Noble Chaos is classified as an “Oktoberfest” or American Style Amber Lager. In the spirit of Oktoberfest, the German Style Marzen is brewed in March (Marzen) and then lagered (cold aged) in caves until released at the end of the summer for “Oktoberfest”. This year’s batch at the plant was brewed with that in mind. We made this beer back in March and had it shipped to a cold storage facility until it was released just recently. The intention was for the release to occur in early September, but we lost our spot in the cooler a month early. The pub in Bellaire will stick to plan, and officially release the Noble Chaos on September 9th. Basically, Short’s made our own version of the a German Style Marzen or “Oktoberfest” and here is the rest of the story………
The Story of Noble Chaos:
The original name of this beer started as Northern Michigan Pride. It was batch number 115, brewed 8.4.05, back in the day when Leah and I had a secret summer love affair. It was a spur of the moment recipe. I decided to do something completely different from the norm. A specialty lager. And so it began, a bag of this a bag of that and the brew was on. Or so I thought. Back in the olden days of SBC, system failures were a daily occurrence.
This particular day was exceptional.Bridezilla: The Pub was raging busy and probably understaffed and the first issue was an irate lady getting married who supposedly ordered kegs for her wedding that day. The keg order fell through the cracks somewhere and was never seen or processed in the brewery. So here we have a lady about to get married, completely pissed off and threatening to go to north Peak or something to get her wedding beer. After apologizing over and over and assuring her we could produce these kegs faster than going to North peak, and even deliver them if necessary to ensure her special day was in fact going to be that “special day”.
So while managing this first specialty lager brew and my composure, I had pulled apart 3 – 1/6th barrels, cleaned them and filled them the “old school way” and fortunately did not have to deliver them. Crisis Averted.Bellaire Brown Lady: So then there came this lady to fill up her growler of Bellaire Brown. We were out of brown. No other beer would suffice and she had traveled some distance for this beer and was not going to leave without it. So keeping it cool with pissed off person no. 2……… Eureka!! The Bellaire Bar was serving Bellaire Brown at the time. After some pleading with the bar, I managed to talk them into selling me a growler of brown. I paid for the growler and ran back to the pub in my knee highs in time to appease the lady and get back to the brew. Maintain composure, invest in the consumer, crisis averted…Forgotten Keg order no. 2: Oh, yeah, not once but twice, keg order protocol failure….. Not only was I out of kegs but out of tappers. So again, my dedication to invest in the consumer, sell the beer and make beer was still a viable option.
The MacGyver in me was able to materialize 3 Cornie kegs, and fabricate dispensing rigs from a handful of “parts bins” for each vessel for these ladies. Again, crisis averted. (probably why I’m still a pack rat)These were the most memorable obstacles that stick out in while trying to make this new beer I started the day so inspired to make. After much neglect from the brewers hand this brew still turned out to be awesome. The intense dealings with people, and broken systems of that day I had considered a noble effort along with the chaos coupled with it…… hence – Noble Chaos was born. Supposedly that’s the day Leah claims I stole her heart. So it’s even extra special. Leah can probably add a bit more to the story’s intensity. This is what I have for you for now.
Cheers!
Joe Short
Please check out the following link to see where Noble Chaos can be purchased in stores throughout the state..
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