Rodeo Clown - Karbach Brewing

“It’s a job!” says the side of the can. And a tough one, I’d imagine. I’ve spent many an hour at rodeos and stock shows and have always marveled at the rodeo clown. And this beer from Karbach brewing is a perfect personification. Filled with a diverse array of malt and hops, this beer was created for its namesake: the toughest and the grittiest.

With a heavy malt bill - 2-row, medium and dark crystal, Munich, and Biscuit to counterbalance the even more diverse hop bill - German Magnum, Amarillo, Citra, Cascade, East Kent Goldings, Hallertau-Mittelfreuh, and Saphir (Karbachbrewing.com), this beer is super complex and ideal for some intense sipping. 

It pours a beautiful amber color, forms a nice foamy head, and immediately the aroma hits me. Cascade is certainly prevalent and I had to go sniffing through my hop reserves to pinpoint the other two prominent hops: Amarillo and Citra.

The first sip is a wave of complexity. At first it was fruity and sweet as the dense aromatics landed on my palate. Then came the more bitter hop flavors of pine and citrus. After the bitterness passed, I got a nice stout or ale-like finish, probably attributed to the European hops and biscuit and Munich malt. It is really a great finish that cleanses away the bitter hop flavor that made bringing it back with each sip a real treat. Rodeo Clown is certainly not a palate numbing, overly bitter Double IPA, but something of a rollercoaster ride that maintains intensity throughout the glass.

Karbach Brewing suggests pairing this beer with grilled meats, wild game, stilton cheese, caramel and toffee, and a favorite dessert we chose to pair it with: carrot cake. The spice in the cake and the cream cheese frosting pair so well with the dense and bitter flavor of Rodeo Clown. Trust us, try it!

Karbach has their own restaurant and biergarten, so pop in and give them a visit sometime. They’re a great company with some great brews.

Cheers!

Mr. Brew