Brown Angel
Clown Shoes

stevoj from Idaho

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brown ale with a bit of a bite, nice crisp roast grain bitterness on the finish. Dark brown, but clear, with tight beige head, good lacing. Aroma is roast grains and hint of molasses. Taste is mostly roast grains, burnt toast, wood. One of the better brown ales I’ve tried.

Mar 21, 2018

Lone_Freighter from Vermont

4.4/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

It pours a deep brown color. The body is a dark brown with a light cream colored head with some nice thick ringy lacing. The smell is all about the nuts and roasty chocolates with some slight caramels backing that up. A bit of brown sugar comes in with the hops telling you that this is a beer. The taste is superb with a roasty, sweet, malty, caramel, chocolate flavor. The nuttiness powers through into the taste. The palate is about a medium with a great balance between wet and dry around the tongue. It is very smooth and creamy, just like any Brown should be. Overall, this is one of my all time favorite brown ales, English or American.

Jun 22, 2017

hopsputin from New Jersey

3.86/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

a: deep, dark murky brown color that almost borders on black. some very faint ruby red colors towards the bottom of the glass where the light hits it. head is 1 finger, tan and fluffy like a marshmellow

s: big punch of sweet malt and brown sugar on the nose. there is an almond aroma that follows the sweetness along with some sweet berry. there is a slight earthy/herbal smell in here towards the back - seems to balance out the sweetness a bit. a very faint touch of raisins in here as well

t: immediately i'm noticing this is not as sweet as you would have guessed from the nose. malt is definitely present on the front of the tongue, but behind that is a dry chocolate (like chocolate powder) presence, as well as a light nutty flavor (wish more). the raisins i picked up in the nose are here in the taste as well. there is a herbal hop presence in here as well - not so much a bitterness, but it lends an earthy presence with just a hint of pine....just a hint. malts take over for the finish

m: mouthfeel itself is quite light, however the carbonation level makes it feel a bit fuller

o: i wish i knew how old this bottle was (though i'm not sure it would effect my rating). i think this is an enjoyable beer, however i would like it to be a touch sweeter and utilized a nutty flavor a bit more as well. i don't love the trend of hopping every style, however its not overdone here. so, overall - good not great

Dec 16, 2016

chinchill from South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2015 bottle served in a goblet.

Clear red-brown body with a large, foamy tan head that leaves a partial coat of lacing on the glass. Very good retention.
This "double brown" is, thankfully, double the malt bill (I guess) but not double the ABV of a standard brown. Double hops too, I suspect. Certainly Americanized with enough hops to add flavor, bolster complexity, and leave this malt bomb leaning slightly more towards bitter than sweet.

Aug 21, 2016

patre_tim from Thailand

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Dark brown with an amber tinge, cloudy, some bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass, 4 fingers of beige chunky head. Large and small bubbles in this devolving head.


S: Chocolate, molasses, brown sugar, malt, alcohol, a little citrus.


T: Brown sugar, molasses, malt, malty malt drink, did I mention malt? Some hints of chocolate.


M: Medium thick syrupy body, little carbonation.


O: Excellent brew. A double brown ale. Is it the best I’ve had as many say? No, but really well done brew. Bought in Grand Rapids, MI, drank in Kalamazoo, MI Aug 17th 2014.

Aug 05, 2016

Angela1956 from Michigan

2.9/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75

Personally this beer ins't one of my favorites. The appearance of the head is creamy and frothy, dark and lasting. The lacing was decent. Body cloudy, hazy, murky, and slightly muddy and dark brown. The aroma smelled of molasses, caramel, toffee and coffee. Light hops but a yeasty smell. Body was full, creamy with an alcohol taste. Very metallic after taste.

May 04, 2016

hennin55 from Michigan

4.37/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: average head, good lacing
Aroma: nuts, heavy in the hops, average yeast, hints of nutmeg and chocolate
Palate: medium body, creamy texture, bitter finish
Flavor: bitter with hints of chocolate and nutmeg

May 04, 2016

mfarnick from Michigan

4.98/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

I really enjoyed this beer because it is so smooth and easy to drink.
This beer has a wonderful coffee and malty aroma to it and the taste has a great mix of hops, chocolate, nutty, and citrus. This beer has a great balance between bitterness and that full body nutty flavor.

Apr 29, 2016

defilli2 from Michigan

4.14/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer has a dark brown color, almost looked like pepsi when poured out. It was foamy and had small bubbles as well. The smell was very light but full of flavor, I could pull out the hops in it. The taste was slightly bitter to me. I pulled out some light coffee flavors. It was a light tasting beer and overall good flavor.

