Jeff Eggleston
While having no brick and mortar location, Clown Shoes’ beers are currently contract brewed at Mercury Brewing Co. in Ipswich, Mass. It is easily recognized by the amazing artwork and colorful characters that adorn the labels; from the winged barista on the its Breakfast Brown Ale to the tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur having a drink on the front of its Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Aged Red Ale, most of which are wearing clown shoes.
Today’s offering is Chocolate Sombrero, which Clown Shoes classifies as a Mexican-style chocolate stout.
The label sums it fairly well;
Roasted dark malts plus extra chocolate malts plus ancho chili plus cinnamon plus vanilla extract plus a chocolate loving, beer drinking, Clown Shoes wearing, multi-limbed, gorgeous and glorious Mexican wrestler on the label
Pouring from a 12-ounce bottle, and coming in at a bold 9 percent ABV, the beer exhibits a deep dark chocolate brown color with minimal head and almost non-existent lacing. Aromas fill the nose with roast coffee, a light chili burn, malts and an alcohol presence that lets you know this beer is not playing around.
The taste starts out strong with milky chocolate, semi-bitter coffee and bits of light chilies and cinnamon in the background and quickly fades away. Carbonation is very light and compliments the style fairly well. The mouthfeel is coating and slick with a watered down feel at the end. Balance is good and the ending is cleaner and crisper than I would have expected, possibly from the quickly leaving flavors and watery finish. As the beer warms, most flavors remain intact and the alcohol continues to be a light to moderate player
