Vampire Slayer - Clown Shoes

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.19/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice glass. Bottled in 9/2012.

Appearance: Pours an oily pitch black with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two fingers of deep tan head that quickly fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a decent amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A rich, roasty, and fairly sweet robust stout aroma. Dark roasted malts with good hints of dark chocolate, burnt toast, biscuit, coffee, charred caramel, toffee, and smoked malt. A fair scent of molasses sweetness. Big hints of black licorice anise spice. Subtle hints of dark fruit with some raisin, fig, and prunes. Hop presence is subtle but there are some earthy and herbal hints. A pretty solid aroma.

Taste: Big, rich, and roasty like the nose hints. Dark roasted malts with a taste of dark chocolate and cocoa, coffee, toasted dark bread, burnt caramel, toffee, biscuit, and a good kick of smoke. Moderate molasses sweetness. A quite noticeable taste of black licorice from the anise spice. Undertones of dark raisin, prune, fig, and cherry. Light earthy hop presence towards the finish. A pretty solid stout taste.

Mouthfeel: Body is on the fuller side but a little thinner than expected for the style. Carbonation is moderate. Creamy, slick, silky, and fairly smooth. Alcohol is hidden well.

Overall: A pretty solid imperial stout. Good chocolate and smoked malt flavor. Body could of been a little heavier.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 08:06:06 | More by MattyG85

hardy008

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours black with a two finger tan head with good retention and lacing. The aroma has dark roasted malt, dark chocolate, and cocoa.

Tastes sweet with no hop bitterness. there is dark roasted malt, dark chocolate, vanilla, smoke. and cocoa. There is some bitterness from the dark roasted malt for balance. the smoke was not as easy to detect in the taste as it was in the aroma.

Medium to full bodied with low carbonation. Creamy and smooth. Has a bittersweet aftertaste from the chocolate and dark roasted malt. The alcohol is well disguised for 10.00 % abv. A nice beer, which I would gladly buy again.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 03:06:43 | More by hardy008

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Clown Shoes Vampire Slayer

Appearance: Three fingers of beige colored head crowns an extremely dark brown, nearly black viscous liquid; there is slight redness around the boundaries of the beer. The head has an extremely foamy, even consistency and leaves great swaths of lacing all over the glass. The carbonation is evident and active, and there are slight alcohol legs as the beer slides around the glass. Just another great looking imperial stout.

Aroma: Lots of coffee, dark chocolate, baker’s chocolate, vanilla, and hints of dark fruit, with no hop presence whatsoever. Alcohol comes through in the tail end of the nose, as well as a touch of molasses and maybe a bit of smoke. This mostly smells like a sweet, syrupy bomb. Hopefully it has more complexity than that.

Taste: The taste, as it often does, follows the nose with what is there, but deviates in the prevalence. Coffee bitterness hits a lot harder and immediately, but it is followed by creamy vanilla and chocolate that add a great sweetness. Then, the beer transforms again into the smokiness that did not show itself much in the nose. Finally, dark fruits and more coffee bitterness finish up the beer with a nice dryness. The smoke is a great addition and is restrained just enough, as smoke seldom is. This is a superb stout.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly thin for an imperial stout, unfortunately. The carbonation is at a perfect level, however, and the alcohol just slightly warms the mouth, something this reviewer is always looking forward to, especially during the winter months. Not only is the finish dry in terms of flavor, but the smokiness adds an actual drying feeling to the mouth, which is surprisingly not a negative quality.

