Hoppy Feet 1.5 - Clown Shoes

UCLABrewN84

California

3.81/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottled 3/29/13.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Thick rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, citrus fruit, and citrus zest aromas. Taste is much the same with cocoa and citrus zest flavors on the finish. There is a medium amount of roasty and hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that packs a bit more of an alcohol kick but otherwise is almost indistinguishable from regular Hoppy Feet in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 02:56:23 | More by UCLABrewN84

flexabull

California

4.11/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a very dark brown color with a pretty nice light tan colored head.

Aromas are nice. Nice floral and resiny hops and cocoa and chocolate malt notes.

Taste is roasty up front. Bitter bakers chocolate, with some slightly sweet and creamy malt flavors. Finish is bitter, resiny, and floral, with a bit of heat from the alcohol.

Mouthfeel is full, with nice carbonation.

Overall, a very nice Cascadian Black Ale from Clown Shoes. Tasty and well crafted.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:45:19 | More by flexabull

jvillefan

California

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

A: It has a dark brown body with a two finger off white head.

S: I could smell this hoppy beer the second I open the bottle. It is a mixture of dark roasted chocolaty malts combined with citrusy bitterness.

T: The taste is amazing. One of the best black IPAs, I've had. It has a toasty almost smoked backbone. Subtle chocolate tones make it into this beer. The potent hops come in next. There is citrus, pine, and floral flavors that play well with the malts.

M: A little thin for my liking but the carbonation saves the mouthfeel.

O: Great Black IPA. I will be seeking out more by Clown Shoes after this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 06:50:43 | More by jvillefan

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.28/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a deep black with thick tan head. Very nice lacing.

Roasted malts, cumquat and chocolate dominate the front of the smell. Lemon, coffee and dark fruit make up the end.

Chocolate, slight coffee, citrus, roasted malts, pine, a hint of booze and a bit of anise. Goes down smooth as silk.

Great brew by Clown Shoes. As a true hophead, this was a great mix of styles.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 05:13:44 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

CommanderOfAwesome

California

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottled in March 2013

A: Pours a dark brown/black with 3 finger dark khaki fluffy head. Lacing on the glass.

S: Getting some sweet chocolate notes with a HINT of pine. Fresh earth aroma as well.Roastyness coming through as well.

T: Chocolate, slight coffee, hop finish. Bit of bready feel in this as well.

M: Full bodied, sticky sweetness coats the mouth. Bitter dry finish. Chocolate on the breath following.

O: If someone had told me this is a belgian stout I would have believed them. Not as hoppy as reg hoppy feet, more body, more roasty. Pretty interesting beer, heavy on the chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 04:28:22 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.19/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

Fresh from the brewery, bottled in 8/2012 (is that really fresh?). 22oz bottle pours into an IPA pint glass a nearly opaque black color with chocolate highlights. Topped with a nice looking, mocha colored head of about one finger in size. Looks like a nice stout.

Aroma is hoppy, with the roastiness kept to a minimum. Reminds me of Dubhe from Uinta; piney hops, slight roastiness, sweet alcohol (almost solvent like), strong esters.

I like the flavor profile. The piney hops smack me in the face first off. The bitterness is kept under control, and I assume that is attributed to the age of this one. The bitterness is a nice accompaniment to the alcoholic bite. There is a little more roasty flavor than indicated in the aroma. Still, the alcohol kind of absorbs this one. Hot.

Due to the alcohol, a sipper for sure. Not bad, but probably a little better when fresh: the bitterness may counteract some of the sweet alcoholic flavors. Not sure if I would have another.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 20:30:41 | More by SaCkErZ9

MNishCT77

District of Columbia

4.68/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

22 oz. bottle purchased on a trip to CT in late 1/13, bottling 8/28/12, poured into a 3 Stars snifter, drank 4/3/13 over ~one hour.

