News

The sold out Great American Beer Festival opened last night in Denver. Hours before opening, beer enthusiasts from around the country began gathering outside of the Colorado Convention Center. As soon as the doors opened, a flood of people poured in and headed for the new Short’s booth — a crowd that never went away all night long.

We mounted a GoPro Hero camera above our booth to capture the scene, which looked like this:

It is rewarding to serve 20 of our beers to the enthusiasts here, some of whom are very familiar with Short’s, and others who have never heard of our Michigan-only brewery. We are pouring: Anniversary Ale, Another Caucasian Gary, Autumn Ale, Bloody Beer, Bludgeon Yer Eye, Bourbon Wizard, Captain Fantasy, Carrot Cake, Cornholio, Freedom of ’78, Gambler, Huma Lupa Licious, Joyous Almondo, Key Lime Pie, Kolsch 45, Nicie Spicie, Prolonged Enjoyment, Spruce Pilsner, Whiskey Sour, and Woodmaster.

As one might expect, a good deal of buzz surrounds experimental beers like Carrot Cake, Key Lime Pie (2010 GABF Gold Medal winner), and its Whiskey Sour cousin. Some of our awesome non-experimental beers like Autumn Ale (a previous GABF medal winning ESB), Bludgeon Yer Eye (our black IPA), and Kolsch 45 have yet to be fully discovered by those new to Short’s, so it is exciting when people come back to try the various styles we are offering this year.

Much buzz also surrounds our booth this year. Beer Advocate tweeted: “Wow. @shortsbrewing #GABF booth is 100% win!” Getting praise like that is very rewarding, particularly after all of the time that Joe Short and Alan from Pro Image Design put into the design and building process.

We put together some photo galleries showing first night at GABF here and, if you are curious to see how it all came together, the setup. Hilariously, the night ended with our entire exhausted crew piling into a van (long story!) in order to get back to our hotel. This became an interesting study in how many people can fit into a van. See the video here.

We are planning to live-stream the GABF awards ceremony at our Pub at 3 p.m. on Saturday, so if you happen to be in the Bellaire area and want to see how everything unfolds, please stop by! Of course we are hoping for another medal this year, but regardless of what happens we know that we have put our entire heart and soul into the beer that we make. The reception that we’ve received in Colorado tells us that what we are doing is working: we are getting lots of people excited and curious about craft beer and getting people who already enjoy craft beer to appreciate it in a whole new way. In Joe’s words, we are showing people that beer can be outrageous, dignified, and delicious all at the same time. Thank you to all of our talented Short’s staff, patrons, fans, and to our GABF sponsors who helped make all of this possible.

– SBC

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Even though the pre-sale tickets are sold out for tomorrow (Saturday), you can still get into the Bluegrass, Blues, Bourbon, and Beer Fest at the door. Just come on over to Pearl’s and we’ll see you there! We have a wide variety of rare Short’s Brews on tap that you won’t want to miss!

-SBC Festival Staff

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We have continued to receive great feedback both from performers and audience members regarding our upgraded audio system. Pub goers can expect world-class, family friendly music at a comfortable volume.

Sunday, September 25th – The Potter’s Field – 7:00 p.m.

Rochelle Clark from Chelsea, Michigan and John Natiw from Canton, Michigan are The Potter’s Field, a Midwest based Folk/Americana/Roots duo. Known for poetic, gritty lyrics, driving instrumental style (including acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, harmonica, typical and non-typical percussion elements and the occasional kazoo), close and powerful vocal harmonies and easy stage presence, The Potter’s Field surprises with new songs and ideas that sound familiar yet nostalgic. The Potter’s Field’s original compositions cover a variety of topics and styles while holding fast to their Midwest roots. Audiences leave shows entertained and uplifted, thoughtful and hopeful. The Potter’s Field

Thursday, September 29th – Adler and Hearne – 7:00 p.m.

Hailing from the Spring Hollow Organic Song Farm in the piney woods outside Winnsboro, Texas, performing songwriters Lynn Adler and Lindy Hearne serve up a bountiful harvest of folk-jazz and blues-grass music. The two met in Nashville while on solo musical journeys. Years later, their paths merged in Texas, where they formed the duo Adler & Hearne. Adler & Hearne’s songs reflect glimmers of their life stories, and their home – considered hallowed ground by the stream of friends and family who gather there for the reverie of music making. Adler and Hearne

Joshua Davis Album Release Party: Friday, September 30th 8:00 p.m.
Opening band: Younce Guitar Duo at 6:00 p.m.

