The Drongo Half Sour
Clown Shoes
- From:
- Clown Shoes
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
Ranked #4,572 - ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #34,988 - Avg:
- 3.45 | pDev: 12.17%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 21, 2025
- Added:
- Nov 06, 2018
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 2
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
3.68/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
RB transfer
Sep 21, 2025
Reviewed by kookajamo from Iowa
3.69/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Dated 12/17/18 on the can so about a year-and-a-half old for this review. Probably why the store sold me a 4-pack of tallboy cans for $3.99.
Pours a slightly hazy and murky dark golden color with 2 finger head that retains and laces well. Very pleasing aromas from the can including juicy hops, stone and tropical fruits and grassy notes. Flavor is rather muted in comparison, most likely due to the age -- starts just slightly tart, followed by a tinge of grassy and earthy hops with very minimal bitterness, finishes smooth and dry with a bit of a metallic aftertaste (also probably due to the age) and a slight lingering bitterness.
Overall I think this beer would have been better if it was fresher, but still presents some problems. It totes the line between IPA and Sour too finely and isn't enough of either style to please enthusiasts from either side. If this beer represented either style more distinctly I think it would be a big hit but for now this one doesn't follow through for me. At $3.99 for a 4-pack of tallboy cans though and 6.5% I'm a happy camper with this purchase.
Jun 09, 2020Pours a slightly hazy and murky dark golden color with 2 finger head that retains and laces well. Very pleasing aromas from the can including juicy hops, stone and tropical fruits and grassy notes. Flavor is rather muted in comparison, most likely due to the age -- starts just slightly tart, followed by a tinge of grassy and earthy hops with very minimal bitterness, finishes smooth and dry with a bit of a metallic aftertaste (also probably due to the age) and a slight lingering bitterness.
Overall I think this beer would have been better if it was fresher, but still presents some problems. It totes the line between IPA and Sour too finely and isn't enough of either style to please enthusiasts from either side. If this beer represented either style more distinctly I think it would be a big hit but for now this one doesn't follow through for me. At $3.99 for a 4-pack of tallboy cans though and 6.5% I'm a happy camper with this purchase.
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania
3.7/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.7/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Not sure if I got a better can but I really enjoyed this beer. Has some decent peaches apricots kind of sour flavor mildly tart yet still has a pronounced bitter character. While not exceptionally sour or even hoppy it was still decent enough to quaff down but I'm not sure if I would ever get it again. Still interesting regardless
Jun 24, 2019
Reviewed by teromous from Virginia
2.01/5 rDev -41.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
2.01/5 rDev -41.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
From the bottom of the can: "pkg 355 12/17/18 16:35"
Appearance: The body is a hazy and nearly opaque gold. The head is white and creamy textured, very short, with good head retention and lacing.
Aroma: There is a pear aroma with a hint of bubblegum and a light bit of caramel. A musky mint character also pops up from time to time.
Taste: It has a strong sweet caramel flavor with sweet grain notes. There is a very light tangy sour orange flavor buried under old decaying mint.
Mouthfeel: Drinkability is low. There is little carbonation, the bitterness is mild, there is a touch of tartness, and it just isn't pleasant to drink.
Overall: The aroma doesn't have enough hop character to wear the brand of an IPA. The can calls this a "Half Sour IPA" and while this beer does have a funky aroma it is sorely missing the other hoppy half. The beer tastes way too sweet. The beer is a chore to even drink because it is a mess. I strongly recommend giving this one a pass.
Jun 01, 2019Appearance: The body is a hazy and nearly opaque gold. The head is white and creamy textured, very short, with good head retention and lacing.
Aroma: There is a pear aroma with a hint of bubblegum and a light bit of caramel. A musky mint character also pops up from time to time.
Taste: It has a strong sweet caramel flavor with sweet grain notes. There is a very light tangy sour orange flavor buried under old decaying mint.
Mouthfeel: Drinkability is low. There is little carbonation, the bitterness is mild, there is a touch of tartness, and it just isn't pleasant to drink.
Overall: The aroma doesn't have enough hop character to wear the brand of an IPA. The can calls this a "Half Sour IPA" and while this beer does have a funky aroma it is sorely missing the other hoppy half. The beer tastes way too sweet. The beer is a chore to even drink because it is a mess. I strongly recommend giving this one a pass.
