Eagle Claw Fist - Clown Shoes

BigBarley

Texas

2.85/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

Pours a muddy amber, with a cap of white foam floating atop

Aroma is sweet, fresh tropical fruits, pineapple, mango, and grapefruit. Nice aroma with some nice caramel hidden way way beneath for balance.

Unfortunately the hops and tropical fruit from the nose are covered up by a complete messy execution. The hops are there, and they're bitter, but they don't blend well, and the malt tastes like barrel-aged RIS minus ALL the flavor... just that after burn of odd oaky madness. This beer is weird and disappointing and that makes me sad. I don't think it held up very well but it's lacking a bottling date, so... this kinda sucks!

Mouthfeel is decent but not enough to save it.

Believe me, if you find it fresh, try it. But uh... yeah, I think the older bottles taste awful by this point.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 08:52:45 | More by BigBarley

JackieTH

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amber red pour with a khaki foam that dissipates to a quarter inch of very persistent head, copious lacing. Malty and earthy nose, light caramel. Taste, similarly, is earthy, caramel, spicy, astringent, moderately bitter..grapefruit, grass, floral. Medium body creamy mouthfeel. This red ale brings on the rye and hop. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 03:47:58 | More by JackieTH

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bot. 6/15/11. Consumed 1/15/13.

A: Candy-apple burgundy coloring is dense with a slight frothy natured head that was light tan. Retention was good, as well the nice sheet lacing it provided.

S: Strong fresh caramel backing first appears on the nose. Moderate wiff of pungent flowery columbus hops makes my heart skip a beat even after the lengthy layover from bottling to consumption. Some fresh apple fruitiness blends nicely with the flowery aspect of the hops.

T: The flavor follows the nose in terms of pungent flowery bitterness meeting resistance from the massive caramel malt bill. Soothing bitterness meets sweet malt with a gentle alcohol nature and warmth showcasing some of the dry hop nature of the grassy centential variety.

M: Mouthful was a bit syrupy and malty providing a nice depth. Warm boozy caramel and dry hops dominate the tongue.

O: Overall the pungent flowery columbus hops are a favorite of mine, one underutilized in many drinks, that surely highlights the hoppy bitterness of this beer even after a year and half layover. A beautifully boozy warmth with a high drinking enjoyment to tackle. Worthy revisit, would love to taste this fresh from the brightner tank if it is this enjoyable after this length of time.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 01:54:02 | More by beerthulhu

mikem0487

Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

22 oz bottle, bottled on 6/2012

A-Defiantly holds true to the style of the beer. Amber in color with a red hue. A fingers width of off white head that slowly dissipated. Leaves decent lacing around the rim of the glass.

S-Mild orange peel, musty citrus notes throughout, slightly piney, malt, bread crust. Smells pretty inviting.

T-Pretty bitter throughout the whole palate. At first get the malt profile caramel, bread, very faint dark chocolate. Finishes astringent with a bight of alcohol at the end. However as it warms the bitterness fades and lets the grain bill come through. This adds to a more balanced beer and finishes with a less astringent taste.

M-Medium light in body. Well carbonated.

O-A good beer that lacks in the tasting section. The bottle is going on its 7th month so maybe that has something to do with it. Its not oxidized at all so I feel the bottle is within its drinking age. Just feel like maybe this could be a great beer if they lowered the IBU's from that 100 IBU mark. It would allow the grain bill to come through and balance the overall beer. For me the taste was hard to decipher due to the bitterness cutting through everything. Maybe if I tried it fresh the taste would be better and more balanced? I don't know but its an enjoyable beer none the less and happy to have tried it. I will defiantly try this beer again and make sure the bottle is newly packaged to see if my overall enjoyment of the beer will improve due to the freshness.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 04:05:25 | More by mikem0487

Gobzilla

California

3.45/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: poured amber brown in color with burgundy highlights and a half finger of bubbly head that left little wisps of lacing sticking to the glass.

S: caramel malty sweetness is noticeable on the first whiff alongside good hop character, some citrusy notes, faint chocolate, subtle earthy grass and hints of nuts.

T: caramel nuttiness with malty sweetness were dominant on the palate alongside a pretty good hoppy profile with grassy citrusy accents and a touch of underlying chocolate.

M: the brew was light to medium in body with a a fair amount of carbonation which had a malty, nutty, sweet, hoppy, semi bitter, citrusy and oily finish.