Joshua Davis is a seamless union of both city and country. The music is steeped in ragtime blues, sweet jazz, real country and cajun. Davis blends these traditions with his love for gritty rock n’ roll and old soul. The result is what Performing Songwriter Magazine calls, “Some of the liveliest and most rocking roots music around”.

Davis travels across the country playing at concert halls, old theatres, festivals, clubs, dives, classrooms and parks. He’s released a number of albums, including his 2005 solo effort, “Fool Rooster”, which earned the album of the year slot from “Progressive Torch and Twang”, a cult favorite Americana show on WDBM. He’s released four albums with roots-rocking quartet Steppin’ In It, one album of jazz standards with Shout Sister Shout, and has appeared on too many albums to count.

Joshua Davis

Saturday October 1, Nervous but Excited 7:30 p.m.

The Michigan-based folk duo Nervous but Excited is an incredibly unique harmony built upon songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Kate Peterson and Sarah Cleaver. Road warriors to the core, their endless passion has landed them on stages with folks like Ani Difranco, Iron and Wine, Utah Phillips, Catie Curtis, Toshi Reagon, Ferron, Girlyman and Cheryl Wheeler, to name a few. Backed up by an arrangement of guitars, banjo, mandolin and bass, their live show will take you on a journey through a variety of emotions and genres, always keeping you guessing which is next. You might cry, you’ll definitely laugh, and they hope you’ll leave feeling that your heart has grown just a little larger.

Nervous but Excited

-SBC Pub Staff

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Throughout the summer, we renovated our pub seating with new tables built from 100 year old barn wood. In response to demand from longtime patrons of our pub, we have decided to place our old pub furniture up for auction. There are several gems in the collection, including the Cadillac Couch and front seats and the old high top tables that were custom built by the Woodmaster (each comes with a set of the four bar stools as used in our Pub). Need a new kitchen or dining room table? There are several in the auction! Check it out, here.

Here is the fine print: You must register on our auction site in order to participate. The auction closes at 12 a.m. on October 16th. We will not ship items, so you must be willing to travel to our Elk Rapids production facility to pick them up. We are requiring payment at the time the auction closes, and pick-up during regular 8-5 Monday-Friday business hours by November 11, 2011. You must arrange delivery by giving us notice at least two business days in advance that you are coming to retrieve your item(s). All items are in “as is” condition, which may be “well used,” pizza-stained, or “smells like beer.” We are not able to provide additional details regarding the condition of items, as they are currently tucked away into a storage locker. Please take all of these factors into account in placing your bids.

Auction Site

-SBC Staff

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Although we ship exclusively within Michigan, we have made an exception and shipped Short’s Brew to Colorado in advance of this year’s Great American Beer Festival (Sept 29 – Oct 1). A truckload of Short’s arrived in Denver today, so even though the event is already sold out, our Colorado fans should be able to get their hands on some of our beer. If you find it, be sure to post the location on Facebook and let others know where to go. Here is the bottled beer you should be on the lookout for: Nicie Spicie Wheat, Huma Lupa Licious IPA, Bellaire Brown, Pandemonium Pale Ale, Autumn Ale, and Bludgeon Yer Eye Black IPA.

You should also look for our beer on tap at some point between now and GABF at the Falling Rock Taphouse in Denver and possibly at 1-2 other locations (stay tuned for updates).

If you are lucky enough to have tickets to the 2011 GABF, our twenty floor (on tap) beers this year are going to be: Anniversary Ale, Another Caucasian Gary, Autumn Ale, Bloody Beer, Bludgeon Yer Eye, Bourbon Wizard, Captain Fantasy, Carrot Cake, Cornholio, Freedom of ’78, Gambler, Huma Lupa Licious, Joyous Almondo, Key Lime Pie, Kolsch 45, Nicie Spicie, Prolonged Enjoyment, Spruce Pilsner, Whiskey Sour, and Woodmaster.

Thanks to our 2011-2012 GABF Sponsors who have helped ensure that our presence at this year’s GABF will be better than ever.

See you in Denver!

-SBC

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As previously noted, Short’s and Pearl’s are putting on a Bluegrass, Bourbon, Blues & Beer Festival on September 23rd and 24th on the premises of Pearl’s New Orleans Kitchen in Elk Rapids. Bourbon and Short’s Brew will be accompanied by great food, plus live blues and bluegrass music. We are also very excited to note that a portion of all proceeds will go to support an extension of the TART trail system from Acme to Elk Rapids. One dollar from each entry ticket sold and 25 cents from each food or beverage ticket sold will be donated to the TART Trail to help fund an extension of the TART trail network from Acme to Elk Rapids. Short’s believes that the extension of cycling trails throughout the Northwest Michigan area will greatly enhance the quality of life of those who live and vacation in this area. We are excited to partner with Pearl’s to move towards this goal.

