Chocolate Sombrero - Clown Shoes

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

We pour a tootsie roll colored brew. It holds a transient espresso colored head, showing almost no retention, and leaving aggregates of bubbles across the top of the liquid. Lacing is spotty, but minimal throughout. Carbonation appears moderate, as you can see some steam, bubbling right off the surface. This helps the swirl actually put up more of a head than the pour, which does show a bit more retention and color. No haze is noted, but bits of sediment line the bottoms of our glasses. The nose is all about the malts. These are dark, chocolatey, steely with coffee, and a deep roast bordering on char. Booze comes out with some light cooling vanilla sweetness. The hot chilies, metallics, and spice of cinnamon and black pepper come out more with warmth, and ride against the malts, deepening them. Our first impression is that the heavy roast to the malts imparts more bitterness, whereas more sweetness was expected. As we sip into it, the flavoring opens with souring, bittering grain. This is in the form of char-roasted coffee beans and raw cacao. There is a spicy bite of booze, and what appears to be some frank heat off of those anchos. We peak with sweeter malts, highlighted by some of that cooling vanilla, as in the nose. This, again, is added to by some lighter malts, adding richer, milk chocolate flavoring to the mix. The finish moves with more of the latter, along with a sting of booze. The roast really comes through here as well, balancing out the sweetness nicely, and allowing the fusel alcohols to shine a bit more. The aftertaste shows char, raw dark chocolate, espresso beans, vanilla, black pepper, and booze. The body is medium, and a bit syrupy, while the carbonation is high, lightly stinging the tongue and palate. The mouth is left with an initial chalky coating, eventually drying to a fine astringent finish. There is decent slurp, smack, cream, and pop. The abv is appropriate, and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the aroma. The nose is hit with smooth vanilla, hot chilies, depth of malts, and added chocolate sweetness, all at once. It gave the drinker a lot to amalgamate, as each component was so strong on their own, but in the end things were nicely balanced. The flavoring came nicely to follow, but we found it more bland than we were hoping for, particularly in the way of obvious chili pepper spice. This lacked, as did the look, placing this hombre somewhere in the middle for the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 17:38:34 | More by TheBrewo

afrokaze

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-18-2013 22:16:41 | More by afrokaze

Kreko7

California

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

05-18-2013 07:33:17 | More by Kreko7

megamass

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-18-2013 04:28:56 | More by megamass

pin

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

05-16-2013 19:45:13 | More by pin

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.89/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter at Firkin.

This seems like a good companion to my spicy pork sandwich... It pours a straight onyx topped by a finger of tan foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, cocoa, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a hint of vanilla bean. The taste brings in more of the same, though here the spices take a back seat to the stronger contingents of cocoa and roast. There ain't any peppers to be seen, though... The body is a hefty-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, a very nice spiced stout, but the lack of any chile character leaves me wanting a bit. Still, good times.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2013 16:01:20 | More by TMoney2591

crobinso

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

05-15-2013 01:28:54 | More by crobinso

beersvh23

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.6%

05-13-2013 02:21:56 | More by beersvh23

Arsenal0328

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

05-13-2013 01:04:02 | More by Arsenal0328

mobrockman

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.6%

05-12-2013 21:09:43 | More by mobrockman

2GOOFY

California

4/5  rDev +3.6%

05-12-2013 14:49:04 | More by 2GOOFY

William85

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Based on the other reviews and the beer's marketing, I was expecting an unusual flavor profile with a strong finish (from the ancho chiles). However, I was a bit surprised by the subtlety of the flavors. The chiles were detectable, but their contribution was fairly minor; and I found the chocolate notes to be only slightly more prevalent than I would expect in any given American stout.

Overall, this is a very drinkable imperial stout which I would certainly recommend to anyone who likes the style; but its flavors weren't nearly as unusual/interesting as I had hoped they would be.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 20:20:49 | More by William85

Musineer

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%

05-11-2013 00:47:20 | More by Musineer

JamesStreet

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +3.6%

05-10-2013 18:49:50 | More by JamesStreet

PatGreer

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%

05-09-2013 04:41:29 | More by PatGreer

ksimons

New York

4.29/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-almost black with no highlights and a fingers worth of dark tan head that leaves some lace on the glass

S-rich malt, lots of chocolate, and spicy cinnamon

T-chocolate malt, dark and milk chocolate, light roasted coffee, bit of vanilla sweetness, and chile spiciness to give it a bit of a kick at the finish

M-medium to full body, moderate carbonation, dry roasted mouthfeel

Overall I think Clown Shoes does some great beers and this is another one. Really love the chiles in this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 21:30:17 | More by ksimons

Hallertau

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-06-2013 03:46:04 | More by Hallertau

Halluxone

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-06-2013 01:30:19 | More by Halluxone

jayhunter357

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-05-2013 00:27:27 | More by jayhunter357

shehateme

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-05-2013 00:18:04 | More by shehateme

In_Control_Mike

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-05-2013 00:17:30 | More by In_Control_Mike

BigJim5021

Indiana

4/5  rDev +3.6%

05-04-2013 08:22:53 | More by BigJim5021

Jasonrm72

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

05-02-2013 19:51:04 | More by Jasonrm72

take_it_sleazy

Vermont

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from pint bottle into hill farmstead pint glass.

A: deep deep coffee color, almost black. pretty lively head that mellows out as soon as its poured. No real carbonation visible.

S: mild smokiness and not much else. Similar smell to otter creek's smokehouse porter, maybe not quite as strong.

T: a lot more pungent than the nose on this puppy. After an initial hit of chocolate, malty goodness, the chiles and vanilla make an appearance a bit later and mix extremely well with the malt to finish it off. Dont really get too much cinnamon coming through in this one. Overall, the flavor isn't too overpowering. A bit boozy at the end, which doesn't hurt.

M: pretty standard, but still great. Characteristic stout taste lingers on the tounge for a while, and isn't too thick. Very enjoyable and suprisigly drinkable stout at nearly 10 percent.

O: would recommend if it's available. Picked her up at a local beverage warehouse for 3 bucks and change. A nice, rich stout when enjoyed at an appropriate age. The rich cocoa is really the feature of this beer while chiles and vanilla sing in the background.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 00:01:24 | More by take_it_sleazy

largadeer

California

4/5  rDev +3.6%

04-30-2013 23:15:15 | More by largadeer