O: pretty decent beer all around and glad to try another offering from clown ahoes.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:36:01 | More by Gobzilla

merc7186

New York

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Mr Goodbar in Buffalo NY, poured into a pint glass,

A: Deep Reddish/Brownish Hue, Passes Mild Light, White Head, Great Lacing

S: Piney, Grainy

T: Piney, Biscuits, Mild Bittering Hops

M: Great Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Bitter, Mildly Grainy

Overall, a pretty nice imperial red hoppy beer with nice blend.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2012 04:04:09 | More by merc7186

FungusBrewer

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a crater full rocky head of foam that sticks around for your whole drink. The beer itself is cloudy and dark amber color. It tastes what I would expect for an imperial amber- heavy, alcoholic, with strong malt notes and a light hop character. Not so much the dried fruit date flavors from "old ale" styles, more of a brighter aftertaste. Eagle Claw Fist has a sort of grainy, chewable mouthfeel to it that's nice on a chilly evening indoors, but cloying when paired with heavier foods. Enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 05:52:08 | More by FungusBrewer

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear copper body. Fairly thick and long staying head of khaki colored head. Aroma is quite sweet for a 100+ IBU amber ale. It has that candyish malt aroma...like Anderson Valley Winter Solstice...that is what the aroma reminded me of. The flavor does not follow suit to the extent of Winter Solstice. Flavor has sweetness to it, but it is not overbearing....nice caramel malt backbone and light candyish tones. Bitterness is not quite what I'd expect from 100+ IBU, but it's there. It's a nicely hopped amber/imperial amber. Fairly well balanced and easy drinking. Body is medium and carbonation is moderate. Decent enough beer, but the one of the ones I'd be least likely to hit up again from Clown Shoes so far.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 06:36:04 | More by Bighuge

morimech

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep amber color with just one finger of head that hung around for a long time before settling to a thin cap. Heavy lacing is left down the glass.

For a beer touting 100 IBUs, this is showing off some complex malt aromas. I get caramel, toffee, and even some chocolate. The hops add some pine, herbal, and earthy notes.

Not much hop flavor payoff for the bitterness that is very high. What is delivered is a solid amber malt base with notes of caramel and toasted bread. The hops are of the herbal and pine variety. Some alcohol warmth and flavor in the finish.

Medium body with nice carbonation. The carbonation is bordering on fizzy but I do not mind it too much. Overall has a pleasant, lively texture.

I want more hop flavor if you are going to wreck my palate with bitterness. Otherwise is an interesting, complex amber ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 22:12:08 | More by morimech

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 6/2012

A: Pours an expected amber color with 3 fingers worth of bubbly and sticky off-white head

S: Get some lightly toasted malts, along with some fruity and floral hops. Also get some nutty coffee and chocolate notes

T: Starts off with the toasted malts and slowly creeps its way into a nice fruity and floral hoppy goodness, before giving way to some more of the maltiness, which is where the nutty coffee and chocolate flavors come through. Finishes bitter, but well rounded and not too aggressive (especially for 100+ IBUs)

M: Medium bodied with low-moderate carbonation. Drying

O: A solid imperial amber that boasts a nice bit of bitterness without destroying your palette. Look no further for a nice toasty amber with plenty of hops

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 23:05:21 | More by BEERMILER12

GPHarris

Alabama

3.25/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a - poured a one finger thick, creamy tan head into a snifter that left nice sheeting throughout. it also billows nicely. the body was a bright red-brown color.
s - caramel, chocolate, piney hops.
t - piney and grassy hops dominate. a hint of some toffee.
m - medium and chewy mouthfeel.
o - decent beer but i love this style and this one falls short. the flavor and aroma profiles don't seem to mesh. it's hard to explain but this feels a bit off.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 16:31:30 | More by GPHarris

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We pour a medium brown, amber brew holding a two and a half finger head of tight, cakey tan bubbles. This shows great retention, leaving patterns of islet lace down the glass. There is a thick haze to it, with average-appearing carbonation. The aroma is rich with huge caramel and molasses malts. These are supported by medicinal phenols, biting herbal hops, light lemon sourness, licorice, and luscious red apples. Our first impression is that it is very herbal and very bitter, with a muddy finish. As we sip, darker and more bitter caramel and coffee malts hit first, with that same herbal hop character from the nose, giving additional bitterness. Phenolic clovey bite and licorice add even more bitterness, just before sweeter caramel malts and citric hops come to the peak. This cuts the bitterness, allowing for more metals and yeast to come through to the finish. Floral notes help the bitterness remain, with more copper and powdery, chalky malts. The aftertaste breathes of caramel and toffee sweetness, citric and herbal hops, tin, salty sweat, and light, bittering booze. The body is medium to full, and the carbonation is active. There is nice slurp, smack, froth, and cream, with a final bittering pucker. The mouth is cooled, with a bit of a drying quality from all the hops and booze. The abv is appropriate, and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, what we liked best about this brew was the nice coloring and head, as well as the fresh, even aroma. The nose was full of rich, sweet malts, while the hops gave a mature bittering quality. While this struck a nice balance on the aromatic front, the flavoring showed an unevenness of bitterness. This was contributed to by the big hop character and the malts, which were not quite what they needed to be to completely counteract that bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 02:18:18 | More by TheBrewo

