Clown shoes ‘Bombay berserker’ Indian chocolate stout

Rating:

imageAs usual, really eye-catching artwork on the label. Furthermore the label also states that this beer is a ‘relative of the Mexican Sombrero’ with the main difference being the old switcheroo between Mexican and Indian spices.

Served into a tulip glass the appearance displayed an opaque black with a tight 1 cm tan head that collapsed to a thin film and eventually to a ring around the inner edge of the glass. Standard lacing. The aroma we have here is one of the best we’ve encountered for a while. Along with the big roasted malts, chocolate, licorice and coffee aroma comes a unique chipotle-style spice which combined with others such as cinnamon, ginger and star anise adds an amazing finish on an already brilliant aroma. Mildly carbonated with a silky smooth mouth feel. The palate is a mellow, yet gorgeous combination of chipotle, cinnamon, roasted malts and chocolate. There is a slight, sugary sweetness and the 10% ABV is astonishingly well hidden, not a single sign of sharp or warming astringency. If this were a little more 3 dimensional this stout would be an easy 10/10. Though, at the moment we found the spice (yet delicious) was a touch overpowering. Really, really unfortunate because this stout could have been a top 10er. Take nothing away from it, this stout is top notch and would pair really well with any Indian dish.