imperial Stout.

8 % ABV, Clown Shoes Beer, Boston, MN. 

So, I bought a box of beers called the Clown Shoes 12 Beers of Christmas. Even though we got it at the store more than a month ago (at least), I didn't bring it home until last week. Only a few days before Christmas. There were four beers I've reviewed before, and eight new to me, including some with holiday themes. I'm only getting to the first new one today, the day after the holiday. Don't be surprised if a few more reindeer and/or elf themed beers pop up in the next few weeks. 

Fullon ebony, utterly opaque, rich brown head atop. 

In the nose: Light roast. Cocoa and char. Bittersweet. Mightily malty. 

In the mouth: Smooth and malty, but with depth and complexity. Chocolate is at the forefront. Some coffee on the side. Long malty finish, deep body, full and rich. I'd have to peg this as a middle of the road Imperial Stout. Right square in the middle, while still enjoyable. 

Brewed with holy water and orange peel.

There's more to the story than that, but this is all that I got off the Untappd entry. I'm not going to fish the can out of the recycling, uncrush it, and try to type out that lengthy ramble that doesn't explain anything.

Jack's Abby Copper Legend Festbier

Jack's Abby Copper Legend Octoberfest. Prost!

5.7 % ABV, 20 IBU. Jack's Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, MA. 

Another first, my first from this Massachusetts brewery, and again it's thanks to Dave. Thanks, Dave!

Clear, amber-hued, lush, full head of foam. 

In the nose: Malty, herbal, semi-sweet, classic noble hops. 

In the mouth: Smooth, bright, malty. Says "festbier" on the label and getting that now, though I wasn't sure at first, color wasn't as golden as that style requires. Would it again be another case of a marzen being called a Festbier? No, this tastes more like Festbier, light bodied, easy drinking, crisp and cool. 

The Can, the Myth, the Legend. Celebrate Octoberfest with this malty, smooth, and exceedingly drinkable lager. Prost!

Clown Shoes Hephaestus Russian Imperial Stout Aged In Bourbon Barrels with Espresso

Clown Shoes Hephaestus Russian Imperial Stout Aged In Bourbon Barrels with Espresso.

12.5 % ABV, 50 IBU. Clown Shoes Beer, Boston, MA. 

Total blackness, slim brown ring atop. 

In the nose: Rich malt, espresso notes, some cocoa. Small sweetness. 

In the mouth: Huge entrance on the palate, thick and rich. Did they put fudge in this one? (No, I'm kidding.)

Bourbon barrel effects are immense, lots of cherry, vanilla, oak. Deep, cocoa goodness. Coffee stays on top. Tasty stuff. And it's only 12.5 % ABV. Is that all? 

Bourbon really comes through in this one, espresso in the back seat. Huge, either way. Big time bigness. Much richness. Vast bitterness to meet massive malt. I'm digging it. Yum. A dum. Dum. 

Collaboration with The Blacksmith's espresso with the Good, the Bad, and the Unidragon from Clown Shoes. A coffee infused Russian Imperial Stout.

Clown Shoes A Fistful of the Unidragon Russian Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels

Clown Shoes A Fistful of the Unidragon Russian Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels

12.5 % ABV. 55 IBU. Clown Shoes Brewing, Boston, MA. 

Solid ebony, absolute opacity, slim brown head resting above. 

in the nose: bright fruits, cherries, dates, etc., large cocoa component, hints of coffee, slice of cherry. slight vanilla, lots going on...

In the mouth: Thick. Rich. Viscous. Delicious. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Bourbon barrel effects cover over all. Cheries, vanilla, oak, molasses, and more. Big and rich and deep and full. Large bitterness, overwhelming chocolate. bigness upon bigness. waa, waaa, waa....(that's the Ennio Morriconne theme music playing us out, as if you didn't know)...

Sweet boubon barrel aged stout that packs quite a punch! Notes of chocolate and carmel surface behind a decidedly bourbon backbone. It even has a bit of the burn you would expect from taking a shot. Take it easy on this one! It's delicious but it'll knock you on your bottom!

UFO Big Squeeze

UFO Big Squeeze. Beer. Grapefruit Juice. Shandy.
Harpoon Brewery, Massachusetts. 4.5 % ABV. 11 IBU.

Hey, guys, guess what? I'm still dedicated to reviewing every beer I come across. Even samples that I get that aren't really my thing. Still gonna review and post. Can't stop me. Even though I've got plenty of better beers calling my name, I've got to give some time to the grapefruit/ hefe weizen shandy. And away we go....

