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Clown Shoes

Overall this one isn't terrible. It has some definite lactic undertones, but it's fairly drinkable as long as you can stand a little acididty. The sourness doesn't overwhelm the base beer so the beer isn't one note and it still has some decent complexity.

First time I've ever poured a beer down the sink. I made my account specifically for rating this beer because it was undrinkable. I will stay though, I like this place.

Yep, infected.

 

Tough break being too drunk after the Chico Beerfest yesterday to be bothered to look this beer up and realize it was infected before I bought it... oh well.. don’t make the same mistake as me.. IT’S INFECTED

 

So I was pumped when I bought this, with the pedigreed brewer and cool name and awesome artwork on the label and cellared it for six months. Now, it appears the bomber I paid fifteen bones for is well known as infected. Uncool.

This appears as a strong dark ale, with a big beige head. Nose is heavily malty , with dark fruit, vanilla, and whiskey.

Oh, yeah. Definitely infected. Yeast and sour is all I taste. I don't think I can finish ths. What a waste.

 

 

 

Bottled on 8/1/16...so some age here.Pours into an impy nonic slightly murky amber color with lacey off white head atop.Muted caramel/biscuit aromas are about all I get,no hops and no whiskey to speak of.Somewhat lactic on the palate with caramel and mild whiskey notes,no hop profile really going on here.I'am a big fan of Clown Shoes beers (although the not of some of the labels)but this not so good to put it plainly.

L: It pours a hazy opaque reddish brown with streams of slowly rising bubbles. Has a thin, light tan cap with poor retention.

S: a whiff of whiskey, fruit, light berries and mild alcohol.

T: This bottle has a trace of lactobacillus giving the beer a tart and sweet palate over caramel. It is like an Irish Red married a Flanders Red. It has the Irish Red's grainy malt flavors and some of the caramel but these are somewhat muted. It also has the Flanders Red tart berry to cherry flavors and some yeasty notes. The yeasty berry flavors are above average. A bran flakes sweet flavor follows the berries and then the beer finishes with a grainy, oak drying astringency leading to a lingering bran flakes and tart dried cherry aftertaste.

F: The feel starts creamy and then ends with a lactobacillus acidic prickliness. The body is medium to medium full. This interesting, complex beer is not what Clown Shoes intended but it sort of works.

O: As an Irish Red it disapoints as the anticipated big, rich malt flavors with a light whiskey note are not there. Had Clown Shoes intended a Flanders Red, the brewer would have pushed the beer form more fruit flavors and a slightly darker, molassey malt character. Despite this, the result is an interesting, drinkable beer.

I was excited about this beer and on the pour she looked really good. Unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations.

It started with a slight booziness, which turned to a tart, acidic flavor. Not a lot of barrel flavor but it does have a slight whiskey flavor on the finish and nose. Overall, It reminded me of homemade wine that was a bit off. One of the few brews from Clown Shoes that i have not loved. Drinkable, but not something I would seek out again.

 

Unfortunately, this has been confirmed as infected by Clown Shoes. I had one when first released and hesitated to rate it, but their customer service team was great when I contacted them. After six months, I tried another bottle to see if it had evolved into something still-infected but better; it had gone in the opposite direction, to my dismay. Even for a fan of sours, I wouldn't say that this is even accidentally decent. The one bad experience I've had from what is otherwise a favorite brewery.

This is not a good looking beer, muddy ice tea with a beer head is what it reminds me of. The aroma is pretty good but the flavor is sour (infected?). I wouldn't recommend.

 

 

Clear burnt red with a moderate khaki head.

Smell is wet, aged, mossy oak, caramel and an appley tartness.

It's a confusing combo overall I'm not sure I've had in anything, but the overall essence I get from this is red caramel apple.