Clown Shoes American Monastic

Clown Shoes American Monastic is a Belgian style IPA, 8.5% ABV.

The beer pours with a big active white head that sits on top of golden orange beer with just a slight bit of cloudiness. This beer has a fantastic aroma, a great mixture of orange citrus and a fruity Belgian yeast. The taste starts about the same with some sweet caramel malt, and fruity citrus hops. About halfway through the taste the yeast and hops take over with a combination peppery spice and hop bitterness. The finish is very dry and rather funky in a classic Belgian Saison kind of way. I’m finding the 8.5% ABV is coming right through on this beer, making it taste a bit stronger than it already is. The carbonation is almost a touch to strong for me personally, but I don’t think it is out of place for the style at all.

I tend to enjoy a good Belgian IPA and this is just that. It seems they really got the most out of both styles on this one.