A: 4.75 - bitch black, solid one finger head dissipates into attractive glass lacing, undetectable bubbles --> beautiful appearing black ale/CDA

S: 4.5 - really interesting aroma with beautiful admixture of grapefruit and chocolate/coffee

T: 4.75 - subtle bitterness that resolves into admixture of grapefruit, booze and coffee roast; there are a lots of subtle flavors going on here, and, dare I say, one of the best tasting CDAs this side of Wookey Jack; I cannot taste the high ABV in here at all

M: 4.75 - medium body, medium carbonation, dry mouthfeel

O: 4.75 - I dig everything going on here, especially in a style that I don't particular like; I tend to prefer roastier dark beers like RIS and porters, and, I wonder, if the age on this beer with the high ABV is increasing the appeal for me; regardless, I'd be curious to try this one fresh but it has definitely piqued my interest in v1.0 as well

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 03:33:48 | More by MNishCT77

wil19b85

Vermont

3.99/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber purchased at the beverage warehouse in Winooski, VT. As far as I know this is the first double black IPA I've had. I'm always looking forward to something new.

A - As dark as they come. Allows no light to pass through.
S - Very malty smell. Also has some notes of coffee.
T - Definitely pretty mallty. It doesn't really have that boozy taste that one would expect with a beer at 10%. Its actually really smooth. Very roasty. Delicious. Decently bitter but nothing over the top.
M - Not much carbonation which is fine by me. Makes it more drinkable.

Overall I've enjoyed it. It wasn't anything I'll be going out of my way to get in the future but that being said it was certainly above average and a great way to end a long day.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 02:05:01 | More by wil19b85

argock

Virginia

3.79/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 22 oz brown bomber into a Duvel tulip. Bottled on 08/28/12 printed on bottle neck. Purchased at Total Wine (Norwalk, CT) for $7.49.

A: Very dark brown to black with toweing 3 finger, malted milk ball center colored head with good retention and reasonable amount of lacing. An amazing appearance for a 10.5% ABV beer.

S: The aroma is kind of nondescript but mostly dark malt with some roast and a dash of pine hops.

T: The flavor is good but seems like it should be more. The flavor that is there is not too complex and a bit heavy-handed with lightly acrid dark malt and roast, a little bit of raisin and date dark fruitiness, and with just a hint of pine and light herbal woodiness. The alcohol is not boozy but lends a steely edge to the flavor, making the bitter roast flavors a little more bitter and sharp. Long roasty aftertaste is pleasant and a plus though.

M: The mouthfeel on this beer is really great -- it drinks like a 6.5% beer (fortunately or unfortunately). It is very smooth with medium carbonation and enough sharp acrid character to bolster the roasty imprint of this beer's main statement.

O: I liked this beer but I think Hoppy Feet regular is a little more subtle and thus complex -- the big roast of 1.5 masks and/or blunts a lot of the nuances that I like in Hoppy Feet original. Not a bad beer and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 03:45:21 | More by argock

Durge

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A pitch black brew with a big foamy light brown head and unfailing blankets of lacing. The aroma delivers some nutty malt along with a bit of alcohol that makes for a little dishwater edge, so the aroma sort of cancels into a "wash", pardon the pun. The flavor surprises with a fruity malt combo that offers a very interesting hop brew with nutty edges, grass and pine hops and even some bubblegum. This is a medium bodied brew with tiny carbonation that winds up in a mellow, smooth feeling delivery that is overall an enjoyable concoction to celebrate their first anniversary of delicious brewing.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 05:47:36 | More by Durge

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark brown to black with little to no light showing through the glass. One to two fingers of head at pour persists nicely with some lacing present. Smell is hoppy yet malty - sweet with chocolate and a hint of smoke. Good flavoring - dark & chocolate malts are present up front giving way to a nice bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 00:13:46 | More by Oakenator