TART is a non-profit organization that builds trails, advocates for active living and outdoor recreation. Their work includes negotiating easements, hosting annual events that promote healthy lifestyles, and defending cyclist and pedestrian interests. We hope that, at some point in the future, you may be able to ride your bike from Leelanau to Petoskey, through Traverse City and Elk Rapids. We believe that such a trail network would make our area a premier destination for cyclists because not only would we have an outstanding trail network, but it would be through a beautiful area featuring many interesting stops along the way.

– SBC Staff

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Next weekend the Short’s Brew crew is heading to Alpena County to participate in Skinny’s Dad’s Bike Race, a/k/a the 11th Annual Chippewa Hills Mountain Bike Race, which will take place on Saturday, September 17th, beginning at 1 p.m. Skinny’s dad and a bunch of his friends formed the Thunder Bay Trails Association to help build and protect trails in Northwest Michigan. Every year, they hold two fundraiser events to support this mission. This year, however, their annual ski race was cancelled due to warm weather. So, according to Skinny, his dad’s group needs an extra good turnout for this year’s bike race so that they can continue to protect the trails.

Skinny rides the Chippewa Hills trail with his dad all the time, so last year he convinced a big group of us to head to Alpena County for this race. It was awesome. The trail contains a huge variety of singletrack, with tight technical sections, fast downhills, and lots of elevation changes. We’ve ridden all over the state, and this is one of our favorite places. This year, our plan is to head out after work on Friday and set up tents near the race course. Then we’ll get up on Saturday and do the race. We’ll enjoy post-race beer and food, and then eventually make our way back to our side of Northern Michigan on Saturday night. If you’re interested in participating, here is a link to map of event location http://g.co/maps/dsbs.

The course is a nine mile loop. Everyone will start at 1 p.m. Beginners will do one lap, sport class will do 2 laps, and expert class will do 3 laps. The race will start and finish on private propery at 13018 Bartz Rd. Race day registration is only $25. Prizes and awards will be handed out at 3:30 p.m. The top 5 finishers in respective class/age divisions will get awards. For further info contact Randy Fairbanks a/k/a Skinny’d dad by e-mail at [email protected].

We’ll have lots of beginner riders joining us for the event. After all, it’s more about having fun and getting a workout than anything else. So even if you haven’t raced before, we’d welcome you to join us.

Wondering who Skinny is? His real name is Nick Fairbanks. He works at our Elk Rapids Brewery and helps install all of the fancy new equipment that we use in order to make our beer. He also keeps us thoroughly entertained with his sense of humor.

-Team Huma

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Short’s and Pearl’s are putting on a Bluegrass, Bourbon, Blues & Beer Festival on September 23rd and 24th on the premises of Pearl’s New Orleans Kitchen in Elk Rapids. Bourbon and Short’s Brew will be accompanied by great food, plus live blues and bluegrass music. One dollar from each entry ticket sold and 25 cents from each food or beverage ticket sold will be donated to the TART Trail to help fund an extension of the TART trail network from Acme to Elk Rapids.. Bourbon and Short’s Brew will be accompanied by great food, plus live blues and bluegrass music. The Friday night music lineup is Steppin’ In It from 4 – 7 p.m. and The Brad Kelsey Band from 7 – 10 p.m. The Saturday music lineup will be: Sour Mash, Noon – 3 p.m., Who Hit John, 4 – 7 p.m., and Carl Weathersby from 7 – 10 p.m. Pearl’s will continue to devote multiple taps to Short’s throughout October, so be sure to stop by.

Also on Saturday, September 24th, Short’s will be featured at the 2011 Leaves & Libations Fall Brew Fest at Timber Ridge Resort in Traverse City. This outdoor beer festival will feature craft breweries, live music From Levi Britton & Jonny Tornga, and appearances by Blake Elliott, Kim Mulholland, and The Zebra Mussels. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and each ticket will get you five 10 oz. pours.

Please monitor our Facebook page for updates! We hope to see you there!

-SBC Brew Staff

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Still trying to get your hands on Cornholio, our Dogfish Head/Three Floyds collaboration beer? How about Captain Fantasy, our 2011 Half Acre collaboration beer? We have 6-packs of each for sale at our Pub in Bellaire, but they are going fast.