Cloudy, hazy, orange, slim head.

In the nose: Big grapefruit. Big soda. Not much beer.

In the mouth: Citrus bite up front, followed by a flood of grapefruit. All is light and smooth thereafter.  Refreshing and utterly insubstantial. Much more juice than beer, here. Not my cup of tea. Or glass of grapefruit juice mixed with beer and soda. And you know what I think about those.

It’s back! In 2014, we released our first UFO summer seasonal. In 2016, we retired it. And the people spoke. Loudly. And started a Facebook campaign to bring it back. Well, we are. But this time, it’s full time.

Clown Shoes Josh the Guava King Double IPA with Guava

Clown Shoes Josh the Guava King Double IPA with Guava. 8% ABV. Clown Shoes Beer Ipswich, MA.

Clear, bright golden/amber color, slim white head.

In the nose: Bold and assertive hop presence, firing off all manner of fruit and sweetness, tropical fruit tones, blended with citrus. Mighty potent stuff.

In the mouth: Candied fruit to start, thick and sticky. Dank. Big bitterness. Bitter and fruity at once. Medium bodied, fiercely flavored, rich and delicious. I like it. Good guava double IPA and you can drink it.

I don't know who Josh Baggett is, though, and they seem to suggest that I should. Well, cheers to him and his baby unicorns.

This label, which depicts Josh Baggett shredding a guitar in outer space as he pedals a pink training-wheeled bicycle while baby unicorns are born in his wake and the monkey on his back juggles guavas and his crown, fairly represents Josh's rigorous path promoting craft beer to TX. Josh, we love you man! Brewed with fresh guava puree, with Mosaic hops. 

Downeast Aloha Friday Cider

Downeast Aloha Friday Cider. The Unfiltered Craft Cider. 5.1 % ABV. Downeast Cider house, Boston, MA.

Lightly clouded, golden toned, definitely tipping to pineapple. No head at all.

In the nose: Sweet and dry at once. Pineapple-y. Oh, yeah. Sweet turns to tart. Nice.

In the mouth: Sweetness kicks it off from the start, then turns nice and dry, ending on the cool side. Quite tasty.. Tangy. Tart. Very good. Hey, I like it. It ain't bad. In fact, it's good.

Unfiltered cider with pineapple juice– tangy and fruity with a dry finish. Infused with tart, tropical juiciness and hazy memories of a semester in Hawaii many years ago. 

Downeast Original Blend Cider

Downeast Original Blend Cider. 5.1 % ABV. Downeast Cider House, Boston, MA.

Bright yellow, no head, clouded. With particulates. I know this isn't the freshest sample, I have been sitting on it, but not that long. Huh, ...well, okay.

In the nose: tart & apple-y, smelling like a good cider should.

In the mouth: More of the same. Major tart, then fading off. Slightly sweet, but consistently apple-y. Smooth and refreshing. Nothing but good ol' cider. And you can drink it.

The original unfiltered. A hard cider that tastes like apple cider. Smooth and refreshing, perfectly balanced. Like the cider your grew up drinking. 

Samuel Adams New England IPA

Samuel Adams New England IPA. Hazy & Juicy. Keep Cold, Drink Fresh. 6.8% all. by vol. 35 IBUs. Ale. Proud to be Independent American Craft. Brewed at the Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA.

Thoroughly hazy, bright orange tint, voluminous ivory head above.

In the nose: Soft, delicate hop aromas. A model of restraint. Floral, lightly fruity, not much else.

In the mouth: Okay. Juicy. Definitely juicy. Minor bitterness, not much hop flavor going on, but juicy.

Confession time: I drink a lot of juice. In my fridge, there's always some o.j., but there's also a companion. Grapefruit. Apple. Strawberry kiwi. Cranberry raspberry. Peach. Pineapple Mango. With Lime. I drink juice all day, every day. Even the fancy, chunky kind, when I can afford it.  I drink much more juice than I do beer, or water. Juice, juice, juice, I love juice.

But I don't need my beer to be juicy. It's okay when it is, and I like it. But it's not a characteristic that I demand in my IPAs. What I want in my IPAs are hop bitterness, which some people apparently feel should be omitted entirely. No way, I say.

And it's very lacking here. They have to stop calling this style "IPA". Hazy, juicy something, but not IPA.

Medium-bodied, easy drinking, tra-la-la. Good New England IPA, and you can drink it. I guess.

