Luchador En Fuego - Clown Shoes

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Barrel aged imp stouts are great, not sure what a "Mexican-style chocolate" means, but Clown Shoes loves to do the BA stouts which is great, they're not all great but at least they're not too expensive and fun to try.

Pours a darker colored smaller head that fades at a decent rate, light lacing, typical of an 11% BA imp stout though, pitch black beer with thick legs to die for.

Nose is kinda heavenly, starting with a nice big expensive rich chocolate, semi dark and semi creamy but a bit baker's too, lots of chocolate, many levels, not quite chocolate rain big but just a ton. Then into vanilla, lots of smooth vanilla, pure vanilla bean as well as a toasty oak vanilla too, and a light dusty oak barrel. Next up, bourbon, a nice bourbon aroma that comes on smooth and very nice, it's like the trifecta. hints of black malts in there but no roast or tannins, and faint baking spices, touch of graham cracker and faint hint of booze.

Taste is quite nice too, but not as awesome as the aroma was, starts with bitter chocolate, dark baker's and super dark bitter chocolate, but smooth and velvety at the same time. Expensive lush chocolate, like a Lindt where it has that nice dark chocolate outside and velvety creamy center. The booze kicks in a bit mid palate, warming and slightly tingly, and just a bit of an alcohol taste, and some nice heat from the chilies. Back to vanilla, nice vanilla bean but not nearly as much as the nose had. Barrel is there, but lighter too, hint of dusty barrel, with vanilla toasty oak, etc. Bourbon is much lighter this time, I got a nice aroma, but barely any flavor of bourbon. The malts also bring a light dark malt with hint of bitter tannin, as well as light bready graham cracker and faint caramel. A hint of earthy spicy hops comes in on the back end, mostly earthy hops with decent bitterness. Finish gets fairly hot, some hot booze and alcohol taste and a nice long lingering chili heat, tingly, then creamy mouth coating lush chocolate lingering, sticky semi sweet, hint of coffee too, a little more vanilla and barrel lingering, and a bit of bourbon esp with the hot booze makes my mind think more of the bourbon.

Mouth is fuller bodied, lush creamy and velvety, decent carb, plenty of hot booze.

Overall quite interesting, almost perfect nose, aroma was so delightful, the taste was nice but left a bit to be desired for. I wish the bourbon came out more on the flavor as it did on the nose, and the vanilla is a nice touch overall. Chocolate is the key to this beer, which was heavenly, and baking spices go well with it. The booze gets a bit much too, a bit overbearing initially, but on the finish makes me think I just had a sip of a chocolate malty vanilla bourbon, and chili pepper heat is a nice addition overall. I will def go get more bottles of this.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 01:45:48 | More by jlindros

bigorange

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%

05-25-2013 01:37:08 | More by bigorange

ajtorres311

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-22-2013 14:51:51 | More by ajtorres311

sendbeer

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -9%

05-21-2013 13:59:40 | More by sendbeer

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.21/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottle sent by Aaron (gracias!) split into tulips with the bro.

A: Dark brown/essentially black, and opaque. Minimal head but some ok lacing and legs.

S: Upfront I get mostly vanilla and milk chocolate, pretty nice and vibrant, very 'dessert-y'. The vanilla isn't necessarily barrel notes, seems to be closer to vanilla bean. Slight spiciness; there are definitely ancho-chili undertones.

T: More vanilla and chocolate/brownie unfold here, along with caramel undertones. A bit more of a bourbon/barrel component mixing nicely. More spices and cinnamon emerge here as well.

MF: Creamy medium-to-full body, medium carbonation.

O: Very enjoyable Mexican Stout. The chilies and spices are all in the background (which is where they need to be), and the barrel adds a nice component but keeps this one closer to the base beer than a big bba stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 13:59:47 | More by Scotchboy

AlexChillton

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-20-2013 08:52:49 | More by AlexChillton

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-18-2013 04:28:19 | More by megamass

MoistPope

California

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-17-2013 15:44:41 | More by MoistPope

Heavenisbeer

Georgia

4.16/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Word to those who have yet to open their Luchador: once popped, mine spewed about 12 ounces before I could settle it down. Beware.

A: Pours an opaque, deep brown, with a creamy, tawny two finger head that hangs around for a while. Lacing is exceptional.

S: Slivers of chile and cinnamon spill over into dark chocolate malts, followed by a burst of vanilla, and a hint of bourbon and oak.

T: Wow, the taste steals the show; a lot more complex than the nose. Fudge brownie batter, with a slightly spicy kick (chiles!), and a touch of coffee. As the vanilla is muted, I'm having a hard time figuring out if it's from the additive or the barrel. Has a nearly indistinguishable bourbon tinge (I wished for more). Has a grassy hop finish that lingers.

M: Viscous and creamy. Very little carbonation. Low levels of boozy heat.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 23:16:37 | More by Heavenisbeer

Kubrickx

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-12-2013 18:12:51 | More by Kubrickx

bluesplit63

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%

05-12-2013 11:19:34 | More by bluesplit63

lonewolfcry

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%

05-12-2013 02:03:38 | More by lonewolfcry

Sirwootalot

Minnesota

4.24/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

Served on tap at Mackenzie's. Pours flat black with a thin turkish coffee head. The smell is Mezmerizing - rich, luxurious chocolate torte with warm caramel and oaky bourbon. The flavor is disproportionately thick in comparison to the thin body - a baseball-bat-to-the-face of bitter dark chocolate gives way to buttery bourbon burn, with slight notes of ancho chilies and cappucino mud. It is very sweet, but masked well by the bitter pinch of the cacao and coffee grounds. The aftertaste is neutral, but it leaves an odd sticky cottonmouth feel on the tongue. Several minutes in, the tingly heat of the chilies catches up, which is quite nice.

Overall, this is very much a desert beer dominated by aroma and flavor. I wish i'd paired it with food to negate the odd mouthfeel.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2013 02:21:52 | More by Sirwootalot

JamesStreet

Louisiana

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%

05-10-2013 18:48:25 | More by JamesStreet

Kevincredible

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -27.2%

05-08-2013 23:25:13 | More by Kevincredible

oldedog

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%

05-07-2013 23:25:15 | More by oldedog

Rollzroyce21

California

3.75/5  rDev -9%

05-07-2013 12:55:17 | More by Rollzroyce21

wtkphoto

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-07-2013 03:12:02 | More by wtkphoto

lowgear

California

3.25/5  rDev -21.1%

05-06-2013 02:01:04 | More by lowgear

TrickkyGangsta

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-05-2013 00:58:55 | More by TrickkyGangsta

Powderhornphil

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours black. Not a lot that is note worthy here. Head quickly fads with little lacing.

Chocolate followed by bourbon. Brown sugar, smells like this will give me diabetes.

Tastes sweet, sweet, sweet. Sweet chocolate, sweet bourbon and toffee. Finishes with some cinnamon. I would say this is sweet to a fault. Enjoyable but starts to walk the line of becoming cloying.

Kind of thin for an imperial stout. Low carbonation.

Glad I tried it but probably a one and done for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 00:09:29 | More by Powderhornphil

BYOFB

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-04-2013 18:30:09 | More by BYOFB

JandJMD

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-03-2013 21:34:29 | More by JandJMD

Buff0910

Alabama

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%

04-30-2013 14:06:59 | More by Buff0910

CDCNAM

Louisiana

4/5  rDev -2.9%

04-30-2013 02:40:06 | More by CDCNAM