==Introduction==

Obtained this one at the local Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights California. This beer has been kind of elusive and whether or not I wanted to try it was definitely not a priority. I think at the time it was how I felt. I said, well, new Clown Shoes beer, Clown Shoes makes awesome beers… let’s go! So here we are. Another review on an Imperial Red IPA. I have not tried one specifically by that name although may Reds when they are hopped to high hell do tend to be more of Red IPAs than the basic Ambers and Reds that used to be a great balance of malts and hops. Either way, I have tried an Amber ale previously that was more like an IPA so I am sure this is what they were going for. Let’s have a look.

Aromas:
Tropical fruit like passion fruit, dragon fruit, prickly pears, papaya, mango, pineapple, coriander spice Toffee, Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, grassy and earthy hops, rich caramel, toffee, biscuit bread, coriander spice, dark fruit cherries, raisins, chocolate, hazelnut hunts, tangerine preserves on toasted bread, sweetened condensed milk, maple hints, coconut hints and rye bread.

Flavors:
Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, grassy and earthy hops, rich caramel, toffee, biscuit bread, marsmallow, chocolate smores, rich rye bread, tropical fruit like passion fruit, dragon fruit, prickly pears, papaya, mango, pineapple, coriander spice, dark fruit cherries, raisins, chocolate, hazelnut hunts, rum soaked bread, tangerine preserves on toasted bread, sweetened condensed milk, maple hints, coconut and coffee hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with some sweet tropical fruit goodness, malty notes, toffee, caramel, earthy, grapefruit and grassy hops. No alcohol in the taste, murky dark crimson brown full body, crisp, refreshing and velvety mouthfeel along with a moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A damn delicious Red IPA. It has a lot of the malty rich notes that I enjoy from Reds but also complementing the notes of the malts with the super tropical hops. I gotta admit, I wasn’t sure if the hops would overpower the malts but with the complex hops that gave the tropical and fruity notes, it made for one balanced beer. Clown Shoes shows up once again letting us know why they are awesome! Definitely give this a try if you are a red ale and/or IPA fan.

Anime Corner:
Washu Hakubi from Tenchi Muyo was used in this pairing as I have used her when doing beers about crabs and lobsters and other crustaceans. The joke in the anime is that Washu’s red hair is setup in a fashion where it looks like a crab. So I figured easy pairing right? She is red like the crawfish and the ale but also the background when she looks at the note is like the crawfish that looks at the wanted poster.