Overall: Clown Shoes is two-for-two for me. I cannot wait to try Blaecorn Unidragon and their other offerings as well after this and Muffin Top. The factor that stands out about this beer is how well done the smoking is. Typically, smoke overpowers everything else and mutes other flavors, but here it helps the coffee bitterness and mingles well with the chocolate. The folks in Ipswich really know what they are doing. 17/20

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 00:40:56 | More by THANAT0PSIS

DavidST

Texas

4.79/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter, bottled on 02/12. This pours a motor oil looking thick, pitch black color with a finger and a half thick mocha colored head which has good retention and leaves a lacing. The smells are of dark chocolate, coco, espresso and roasted malts. The feel is thick and creamy, nice carbonination. The taste is very good, lots of dark chocolate, nice and bitter with a little mouth coating coco. This is an excellent dark chocolate tasting stout, far exceeding expectations.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 04:02:56 | More by DavidST

TBoneJones

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours near midnight black, with a finger-width caramel-rust colored head.
Smells of cocoa, burnt roasted coffee.
Tastes nice, and unlike the smell, for me the smokiness comes through in the taste, along with the malt and bitter chocolate flavor. Cream is here. Syrupy linger.
Creamy, thick and smooth. Drinks easy for the abv. Nice. To me not as dry as some feel it is. Balanced quite well.
This is a solid stout, and I highly recommend it. It is well-made and has a nice complexity as it warms. May be in my top 5 for imperial stouts.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 03:34:32 | More by TBoneJones

ADZA

Australia

4.19/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

After trying the Blaecorn Unidragon i didnt think they have another Stout in that calibre anyways lets find out hey and it pours the darkest kola hue with no highlights just pitch dark and leaves a very creamy three finger khaki head with similar lacing,the smell is coffee,smoked wood,bourbon,tobacco,booze and dark chocolate,the mouthfeel is creamy full bodied with moderate carbonation and has tastes of chocolate coated cherries,mocha,molasses,a nice hit of smokiness,brown sugar and finished with a dark chocolate bittersweetness and overall its very nice and yeah id buy it again cheers.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 10:59:57 | More by ADZA

Scotchboy

Idaho

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

22oz bomber sent by laymansbeerfan (thanks man!) poured into a tulip-shaped nonic.

A: Dense opaque pour with a creamy tan head and good lacing.

S: Bittersweet chocolate and espresso, light smoke. Dark caramel and a light herbal hop presence.

T: Bit more chocolate here on the palate. Light alcohol presence is nice and not burning or distracting. Small hints of licorice and a faint suggestion of hickory smoothness. More coffee bitterness and dark caramel.

MF: Creamy, slightly viscous medium-to-full body. Adequate carbonation for a big stout.

O: A good big double stout, without adjuncts or barrels or any of the other bells or whistles. Smoke component was lighter than I thought it'd be (judging by the label). To my palate Blaecorn Unidragon is a bit better.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 16:21:27 | More by Scotchboy

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I believe thanks are owed to BA rowingbrewer who extra'd me this bottle during our in-person trade last year. The brew pours black in color with a creamy finger of silky brown head. The cap retains fairly well for the strength and a light swirl revives a finger back to the surface.

The aroma is roasty like coffee and espresso mixed with some dark fruity alcohol esters like raisins. More smells reveal a bit more focus on chocolate. Overall a fine smelling brew without fault and very pleasant.

The taste is roasty like espresso mixed with dark unsweetened chocolate. Some earthy quality and hints of citrus like fresh coffee beans. The earthen elements are flavored like raw cacao nibs. Overall a pretty solid take on the style with a pleasant array of character.

This is a medium to fuller bodied brew with a modest amount if carbonation. It is chewy and slick in the feel almost oily like cacao nibs or an imperial version of an oatmeal stout. Pretty dexent and worth seeking out. The alcohol is hidden very well. Now that I know I cak acquire this within the state, I might pick oke of these up again.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 14:51:43 | More by stakem

brureview

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A disappointing beer- I was expecting more from this very popular beer.

Poured in a snifter, the color was excellent- a very dark chocolate brown
with an attractive 3 finger head.

Great aromas from the head: chocolate complemented by lemon and vanilla.

The mouth feel was okay: very often it is quite carbonated in this style.

The taste was a let down: I was anticipating a continuation of the strong aroma flavors; instead, the taste is a pronounced burnt( over roasted) coffee. There is good chocolate present, but it is overwhelmed by the coffee.

no bottle date.

