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Review – Clown Shoes Clementine White Ale

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Three things right off the bat before I review Clown Shoes Beer’s Clementine:

1. I do not like clowns.  Ever since Stephen King’s IT.  So, the name scares me off.

2. Not a fan of some of their beer names.  Tramp Stamp, Muffin Top, Lubrication and Flight of the Pimp seem more attention grabbing than anything.  On the other hand, I like Hoppy Feet.

3. The label art seems to feed into the attention grabbing and talk about me on Facebook good AND bad mode that says to me, that the beer can’t sell itself.

But, with that being said.  I am clearing my mind and pouring this beer with a good name and nice-simple label into a glass.

Lot’s of bubbles here.  Color is tinting towards orange though primarily yellow.  Good amount of foam here.  Aroma gives off a candied orange peel note of medium strength.  The taste is straight up spicy.  Lots of coriander going on here.  But the orange taste sticks.  Almost to the point of creamsicle orange before it pulls back.  Those two competing flavor notes work well together in this effort.  One of the better and punchier white ales that I have had in a while.  I’m glad Sunset Beer Co. had started getting these beers in so that I can take stock of the beer inside.

And here is the info from the Clown Shoes website…..

“Light-bodied and crisp, this is a terrific White Ale with plenty of zest! Hazy in appearance and healthily carbonated, it utilizes Chambly yeast to energetically shape its wheat malt base. Incorporated in the brewing process is Clementine, sweet orange peel, a hint of Coriander, and Summit hops.”

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Bois

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Here is a peak at the pretty label for the latest anniversary beer from The Bruery.   “Bois” is French for “Wood.”  Each year the names of the anniversary ales correspond with traditional wedding anniversary gifts as translated in the French language.  Though I don’t recall getting anything wooden on my fifth.

These are big blended beers that utilize the Solera method where each beer is partially comprised of a blend of past anniversary beers.  So you will taste Fruet and Coton and Papier in Bois.

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Parabola 2013

Earlier today, I gave you a shopping list with three excellent choices to take to your local beer shoppe, and now here is a fourth that you had better pick up from Firestone-Walker….

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I can only parrot back this quote that I found on the press release from the brewery, ““This is the best Parabola we’ve ever made,” Brynildson says.”

What else do you need?  Seriously?  Buy two or three if you are on a limited beer budget because these will age beautifully.  Or find a tap house that is hosting Firestone-Walker and get there when they open.

Here is the description if you need more impetus to buy it, “As always, brewing this massive barrel-aged Russian imperial oatmeal stout continues to be a challenge—“It’s like extracting liquid from a big oatmeal cookie,” says Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. The recipe is unchanged, but the 2013 vintage comes with a fresh twist on the barrel-aging front, specifically the incorporation of retired bourbon barrels from Four Roses Distillery in Kentucky.”

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Sean Suggests for April 2013

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Since April in Los Angeles is a bit hotter than in most of the country, I have selected three beers with a little less ABV oomph to them than usual.  And all three will be good NBA playoffs choices.

LIGHT

Widmer Columbia Common 4.7% abv

“The Columbia Hop was near extinction when we brought it back to create this crisp, easy drinking common ale. With a rich amber hue, Columbia Common, the new Spring Seasonal Release for 2013, has a Mild grassy and spicy hop notes are complemented by a fruity character and clean finish brought on by the use of hefeweizen and lager yeasts and unique malt bill. It’s the perfect beer for Spring.”

MEDIUM

Strand 24th Street Pale 6.1 % abv

“This is what we had intended to brew when we made Genesis. Serving as our flagship ale, 24th Street Pale contains exactly the same hops but is less malty than Genesis which leads to less masking of the hop profile. It’s a smooth little Pale with a bitter finish. Slightly floral, slightly fruity. It is dry and drinks quickly. ”

DARK

New Belgium Hoppy Bock 6.9 % abv

“Meet the first in our new Hop Kitchen series: A German-style springtime lager brewed with rye then loaded with Hallertauer, Perle and Fuggle hops for a spicy, earthy aroma. This Hoppy Bock Lager offers a medium body and slightly sweet malt character perfect for your spring hop-fling.”