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.56/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This Clown Shoes beer has an onyx appearance, topped with a sticky froth, appearing biscuit-y in color, not unlike cafe-au-lait. As I draw in the aroma, the bouquet of citrus flavors that springs forth is astounding. Extended contemplation of the nose finds a notable presence of figs, raisins, coffee beans, and cherries...all interwoven in the mix. The taste teases my palate with an initial, syrupy molasses, only to overwhelm it an instant later with a sharp, yet floral bitterness reminiscent of pine. The mouth feel is moderate, and surprisingly, the beer does not seem to coat the inside of my mouth excessively. The alcohol heat is minimal, but the sensation once swallowed is filling. The finish is quite dry, and hints at having a dash of licorice within, accompanied by a pleasurable tingling. Overall, this beer is very gratifying, honing in on many of my preferred craft beer flavors. This experience mirrors my others with Clown Shoes- great job once again!

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 01:30:12 | More by Neorebel

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.76/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Double black india pale ale bottled 8/12. consumed 1/13.

A: Cola coloring with burnt auburn highlights glisten upon the exit. An opaque coloring, tall rocky foam pecan head sits steadily. Visible micro carbonation beads quickly make thier way upwards. Lacing is 50% coverage.

S: Fresh hoppy pine, sweet chocolate with some burnt earthy soil.

T: Flavor of big coffee roast, burnt chocolate and dried hoppy pine. The chocolate backing is big, with light burnt wood and burnt pine cones. A bit of earthy soil comes on the swallow.

M: Malty roasty and bitter mouthful has a alcohol laced portion of burnt pine and a lingering sense of burnt roastiness behind.

O: Overall a burnt bitterness of pine and chocolate with a 10%abv that is well played and hidden. Hoppy and bitter though flavor is somewhat shallow in hop complexity and wished it showed more variance.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 00:23:25 | More by beerthulhu

FickleBeast

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours near pitch black with a full finger of fluffy mocha foam. Nice lacing. Aroma has a kick of citrus hoppy flavor with faint roasted notes. First sip is very viscous and sweet with a strong hop flavor and moderate bitter finish. Very complex with an abundance of hop flavor and nice roast bitter notes.

I am very pleased with this beer. Insanely complex and the flavors mesh well together. Happy new year!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:11:09 | More by FickleBeast

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I thought this beer was pretty good but not a good representation of the style due to it's highly roasted malt taste. Looks desent sitting in my glass with a smaller dense head.
Aroma is not bad either but it's mosrly malts. There is very little to no hop notes that I can detect. It's malt with a chocolate milkshake aroma and that smells pretty good.
Taste is good and robust with rich roasted malts but thats it. It mind as well be a porter or stout. The hop flavor is absent and the only thing I can detect with the hops is the fair amount of bitterness around the edges.
A fair beer thats pretty decent all in all but misses the mark a bit.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 14:23:40 | More by micromaniac129

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some light amounts of visible carbonation and faint dark amber highlights. The beer has a two finger tall tan head that slowly reduces to a thin film covering the entire surface of the beer with a couple of small thick patches and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of pine and floral hops over the top of slightly lighter roasted malts.

T: Upfront there is a moderate to strong flavor of dark roasted malts that is followed by strong flavors fo pine, citrus, and floral hops. Moderate amounts of bitterness are observed.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly smooth and creamy.

O: A very solid Black IPA and a beer that I really enjoyed - rich roasted malt flavors combined with fresh hops. Definitely one to grab if you come across it. Easy to drink and the alcohol is very well hidden in it - I could not believe that it was a 10% beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 23:53:05 | More by dbrauneis

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Comparisons to Hoppy Feet 1.0 will be inevitable, as I had experienced that version only a few days ago.

Pours out nigh-black with three fingers of tan fluffy foam that lasts for three minutes, but leaves behind only minimal lacing patterns on the glass. Medium body and carbonation levels.