Overall, a very good beer, which needs to balance the taste with the aroma. A smoother flavor should come from the taste- the current finish offsets balance in the beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 03:11:23 | More by brureview

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Consumed 12/27/12

Note: No date on bottle, surprised to find this on the shelf two days ago. I didn't think this was a rotating release, but I doubt this bottle is actually from the second anniversary. BA claims this is now year-round, and the Clown Shoes site says this is "Limited," whatever that means.

Note 2: Reviewing this beer while listening to the "Castlevania 20th Anniversary Premium Music Collection." Necessary for killing vampires.

"But enough talk... Have at you!"

Appearance: Dark brown, with some clear, lighter brown around the edges when held up to the light - pours with a nice, tan head, fades to a small cap, small ring - leaves some spots of lacing

Smell: Dark, burnt and roasty - burnt, lightly charred malts, with a really nice level of smoke and charcoal - some wood, and a ton of leather - some roasty coffee, nuts, chocolate, black licorice, spice, and dark fruits - some malty sweetness, and some alcohol in the background

Taste: Reminiscent of a torched coffin? - smoke, charcoal, burnt wood, and leather - dark, burnt, and roasty malts - not a ton of complexity in the malt profile, but the smokiness somewhat makes up for it - burnt coffee, dark chocolate, and molasses - dark fruits and black licorice - a vague hint of oily citrus hops - moderate amount of bitterness overall - some alcohol in the finish

Mouthfeel: On the full side of medium, smooth, oily, with some alcohol dryness that combines with a smoky aftertaste - good, but could be better

Overall: "Die monster. You don't belong in this world!"

This is a very good beer. Sadly, I think I'm more amused by the holy water and vampire killing stake-smoked malt gimmicks than the actual beer. It tastes like a Castlevania game, but not the best in the series. In other words, this does not reach a Castlevania: Symphony of the Night or Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow level of excellence. But it's at least as good as Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. To the small percentage of the BA community that gets this analogy, I thank you.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 05:37:21 | More by angrybabboon

Flounder57

Massachusetts

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

22 oz bottle was poured into a large Duvel snifter.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger mocha head that has reduced a little and left some lacing on the glass. It is a pitch black color with no clarity and vision of a few bubbles at the top of the glass.

Smell: Roasted coffee, chocolate, smokey ash, alcohol, and some bread malts.

Taste: Smokey, vanilla, mocha, roasted coffee, bitterness, boozy alcohol, leather, sugary sweet, and tobacco.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, medium carbonation, silky smooth, warming booze, and quite enjoyable.

Overall: A very enjoyable ADIS that can be enjoyed over and over. Merry Christmas to me. This can be enjoyed any day of the year too.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 22:34:22 | More by Flounder57

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.8/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass at World of Beer.

A: Darkest brown and totally opaque.

S: Creamy bitter-sweet.

T: Fruity, sweetish, and molasses. Heavy cream; quite rich. Flavor is only moderate and not unexpected.

M: Rich.

O: Good imperial stout, but fairly plain. Wouldn't recommend it, but it's definitely serviceable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2012 02:44:27 | More by AgentMunky

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours out deep, dark black with three fingers of fluffy tan foam on top that makes an odd, barely audible rice krispies crackling noise as it dies back. O.O That's the first time I've been able to *hear* the individual bubbles in the head popping like television white noise. I think it might come from the thickness and richness of the body. There's a lot of heft and substance in there to chew on, they really nailed down a beautiful texture. Lighter side of medium carbonation.

Wow. It's carries a really nice three-way balance between smoked malt, charred malts, and sweet dark fruits. The smoke almost makes for a sort of psuedo-tartness that fades out as the smoke vacates in the finish, leaving just the char and sweet to linger in the mouth. If I had to pick something to criticize, it would be the nose, which does NOT display all of the flavor elements as faithfully as it could have. MIA from nose but present in the flavor: nuttiness, a faint olive oil background garnish, a majority of the dark fruit sweetness, and almost all of the chocolate malt tones. Even so, it's worth saying that the nose isn't terrible per se... it's just muted and not as complex as the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 03:01:20 | More by WastingFreetime

KajII

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

[Suggested Glassware: Snifter]

The pour was a murky jet black with an average (1-2 finger) cocoa brown creamy head that slowly receded, down to a puddled film and large collar with extremely excellent sheeting of lacing which engulfed the entire glass.

