Hello Beer Friends Nation! Tonight we are graced by one of our new favorite breweries from Massachusetts, Clown Shoes! Joining them is whiskey from The Glenrothes, so lets get started!
Phil’s First Clementine – being a Belgian beer this doesn’t start off on the top of my list, BUT, the hops and the citrus pieces of the recipe really help to curb that Belgian yeast taste I hate so much. Which makes this one tolerable! The Belgian taste is there but a light citrusy clementine taste helps out, and there is a little bit of hoppy bitterness along the way as well.
Paul’s First Clementine – I always hate to agree with Phil, but these kind of Belgian white beers are never at the top of my list either. However, that is only my opinion, and like most of my opinions it is easily proven wrong. This brew is light but has a ton of flavor. It’s a light murky orange color with a flavor like its namesake.
Graham’s First Clementine – it’s been awhile since I’ve had a wit-bier so maybe that’s why they all taste similar to me, so ill try to paint a unique picture of this one, as much as I can. Definitely citrus orange, hence the name, cloudy with a yeasty laid back tones. Light enough to drink during hot weather and almost flavorful enough to want all the time. If wit and hefe’s were my style then I’d be into this one a lot more.
Phil’s Second Hoppy Feet Black IPA – My current favorite style. Black IPAs bring the perfect balance of the hops I love and the toasty, burnt goodness that a darker beer will give you, this beer is no slouch in that department. Very malty nose, but a surprising hoppy bitterness that presents itself early on in your taste, followed up by a sweet and toasty end reminiscent of a barrel aged ale. I would recommend this and will definitely be having this again tonight.
Paul’s Second Hoppy Feet – Black IPA’s like this one have grown in popularity over the past few years. It’s been a style that has seen some good beer and some very mediocre beers. The problem that I find with some Black beers is one flavor is too offensive. Especially with IPA’s you run the risk of having an imbalance between the hop flavor and the roasted malts. The black ales I’ve enjoyed the most have found the correct balance and haven’t had those overpowering flavors. Until this one, this is a black IPA with a strong hop and roasted malt flavor that I really enjoy. It’s strong and hits you hard with flavor at the beginning and has a nice roasty flavor through the end.
Graham’s Second Hoppy Feet – A black IPA is one of those piecemeal styles that sounds a lot better on paper than it does in person, USUALLY. There are a few exceptions: Sixpoint Diesel and… Well you get the picture. However I’m now happy to announce that, for me at least, another has joined the rank(s) of acceptable Black IPA’s. Deep roast malt flavor, smoke, peat and a light coffee followed by a delicious blast of West Coast hops. Hoppy Feet truly meets the the black IPA style head on and wins.
Phil’s Third Vampire Slayer – Delicious! If this is what it’s like I can see why Abraham Lincoln got into the biz. Fantastically smokey and malty, but with very little alcohol taste to talent you know you’re drinking a 10%’er. The smoked Baltic Porter roots are very present, and will not disappoint anyone looking for a dark and stormy pint.
Paul’s Third Vampire Slayer- This is the best offering of the night. This is a smoked imperial porter brewed with holy water, you know, to kill vampires. This is a great imperial porter with a lot of flavor but it isn’t terribly heavy. This is a big beer that is dangerously drinkable. Go get yourself s bomber and enjoy your evening.
Graham’s Third Vampire Slayer – I (happily due to what creativity inevitably produces) think craft brewers have just started picking style and flavor profiles out of a grab bag these days. Black, imperial, IPA: genius! Rye, lager, witbier: delicious! Oyster, oatmeal, amber: holy beer gods yes! But honestly, when Clown Shoes picked smoked, milk, stout they hit the nail on the head. Smoke up front with a smooth slightly chocolate following that flows so much like cream that seems impossible at almost 10% ABV. Find this bottle near you and see what I mean.
Phil’s whiskey Glenrothes Select Reserve- I will try it every time. This was warm and fuzzy on the way down, but still had that whiskey taste and burn. Not my thing
Paul’s whiskey Glenrothes Select Reserve – Yes Phil, it goes down like whiskey BECAUE IT’S WHISKEY! This is a great single malt scotch that was aged in a bourbon cask and a sherry cask. Absolutely wonderful spirit that I look forward to enjoying again as well as what else this distillery has to offer.
Graham’s whiskey Glenrothes Select Reserve – I’m not a huge whiskey connoisseur but I do know that this scotch is banging. It’s real malty and smooth and when you smell/taste it the right way has flavors of cherry, fig and vanilla. One of my favorites in a long time, I gotta remember to pick a bottle of this one up soon.
BONUS ROUND!!!!!!
Graham – Clown Shoes Clementine Old Fashioned – When Rob said he could make an old fashioned with the Clown Shoes Clementine I said prove it to me. He then called me a dick. What he did was prove to me that a drink this good probably shouldn’t be made, lest we all become breakfast drinkers. Big orangey taste upfront with the rest of the beer flavor following only to end with a smooth whiskey mixed with orange on the back of your tongue. Refreshing, warming, filing, effervescent, flavorful and an overall classy beverage. I’ll be having one for breakfast tomorrow.
Paul- (see above)
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