Jul 6, 2015

Clown Shoes Brewing Space Cake

Clown Shoes Brewing always presents their products with wacky, outlandish label artwork and their Space Cake is certainly no exception. I have no idea who “Miracle Mike” is, but that’s a lot of flying cupcakes hot on his trail. Which leads to a concern I originally had coming into this brew — was the artwork and name an indication that I was getting into something desert-like and sweet?

Thankfully, the answer was a resounding “NO.” Space Cake is a big (9% ABV) West Cost style double IPA that packs all sorts of hoppy character and none of the cloying sweetness associated with cupcakes and icing. Needless to say this beer didn’t last too long in the glass once poured.

Appearance

Space Cake pours a pale golde in color with a frothy cap of tawny foam that fell to a full crown around the surface.

Clown Shoes Brewing Space Cake photo

Aroma

Pine, grapefruit, a hint of orange and a soft malty sweetness — smells like a big hoppy DIPA.

Taste

Loads of pine and grass lead the way for grapefruit and a twinge of orange. There’s a solid amount of hop bitterness that grabs the tongue briskly before fading slowly to a long lasting and lightly drying finish. The higher alcohol content leaves a welcome glow in the chest.

Overall

Space Cake is a decent take on a West Coast double IPA. It’s not the most dynamic, but it certainly packs a biting, leafy hop presence — I can dig it. I think this was the first big IPA of the year (I drank this bottle back in early May) and it hit the spot nicely. It definitely didn’t last long.

Rating: 3.75/5

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