The Untappd nerd in me is all about unique check-ins, but Josh The Guava King from Clown Shoes is a beer I could happily drink every day. From its juicy start to its big hop finish, the myriad of aromas and flavors of this beer will likely make it a favorite of yours too.
First, let me admit I’m not a huge fan of the orange IPAs that have become increasingly popular as of late. To me, the additional, and often overpowering, orange flavors are generally a detraction from the hops. With the guava, I think Clown Shoes have struck the perfect balance with the fruit’s floral aroma and flavor combination of pear sweetness and delicate grapefruit bitterness.
Pouring reveals a slightly cloudy orange beer with a pillowy snow-white head. It also releases a massively floral and tropical aroma. A deeper sniff delights with pine undertones and a noticeable bready and sweet malt backbone.
After the initial tingle on the tip of the tongue, the primary flavor profile is dominated by a refreshing juiciness from this medium-bodied beer. The front of the tongue picks up lemon, orange, and a slight pear and sugary sweetness. The subtle guava contribution coats the middle and sides of the tongue in a tropical fruit-juice sweetness. The late flavors and finish of the beer leave no doubt it’s an IPA, though the clean and refreshing nature of it may make you forget you’re drinking an 8% DIPA. The beer finishes with big pine flavors that linger long into the aftertaste where they also intermingle with grassy and slightly earthy notes. In contrast to many of the other fruit-flavored IPAs, the subtleness of the guava acts to compliment this double IPA by providing a seemingly natural segue between the citrus and sweetness on the front of the tongue and the bitter, big hop finish.
Clown Shoes lists Josh The Guava King as a “special release” that is currently in production. It is being packaged in 4 packs of 16 oz cans perfect for enjoying the fleeting days of summer outside. I’m definitely going to stock up on this before it’s gone, and I suggest you do the same. Drinking this delicious beer leaves me with no regret that it’s not getting me a unique check-in.
Cheers,
Alex
Outdoor Friendliness (big fan of 16 oz cans for outside enjoyment)…8/10
Aroma (a tropical vacation for the nose)…9/10
Flavor (near perfection with big flavors yet overall clean and refreshing)…9.5/10
Style-Appropriateness (one of the best fruit-flavored DIPAs I have had)…10/10
P.S. Let’s be Untappd friends. Find me as A_Bobs, and give me some ideas for future beer reviews.
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