The Liberator and Freedom of 78′: Pure Guava IPA

Two new bottles from Short's. Read about them at the ShortsBrewing.com: Short’s Liberator and Freedom of 78: Pure Guava IPA in bottles!

Short's Is Getting Bigger

Via Kalamabrew: Short's Brewing Company begins $1.4 million expansion

The expansion to Elk Rapids facility will help push its potential production capacity to 22,000 barrels

Short's currently produces 8,000 barrels per year.

New Short's Six Packs Coming

Bloody Beer and Black Cherry Porter will be in stores soon!

Via ShortsBrewing.com

Short's Is Releasing Noble Chaos A Bit Early

It seems fitting with the October-like weather we're having.

Via Shorts: Noble Chaos Hits Shelves Across the State

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.

Short's Has A New IPA Coming To Stores

From Short's: Hangin Frank 6-Packs Coming Soon!

Pilsner, Wheat, And Rye

KalamaBrew reports Shorts will have three new bottles available this summer.

See: Expect three more beers from Short's Brewing Co. to debut in bottles in June and July

Shorts Will Release 20 Or More Bottled Varieties

That Shorts is so hot right now.

Kalamabrew reports that there should soon be five new bottles from Short's on store shelves with up to 20(!!!!) more later this year. See: New bottle release dates from Short's Brewing Co. include S'More Stout, an Oktoberfest style lager and even a World Beer Cup medal winner

Short's Is Expanding Their Line Just In Time For Christmas

Now this would make a great stocking stuffer!

Via MLive: Short's Brewing Company to release eight beers in bottles starting Thursday

Cup A Joe – Coffee Cream Stout.
Kind Ale – Fresh Wet Hop Beer.
Mystery Stout – Molasses and Cocoa.
Uncle Steve's – High-alcohol Irish stout.
Liberator – Double IPA with Huma-Lupa-Licious (IPA) base and twists of Nicie Spicie (spiced wheat ale), Hangin' Frank (strong ale) and Stellar (hoppy twin brother of Frank).
Uber Goober — Peanut Oatmeal Stout.
PB & J – Blend of Uber Goober and Soft Parade (fruit rye ale).
Good Humans — Double brown using exclusing [sic] malts.

Innovation

I read at the Accidental Hedonist a post by Kate about what makes Belgium beer so unique. See: Belgium and Beer
And I think she nailed it when she wrote

As I look at the beers of Belgium, I realize that one reason their beers stand out is their willingness to add anything to the brew to see what the end result will be. While Germany has their brewing traditions steeped in the Reinheitsgebot, a regulation that restricts what ingredients can go into a beer, the Belgians have no such law holding them back. Fruits, herbs, and spices can and do make their way into various mash tuns throughout the country. The Beer Judging Certification Program recognizes fifteen different beer styles that can be considered Belgian. That's quite an accomplishment for a country that's smaller than the state of Maryland.

Then there are the Belgian beers that are takes on other regional types. There are breweries in Belgium that make their own stouts, pilsners, and India Pale Ales. So not only are there the traditional Belgian Beers, there are also brands that reflect the other cultures.

To frustrate other international brewers even more, not only do the Belgians make all of these beers, they tend to make them very well.

What struck me is how what is said of these Belgium brews could just as well apply to Michigan brewers. Especially northern Michigan's own Right Brain Brewery and Short's Brewing Company.

The willingness of the breweries to experiment is what has led to their success. They were the most popular tents at the TC Microbrew and Music festival and as Rick Coates recently wrote in the Northern Express

Both Short’s and Right Brain are among the most innovative breweries in the state. Both breweries have built their success not only on quality but by stretching the envelope when it comes to expanding and interrupting beer styles. Right Brain recently had a Wasabi ale and a couple of years ago Shorts made a Wild Mushroom ale with local mushrooms.

Northern Michigan is a nice place, and having these brewers who do not hesitate to try new recipes makes it even more so, it is a lesson many of us can apply to our own lives.

Bellaire's Shorts Brewery Lines Up Four (maybe five) Year-Round Brews

Via Mlive: Short's Brewing Co. update: Soft Parade bottles hit shelves, $250,000 expansion underway

As it attempts to meet production needs for its four main beers -- Huma, Pandemonium, Brown and Soft Parade -- Short's is tentatively hoping to add one more year-round bottle, The Magician, the dark red London ale.
Newman-Bale said they're also considering adding seasonal bottle releases with the winter brew, Cup 'O Joe, the coffee cream stout, and The Liberator, Joe Short's 30th birthday brew, a "pretty intense" double Huma. It could happen by November or December, he said.