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Hoops and Beer

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So this statshot shows the cost of a SMALL draft beer at NBA arenas across the nation.  Now I can see that Miami would charge big because of their status as World Champions but I really expected NY to be at # 1 followed by LA and Washington.  For the life of me though, I don’t know why anyone would buy one during the game and not before and after.  Portland has Upright Brewing ACROSS the Street.  You could get a regular size beer and then some there.

You can read the Bleacher Report analysis right HERE.

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Review – Ovila Abbey Quad with plums

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Sierra Nevada didn’t have to do the Ovila line of beers.  They continue to hold a stellar reputation, they are building on the east coast and they grow some of their beers ingredients.  But we are blessed (pun intended) with this group of Belgian Abbey style ales.

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This beer comes in a small but heavy bottle that is caged and corked. The aroma is slightly plummy with a sharp medicinal note.  It pours a cola brown with a touch of red to it.  The taste is very dry and those plums really come through.  There is a slight warming to it but it really hits that strong set of Quad notes. I’m glad it is in the size of bottle it is!

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This is how the brewery describes it, “Ovila Abbey Quad is heady with aromas of caramel, rich malt, and dark fruit balanced by the spiciness and delicate fruity notes of a traditional Belgian yeast. This complex beer is a collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. It features sugar plums grown on the grounds of the Abbey and harvested by the monks in Vina. We hope you enjoy this collaboration ale.”

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Bitter Brew (and I don’t mean hops)

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I talk a lot about beer books.  If you put me on an island with a library and a brewery,  I would be happy, happy!  And this book would fascinate me.  I have already read one tome about the sorry saga of the Busch family and this one from a former L.A. Times writer William Knoedelseder sounds like a quick and juicy read.

“The engrossing, often scandalous saga of one of the wealthiest, longest-lasting, and most colorful dynasties in the history of American commerce—a cautionary tale about prosperity, profligacy, hubris, and the blessings and dark consequences of success.

Stretching across three centuries, from the start of the Civil War through two World Wars and Prohibition to today, Bitter Brew tells the astonishing story of how five generations of men—fathers, sons, and brothers—took a small, bankrupt brewery on the banks of the Mississippi and built it into an international colossus. It is the story of America’s past and present—a tale of promise and fulfillment for immigrants like Adolphus Busch, determined to strike it rich; and of a modern generation who squandered that dream. It is a story of breathtaking wealth, political power, and public acclaim—and of heartbreak, scandal, tragedy, and death. In chronicling the rise and fall of the Busch family and its business, the veteran journalist William Knoedelseder tells a broader story of American progress and decline over the last 150 years.”

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An Anniversary Weekender in Burbank

From Saturday, April 13th all the way through to Sunday, April 14th: Tony’s Darts Away will be celebrating what they are dubbing the 3rd Anniversary Weekender!

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Here is the pertinent information to get you started, “On Saturday April 13 and Sunday April 14 our place will be open regular hours, starting with Randy’s Best of Breakfast dishes at 10 AM followed by ongoing tappings of our most interesting and highly sought after beers every 60-90 minutes until 7PM. We will be open until 2 AM as usual and will have lunch and dinner specials on as well. There is no required entrance fee, but for $15 we are offering a special Dart Glass plus a fill of a yet to be announced specialty beer! Additionally, this glass entitles you to try specialty tappings a full 30 minutes before they are available to the public.”

Follow the event over on the Facebook HERE.

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Arizona Beer – Fate Brewing

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Our first brewery stop in Arizona is Fate Brewing whose “beer philosophy is to make a little bit of great beer, a lot. With a small-batch, 7 bbl system we’re afforded the opportunity to brew often and consistently rotate what’s on tap.”

They  have traditional and modern favorites (hefeweizen and pale ale), seasonal, experimental and cask conditioned ales (Black IPA and a root beer too).

And coming soon are an Imperial IPA, American Brown Ale, Irish Red and an Imperial Irish Red

Plus, I love their tagline, you will be “pleasantly surprised by what Fate has in store.​”

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