We have begun bottling Good Humans in preparation for its re-release as our Winter Seasonal. Whereas we release single batches of many specialty releases each season, we have four seasonal beers that are brewed continually throughout their respective seasons, making them temporarily as widely available as our other flagships. These Short’s Brew seasonal beers are: ControversiALE (Spring), Nicie Spicie (Summer), Autumn Ale (Fall), and Good Humans (Winter).
Good Humans is a dry hopped double brown ale made with Briess Malting Company’s Carabrown Malt. Short’s was approached by Briess in 2009 to brew a beer that would showcase this new malt variety. Short’s was one of only two breweries given an opportunity to brew with Carabrown malt before it became available for commercial sale. The other was Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora, Colorado. Samples of Good Humans were used to showcase this new malt variety to other breweries.
As a dry hopped double brown ale, Good Humans is unique in part due to the ample dry hopping that takes place after fermentation, giving the beer a floral fragrant hoppy aroma uncommon to most big sweet malty beers. As you take your first sip, sweet malty aromas harmonize with toasted caramel and toffee flavors. The caramel sweetness is mingled with the slightly fruit-like flavors and aromas of hops. The finish is dry and satisfying, making this a beer that pairs well with food. Crackers and cheese, especially topped with a sweet or spicy jam, really bring out the flavors in Good Humans.
So, why do we call it Good Humans? Having achieved enough success to open a production brewery in 2009, Joe wanted to dedicate a beer to all of the “good” influential people who helped him along the way. Joe was inspired to select the name Good Humans when he heard musician Seth Bernard sing the lyrics: “We’re humans – and we’re the best thing ever.” When Joe described the concept to Seth, Seth hand-drew the label art on a napkin at our Pub. Joe later scanned the image into the computer and worked with Seth and Brad Kik to finalize the finished piece.
Good Humans has quickly become one of our most popular beers. When it was initially released as Winter Seasonal in 2010, it outsold of all our other flagships except for Huma Lupa Licious. We hope that you will enjoy drinking Good Humans this winter!
–Jon Wojtowicz, Short’s Beer Liberator
