“Stack up enough work frustration, and even the Grim Reaper needs a peaceful retreat. Or even to quit his job and go on a craft beer journey! Grim’s Zen Garden is a much-needed escape from the grind. It’s time he overcame his existential crisis and achieved a long-sought state of Zen! We suggest that you seek your own inner peace in with this Double Dry Hopped New England India Pale Ale, flush with full-bodied, hazy flavor from a wheat and oat in the malt bill and a steady stream of hop additions.”

Glassware: IPA

Appearance: Golden amber with medium haze. It forms a thumb of finely beaded foam which maintains its shape and works a healthy lace down the glass.

Aroma: Not quite the juice bomb we were anticipating but still jam packed with soft fleshy stonefruits and orange citrus. Fairly piney/resinous, sappy and tropical with a hint of grapefruit and or rind. Picking up some candied notes which seem to work in to the sweet malt profile. Not your conventional American NEIPA but it’s nice and well rounded.

Flavour: Good transition from the nose. Catching all the stonefruit and orange citrus overtones with the more subtle pine resin, grapefruit and unripened tropical fruit in the background. A bit of pithy rind through the mid leading to a sweet-ish finish full of acetic orange citrus, semi sweet malt and pine resin.

Mouthfeel: Super smooth, creamy, finely carbonated, medium body. Hardly any bitterness and the 6.7% ABV is unbelievably well hidden.

Overall: So good to see Clown Shoes back on Aussie shelves. Smart move shifting in to 500ml cans too. As for the beer itself it’s not an amazing NEIPA but it definitely holds its own. Not bad.