BryanCarey

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Eagle Claw Fist Imperial Pale Ale is a copper colored brew with an intense nose that offers scents of caramel malt, citrus hops, pine, and some earthy hops hiding behind the citrus. The foam on the beer doesn’t last very long, but it does leave some lacing.

This beer offers an aggressive flavor profile of caramel malts, citrus, bread, grapefruit, toffee, and even a touch of chocolate in the finish. There is an alcoholic flavor as well, but not as much as I initially expected considering the alcohol level is 8 percent by volume. It offers a good balance between the sweet and bitter even though the taste tends to swing back in the bitter direction due to the alcohol. The flavor is more pronounced than the typical beer and it sets the imagination running wild as you contemplate the different flavors present.

This beer is full- bodied and rich- the type of beer tailor- made for beer geeks everywhere. It is a little too rich in flavor for everyday drinking, but it is certainly a beer made for the craft beer lover. The complexity just keeps on giving and while a tad stronger based on alcohol content, it is still a very tasty amber brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 04:44:52 | More by BryanCarey

FanofHefe

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber, bottled 6/2012, pours a deep amber, clear body with some red tint. Good two-finger tan head that leaves a decent amount of stickly lacing.

Nice mix of pine resin hop and caramel malt notes in the aroma. Not very complex, but reminds me of an East Coast IPA.

The flavor is close to the aroma with strong notes of pine resin with a touch of citrus hop notes combining with a solid caramel malt base. A bit hoppy for an Amber/Red, but I won't complain.

Medium mouthfeel with some oily hop texture. Overall, a nice offering that adds some good hop flavor to an otherwise average style.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 23:22:19 | More by FanofHefe

kangarooAdam59

Connecticut

4.11/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled June 2012:

Into a pint glass:

A: hazy amber body that leaves a one finger white foamy head and lasts for a minute. The body is too dark for any carbonation to be seen. Some spotty lacing coats the sides of the glass.

S: some citrus, pine and hops up front combined very nicely.

T: brings back the hops over top of the citrus and pine.

M: light to medium with nothing harsh on the tongue, sessionable

O: this is a great beer that I would no doubt have again. Thought it seems close to an IPA (smell and taste), it still is something worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 17:42:04 | More by kangarooAdam59

metter98

New York

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is hazy amber in color. It poured with a finger high frothy beige head hardly faded away, consistently leaving a thin head covering the surface.
S: There are aromas of citrus in the nose—grapefruit seems to stand out in particular.
T: Like the smell, the taste has flavors of grapefruit along with notes of caramel malts. A moderate amount of bitterness is present.
M: It feels medium-bodied, crisp and a bit chewy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer has very aromas and flavors of hops similar to that of an IPA but has an excellent balance with the malts so the beer is not overpowered with bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 00:52:05 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy medium amber in color. The beer has a two finger tall foamy beige head that reduces to a half finger tall ring at the edges of the glass with a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer. Very significant lacing is observed.

S: Fairly strong aroma of citrus hops which really dominate the smell of this beer. The citrus hops are primarily grapefruit with a light hint of lemon peel and there is light bitterness.

T: Huge upfront flavor of grapefruit/citrus of hops with lighter notes of caramel malt sweetness. Moderate amounts of bitterness which lingers lightly.

M: On the heavier side of medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Slightly chewy.

