Muffin Top
Clown Shoes

Muffin TopMuffin Top
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From:
Clown Shoes
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Belgian IPA
ABV:
10%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.81 | pDev: 12.86%
Reviews:
159
Ratings:
709
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 21, 2018
Added:
Sep 02, 2011
Wants:
  51
Gots:
  120
Muffin Top combines the attributes of a Belgian Tripel with a huge burst of American hops. Intense flavors from the Belgian yeast, reminiscent of candied fruits, mix with the hop bitterness and sweet orange peel to create a unique take on a Belgian-Style ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by WastingFreetime:
Photo of WastingFreetime
Reviewed by WastingFreetime from Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours out a cloudy golden color with two fingers of cream-colored foam on top that lasts for about two minutes. Medium-heavy body and carbonation levels.

Smells and tastes like candied orange peel with a side order of peach preserves and medium amounts of yeasty phenols and booze. Actually, the nose is a bit hotter with booze than it seems to present to the tongue, and the nose has more coriander than the flavor does. It's really sweet in an odd way, however, more akin to a Tripel than the bottle's claims of Belgian IPA-ness. In fact, overall, it presents as a mediocre tripel *because* of the overly citric hopping and as a poor IPA for the same reason. This beer is good evidence for why three-way mixing of styles tends to be risky business, the most common result is mediocrity.
Dec 24, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.66/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Triple with a not of spiciness to it, less flowery. Darker in color also,minimal head, but long lasting. Malt also more evident, savory finish. Belgian yeast throughout.
Mar 21, 2018
 
Rated: 3.85 by Tripel_Threat from Michigan

Mar 11, 2018
 
Rated: 3.41 by joemochas from Florida

Nov 30, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by BEER88 from North Carolina

Nov 19, 2016
Photo of Viaduck
Reviewed by Viaduck from California

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
It pours a golden orange color, lovely off white head. Smells very pretty: bread, yeast, fruits,pine, floral hops & orange. Tasre: where's the bread? The rest is there with a little too much saltiness but that Belgium breadlines is missing. Finish is of a very tangy carbonation & orange. Very good
Nov 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by peabody from Kentucky

Oct 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by deac83 from Texas

Oct 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by BrewskiBrandon from Missouri

Sep 23, 2016
Photo of Buck89
Reviewed by Buck89 from Tennessee

3.99/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a taster glass. A clear golden straw color with a frothy white head. Nice lacing in the glass. Interesting mix of aromas with pine, citrus, floral notes, caramel, and white bread. The taste was that of a great Belgian IPA: fruity esters with American hoppy flavors as above. A nice candied orange taste on the finish. Dry and medium-bodied.
Aug 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.53 by Keananmichael5 from California

Aug 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.84 by kmanjohnson from California

Aug 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.38 by cmbeddoe7997 from Texas

Aug 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.74 by bigpoppa67 from Wisconsin

Jul 07, 2016
Photo of nicholas2121
Reviewed by nicholas2121 from Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Muffin Top brewed by Clown Shoes, with an ABV of 10.00%. This brew pours out a a deep golden amber color with a nice off white head. The smell of this brew is rich with grains, malts and hops. There is also a nice sweetness to the smell of this brew. Now for the taste, it is bold but smooth with flavors. You pick up on hops, grains and malts in the taste of this brew. You can pick up on the 10.00% ABV in this brew. Nothing bad so far, it is a smooth for being an IPA. Muffin Top , has an ok balance to it, there is really nothing overpowering about this brew. The mouthfeel of Muffin Top, is bold, clean, smooth and refreshing . This is one of the more milder Belgian IPA's I have had. Not saying that is a bad thing. Overall I'm giving Muffin Top a 4,25 out of 5. I would buy this brew again. Clown Shoes, did a real nice job with this one.
This was an aged brew, trying it out would like to get my hands on a fresh one.
Jun 22, 2016
Photo of Caveworm
Reviewed by Caveworm from Ohio

4.69/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Muffin Top | Clown Shoes. Bottled on 8/15/14. Poured from the bottle into a goblet, this beer's head is three fingers thick, with solid lacing, and a hazy body.

I smell a profound Belgian yeast complex, with sharper pepper and lemongrass notes being bashed over the skull by the hop oils aged for nearly two years.

Tastes like a mellower version of what I'd described with the scent. Actually has a pleasant sweetness almost reminiscent of butterscotch and candied dark fruits.

The mouthfeel here is medium with mild carbonation

Overall, I'll rate Muffin Top | Clown Shoes with a 4.75. A very complex, yet easier going than most Belgian IPA's.
Jun 22, 2016
 
Rated: 4.13 by KurtE from Illinois

Jun 15, 2016
 
Rated: 4.02 by GarbageMan10 from Texas

May 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.13 by mikebu from Canada (AB)

May 23, 2016
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Picked up an old bottle of this for 7 bucks hope it held up well!

A - Dense oily looking beer with a very hazy dark orange brown hue. Head is minimal just a 1/4 inch but it does pull back to great lacing.
S - Fruity topical esters meet with some traditional mango and papaya hops in a good mesh of fruity goodness.
T - Not as bitter as I expected so a good mash of hops and orange peels. Fruity esters are good with a bitter finish.
M - I could see this had better days the hops have taken a bit of a backseat leading to a bit of boozy body but each sip is enjoyable.

Overall worth the cost and would love to try it again fresh or on tap.
Apr 30, 2016
Muffin Top from Clown Shoes
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 709 ratings