Apr 27, 2016

q33jeff from New Jersey

3.99/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

**
02/06/2015
Aroma is like a bakery, fresh bread, rye/pumpernickel/sourdough. Appearance: dark brown, tan head. Looks delicious. Taste: caramel, some yeast, more Bread. Hint of raisin or some dark fruit. Very nice Feel is A little flat, muddy. Really nice brown ale. I’d buy this again.
**
07/23/2016
Side by side Brown Ale tasting:

1. DuClaw x11 Mesquite Smoked Brown Ale
2. Rogue Hazelnut Nectar
3. Clown Shoes Brown Angel
4. Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale
5. DuClaw Euforia
6. Voodoo Wynonna's Big Brown Ale
**

Apr 12, 2016

carlborch from Michigan

4.34/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Looks like a cola with a 2-inch tan collar when poured. The head is creamy. Very nice nose with suggestions of hazel nuts, coddled cream, and candied almonds. Medium full body. Nice, long lingering with dried fruit and nutty notes. Definitely moreish. Slight residue of yeast allowing the last of the pour some cloudiness. Somewhat sweet, but nicely balanced with some hoppy bitterness. The hops are mostly subdued but play an important background role. Nice Belgian lace. It would be a pity if this beer indeed is retired, however, I just purchased it and I would buy this again!

Mar 29, 2016

NotAlcoholicJustAHobby from Vermont

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

L- Pours a dark cola brown with a towering foamy 3 finger head. Lacing is copious and lasting.
S- The nose is typical caramel malt sweetness without much hop characteristic.
T- Caramel sweetness with a mild ashy bitter finish. Definitely a bit of oxidation going on here.
F- The feel is light with a low prickly carbonation.
O- This beer is probably past its prime, but still possesses some nice qualities of your typical brown ale. Nothing earth shattering.

Feb 28, 2016

ManapuaMan from Massachusetts

3.79/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Solid brown ale that pours dark brown with a khaki head. Aroma and taste is nut, brown sugar, roasted malts, and light hops. Enjoyable, very drinkable.

Feb 11, 2016

Kdubzz from Arkansas

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bomber poured into a tulip pint. I'm a big fan of Brown Ales so we'll see how this goes. Pours a deep brown color that shows a bit of ruby when held to the light. A little bit of a weak tanish head that dissipates rather quickly, but laces well. The nose is solid, but not too complex, malty and nutty. Heavy malts upfront on the taste, with a bit of a pecan sweetness. Sort of a peppery flavor as well that leads into a lingering hop bitterness, a delicious transition from sweet to bitter. Medium mouthfeel and the perfect amount of carbonation for the style.
Overall, it's quite good. I don't think I've ever had a Double Brown Ale before, and Clown Shoes does it right.

Feb 04, 2016

fitzy84 from Massachusetts

4.04/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bought a bottle at the Beer Shop in East Longmeadow. The beer poured with a brown-black appearance, thick lacing on the sides, and a thin head. Roasted malts, nuts, cocoa, toffee, sugar, and coffee filled my nose; a really full aroma set to this drink. Taste follows the nose with a generally sweet flavoring mostly geared toward a slightly grainy coffee, malt flavor. Creamy texture to this drink with subtle carbonation, which helped make this a very enjoyable brown ale. Overall, I enjoyed the appearance and mouthfeel of this beer the most.

Jan 24, 2016

stephens101 from Oklahoma

3.82/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Dark brown topped with a firm tan froth, and she's a definite hotty. Faint nut and caramel to the nose. Taste of caramel up front with some toffee and nuttiness followed by a lingering hop finish. Light and mostly dry.

I'd take this Brown Angel dancing anytime.

Jan 13, 2016

rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.64/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Solid appearance, especially on the label ifyouknowutimean.gif.

Aroma was solidly malty, hoppy and nutty. Solid.

Taste was a bitter brown ale, well above average hopping. Nutty, coffee, caramel and toffee all taken from the malt roasting and interplay with the rest of the beer. I don't know why these all seem to be bomber only, in a 12oz pour it would be perfect, 22oz is a little tiresome to drink solo.