The aroma was bold and robust of burnt dark bread malts, a moderate dose of resin hops and a strong leathery yeast with notes of bakers' chocolate, dark roasted coffee, licorice, vanilla, ash and a powerful alcohol presence.

The taste was bold, roasty, bitter-sweet and very malty with a touch of bitter chocolate early on, becoming powerfully bitter and hoppy with a huge dose of dark roast coffee, a bit of smoke and an intense alcohol finish. The flavor stuck around what seemed like an eternity, with a bold alcohol coffee bitterness left lingering on for quite some time.

Mouthfeel was almost full in body with a dry, oily and rather creamy texture and an almost medium carbonation.

Overall this was a very strong tasting brew with a multitude of flavors all blending together, thus creating one exceptional beer. Although I thought the big alcohol presence took away slightly from the fantastic flavor this brew has to offer...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 13:40:49 | More by KajII

jera1350

Minnesota

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

On tap at The Happy Gnome.

Served in a tulip, solid black, minimal head of dark colored foam. Sweet and mildly roasted malt nose. The flavor has a nice medium sweetness to it. Light chocolate, coffee, roasted malts with a hint of smoked malt. Very smooth and feels lighter than 10%. Surely would not have guessed this to be that high of an abv because the alcohol is not detected at all. Overall a very nice imperial stout that drinks quite easily.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2012 18:58:51 | More by jera1350

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer is opaque. Thin light brown head leaves spotty lace. Aroma is molasses, dark chocolate and cherry. Flavor is solid. Great base of roasted malts and chocolate tones. Roasted malts even bring a nice little bitter astringency to the profile. Also some dark fruits, anise oil and leaf tobacco. Medium bodied and lightly carbonated. Somewhat velvety. Alcohol is barely present and incorporated nicely into the whole context of the beer. Nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 05:06:43 | More by Bighuge

jjanega08

Minnesota

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

Bottled 9/2012

A= Pours a deep black color with a thin brown head on it that holds some steady retention for being so small. There is a decent amount of lacing as well for how small the head is.

S= The smell has a bit of a hop character to it as well as a nice big chocolatey aroma. A bit of a soy sauce smell to it and a good roast.

T= The taste is about what I would expect from an American Imperial Stout. It is hopped pretty well for a imperial stout and there is a great amount of roast and chocolate character. The flavors meld very well making a quite enjoyable drink expessially for a 10% beer.

M= The mouth is a little thin but still great.

O= This is another great imperial stout from Clown Shoes. I will say I think the other one I had is a little more impressive but this is a fabulous beer regarless. Check this out if you can. It's a fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 02:17:44 | More by jjanega08

acevenom

Louisiana

4.68/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a large brandy snifter. Pours black with a finger-length tan head. There are some visible bubbles along the underside of the head and along the side of the glass. Some lacing is left on the side of the glass as the head dissipates. There are aromas of dark roasted malt, dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, and some of that 10% alcohol comes up to the nose. I get some of that smoke as well from the smoked malt. The flavors are very complex in this stout. There's nice dark roasted malt flavor with creamy chocolate, black coffee, dates, smoked malt, and some alcohol. It's a wonderfully balanced flavor. The body is full with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. The carbonation is moderate. This is a very easy beer to drink despite the alcohol presence. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 01:19:34 | More by acevenom

flexabull

California

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of cfh64, thanks again!

Pours a beep flat black color with a nice tan head.

Aromas are of very dark ripe fruits, cocoa, cream, and coffee.

Taste is of heavily roasted malts, slightly smokey, with some black coffee, and bitter bakers chocolate notes. Finish is warm, and hoppy, mostly with pine needle bitterness.

Mouthfeel is good, smooth, full, with nice body,

Overall, a very solid beer from Crown Shoes. I really like the hints of smoke, works well here.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 02:26:40 | More by flexabull

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: not quite opaque. Cola highlights. Slight tan head.
Smell: rich, roasty, full, smoky. Slaps you in the nose.
Taste: surprisingly mellow. Creamy and rich.
Overall: rich but harsh as hell nose. Mellow, creamy and complex taste. Interesting, decadent imp stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 01:30:25 | More by cindyjeffsmith

kemoarps

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Cola black. Pretty little capuccino foam lacing the edges

Weak nose. Mostly roasty malts, though.

