Did you hear the news about Clown Shoes Brewing? They were bought out by Mass Bay Brewing, more commonly known as Harpoon, at the end of 2017. Some people say that when a brewery is purchased by a bigger brewery they become just a brand, but truth be told, that’s what Clown Shoes always was. They never had a brewery proper, contracting out instead to Ipswich Brewing aka Mercury Brewing.

And that’s OK. Clown Shoes beers have always been exceptional and have a devoted following. Their quality will remain high under Harpoon, I’m sure, no slouches themselves in the beer world. In that vein, I’m enjoying a Clown Shoes Who’s On First? Summer Ale with Passion Fruit and Pineapple Puree. The beer is named after the famous comedy sketch by Abbot and Costello.

Taco Mac announced the beer as a special release back in July of this year, but I didn’t see it at my local Canton store until the end of August. I ordered up a mug while watching the Patriots play on a fine Sunday afternoon, September 30^th. I paid $7.50 for a 23-ounce mug, and Total Wine sells the beer for $3.79 for a pint can. Both seem high for a beer of 4.8% alcohol by volume. NB: I’m not saying I want more alcohol in the beer, I’m saying I want it less expensive in price.

My mug of Clown Shoes Passion Fruit Ale arrived a hazy yellow orange color with a medium sized cap of creamy foam and very robust passion fruit in the palate and the nose. As I sipped, I found more in the latter than any beer I’ve had before. It’s really like biting into a fresh piece of the fruit and the chewing a hop cone with the aggressive bitterness. The pineapple is less apparent but it’s there in the fruity body.

Clown Shoes is a New England brewery, and that made this a natural to enjoy while watching the Pats play. I really enjoyed it, and that means I probably would buy it again, despite the high price. A half star off for the latter all the same.



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