Angry Beast - Clown Shoes

Rizalini

Nevada

3.55/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into my Stone tulip...

A - Pours virtually black with a minimal 1/2 finger of light brown head. Spotty lacing.

S - Has a nice chocolatey, roasty aroma. Notes of charred oak, and vanilla are present as well. Very inviting.

T/M - The chocolate takes a back seat to the char. There are secondary notes of coffee, wood, and a hint of bourbon. Not the bourbon bomb that I was expecting. Medium-creamy mouthfeel, but bordering on slightly watery.

O - Clown Shoes usually doesn't disappoint, and this one follows suit. The flavors aren't as bold and up front as I was expecting, but they do blend very well together. Glad I bought 2.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 03:51:33 | More by Rizalini

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.23/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle poured into DFH Signature goblet. Bottled 5/2012.

A - Pours black with a steady finger of beige head. Leaves behind tiers of circuitous lace. Looks as a big stout should.

S - Big roasty aroma with hints of oak and whiskey. Char and vanilla offer complexity over a bitter coffee backdrop. The alcohol is strong on the nose, unsurprising for a beer this big.

T - Charred oak flavors follow the nose closely. Some pine hops add to the bitterness. Sweetens considerably as it warms with bursts of mocha and vanilla. The bourbon flavors are discrete, but contribute to a great flavor profile.

M - The body stands up to the big flavors in this beer. Carbonation is light and smooth, fitting for the style. The alcohol warms, but does not burn.

O - I have been anticipating this beer for a while, so I was pleased to see it on the shelf at my local store. It encompasses the great toasted character of Blaecorn with the sweet mocha deliciousness of Vampire Slayer. The barrel adds oak complexity, but this beer isn't big on the bourbon. Overall, this beer isn't significantly better than it's parts, but it is tasty. Another great effort from Clown Shoes, who, for my money, make some of the best readily available stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 01:28:01 | More by NoLeafClover44

nachos

Ohio

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

opaque black color, tan head

smells roasty, chocolatey, with faint traces of bourbon as it warms

pretty good mouthfeel, could be a bit more thick, really coats the teeth and lingers

not too much bourbon flavor, but you get just enough, more as it warms obviously. every flavor i want in a stout, though I'd personally enjoy some coffee in there, but its roasty, chocolatey, not very smokey, faint traces of alcohol, but pretty well covered

Its pretty much just flat out delicious to me, I can see what others mean by it having potential to get better, but for me, I'd have no problem drinking a bunch more of them right now and in the near future.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 04:36:56 | More by nachos

KevSal

California

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Huge thanks to goblinmunkey7 for a chance at this guy, won recently through his lif. As agreed I split this guy with some cool ba's, and as usual- a review for beerswin through lif, but not as usual- this was with tasting notes, I dont often review at tastings.

Had side by side with its components, unidragon and vampire slayer (both thanks to boogercrack!) while watching some cool movies.

A-Completely dark, small mocha head

S- chocolate sweet malts, slight roast, much less than vampire slayer but a bigger punch than regular unidragon.

T- relatively smooth, especially compared to the 2 base beers.  Pretty tasty, barrel flavor is light, probably due to the mixing but I am really enjoying this. Right amount of matinees with good balance.

M- medium to thick, nice for the sweetness 

O- a lot less barrel than I was hoping for but tasty nonetheless. Dont expect a full on ba expierence (like eclipse or ba ptf) but you can expect a solid impy stout with lots of flavor, my favorite of the 3. Recomeneded, expect air soon!

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 08:22:12 | More by KevSal

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

May 2012 bottling.

Pours a beastly shade of black, tan head, good retention, decent lace.

Solid stouty scent of chocolate, roast, some caramel, not getting much bourbon but it's good.

Taste is similar - milk+dark chocolates and vanilla are most prominent, with some roast there as well. Some alcohol heat but not much bourbon or oak unfortunately. Seems like the Vampire Slayer half dominates here, but it is quite tasty.

Smooth mouthfeel, some booze but drinks well for 11%.