Jan 09, 2016

do_ob from Kentucky

3.79/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle into a Boulevard Tank 7 tulip glass. Medium brown pour and a transluscent brown in the glass, when held to light. Giant, foamy tan head initially - lots of big bubbles, fizzed down to a lacing after a few minutes. A surprising amount of hops on the nose, along with vanilla, caramel, and roasted malt. Lots of a roasted malt on the taste with a ton of hops. This has all those traditional brown ale traits with a strong backing of bitterness and sweet fruit. Pretty weird beer, but not bad.

Jan 09, 2016

tbryan5 from Louisiana

4.19/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Just like the description says, it is layers of delicious malt and roasted malt complemented by a variety of hops the give the beer a pleasant bittering taste and floral aroma. A very very well done brown ale. More complexity than your average brown.

Jan 03, 2016

russpowell from Arkansas

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours an effervescent crimson/auburn with a finger of tan head. Good lacing & average head retention

S: Toasty, some grapefruit

T: Toastyness, grapefruit, bready sweetness, a little bite pineyness as well up front. As this warms, I pick a slight smokeyness, herbal & astringent & flinty hop bitterness & a little biscuitty malt & then more grapefruit, a little toffee as well, also pretty dry. Finishes with grapefruit, toastyness, & mineral dryness, plus a little pineyness

MF: Medium/chewy body with slight carbonation, Carbonation pick up as this warms, nice balace, body also thins out a little

A very solid & very drinkable American Brown; Clown Shoes continues to impress

Dec 06, 2015

the_awesometeer from California

3.94/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A dark caramel brown with a thick white head that continues to last while lacing the glass. At first you smell the typical malty scent of a brown ale but then followed quickly by the piney smell of hops. The beer is well balanced with the beginning of a toasty sweet malt flavor followed quickly with a nice balance with the piney hops.

Nov 21, 2015

Back_in_the_Saddle from Vermont

3.94/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

This was poured into a nonic pint glass.
The appearance was a dark brown color with a one finger white to off white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute. Lacing had a nice almost thick glaze of stringiness running around the glass.
The smell had a sweet nutty to brown sugar to toffee and a light coffee flavoring in front. Caramel malts and a light vanilla show some nice features backing up the aroma nicely.
The taste was mainly sweet with a nice roasty quality shining through on the nuts and toffee. A nice sweet to roasty aftertaste takes effect and slides into the finish.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a nice sessionably sweet and roasty texture. Carbonation runs somewhat light.
Overall, to me, I think this is a wonderful interpretation of an English Brown ale with an ABV sitting just a bit higher than normal. I didn't get the normal amount of hops in this one to think it's an American styled one, but its still a nice beer all around.

Nov 19, 2015

SitkaSteve from Idaho

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I've heard some say that this is an imperial brown ale, however, due to lack of research and actually the fact that imperial brown ale is not a true style, I stuck with a nonic pint glass for this.
The appearance was a dark ruddy brown color with a one finger white to off white foamy head that dissipated within less than a minute.
The smell has all of the normal qualities of a great brown ale: light amount of cocoa, nuts, coffee, a little bit of earthiness and then for this beer, it takes in some raisins = nice! I like it.
The taste was mainly sweet with the cocoa and raisins blending nicely. Nuts roll into a sly little bit of toffee and blend with a mild doughy/breadiness. There's a nice rich sweet nutty to raisin aftertaste and it finishes a bit dry with the nuts.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a good stickiness from the sweeter components of this beer on my tongue. Carbonation seems to hit my tongue right.
Overall, imperial or not, this was an awesome offering by Clown Shoes, as I would love to have this again.

Nov 03, 2015

L0ne from Texas

4.12/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Dark brown with ruby highlights. Thick, fluffy, blonde/tan head that recedes to a permanant cap, and leaves lots of lacing.

Smell is chocolate covered raisins and sweet, malty bread dough.

Taste is sweet, roasty, chocolate and nuts, with dried dark fruits and a pleasant bite of bitter citrus.

The head adds a bit of creaminess to the mouthfeel and there's enough carbonation to prickle your tongue and liven things up.

Sep 01, 2015

brewskifan55 from Mississippi

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass. Thanks for sharing, Alan.

A: Deep brown with a billowy 4 finger head that wouldn't leave. The carbonation on this beauty was relentless.

S: Caramel, nuts, bready malt, cocoa, with a hint of citrus hops.

T: Sweet, robust, with toffee, coffee, malts, nuts and an unexpected finish of light bitterness.

M: Medium to heavy with medium carbonation. Chewy, thick and lovely.

O: A terrific brown I'd love to hook up with again sometime.

Aug 25, 2015