The slight sweetness is perfectly balanced by the pineapple and grapefruit hop character, without being overly bitter. Clocking in at 6.8% ABV and a low 35 IBUs, the unfiltered IPA provides a burst of fruited hop aroma and leaves drinkers wanting another sip. In comparison to West Coast style IPAs which have prominent hop bitterness and a light, dry mouthfeel, New England IPA’s are generally known for a juicy, luscious mouthfeel and opaque, hazy appearance - and are best enjoyed fresh.

Clown Shoes The Exorcist Dry Hopped Stout

Clown Shoes The Exorcist Dry Hopped Stout. 8% Alc./Vol. Brewed and canned by Clown Shoes Beer, Boston, MA.

Utter blackness, deep and dark, huge head, vast and cocoa-toned, leaving lace, looking nice.

In the nose: dark tones bump up against high hoppiness. Do we say dry hopped stout instead of Black IPA now? It's interesting, I'll say that.

In the mouth: Big, vibrant, bitter hop notes butt up against chocolate malt and the rich toffee/caramel notes. They don't go together well. Some one put pine cones in my chocolate....and it doesn't really do anything for me. Huh. It's not bad, but I don't like it, and I won't return to it. Maybe the stouts shouldn't be dry-hopped? Perhaps that's not the best thing to do. Just throwing that out there.

I love hoppy beers, and I love stouts, but I don't think the two need to be so entwined.

Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero

Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero. Mexican style chocolate stout. Ale brewed with natural flavors and natural flavors added. 9% ABV, 6 IBU. American Double/Imperial Stout. Ipswich, MA.

Solid blackness, deep and impenetrable, cocoa-tinged head up on top. Looking great.

In the nose: Vanilla, cream, peppers, chocolate. A little cinnamon. Very nice.

In the mouth: Big roasted malt flavors up front, with some hop bitterness, but very little. And the rest come roaring in: the peppers, the cinnamon, all kept in check with vanilla and whatever's bringing that cream. Big, malty, rich. Full-bodied, full flavored, hot and heavy.

I've had this before, when I chose a keg for Acadia. A sample came my way from the Sample Man, and I was astonished that I'd never had a bottle (or, it turns out, a can) that I reviewed here. The last time I had a Clown Shoes beer, I vowed to keep at their vast supply of beers, and I shan't shirk that duty. I do like this brewery quite a bit.

Question, though: Are these "Mexican-style chocolate stouts" really brewed in Mexico? Are they really a style that originated in Mexico? Or did some gringo think it up? Someone let me know if there's a Mexican brewery tossing vanilla, cinnamon and peppers in their chocolate imperial stout. Please. I have got to know.

Roasted dark malts plus extra chocolate malts plus ancho chile plus cinnamon plus vanilla extract plus a chocolate loving, beer drinking, Clown Shoes wearing, multi-limbed, gorgeous and glorious Mexican wrestler on the label. That’s the recipe for a Chocolate Sombrero!

Clown Shoes The Barista Breakfast Brown Ale

Clown Shoes The Barista Breakfast Brown Ale, brewed with espresso, oatmeal, and milk sugars. Clown Shoes Beer, Ipswich, MA. 8.5% ABV.

Dark brown color, with crimson highlights, under a toasted tan head, leaving lace. Nice.

In the nose: largely malty, rich, warm, lush. Slightly bittersweet, roasty-toasty. Dark fruits. Decadence.

In the mouth: Big malt. Tasty. Coffee flavor is in here, but not dominate, mixing well with the malt and sugar. Reading the label is see that it's Brown Angel with coffee, and a little more booze in it. I'm getting the oats now, and the grassy/citric hop nature of Brown Angel returns to the palate. I don't seem to recall if the original BA had oatmeal as well, but it's definitely coming through here. Brown sugar, molasses, and more coffee. So nice.

This is a good one, and I'm really enjoying it. Very smooth and comforting. Relaxing, luxurious, and invigorating, all at once.

It's also the first part of my correcting the mistake of having only reviewed 10 Clown Shoes beers in the past 7 years. That's way too low. Way, way too low.

A Clown Shoes legend, Brown Angel put away her dancing shoes to focus on extracting espresso, brewing coffee and pouring latte art with zen-like focus.   The Barista Breakfast Brown is crafted with Maris Otter malt, flaked oatmeal, cold brewed espresso, milk sugar and the spirit of angel wings.

Clown Shoes Space Cake #7 IPA

Clown Shoes Space Cake #7 India Pale Ale. 7.77% Alc./Vol. Brewed and canned by Clown Shoes Beer, Ipswich, MA. "Our mission: To produce Beer without Pretension while Being Free and Little Crazy."