Smells and tastes very much floral and citrus focused when the first version focused on charred malt and minty pine. Overall it also plays out a lot sweeter than the first version as well. The flavor has an herbal tea edge that almost sinks below the char but rises up as the glass warms for a while. I'm digging this one a lot more than the first version because it essentially fixed most of the issues I criticized in my review of it, one by one. By which I mean that the body is slightly thicker, the char is reigned in to allow more citrus juiciness to shine through in better balance with the pine resins. The bits of herbal nuance serve well as a garnishing element to the basic ABA flavor combo.

Well worth checking out at least once for a better than average ABA IMO.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 02:01:22 | More by WastingFreetime

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.23/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark bodied beer. Chocolate brown head with good retention. Aroma is quite nice and typical of a well done Black IPA. Chocolate and roast mix with juicy hops. Nice. Flavor foundation is layed down quite nicely with the chocolate/caramel malts. Hop notes of pine and citrus accent nicely. Moderately carbonated and medium to medium-full bodied. For 10%, the alcohol is well hidden. Quite solid.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 05:34:02 | More by Bighuge

hoody711

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Mmmm, Clown Shoes. Remember when a lot of their stuff was new in Chicago, and it was fun to try bomber after bomber. Unfortunately, it's so widely available now, I don't ever buy it. I remember Hoppy Feet being good, so had to pick this one up. Unfortunately bottled 4 months ago, so this will be a different beer I assume.

A - sacrilegiously poured into a hefeweizen glass because nothing else is available, and I'll be damned if I pull out of the bottle. Pours an extremely dark brown just short of black. Head is nice and fluffy, tan, and settles to half a finger with great lacing.

S - wow there's a lot here. Sweet malts, some dark chocolate, something else very sweet that I can't put my finger on, a little earthiness. A very little hop in there but it definitely takes a backseat to everything else. Definitely can smell the booze on this big 10%er. Would have loved to get this fresh - wonder how it's changed.

T - Seems to follow the nose a lot. Sweet raisin and bready malt backbone leads to a little oakiness (?) followed by the expected bitterness that lingers around on the back of the tongue. The alcohol burn is certainly present and sticks around as well, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Again, missing the fresh hops, but still good.

M - lighter and silkier than it looks, although still medium and full, if that makes any sense whatsoever. The burn at the tail end is warming and nice for a December night.

O - a great-looking beer that is complex in both nose and taste. Definitely a nice sipper for a winter night. Would love to get a fresh bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 02:30:24 | More by hoody711

DeanMoriarty

California

3.1/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up a 22oz bomber as a gift from some friends out in Chicago for my birthday and poured it into a Brouwerij 't Ij branded tulip glass - paired with some fresh baked apple pie that the wifey made with apples grown organically by our next door neighbors here in Ocean Beach, CA.

A: Pours dark as shit with a fat tan head that sticks for a few sips leaving fairly good lacing from start to finish.

S: Sweet malt up front, fresh cut grain, roasted espresso beans, dark chocolate, slight hint of hops - label claims double black india pale ale - far from the mark in regards to an IPA of any sort - for shame east coast!

T/M: Medium bodied, smooth and creamy with light bitterness from the hop. Way more malty than hoppy and extremely roasted like a porter or a stout (the hop character is completely muted and lost in the mix). As mentioned, the hop is there but beat down by sweet malt and roasted grain. Booze is mild which is surprising for a 10% ABV, but really - where's the hops fellas???

I hate to hate...but really - trying to put IPA anywhere in the description on this one is just misleading. Strictly an imperial black ale that is dry hopped - nothing more, nothing less.

Hardly exceptional!

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 05:51:56 | More by DeanMoriarty

lordofstarside

Nevada

4.48/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber to snifter. Bottled a little less than three months ago

Pours a midnight black with a finger of that black ale mocha tone foam. Good lacing, moderate retention. Smells of hops, chocolate, coffee, butterscotch, some citrus, and some earth tones. Caramel malts compose the backbone, smells nice and sweet. Faint odor of alcohol present, well concealed for 10%. Tastes of bitter chocolate hop, finish is very complex with a bitter floral coffee taste that hangs around for the after taste, alcohol concealed quite well. The feel is as strong as the rest of the beer, full bodied, thick and creamy. Overall a great beer, doing black ipas a great justice. Happy birthday clown shoes

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 07:17:45 | More by lordofstarside

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 22 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass. Bottled 8/2012.

