Mocha Sombrero
Clown Shoes

 

 

 

Looks pretty nice, thick frothy head that leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

Smell is not very impressive. I'm sniffing harder than Zelenskyy on cocaine here but I'm just not getting much. A bit of hops and a very small amount of coffee.

Taste is very mediocre. I'm getting no chocolate, no vanilla, and a very bitter spike of acidic coffee. Just some slight roast and faint malt. It's mostly all acidic coffee. I thought Mexican style chocolate stout might include some spice too? Can't knock another .5 off for that because I don't see it specifically on the can.

Feel is above average. Not thin at all, if I could ignore the taste I'd rate this higher.

Overall. Not worth trying and I won't buy this again. Something like xocoveza makes this look like ginger beer.

A: The beer is nearly black in color and has traces of dark brown visible near the edges of the glass when it is held up to a bright light. It poured with a finger and a half high frothy tan head that quickly settled down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface, a narrow collar and some lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of coffee are present in the nose along with notes of coffee.
T: The taste follows the smell and has additional notes of dark malts and hints of vanilla.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer isn't that spicy compared to other Mexican Chocolate stouts so it is easier to drink, especially given its lower alcohol content.

Serving type: can

Clown Shoes "Mocha Sombrero"
16 fl. oz. can, "pkg 12/20/21" and sampled on 02/17/22
$3.99 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: So whadda we got here? "Mexican-Style Chocolate Stout With Coffee and Vanilla". There's no listing of actual ingredients on the label, and nothing about "natural flavors" so I'll assume that it's real vanilla beans and coffee. No cinnamon? Isn't that usually a part of it? OK. It looks good in the glass so far with a densely foamy head of tan atop a black body. When held to the light you can see some dark mahogany brown and ruby highlights at the base of the glass and it appears to be clear. The aroma is a little disappointing. It's mild, and although I get some roastiness I'm not getting chocolate. Vanilla? Ha! OK, on to the taste... well that's a little disappointing too. I initially get a fruit tinged chocolate note that reminds me of a Hershey's bar. It's sweetish but not sweet by any stretch of the imagination. That could be good, depending on your tastes. Then I get some of the coffee but that apple-like fruitiness remains, which should be telling you that it's not that coffee-like. I've had weak black coffee before that was something like this but even that had some nuttiness to it, and I'm not finding that here. Caramel? Yeah, OK, but again, it's thin. Some brown and almost burnt sugar. I don't get the vanilla until the end, and again, it's basically not there. If you put something into a beer and it doesn't really taste like it, that's fine I don't think you should point it out. I'd like to see it listed on the label, but if you don't really taste it don't brand it as such. Rant over. It's got a little bit of a brown sugar and golden caramel flavor to it, mainly coming out in the finish. The roastiness is quite ashen and it's got that almost smoky edge to it. The bitterness is median to moderate but there's also a light acidity to it from the dark malts and it finishes dry. Oddly, that apple-like fruitness is there, but when that fades it becomes more mocha-like. The roastiness and bitterness linger beyond that. Mouthfeel? Medium bodied and gently crisp with a slightly less than standard carbonation level. Looking back the head held up OK at first but then dies, and it didn't leave very much lacing behind at all. So what do I have to say about this? If it was simply labeled as an American stout I wouldn't have suspected that it had coffee and vanilla added. Putting that aside completely and just focusing on what's in the glass hedonistically I find it OK, but that's about it. Ahh, what's this? I just found a clear note of vanilla while licking my lips. I've only got 3 oz. left though (I measured it) so that doesn't say much. Or, maybe it actually says a lot.
Review #7,790

 

Presentation: 16 oz. can with the canning date printed on the bottom. Served in a pint glass.

Appearance: The big, tan colored, three finger head stays around for a long time and leaves behind a lot of thick lacing. It's a very dark brown, almost black color.

Smell: There's some faint aromas of chocolate cake and watery coffee but that's pretty much it.