To the eye: highly hazed, bright golden/amber-hued, nice, lasting pure white head atop. Looking great.

In the nose: there's the pine and the pulp, the juicy tropical fruit and the pithy citrus. Everything you want in an IPA, and then some. Orange and grapefruit, and tangerine. And we can dig it.

In the mouth: Ah! Right on! Just enough delicious hoppy goodness, all over the palate. Sharp, strong, dry, bitter, and, yeah, delicious. Just the way I love it. Nice. So nice I'll bring out my favorite catchphrase that never caught. Are you ready? Here it comes: Yum, a dum, dum!

I love it! You should try it! Seriously. Do it. Spread it around. And give me credit. Yum A Dum Dum. TM. And C.

Tasked with bringing cake to our 7th anniversary party, Miracle Mike needed to destroy the laser beam shooting pastries that menace him.  He appears to have “borrowed” the birthday surprise from a young wizard that did not die.  Dry hopped with seven hops (Idaho 7, Mosaic, Citra, Ella, Galaxy, Centennial, and Nelson Sauvin), this IPA salutes the industry and our customers.  Thank you for a wonderful seven years!

Harpoon Camp Wannamango

Harpoon Camp Wannamango Crisp Tropical Refreshing Pale Ale with Mango. Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA & Windsor, VT. Beer with natural flavors, please do not litter. Crisp, tropical, refreshing, so says the label. Also, 5% ABV, 22 IBU, and let's not forget: "Mango-infused pale ale with a tropical aroma, malty sweetness, and subtly hopped. Sunblock, bonfires, music, some friends, this beer...Bring On Summer."

Clear, bright golden/amber hue, , slim white head.

In the nose: sweet fruit from the start, a little touch of tart, some citrus. Lime, grapefruit, mango.

In the mouth: There it is: crisp, tropical, refreshing, no doubt about it. Modicum of malt, lean body, easy drinking, tasty mango flavor, restrained bitterness. I'd have another, sure. Ain't nothing wrong with it. Tasty stuff. I like it.

I lied earlier when I said I was on a mango IPA binge. Mango pale ales, too. And I think there's a mango saison, too. They're coming! It's Mango-mania, people!

UFO White Ale

UFO White Ale. Wheat beer with orange peel and coriander. Mass Bay Brewing Company, Boston, MA & Windsor, VT.  (And here, I thought it was Harpoon? Isn't it? ) 4.8% ABV.

Cloudy, pale yellow, slim white head.

In the nose: big orange peel, with a healthy helping of coriander. classic witbier aroma.

In the mouth: Sweet, wheat-y and smooth. Fills the bill perfectly for a Belgian white. Supremely drinkable, with just enough flavor to keep the tastebuds happy. A simple, uncomplicated beverage that, well, is a good beer and you can drink it.

UFO Huckleberry

Not too longer ago, the Harpoon Brewing Company of Massachusetts entered our Minnesota market, and with it, their UFO (Un-filtered Offering) line of wheat beers. Oddly, much of the marketing completely omits any association with Harpoon, as if UFO was it's own entity.

The Sample Man was kind enough to provide me a couple, and here's one, UFO Huckleberry. 4.8% ABV.

"Delightfully juicy hefeweizen with a refreshing berry finish." "The right hint of fresh huckleberry."

Highly hazed, pale yellow, slim white head.

In the nose: tart and berries. Slightly sweet. Nice.

In the mouth: Lightly tart, sweet, smooth. Super drinkable, nice and fruity. About all you need to say about it.

Harpoon Fresh Tracks Spring Pale Ale

Harpoon Fresh Tracks Bright Floral Hoppy Spring Pale Ale. 6.2% ABV. 38 IBU. Product of USA. India Pale Ale. Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA & Windsor, VT.

Clear, pale yellow color, slim white head.

In the nose: bright, citrusy hops, and that's about it.

In the mouth: Citrus bomb, as the kids say these days. Light bodied. Low bitterness. Hoppy. Clean, crisp malt. Not too much to talk about. Let's read the label for a bit: "bright golden with citrus and pine notes, light and ready-for-spring ale. Hibernation be damned. Get outside and make some fresh tracks--hooray for spring!"

Wait, there's more: "Our brewery parking lot can be a pretty good indicator of the season. Some cars have ski racks. Others are decked with bike racks. Some even have both. Spring here keeps us on our toes. So we're always ready for anything."

Well, it's a good spring IPA and you can drink it. And there ain't nothing' wrong with it.