Aorta Ale from the Heart, Bro.

One of our final Christmas presents to you, Short’s-i-verse, is the immortal Aorta Ale. Originally a part of our 2007 Imperial Beer Series (beer 2 of 13), Aorta Ale is dedicated to our friend Mark Mueller. Just in time for decking the halls and trimming the tree, we give you this heartfelt Ale to share with friends and family.

Aorta Ale (9.6% ABV – 82 IBU) is a Double Red Ale with bold flavors of Cascade hops and sweet malt, and a dark reddish-brown color. Subtle aromas of candy, brown sugar, and toasted malt are released from the depths of this full-bodied beast. Raisins, figs, and burnt caramel are among the sweeter and more forward flavors found in Aorta Ale. This brew finishes with a roasted cocoa like bitterness which is magnified by the high alpha hops.

Below is the text from the original hang tag written by Joe Short nearly ten years ago.

“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. From the heart, bro.”

So there you have it, one last Ale brewed from our hearts, just for you. Find Aorta Ale in very limited quantities on store shelves in Michigan this week. Be sure to share this one with those you hold close to your heart.

P.S. Because we’re brewers and not surgeons, we wanted to get a visual on an actual heart. Sure sure, a model might have done the trick, but instead we got our hands on an actual cow heart. Aside from size and volume pumped per day, human hearts and cow hearts are apparently very similar. You might say a cow heart is just a little “beefier” than its human counterpart.