Galactica
Clown Shoes

 

 

 

Clown Shoes Beer "Galactica West Coast IPA"
16 fl. oz. can coded "pkg 032 01/31/22 20:23" and sampled on 10/01/22
$4.29 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: It's poured a hazy deep golden slash orange colored body beneath a finger's width of rocky off-white foam. The aroma is piney and lightly citrusy over a sweetish and grainy malt base. This smells like a West Coast IPA to me because it's got that piney Chinook aroma to it. Was it always a West Coast IPA? On to the taste... well there it is again, that Chinook pine. I always use kid gloves when I brew with Chinook because if you use too much it can ruin the beer, especially if it's bitter. You get that bitter and piney-resinous thing going on and it just kills your palate. This, however, is nicely balanced. You get the pine but it's not overdone, and you also get the sweetish malt and citrusy hop notes. There's grapefruit, a little orange, and some mango and berries as well as a lot of herbs. What herbs? I'm thinking oregano and sage, and a brush of rosemary. There's a lot of floral character as well, and a note of apple to boot but there's almost always a note of apple in most beers, even in Budweiser. A firm bitterness anchors it and leads it to a dry and bitter conclusion despite the sweetness of the malt upfront. In the mouth it's medium bodied on the fuller side, and crisp with a fine-bubbled carbonation. The head held up OK, but not great, and the lacing was very good but not excellent. In my mind this is a very good example of the West Coast IPA style but perhaps a bit strong at 8% ABV.
Review #8,269

 

Research indicates this likely isn't exactly the Galactica IPA, nor the Galactica Imperial IPA, as they have different labels than this pint can. There's good and bad about emptying that can into a clear glass Imperial pint mug. The good is the bright copper-amber color and a head slightly tinted toward that color. The bad was the foaminess of what was a gentle pour, albeit at room temperature. Despite the bright, almost bold color, the brew is close to being translucent. Eventually, the head reduces to a modest level and it sustains. The aroma is a solid one, bringing both malt and piney hops. The taste is maltier than many West Coast styled IPAs. With the growing trend to reduce barley malt from IPAs, this is a welcome characteristic. What it also produces is a body that's vastly smoother and richer than most WCIPAs. Fear not, the malt doesn't make this taste any sweeter than the good ones in this category, which is regarded for the sharp hoppy bite it often provides. If it adds anything to the predominantly piney and resinous hop hit, it adds a layer of earthiness. Some may not like the richer and smoother body, as most West Coast IPAs, even the very good ones, flow a little thinner and lighter. But this is a great example of a Double/Imperial IPA, regardless of the category. The glass lacing is negligible and some of the alcohol makes it into the taste. To date, there is no West Coast IPA category here, so this gets rated as an IPA with a fairly high ABV. The rating is deservedly high, too.

 

 

 

Pours a slightly hazy amber with a foamy white head that ends as filmy lacing.

Smells slightly piney with some citrus.

Tastes of malt and slightly dank hops with some light citrus and melon with the slightest bitter finish.

Medium body and light carbonation. Light clean mouthfeel.

This is nice old school west coast IPA

 

 

 

 

Rich near clear amber with a whopping off white head that laces and lasts. I'm getting a whiff of mellow pine through the head. Hefty malt and hops play nice together and offer a fair bit of sweetness to this brew. I'm drinking it on the warmer side of the temp range. Decent medium body and mellow bubbles. Nice!

 

 

 

Classic, smooth IPA taste. Reminds me of why I first fell in love with IPAs. Great aroma. Crisp and clean taste stays consistent start to finish. Beautiful orange hazey hue.

Day 12 of the 12 Beers of Christmas pack. Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours orange yellow with a fluffy white head. Smells of fresh citrus hops with just a hint of grassiness. Tastes of grassy and citrus hops. Beer is light/medium bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.