A company owned and operated by people who care in Northern Michigan. Life is Short’s, drink it while you’re here.

We are re-releasing Aorta Ale, one of our Imperial Series beers, for the first time since its original release in 2007. Aorta Ale is a double red ale that suggests an intensity of flavor simply by its brilliant deep red appearance. Though Aorta Ale contains only traditional brewing ingredients, subtle aromas of candy, brown sugar, and toasted malt are present. Sweet flavors reminiscent of raisins or figs are noticeable upfront, but give way to a roasted, cocoa like bitterness that becomes magnified by high alpha hops. In contrast to the initial sweetness, it’s a heightened bitterness that dominates the finish of this full bodied beauty. ABV 8.6%.

Joe decided to name this beer “Aorta Ale” after learning about his friend Mark Mueller’s need to undergo a life threatening Aortic valve surgery on June, 13, 2006. Mark, also referred to as “Coach Mueller,” fully recovered from his surgery and today leads and inspires our Short’s mountain bike team in endurance events such as the Iceman Cometh Challenge. You would never know that Mark ever underwent such serious heart surgery, as he continues to be one of the fastest guys around.

The 2007 version of Aorta Ale was sold at our Pub in 750 ml bottles and came with a hang tag providing specifics about the beer and including a personal narrative from Joe Short, which read as follows:

This beer has a most interesting story. Aside it being a delicious ruby red masterpiece of luscious caramel and toasted malts balanced with tons of classic American cascade hops, I dedicate this Imperial ale to an imperial dude. Mark Mueller is a good personal friend and big supporter of Short’s Brewing Company. He is probably one of the healthiest, most athletic young people I know. On June 13th 2006 Mark went under the knife for a resection of his ascending aortic arch to the root, caused by an aortic aneurysm he had some years earlier on. It was assumed to be from congenital reasons. I thought heart surgery was a strange operation for a young guy who was so healthy and active, but hey, guess you can’t pick your genes right? The procedure was nothing less than significant and quite terrifying if you think about it. I felt this beer should be a reminder to all humans who occupy the earth. It represents the beauty and awesome power of the human body and mind, and their abilities. Aorta Ale is also a symbol of life and goodness. It’s a beverage for the people around us who enhance our lives and add value to it. Mark Mueller is a person who enhances the value in my life and brings a positive goodness to it.

Like all the Imperial beers, the artwork for Aorta Ale was designed by one of four artists contracted to help create the labels for this series. For this particular beer, Fritz Hortsman’s artwork graces the label.

Only 625 cases of Aorta Ale have been released statewide, so it is extremely limited. We hope that you are able to find and enjoy this beautiful red beer. Cheers!
- Jon Wojtowicz, Short’s Beer Liberator

One of our most popular 2011 experimental concept brews, Raisin Apollo, is hitting store shelves around Michigan. It is a double IPA fermented with golden raisins, which we describe as follows:

Enticing hop aromas of pine and freshly cut grass boldly emit from this marmalade colored brew. Subtle sweet flavors are accentuated and complimented by the raisins, leading into a hoppy mandarin orange citrus blast. The finish is dominated by high alpha hops, so the mouth dries slightly and bitterness begins to resonate profoundly. 9% ABV.

The idea for Raisin Apollo was conceived by Curt Guntzviller, the lead production brewer at our Elk Rapids facility. While researching hop varieties, Curt discovered a relatively new, high alpha strain called Apollo. Curt had wanted to brew with raisins for awhile, and figured their sweetness would help balance the increased bitterness of this super hopped brew. After pitching his idea to our brew team, Curt was given the green light to brew Raisin Apollo at our Pub last winter.

Raisin Apollo has a boil time of 90 minutes, which is relatively long. During the boil, Curt added hops 6 times in order to extract the pleasant citrus characters and intense bitterness of the Apollo hops. The first batch of Raisin Apollo brewed in Bellaire had roughly 5oz of golden raisins per gallon of beer.

The first batch of Raisin Apollo was served exclusively at our pub and at a handful of beer festivals. The response was so positive that we decided to put it on the 2012 bottling schedule. On January 9, 2012, just over a year after Curt brewed the inaugural batch of Raisin Apollo, we brewed three batches of it in Elk Rapids to be bottled and distributed throughout the state.

We hope that you enjoy this new beer! As quantities will be very limited, we apologize to anyone who would like to try it but is unable to find it.
- Jon Wojtowicz, Short’s Beer Liberator

Short’s seeks an enthusiastic candidate with production brewing or significant homebrew experience to work in the cellar of our Elk Rapids Production Brewery. Cellar team members are the link between the brewhouse and the packaging lines. As such, cellar team members must have a strong grasp of the brewing and packaging processes in order to fulfill their duties. In addition, a candidate must also be able to demonstrate strong mechanical background with the ability to troubleshoot and resolve mechanical problems. Cellar team members are responsible for maintaining a clean and sterile cellar, including tanks and product lines, for transferring, conditioning and packaging beer, as well as ensuring that beer is ready to be packaged on schedule. Cellar team members must also learn to operate Short’s pasteurizer machine.
Cellar team members should be able to meet the physical requirements of: lifting 75 pounds to chest height; standing for up to 12 hours per day; being able to climb ladders and stairs; comfortable with confined spaces; no chemical sensitivities; and the ability to work in hot, cold, and wet environments. The Cellar Team member will also be expected to have the communication (oral and written) and math skills necessary to complete job related calculations and notes. Interested candidates should have a flexible schedule that would allow for eventual early morning or late afternoon shifts.
This hourly position pays between $9 and $12 per hour to start (plus benefits), depending on experience level. Interested candidates should forward their resume and cover letter to Short’s Human Resources at the following email address: employment [at] shortsbrewing.com.

