Clown Shoes Beer - Mangö

Mangö starts as a traditional Kölsch (an ale style from Cologne, Germany that’s conditioned in cold temperatures, like a lager), which is then dry-hopped and infused with all-natural mango flavor. On the pour, we get a radiant crystal clear golden color topped by a fluffy head of pale foam. Mango aromas jump out right away, offering a tropical facet to go along with the distinctive honeydew, berry, and stone fruit notes offered by the expressive and unique Huell (Hüll) Melon hops. On the palate, look for a clean but sturdy core of pale and lightly caramelized malts. The mango addition works surprisingly well in this German beer style, delivering an intriguing dimension without going over the top. Dry-hopping with Huell Melon provides a ton of complementary fruity notes, and hop bitterness comes through mild to moderate, bolstered by plenty of effervescent carbonation that adds some bite while ensuring a crisp overall feel. For pairing options, Hawaiian pizza or tacos with chicken, fish, or shrimp with mango salsa should work nicely. Cheers!

The Clown Shoes story starts back in 2009 when founder Gregg Berman began his foray into pro brewing with a single beer project: a small batch of a Black IPA he called Hoppy Feet, which he produced with Ipswich Brewing Company. Hoppy Feet proved popular wherever it was sold around the Boston area, so Berman teamed up with Dan Lipke, who would become Head Brewer, to further grow the operation by crafting a variety of additional beers. They produced just 700 barrels in that first year, but production more than doubled by year two. In 2011, they were able to produce enough to begin expanding distribution beyond Massachusetts as they began making a name for themselves across the country.

In 2017, Clown Shoes joined forces with the venerable Harpoon and UFO brands as part of the employee-owned Mass. Bay Brewing Company. Their devotion to adventurous takes on traditional styles remains intact to this day, and they also remain well-known for their tongue-in-cheek beer names, their incredible label art produced by artist Michael Axt, and their focus on producing an ongoing array of new, limited production, special release beers. While names like Space Cake, Undead Party Crasher, Bubble Farm, Crunkle Sam and, well, Clown Shoes, may be amusing, make no mistake – the beers are the real deal. For more info, visit them at clownshoesbeer.com.