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania
3.59/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
WelCAN back to my New "Don't Call Me a 'Clown' Until You've Drank a CAN of Beer in My Shoes" Beer Sunday (Week 736) & naturally, it involves The CANQuest (tm).
From the CAN: "Half Sour India Pale Ale with Australian Galaxy Hops".
There are so many IPA variations in this day & age, but I am the sucker of whom P.T. Barnum made his bone. I am also an easy sell when it comes to CANned beers, although I am a bit more discerning these days. For CANstance, if it is a spendy Sour/Tart in a CAN, I will generally give it a wide berth. Not in this case, however, as I remain a firm believer in Clown Shoes & all that they do!
I Crack!ed the vent on this latest CAN of theirs & beCAN a slow, gentle Glug since I am beginning to feel the day's effect(s). It fizzed & foamed to form just over two fingers of foamy, soapy, rocky, tawny head with low retention, quickly falling away to mere wisps. Color was a gently-hazy Amber (SRM = > 7, < 9). Nose was less sour than tropical with a lot of pineapple presence. Hmm. Mouthfeel was medium. The flavor was kind of oddball - not really sour, per se, but not exactly pineapple, either. It was quaffable, but it was not what I would want or expect in/from the style, which is probably what is hurting it. The signature bitterness just was not present & thusly, it was a lesser example of the style. Finish was semi-dry, but the slight sourness was throwing me a curve. It was interesting, but not sustaining.
Mar 31, 2019From the CAN: "Half Sour India Pale Ale with Australian Galaxy Hops".
There are so many IPA variations in this day & age, but I am the sucker of whom P.T. Barnum made his bone. I am also an easy sell when it comes to CANned beers, although I am a bit more discerning these days. For CANstance, if it is a spendy Sour/Tart in a CAN, I will generally give it a wide berth. Not in this case, however, as I remain a firm believer in Clown Shoes & all that they do!
I Crack!ed the vent on this latest CAN of theirs & beCAN a slow, gentle Glug since I am beginning to feel the day's effect(s). It fizzed & foamed to form just over two fingers of foamy, soapy, rocky, tawny head with low retention, quickly falling away to mere wisps. Color was a gently-hazy Amber (SRM = > 7, < 9). Nose was less sour than tropical with a lot of pineapple presence. Hmm. Mouthfeel was medium. The flavor was kind of oddball - not really sour, per se, but not exactly pineapple, either. It was quaffable, but it was not what I would want or expect in/from the style, which is probably what is hurting it. The signature bitterness just was not present & thusly, it was a lesser example of the style. Finish was semi-dry, but the slight sourness was throwing me a curve. It was interesting, but not sustaining.
Reviewed by hophugger from Virginia
3.59/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pale orange in color with medium white fizzy head that disappates fairly quickly. Aroma is starfruit (carambola) and other assorted light tropical citrus. Taste is light citrus, fizzy and lightly bitter. An interesting blend of an IPA and a sour and it actually works fairly well together. Light citrus and bitter finish. Pleasantly surprised.
Mar 19, 2019
Reviewed by metter98 from New York
3.62/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: The beer is hazy pale orange yellow in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high white head that left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and lots of lacing around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of sour passionfruit and peaches are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell and is somewhat sour with fruity flavors of passionfruit and peaches and some hints of floral and spicy hops towards the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. Neither crispness nor tartness is perceptible.
O: I would consider this beer to be more of a sour ale than a half sour/half IPA as the only real characteristics that you got of the IPA were from the fruity aromas and flavors.
Serving type: can
Feb 27, 2019S: Light to moderate aromas of sour passionfruit and peaches are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell and is somewhat sour with fruity flavors of passionfruit and peaches and some hints of floral and spicy hops towards the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. Neither crispness nor tartness is perceptible.
O: I would consider this beer to be more of a sour ale than a half sour/half IPA as the only real characteristics that you got of the IPA were from the fruity aromas and flavors.
Serving type: can
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas
3.61/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.61/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Not terribly exciting but not a bad beer.
Poured from a can into a tulip glass. Pours well, making a nice foamy head and leaving good lacing atop a cloudy yellow body.
Clean, fresh smell and taste. Not very hoppy. Not something to go out of my way, but it was good with dinner.
Feb 14, 2019Poured from a can into a tulip glass. Pours well, making a nice foamy head and leaving good lacing atop a cloudy yellow body.
Clean, fresh smell and taste. Not very hoppy. Not something to go out of my way, but it was good with dinner.
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