IPAs have long been my favorite style of beer. There is something about the bitterness, the variety of flavors, and the huge amount of interpretations by craft breweries. It seems as though every brewery has their IPA, and Clown Shoes is no different. Being an Imperial IPA, the Supa Hero should be a little more hoppy and stronger than a standard IPA, but I’m not expecting a total hop bomb.

Out of the 22 ounce bottle the Supa Hera has a slightly hazy, dark copper color with a white head that leaves some impressive lacing. Lots of citrus aromas with plenty of grapefruit are here with elements of pine and a hint of sweet caramel malt. It’s certainly an inviting aroma, but not much sets it apart from the crowd.

You are greeted by good hop flavors on your first sip, the pine and citrus from the aroma certainly carry over. The citrusy hops are followed up by some malty sweetness. The Supa Hero has plenty of bitterness, but it stands out and doesn’t integrate with the other flavors. The malt backbone really elevates this beer and acts as a good platform for the hop elements. The finish is bitter, but not overly so while the medium-bodied mouth feel and carbonation work well with the flavors.

The Supa Hero is a good IPA, for me it bridges the gap between a standard IPA and a hop bomb IPA. It has plenty of good hop flavors, with nice bitterness to remind you that you are, in fact, drinking an IPA. Even with the high bitterness the Supa Hera is easy drinking for an Imperial IPA. I do wish that the bitterness was better integrated with the other flavors, and that the flavors popped a bit more. Overall, a good quality IPA from Clown Shoes.

Rating

85
out of 100