Good imperial stout, I like the chocolate/vanilla interplay, wouldn't guess it was barrel-aged though. I imagine regular Vampire Slayer tasting just like this, the intense roast and barrel-aging of the Blaecorn seems lost. I have another bottle in the cellar I originally bought for a tasting so we'll see how it ages.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 16:45:34 | More by Chico1985

Arbitrator

California

2.85/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Chilled bottle into glass -- thanks, KevSal!

A: Pours black with a finger of tan head.

S: Roasted coffee and earthy hops dominate here -- the influences of Vampire Slayer are quite evident. I have a hard time picking out any bourbon here; this comes off as a more anise-driven version of Vampire Slayer (likely the effect of Blaecorn) with mild vanilla (likely the effect of the barrels).

T: The barrel-aging is pretty subtle, for those who are looking for a restrained approach to the style. That wasn't quite what I wanted, especially having moved on to bourbon over the past year, so I found this disappointing. I liked the way Vampire Slayer's hoppiness and roasted coffee flavors expressed themselves, but I found Blaecorn Unidragon to be a pretty weak beer to begin with, and it has the effect of watering down this blend. It contributes some anise and dark fruit in the finish, but that's about it.

M: Just under medium-bodied; it has dried out to its detriment. The carbonation supports it fine, but I think the beer could stand some more heft.

O: Definitely a situation where the sum is less than its parts. Interesting to try, as I think Clown Shoes makes some fantastic beers in general; but this wasn't their best showing.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 05:00:33 | More by Arbitrator

tut2528

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: pour is a deep black, moderate viscosity, pours a solid 1 finger worth of tan head with very strong and nice lacing. Just a couple swirls of the glass gets the head to re-create and slowly settle again.

S: very big coffee/expresso notes dominate the nose with a smoky character. I also pick up on a solid chocolate, toasted malts, and very mild bourbon (but it is there). Definitely wish more bourbon came out on this one

T: I get mild hints of similar aspects as in the nose. Mild expresso, chocolate, bourbon sweetness. Oak is more noticeable here in the after taste and there is a vanilla finish. Alcohol is undetectable, but immediate starts to warm the insides.

M: Very surprised on how light this beer is on the palate. Actually, just a tad too light for me. The pour and the appearance doesn’t match up with the mouthfeel. But because its light, it drinks very fast.

O: My first offering by Clown Shoes, and I thought it was alright. Pretty decent drinkability, nice appearance, decent smell. The biggest surprise though was the taste. I went into expecting to get hit with a punch of expresso and chocolate, but instead, I found the flavors all mild but very well balanced. The only issue is that the flavors never really came out and made themselves present, and it left me desiring for more bourbon notes

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 03:21:08 | More by tut2528

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared this with a friend yesterday. Poured into my dogfish tulip. Reviewed from notes

A - Pours a nice oily black hue with a half a finger mocha head that fades to a light blanket.

S - Very nice bourbon and chocolate. Big notes but smooth, good barrel notes. Super, super inviting. Really digging this.

T - Taste is great. Definitely have both the characteristics of the base beers. Nice bourbon and chocolate followed by roasted malts and some of that light smoke. Some soft vanilla too.

M - Mouthfeel is velvety smooth and silky. Excellent.

O - This was a delicious stout from clown shoes. The bourbon really works well with this. Kind of wish it wasnt limiited.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 02:23:57 | More by rudzud

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Limited (brewed once) bottled 5/2012
Poured into tulip

Appearance: Angry Beast poured a dark black color with a real nice one and a half finger size chocolate milk shake color head. The head was of a rocky consistancy. This beer hits the mark to me for the style. There is some very nice lacing on this one too. Again spot on for the style. I'm digging how this one looks.

Smell: I'm picking up on some char/smokiness along with some faint bourbon. I also get some oak and some molasses along with some bitter dark chocolate. There is some faint coffee/espresso in it as well. The smell isn't as powerful as I imagined it might be but still a great smelling beer.

Taste: Upfront I taste the bourbon with the smoke and wood. There is a definite sweetness in the backbone on this one. I taste some chocolate and molasses and a peek of vanilla shows itself. The alcohol at 11% is barely noticable. This is an impressive tasting Imperial Stout.