Appearance: Pours a very dark brownish black with a slight hint of ruby at the bottom. Lots of bubbles and a huge five finger tan head with decent retention. Leaves a lot of creamy lacing around the glass.

Smell: A very big aroma with sharp hops and lots of dark malts. Citrus hops with hints of grapefruit, orange, pineapple, and lemon. A fair amount of spicy pine resin. Big dark malt presence with hints of burnt caramel, chocolate, toffee, burnt toast, and coffee. Light hints of burnt sugar. A bold and balanced aroma. Smells like a really hopped up imperial stout.

Taste: As bold as it smells, a big taste of hops and dark malts. Tropical citrus hops with notes of grapefruit, pineapple, orange, and lemon. Earthy grass and pine resin. A very big malt presence balances out the hops. Dark roasted malts with a taste of chocolate, burnt caramel, toffee, toast, coffee, and a little burnt sugar. Some alcohol is tasted. Tastes like a cross between a imperial IPA and Stout. Really good.

Mouthfeel:Body is on the fuller side with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy, juicy, and fairly chewy. Some alcohol heat is felt, but it isn't overly hot.

Overall: A very good imperial Black Ale. Bold in both the hops and dark roasted malts. A truly "Black" Ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 07:02:42 | More by MattyG85

shand

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've been craving a Black IPA recently, and this is the biggest one I've seen since Stone's 15th. This beer pours a "pitch brown" color with a finger of head that quickly recedes to the end of the glass. The aroma is a nice piney hop over a very strong caramel, chocolate, and roasted malt base. The taste really skews pretty close to a lighter bodied imperial stout with a strong hop dose coursing through every bit. The malt bill is very intense here, offering huge roast and chocolate flavors that course over the very oily hops. It's very big and maybe a little too brash, with it almost feeling like a tug-of-war between the hops and the malts, with a different side winning every sip.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 01:52:18 | More by shand

hardy008

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark black with a two finger tan head with good retention and lacing. The aroma has plenty of grapefruit, along with dark chocolate and roasted malt. The citrus aroma is dominant, as it should be for a double black IPA.

It tastes much like it smells. The hops are dominant, and taste just like ruby red grapefruit. There is also a combination of dark, bittersweet chocolate and roasted malt to play their supporting roles. Has a decent balance of bitterness and sweetness. The dark roasted malt leaves a bit of a charred aftertaste, but it is not overly intrusive.

Medium bodied with average carbonation, and the alcohol is pretty noticeable. A decent, but not great beer. I like the regular Hoppy Feet better than this beer, but it is still worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 17:53:01 | More by hardy008

KajII

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

[Suggested Glassware: Shaker Glass]

The pour was a deep dark pitch black with an average (1-2 finger) light brown foamy head that had great retention lasting pretty much throughout and produced excellent sheets of lacing that totally coated the glass.

The aroma was of a roasted sweet bread malt, pine and citrus hops and a bitter leathery yeast with notes of chocolate, coffee, citrus (grapefruit) and a touch of dark fruit (berries).

The taste started somewhat sweet and malty with notes of chocolate and coffee, and then had an influx of dark fruit with a bitter hoppy citrus peel ending. The flavor lingered for an extended period of time with a smooth, hoppy, chocolate bitterness left to settle on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was almost medium in body with a very dry texture and a rather soft carbonation.

Overall this brew was smooth, creamy and a tad hoppy with a great chocolate feel and a mild fruity sweetness, which hid the high ABV completely. All that and a great drinkability, yes I think I will have another...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 23:37:14 | More by KajII