Clown Shoes Beer - Space Cupcake

Clown Shoes’ Space Cake Double IPA is among the brewery’s most popular beers and has led to a line of various versions like Haze Cake, Pineapple Space Cake, Lemon Drop Space Cake, and others, but Space Cupcake is a more diminutive addition – a standard IPA brewed in the same vein as its bigger brothers. Pouring a bright golden-copper with plenty of foam that drops sheets of lace, Space Cupcake looks good as it invites us in with a big aroma. Look for juicy citrus notes evoking orange, mandarin, and hints of pink grapefruit and lime, bolstered by ripe tropical impressions and touches of stone fruits. On the palate, this brew comes across quite satisfying with a nice malt backbone of mild caramel and hints of honey. The hops are both complex and exuberant, with zesty and juicy citrus character, mango-like tropical notes, and hints of pine, spice, and earth. Hop bitterness came across for us a bit firmer than its 31 IBUs, as it easily overcomes any residual sweetness and keeps this brew dry into the lingering finish. Classic IPA pairings should work well here, including spicy Southeast Asian fare and Mexican dishes, especially with a fruity salsa, along with spicy pizzas or Buffalo wings. 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.