Mouthfeel: I'm afraid this might be where this beer let me down slightly. The feel is a bit thin to me for the style. Not as viscous or chewy as I like for the style but yet I can't stop sipping as I type.

Overall: This being my first offering from Clown Shoes, I must admit I will give the other beers from them a shot. It is a very nice Imperial Stout that I would suggest to any stout lover. I realize this is a one time offering that I believe will age well so I am going to pick up some more to age.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 01:12:28 | More by sleuthdog

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into Hunahpu Snifter. Drank directly after trying Vampire Slayer. Bottled 5/2012

A- Pours very similar to the Vampire Slayer- opaque dark black, very little mocha brown head (even less then Vampire Slayer) that quickly recedes to leave no head, average carbonation for a stout (slightly less then Vampire Slayer).

S- Definitely a presence of both brews coming out the Blaecorn and Vampire. Similar characteristics as Vampire Slayer- lightly sweet chocolate, a little bit of espresso, roasted malts, a hint of smokiness, and hints of hickory. Also has a light bourbon presence due to the BA Blaecorn. Not as aromatic as the Vampire Slayer, but a little bit more complex with the light bourbon smell.

T- Lightly sweet and bitter chocolate, espresso beans, lightly roasted/smoked malts coming from the Vampire, very light Bourbon presence (however not as much as I was hoping for), a tiny bit of hickory, lightly sweet chocolate aftertaste with a hint of sweet bourbon. Not as roasty/smokey as the Vampire Slayer, but a little bit sweeter + more chocolate from the Blaecorn.

M- Light carbonation, a little bit heavier then the Vampire Slayer but not too heavy or syrupy. ABV extremely well hidden, no alcohol burn at all. Extremely smooth and very drinkable, especially considering it's high abv. I could easily knock back a few of these. I liked the mouthfeel a little bit better then the Vampire Slayer.

O- This was a fantastic imperial stout. It combined the elements of the blaecorn and Vampire Slayer perfectly. I actually liked it slightly more then Vampire Slayer. It had a nice balance between all the flavors. Could have used a slightly higher bourbon presence, but there was still a light noticeable bourbon presence that added a nice complexity to this beer. I definitely recommend picking this stuff up while you still can. If you like Imperial Stouts, you will definitely like this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 01:32:53 | More by jaasen64

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a duvel glass

A: pours black with a nice finger and a half of chocolate head that dissapates nicley. Excellent lacing left on the glass... This looks deep dark and delicious.

S: a very nice blend of smoke and chocolate... A hint of woodyness as well along with a touch of bourbon... Some toffe, alcohol and light caramel notes in there as well... Not as heavy on the burbon as I would have liked... But it Is still a damn good smelling
Brew.

T: a nice round light smokiness through the body of the beer, along with a nice chocolatyness, the burbon is mild again here but slightly noticeable, bringing a light note of vanilla, wood, and burbon... There are also notes of caramel and toffe here, overall this is a very well balanced beer and the flavor profile works really well, quite delicious.

M: medium/heavy body with medium/low carbonation, this brew has a smooth creamy/velvety texture, and is very drinkable for 11% abv, a touch of light bitterness on the finish...

O: this is a damn good stout... I wish the barrel aged component brought a little more burbon to the table, but perhaps that would have thrown off the elegant balance this beer maintains. I found this brew very enjoyable and would recommend it to any fan of good Imperial stouts....

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 03:33:39 | More by PeterIngemi

Dope

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours pitch black with a good sized and very dense chocolate milk colored head. Lacing left behind is an almost completely unbroken wall. Nice.

S: Hickory smoke. Touch of bourbon with a little toffee but not much. Sweet, creamy milk chocolate mainly. Hints of char and coffee bean but the chocolate dominates here.

T: Again, hickory smoke up front with just a touch of bourbon, very mild. Turns into anise and chocolate in the middle. Finishes with big bitter char and smokiness.

M: Heavy but quite smooth and creamy.

O: Not bad, honestly it tastes a lot like regular Vampire Slayer. Very smoky throughout. Only the lightest hint of bourbon, if that. The Blaecorn seems to add a bit of chocolate and creaminess, that's about it. Otherwise it's about 80% Vampire Slayer.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 04:22:17 | More by Dope