Taste: There's milk chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar and a roasted malt smokiness in the background.

Mouthfeel: It's velvety smooth and medium to light bodied which makes it very easy to drink. Carbonation is low.

Overall: It's a pretty good beer. Simple, fairly tasty and with a nice texture. Nothing out of this world though.

 

From the tall boy can in a snifter. This beast of a brew pours a
nice pitch black with murky brown swirls and a nice head of
tan foam that settles to a thick ring, thick dusty, clumping layer,
and sports some nice thick sudsy lacing. Nose of subtleties;
cocoa, dark coffee, char, brulee, and faint earthy malts. Flavors
surpass the nose with layers of heavy roasted coffee, light vanilla,
dark cocoa, char, light cream, and definite earthy malts with
touches of tobacco. Nice mouth feel; full body, medium light
carbonation, and a big bitter malt / coffee finish.

Overall, a mighty big brew with lower ABV for the
coffee enthusiast! It's not their standard cup of ale
in ABV terms, but in flavor it is a mighty brew.

Cheers

 

 

LOOKS: Small tan cap, black, spotty lacing.
AROMA: Light; almost a caramel malt smell. Pouch tobacco, a little char, very mild chocolate, coffee, and good vanilla bean.
TASTE: Sweet and bitter in balance; both linger. See above for the rest; all there.
FEEL: Very dry, medium body, well carbonated.
OA: Pretty nice, and balanced brew.

can. tasted boozier than what it is. maybe over spiced.

 

 

 

 

A: Jet black with tan head and solid lacing.
N: Burnt sugar, chocolate, vanilla, and coffee.
T: Follows the nose, black coffee with a little chocolate and toasted sugar notes.
M: Medium feel.
O: A solid coffee stout, good flavors and balanced.

 

Poured from a 16 oz can into the test glass
A - Dark cocoa in color, gently carbonated, a thin off white cap is fed from the effort.
S - Hints of vanilla, milk chocolate, some light roast coffee.
T - Follows the nose well , not to many suprises.
M - A bit hin, sweet start, move toward the center with a touch of bitter hops, linger is neutral.
O - Approachable for sure, not inspiring for sure. I appreciate the offering.

Poured from a can into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours a deep brown color with a one finger head of tan colored foam. The head has a fantastic level of retention, very slowly fading over time to leave rings of brownish colored lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma of the brew is big of a sweet milk chocolate aroma that is mixed with some lighter but very noticeable coffee smells. Along with these smells comes some aromas of a caramel sweetness mixed with a creamy smell. There is a touch of spice in there as well as a bit of a nice dark roasted malt smell that has some notes of earthiness to it.

Taste – The taste begins with a sweeter milk chocolate and dark roasted malt flavor with a little bit of a caramel and a decent showing of vanilla. As the taste moves forward the sweetness initially decreases a touch only to later return stronger as more creamy milk latte flavors come to the tongue. At the same time the mocha tastes get a little bit stronger all while the roast fades, but Is replaced by a slightly oaky and earthy flavor. With a bit of nuttiness joining at the very end, one is left with a blend of a sweeter mocha latte and roasty dark dry stout like taste to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is rather medium in chewiness and thickness with a carbonation level that is rather moderate. A bit more thickness and less carbonation may have been slightly better for the taste of the brew, but overall the feel was pretty nice and makes for an easy slow sipper with lots of flavor.

Overall – A rather nice and flavorful stout with a good blend of chocolate latte and roasty malt. A nice brunch style brew.

 

 

Pours a deep dark brown with hints of red and about two fingers of mocha colored head

Smells of deep roasted malts, bitter coffee, and very sweet vanilla

The taste is all roast up front, followed by a heavy aftertaste of chocolate and dry espresso

The feel is huge here, deeply robust with a bitter aftertaste

Overall not a bad stout, though I wish the chocolate weren't so subtle, and that the vanilla didn't just appear in the nose

 

 

I didn't check the Purchase by date but it was purchased in a bar near here and it seemed fresh. The look was dark black . I expected more of a chocolate flavor, as it advertised on the can as a Mexican Chocolate. I liked the flavor , though it seemed a little blander than it thought it would be. The pour was fine. It was not a strong smell but was adequate. A good beer, certainly worth trying but not a great one.

