Clown Shoes The Barista

Clown Shoes The Barista is an American Brown Ale, 8.7% ABV. They are calling this a “Breakfast Brown Ale” brewed with oatmeal, cold pressed coffee and milk sugars.

This is one good looking Brown Ale, it has a big and fluffy light tan head, and some pretty ruby red highlights coming through the dark brown color. Now this is my kind of Brown Ale aroma. Big, rich, nutty brown malt makes up the majority of the nose. A hint of coffee is coming through as well, but it is a mildly roasted and nutty kind of coffee which blends with the malts perfectly. Complex layers of malt are on the palate as well with notes of roasted hazelnuts, toffee, chocolate, coffee, and sweet cream. Perfectly smooth and slightly creamy mouth-feel with just a hint of carbonation tingle that lingers behind to keep this from every becoming cloying.

This is just about as good as a Brown Ale gets for me, complex and flavorful without losing it’s roots in being a drinkable ale. About the only negative I can find here is the fact that I was expecting a good bit more coffee, but this is so good I don’t think I really care that much at all.