Hoppy Feet Black IPA

    Review Date 1/26/2021   By John Staradumsky

Here are some thing I learned from drinking Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet Black IPA:

·       I had never had it before

·       Clown Shoes has been around for 11 years now (I kind of knew this)

·       Hoppy Feet Black IPA was the very first Clown Shoes beer in 2009

A little history of Clown Shoes beer might be in order. I’m happy to say that I was in at the beginning, which goes back way before 2009. Way back in 1991, Paul Sylva and Jim Beauvais funded Ipswich Brewing Company in Ipswich, Massachusetts. At the time, I was 27 years old and had been a very active craft beer enthusiast since about 1983. Ipswich was highly regarded, and the wonderful Ipswich Ale was a novelty sold in one-liter swing top bottles. Over the years, many other fine Ipswich beers were launched, and they also brewed the wonderful Dornbusch Alt, one of the most authentic German altbiers I have ever tasted. This was also sold in one-liter swing tops.

In 1999, the Ipswich brewery was sold and became Mercury Brewing. The Ipswich line continued, but Mercury also contract brewed beers for other concerns. Ten years later, Mercury began brewing Clown Shoes beers. In late 2017, Clown Shoes was acquired by Mass Bay Brewing Company, which you may know better as Harpoon. This was a great fit, as the two have always been fiercely independent small breweries.  

Back, though, to Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet Black IPA-and more beer history. I love a good “Black IPA”, though I prefer the proper name of India Dark Ale. How can you have a Black India Pale Ale? It simply cannot be black and pale at the same time. Like Clown Shoes, the style originated in New England (don’t get me started on that Cascadian Dark crap). The first known example was Blackwatch IPA, brewed at the Vermont Pub and Brewery in the early 90s. I never tried that groundbreaking beer, but I did enjoy New Amsterdam IDA (India Dark Ale) a few years later. I have loved the style ever since.

Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet Black IPA is not produced on a regular basis; if it were, I probably would have had it before. What I *have* had is the double version, Hoppy Feet 1.5, which is magnificent.

Clown Shoes says this about Hoppy Feet Black IPA:

Ten whole years of Clown Shoes Beer. Before the Unidragons, the Bubble Farms, the Baked Good spaceship armada and Undead Party Crashers, there was nothing but a couple of Hoppy Feet.

Hoppy Feet was Clown Shoes’ first ever release, a Black IPA that made little sense as the launching point for a brand, but satisfied a thirst and set us on a path that ten years later we are forever grateful for. The style may not be in vogue like it once was, but the flavors are still as refreshing and delicious as ever.

Black malts deliver deep, rich roasted dark malt flavor, while Simcoe, Columbus, and Amarillo hops contribute a perfectly balancing dose of piney hop notes in this limited release in celebration of our 10th Anniversary.

Ingredients: Black and Crystal malt, Columbus, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops.

Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet Black IPA has an alcohol content of 7% by volume and I paid $30.99 for the 12-pack at Total Wine. I later saw it at Sherlocks for six bucks less. My can is stamped Best by 1/31/22.

Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet Black IPA pours to a jet-black color with a thick creamy tan head of foam and a roasty, piney hop nose. Taking a sip, the beer is full in body, dark roasty with notes of chocolate pudding with the skins (like your mom used to make) and resiny, piney hop notes mixed in. I just love the way the piney hops and dark malts work together in this style, and in this beer in particular. For me, this is the best beer in the pack so far, and I would love to see it in six-packs. Take note of that, Clown Shoes.

I rate the beers of the sampler so far:

Hoppy Feet Black IPA

Eagle Claw Fist IPA

Chocolate Sombrero Mexican Style Chocolate Stout

Advent Party Crasher Imperial Stout

One Man Holiday Belgian Style Quadruple

Bubble Farm IPA

Clown Shoes Pecan Pie Porter

Royal Standard Wee Heavy

Space Cake Double IPA

Double Dry Hopped YeeeHaaw New England Style IPA

Reindeer Games Bavarian Style India Pale Ale

 

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled, Canned

(D)=Draft

 

Try?

Rating

Home

     

Re-buy?