 

 

L- jet black with light penetrating the edges. 2 fingers khaki brown head that sticks around a little while.

S- coffee, burnt dark chocolate with a hint of vanilla.

T- coffee, caramel, chocolate, burnt coffee with some bitter finish.

F- thinner than I would like.

O- solid. Would buy again.

Very roasty tasty from the coffee however, I wish the body of the beer was thicker a bit too thin for me

16oz stamped 12/17/18 (about 6 months old) poured into a Spiegelau stout glass at fridge temp 7% ABV. The beer pours dense very dark brown with mahogany highlights and mocha colored head. The head builds quickly on a hard pour and then slowly settles to some patchy spots, a ring and a little lacing. The aroma is muted coffee with some caramel & vanilla in the background. The taste is sweetened and creamed coffee with a touch of pepper heat. Medium bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good, but I bet it was great fresh. I'll shift my score up a bit bases on that. Would love to get a fresh 4 pack some time.

 

Picked up a single from the Craft Beer Quick Stop cooler on 1-25-19 for $3.29. Canned on 12-17-18; consumed on 5-16-19. Cold stored since purchase.

Beer poured black with a beautiful tan head with the initial pour.

Nose has hints of cocoa and coffee interlaced with the mildly roasted malts.

Taste is light cocoa and not much coffee over a medium light roasted malt body. Finish is well balanced.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and fairly smooth.

Overall a pretty good beer that i am glad to have tried.

 

 

Ever since I embarked on a Clown Shoes brewery horizontal as part of New "Don't Call Me a 'Clown' Until You've Drank a CAN of Beer in My Shoes" Beer Sunday (Week 736), I CAN't seem to stop! Jeff "CAN Man" Lebo was by on Monday & we made a trip to Dominion Pizza to see if there were any in stock that I did not have already. This was one of them! Viva The CANQuest (tm)!

From the CAN: "Mexican-Style Chocolate Stout with Coffee and Vanilla"; "Our Mission: To Produce Beer without Pretension while Being Free and a Little Crazy".

I Crack!ed open the vent & beCAN a moderate Glug into the awaiting glass. I was heartened when it immediately started a pseudo-cascade & so I sat back & allowed things to run their course. I wound up with two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, deep-tan/light-brown head with very good retention. Color was Dark Brown to Very Dark Brown (SRM = > 27, < 34) with NE-quality clarity & garnet highlights. Beautiful! Nose was rich with dark-roasted coffee & baker's/baking chocolate. Never mind the vanilla, this had the kind of roasty bitterness that I enjoy every morning in/from my cup of coffee. Mmm. Mouthfeel was full & creamy, like a dollop had been scooped into my mouth & onto my tongue. Nice! I let it just kind of roll around, basking in the roasty bitterness & CANtemplating just how good it was. Finish was dry, roasty & bitter, just the way I prefer my coffee. I never really perceived the vanilla, but that was just as well. Now, the question becomes how am I going to remove the heavy, sticky lacing from inside the glass?

Poured into a16 oz Snulip glass canned on 2/11/19. Pours a very slick black with a two finger sticky light brown head that leaves thick webs of lace as it slowly settles. 4.25

Smell is vanilla, coffee grounds, chili’s, cocoa nibs, and some pipe tobacco. 4

Taste follows coffee, vanilla, peppery spice, and chocolate. 4

Mouthfeel is bigger than average, moderate carbonation, a tad dry, and very approachable, but drinks bigger than 7%.4.25

Overall this is very nice, $10 a 4 pack and very tasty, with a rather chewy mouthfeel. I will never be sad to sip this one. 4