The first two specialty releases of 2012 have made it to store shelves around Michigan: Good Samaritan and Woodmaster. These two very unique beers will be pleasant surprises for the weary winter beer shopper. Each showcases local northern Michigan ingredients: one in a crisp and refreshing way, the other in rich, sustaining way.

Good Samaritan

Good Samaritan is a Belgian Amber Ale brewed with local apple cider and a specialty Belgian yeast strain. Sweet apple aromas and spicy esters of clove, nutmeg, and allspice entice the nose.
A pleasant crimson amber tone and slight haze give this beer an appearance similar to the cider it was made with, while malty hints of raisin and molasses balance the complex spiciness found throughout the profile. The finish is surprisingly clean.

The original batch of “Cider Ale” (the initial name listed in our 2006 brew log) was conceived thanks to a request for a charitable donation for the Bellaire Public Schools. Although, at the time, Short’s barely had enough money to stay in business, Joe wanted to honor the school’s request. He decided to brew a batch of a new beer specifically for the school district, which he personally hand bottled and sold, donating all proceeds.

The Good Samaritan label shows a man in a carriage pulling a Short’s Brewing Company beer cart. The cart has come to a stop, allowing school children to cross the road. The name Good Samaritan derives from our continued interest, as a company, in charitable giving and inspiring others to support their local communities.

Woodmaster

The Woodmaster is another Short’s beer rich in history and meaning. It is a high gravity American brown ale fermented with Northern Michigan maple syrup and toasted pecans. This dark brown, full bodied ale is rich with sweet malt and syrup flavors which are complimented by the presence of hop aromas and a faint nuttiness. The palate delights with toasted qualities of caramelized malt and an earthy pecan laced finish.

The first batch of Woodmaster was brewed in Bellaire on March 20, 2007. It was the 289th batch of beer brewed at Shorts, and was part of the Imperial Beer Series (#7 of 13 to be exact). Joe added 6 gallons of late season maple syrup to the brew (as shown in the photo), as well as 30lbs of toasted pecans. Today’s production batches in Elk Rapids use 24 gallons of maple syrup and 120lbs of pecans. That’s approximately 3.5oz of maple syrup and 2oz of pecans for every gallon of beer!

The Imperial Woodmaster was hand bottled in May of 2007 and had an estimated ABV of 9.5%. Today’s 12oz bottles are slightly lower, coming in right around 8.0%. As with other Imperial Beers, each 750ml bottle came with a hand numbered and signed hang tag with a narrative about the beer and brewing process. The hang tag for Woodmaster was unique in that it only described why Joe dedicated this beer to his friend Bill Sohn. It read:

This is a beer I dedicate to one of the most respectable, integral humans I will ever know. Bill Sohn, known as the Woodmaster around Short’s Brewing Company, is responsible for making it possible for me to craft this fine ale. Without the support of Bill and Pat Sohn, this beer and Short’s Brewing Company would not exist. It was the fall of 2002. Inside the wood shop located on Pontius road, Bill and I shared a bottle of an Imperial Stout I had made. While enjoying that beer, I exclaimed my frustrations with my current brewing job and how I wanted to leave and build my own brewery. It was there in that wood shop that Bill offered to support my idea and help develop it into a business. To this day, Bill provides support and guidance to me and Short’s Brewing Company. When I first met Bill, he drank mass-produced American light lager beer. After exposing him to several of my home brews, Bill soon began to fancy the glorious malt complexity of the beer we know now as the Bellaire Brown. Over the course of my home brewing and soon into my professional brewing career, Bill and I grew together as we both enjoyed beer, wood working, and the excitement of building a brewery. Every step of the way, Bill nurtured and guided my spirit with his love, dedication and wisdom to see my dream come to fruition. Bill still actively participates in our events and continues to fill our everlasting wood shop orders. Along with our tap handles, nearly every piece of wood in our facility has been processed by the Woodmaster himself. The label on this bottle is a painting produced from an actual picture of Bill tapping a maple tree in his yard on Pontius road when he was about the same age as I am now (28). There are several elements connecting this beer, to the man, the label and the company. I used maple syrup and pecans as extra ingredients to the formula of the double brown ale. It was appropriate because they both come from trees, and brown was the “conversion” beer for Bill. The label is important because it connects the craftsman approach to the product, the maple syrup, and the integrity of the man. It also articulates the use of working with wood and raw materials, much like the raw material we used to build the pub with. It is with sincere gratitude and love I dedicate this fine ale as the crown jewel of the entire Imperial Beer Series of 2007 to Bill Sohn.

We sincerely hope that you enjoy these first specialty beer releases of the new year. May the Short’s be with you!

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Jon Wojtowicz, Short’s Beer Liberator