The weak nose belies a complex and delicious brew. Roasty dark malts with some cappucino and chocolate.

A little spice on the backend may actually be leftover from the gwack-a-mole, but either way it's enjoyable. I was excited for this beer, and it was warranted. Definitely one to find and drink if it's around.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 07:01:54 | More by kemoarps

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Cask Republic, served in an oversized snifter.

A: PItch black body with clear crimson highlights around only the very edges when held up to direct light; on top lies a half-inch of dense light-brown head that settles into a thin cap and solid ring, leaving spotty lace. Quite nice.

S: Intense, roasty, and smoky. Lots of wood smoke, dark chocolate, coffee, and molasses. Some earthy hop notes, too. Really well-integrated and impressive.

T: Opens with bitter coffee and smoke, followed by burnt molasses, bakers chocolate, and a relatively bitter finish that combines hoppiness and brownie batter. Some hints of dark fruit dance in the background, but this is mainly about the smoke, roast, and hops. Impressively devoid of booze. I'm really, really enjoying it.

M: No thicker than medium-bodied, but with plenty of creamy mouth-filling carbonation. All right.

O: I've been generally underwhelmed by Clown Shoes offerings since they came into CT, but thought I'd give this a shot given its solid reviews. I wasn't disappointed - it's an extremely good imperial stout.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2012 21:41:17 | More by woosterbill

LeRose

Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Recommended by Beer Lady at Tully’s in Wells, ME - THANK YOU! This is a very nice stout. Not much of a head on the pour - kind of a smallish khaki/tan head, nice mahogany tints. Expectation was for a whallop of flavor, but found it more subtle and with a lot going on. Cocoa, some smokiness,, a bit of vanilla hiding in there, just enough hops to keep the flavor interesting. Nice malts, good "undertones" of the coffee/roast flavors. Not as "thick" on the tongue as other imperials, but very nice. Minimal aftertaste. Definitely high on the list of faves. No doubt about the 10% ABV...it isn't shy. A lot of complexity and subtle flavors going on, yet it isn't "work" to drink. Good effort from CS!

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 14:29:06 | More by LeRose

WYVYRN527

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter from a 750 ml. bottle.

A: Black as night with a thin tan head that quickly settles to a thin ring around the surface. Retention and lacing are minimal, which strikes me as odd because a beer of this strength should still retain some head.

S: Earthy hops actually show up first, followed by dark fruits, molasses, licorice, coffee, and a touch of smoke.

T: Much like the aroma. Coffee, bitter chocolate, and dried dark fruit, along with hints of licorice. Hops lend a dry, earthy, and floral finish to the beer. Slightly smoky, but more prominent on the nose.

Notes: Full bodied and very flavorful, with incredible balance. Alcohol is hardly noticeable, except for a slight warming sensation with each sip. I really enjoy this beer, and wish I would have bought some more to age. With this being my first experience with Clown Shoes, I can say I am thoroughly impressed. Well-done!

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 06:06:49 | More by WYVYRN527

Gobzilla

California

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured a dark as night black in color with a dense finger worth of brown head with good retention and left some good frothy lacing sticking to the glass.

S: plenty of roastiness coming out of the aroma with a bit of chocolate, hints of piney hops, coffee bitterness is noticeable, a little malty sweetness and some underlying booze is barely there.

T: the chocolate character was more dominate on the flavor alongside a little hop bite, plenty of roastinesss, maybe a little brown sugar, the booze was well balanced and not over done, a little coffee but plenty of malty sweetness.

M: the brew was medium to full in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a sweet, roasty, slightly hoppy, mild astringent and silky finish

O: I thought it was a solid imperial stout and would have another go at it if I could. Good lookin out hopbrizio for bringing this brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 18:23:42 | More by Gobzilla