Reindeer Games
Clown Shoes

 

 

Got this one in the Christmas variety pack. A deep copper color with some good malt flavors. Not very bitter at all, very enjoyable in my Christmas tour of beers!

It’s nice to see a copper colored IPA once in a while, so this was a holiday treat. The aroma is muted and very basic for an IPA, but I like the malty, caramel flavors that start this brew off and then allow the citrus and floral hoppy aspects balance things out. Not overly sweet with a mild bitterness and lots of malty flavor.

From a 12oz can, best by 01/31/23. From the 12 Beers of Christmas holiday variety pack. Note: this is packaged as a Bavarian IPA. Served in a willi becher.

Pours a lightly hazed, dull copper colour, the colour of an old penny, with a finger-plus of soft beige foam. Retention is on the order of a minute or two, leaving a creamy cap and a solid blanket of sudsy lacing.

Nose is malty with a pronounced taffy or candy-like character.

Taste does a total 180 to the nose being harsh with a big, bitter, cigar-wrapper flavour and grassy astringency. After the initial onslaught, tasting toast, caramel and lemon, tea, cedar and peppermint.

Feel is clean and quenching, medium bodied with bright-verging-on-overly-strong carbonation.

A big, bold beverage. I was initially put off by the way the flavour veered away so aggressively from the aroma but ultimately settled back and just let it have its way with me. Still, I’d be unlikely to seek it out on its own.

This is from the "12 Beers of Christmas" pack.
From the bottom of the can: "Best By 01/31/23 252 17:53"

Appearance: The body is a darker shade of brown with a touch of dark amber as the light comes through. The beer has good clarity that is apparent even though the beer is on the darker side. The head is cream-white and creamy in texture, medium-short and with pretty good retention. It has some good lacing. It is much darker than the average IPA but it still looks nice in a glass.

Aroma: There barely is any aroma, but what does come through is bandaid. There is a very, very light hint of mint, but drawing in enough air into the nose to pick up the mint just amplifies the bandaid character.

Taste: Up front there is a light bit of tea leaf flavor. Towards the middle there is a bit more tea leaf with a bit of cedar and a hint of moss. There is a bit of bitter mint at the back of the mouth but it pops in and is lost behind more mossy notes. A light bit of coffee and at times some burnt toffee flavor. It is largely an earthy beer that has a rather robust earthy flavor which would need a palate cleanser. Some alcohol popped in from time to time.

Mouthfeel: There is a dull hop bitterness (dull as in sharp or dull, not as in boring or interesting) that lounges on the palate and remains there. The body is medium-full. It feels heavy for an IPA. It is a slow drinker that will likely require a palate cleanser.

Overall: The can states that this is a "BAVARIAN IPA" and with a name like "REINDEER GAMES" it seems like the idea was to create a bit of an oddball IPA that doesn't fit the mold. The beer definitely does not fit the mold, but it doesn't exactly break it either. The somewhat interesting earthy and tea-like flavors present a malt and hop combination that is very "gray on gray." This was in a variety pack but if this were sold as a single or on tap I wouldn't buy it again.

 

 

 

 

Part of the Clown Shoes 12 Beers of Christmas Mixed Pack - $25.99 at Bullock's Wine & Spirits in Marietta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a clearish, tawny reddish-brown body with an inch of creamyish, off-white head. Moderate lacing.

Smell: Initially, a firm, dry, crumbly toastiness with spicy, earthy, herbal hints and berry-toned, citrusy, stone fruit elements.

Taste: Darkly toasted breadcrusts with a sprinkling of caster sugar. Lightly earthy, herbal hops with a healthy dose of kumquat, red berries and nectarines. Relatively low bitterness. Maltiness remains a dry presence with a few more blips and hits from the hop blend.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Overall: Fine albeit forgettable, tasting a bit like a poor man's SN Celebration.

 

 

 

Pours a dark reddish brown color with good clarity. The head is a finger high and off-white in its color, leaving behind bits of lace on the glass (not a lot, though). The aroma has some elements of German beer: mainly, the deep caramel-y Munich malts, and some noble hop grassiness. However, some notes of citrus and stone fruit also show up. It seems to hit a lot of nice notes, even if the malt presence isn't to my subjective liking. I taste a nice amount of peach and apricot to start, with the dark malts showing up near the back end with some caramel and toasted pumpernickel bread flavors. Some citrusy and grassy hop flavors faintly appear in the background. I generally do NOT like this kind of malt profile in my IPA, but Clown Shoes got the balance right for my palate. They also got the texture right, as it finishes with a crisp bite despite the malt presence and soft, creamy texture. Carbonation seems a bit low, which makes the dry finish all the more welcome. All in all, a solidly very good IPA. Those that remember and miss Victory HopDevil IPA will dig this one.

Served in a Tulip glass from the can.

Appearance: Dale brown but semi clear body with an off white head which initially rose half a fingers length off the body.

Smell: Hoppy aroma which dissipates quick.

Taste: Toasted bread like taste. Light floral with sweet yellow grapefruit. Very smooth actually, euro lager feel which makes super easy to drink.

Mouth: Medium to strong carbonation with a semi sticky after taste.

Overall: Worth grabbing, smooth and pairs well with almost any dinner. Salud!

From the 12 oz can in a snifter. This excellent brew pours a muddled burnt
auburn with a very nice head of off white foam that settles to a fat ring and layer with
excellent lacing. Nose of citrus hops, toasted malts, and dark breaded malts. Flavors
hit it home with citrus hops of grapefruit and mango mingling with toasted malts and
light breaded malts with crust touches. Nice mouth feel; medium light body, medium
carbonation, and a hoppy citrus laden finish.

Overall---very nice

Cheers