O: Seems to be more of a hybrid of an IPA/DIPA and an Amber with the intense amount of hops in this beer. Well balanced, since it is not overly sweet or bitter. Enjoyable and one to get again.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 15:52:19 | More by dbrauneis

dpodratsky3

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber poured into pint glass

A: Caramel looking, garnet-copper notes, frothy off-white clinging head, good lacing

S: Pungent mix of caramel malt and dank hops that are typical of hoppy amber ales, smell carries good balance

T: Not as balanced as the aroma, less caramel, resiny hops are the real star, malt is very noticeable not just in the background, this definitely separates it from a slightly malty IPA, it is distinctly an amber ale, after drinking a glass though something just isn't sitting right on my palate, the beer is not too sweet, I'm not sure if the hops are just not for me or if the high alcohol level is affecting the beer as it warms but a little bit of a let down after half a glass

M: Fairly dry, but not exceedingly, medium to light-ish body, good carbonation

O: Looks great, smells great, starts great but gets hard to drink pretty quickly

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 22:32:52 | More by dpodratsky3

tdm168

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - dark brownish amber with an orange hue; huge, dense, off white head that has incredible retention

S - bread, melon, grapefruit, alcohol

T - bread, citrus, faint toast, faint roasted malts, pineapple, alcohol

M - warm, medium to full bodied, good carbonation

This is a pretty solid, flavorful amber ale. It's intense, hoppy, malty, and potent. It's definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 01:27:43 | More by tdm168

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle in a pilsner glass.
serving within a month of bottling.

pours a dark copper/deep amber tone with a good degree of clarity while yielding a 1" frothy, off-white head. good retention and loads of lacing. nose is lead by caramel malt with some secondary hoppy notes.

flavor delivers more hop characteristics (pine, citrus) than the aroma led me to believe, but caramel malt still is the lead act. hoppy bitterness persists through the finish... medium-bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

overall i'm enjoying this a good deal. nothing transcendent, but very tasty. i'll be up for a revisit.

(originally reviewed: 07-12-2011)

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 04:16:10 | More by BostonHops

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle. Pours a murky brown with a massive, foamy tan head. Lots of lacing. Going to be waiting a while to drink this one. Aroma is piney hops, grass, and sweet malts. Hints of caramel. Taste is alot of piney hops. Some grassy, floral notes. Sweet brown sugar towards the end. Pretty heavy mouthfeel with a lot of carbonation. Overall, solid and worth a second try.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 05:23:03 | More by PicoPapa

BennyL1

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled in September of 2011, wish I had inspected it closer before I bought it a couple of weeks ago. But at 8%, we'll see how it goes.

Pours a nice deep amber with a decent sized tan head with good retention. Nice lacing is left along the glass as well. In the nose, piney hops take center stage with some caramel and amber malts in the background.

Good hop bitterness up front in the taste, mostly earthy and pine with a bit of citrus. Solid caramel malt in rounds it out with maybe even a hint of brown sugar. Medium in carbonation with a creamy medium body.

Even with some age on this I was still pleasantly surprised. I'll be trying to find a fresher bottle pretty soon.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 01:37:05 | More by BennyL1

Durge

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A golden brown colored brew hazed with tiny particulate and crowned with a sturdy light tan foam and very generous lacing. The aroma brings mild grassy brown sugar malt. Not too impressive but nothing bad here. The first taste offers grass and evergreen over tea and more brown sugar, with a leafy bite and gentle malt. Well balanced while delivering a decent hop bitterness in a solid medium bodied brew with fine, balanced carbonation as well. Pine and grass. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 03:39:54 | More by Durge

barnzy78

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle, bottled Feb 2012, pours a ruddy brown with some amber hues when held to the light, full beige head leaves chunky lace all over the glass. Aromas fill the nose with caramel malt with floral and citric hops. Tastes are full as well with huge up-front malts carrying caramel, brown bread crust, brown sugar across the palate before pine and pungent grapefruit dominate and linger to an astringent resin. Mouth-feel is medium bodied, sharp, and the ale doesn't go down too well due to the heat of the alcohol. Overall, if I had this blindly I would guess West Coast, but the East brings it with a punch here. I wasn't crazy over the alcohol being hot and the lingering dry finish, but still was enjoyable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 04:11:09 | More by barnzy78

snaotheus

Washington

3.35/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22oz bottle poured into a large mug.

Bottle has been sitting quietly in the fridge for a couple week, yet when I open it, and bubbles over. Pouring it into the glass results in a 50/50 split between head and beer. Head is light tan, a mixture of coarse and fine bubbles, big and fluffy. Fades at a medium pace, leaving a cone of head and what looks to be huge clumpy lacing. Beer itself is a dark dingy cloudy brown.

Smell is surprisingly mild for a beer that is clearly releasing a lot of gases. What I do smell is fairly rough, grainy and strangely spicy.

Taste is grainy and sourish, medium hoppiness (maybe high hoppiness for an amber), some slight roast bitterness.

Mouthfeel is coarse and rough. Overall, this seems like an OK beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 02:52:29 | More by snaotheus