Cornholio is a Baltic Porter, which is brewed with lager yeast. This dark beer has a distinctly crisp and refreshing finish. Each participating brewery brought an ingredient from their home state to add to the brew. Short’s contributed Horehound, an herb that has been used for centuries as a medicinal remedy in cough drops, an ingredient in hard candies, and even in beers according to certain historical brewing records. From Delaware, Sam (Dogfish Head) brought beach plums. Nick Floyd contributed a unique red variety of popcorn, which was roasted and then “dry popped” into the beer. As you take a sip of this beer, you will note an aroma of rich roasted malt with hints of coffee and chocolate. The big initial flavors are of sweet plums that eventually become offset by the robust malt and unique herbal accents from the horehound. A subtle burnt bitterness lingers in the aftertaste, but it’s the surprisingly dry finish that ultimately leaves a lasting impression.

Captain Fantasy is our latest collaboration brew with Half Acre Brewing Co. from Chicago, Illinois. Half Acre is the same brewery that we joined forces with to create Freedom of ’78 guava IPA. This time around, the brewers decided to make a saison, but wanted to dress it up a bit. They added pear and some very exclusive hops from Japan called Soriachi Ace. The result is a lighter bodied ale with a pale goldenrod color and subtle haze. Satisfying aromas of nutmeg and spice blend with bright fruity hop fragrances. A lively amount of carbonation cleanses and refreshes while leading into flavors of sweet pear, tart lemon, and pleasant herbal subtleties. The overall fruitiness is abruptly interrupted by an assertive hop bitterness that dominates the finish, turning noticeably dry. Due to the unique nature of this brew and the incredibly limited availability of the Soriachi Ace hops, we were only able to make a single batch of this beer. As such, it’s availability has been extremely limited.

We hope that you will stop by our pub to obtain these extremely rare and limited edition Short’s Brew releases while they are still available! Each are priced at $13.99 per six pack.

Cheers!

-SBC Brew Staff

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Our roster of 2011 Short’s Brewing Company Great American Beer Festival Sponsors is filling up fast, so don’t miss your chance to join the Buck Fifty Beer Team.  Short’s GABF Sponsors pay $150 to cover the cost of one GABF beer entry.  In return, you get $1.50 beers for a whole year. This year’s beer license start date is September 29th, 2011.  To become a 2011 Sponsor, please sign up with a pubtender at our Pub, or email Pub General Manager, Bryan Banfield, at [email protected].

HERE’S THE FINE PRINT: Your “beer license” is for your use only. One sponsor = one license and no sharing. $1.50 beers are for regularly priced pints only. No gourmet pours, bottles, etc. If you want less than a pint, you still gotta pay the $1.50. Mug club mugs and $1.50 beers don’t mix – you should probably pick one great deal or the other. Tax does apply. This sweet deal is non-negotiable and non-refundable. No bitching and no refunds if we change hours, stop serving your favorite beer, close the brewery, start selling bud light or lock the doors so we can tour with Ween. We’re working to give our biggest supporters a great deal on awesome beer, and to help us get to the GABF to blow some minds. It’s a win win deal, so help us keep it that way. No unnecessary headaches, yeah?  View our full press release here, and our promotional poster here.

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We have recently added a brand new, state-of-the-art sound system at Short’s.  Combined with new acoustic improvements, we are becoming a preferred venue for artists to perform live music.  To christen our new music venue, we have booked a diverse range of musicians from all over the world.

On Monday, August 8th, Goitse (pronounced gwi-cha and meaning “come here”) will perform at 7 p.m. Goitse is a five piece trad band consisting of music students from the University of Limerick, Ireland. With several members who have earned All-Ireland titles, the band provides a modern take on traditional Irish music.  http://www.goitse.ie/

On Tuesday, August 9th, at 7:30 p.m., the George Cole Quintet will perform.  Dubbed “Eurocana”, the unique sound of this group is inspired by Gypsy Jazz and string-driven swing (1930s Paris).  The George Cole Quintet creates a unique musical experience that equally enthralls and delights the most discerning and casual music fan. Each member of the group is a virtuoso, yet the music is very accessible, melodic and appealing.  www.georgecole.net/

On Wednesday, August 10th at 7:00 p.m., Shady Hill will once again perform at Short’s.  Although Lexi Hill and Shane Tschirhart are local and relatively new on the scene, their last performance delighted and enthralled, with one observer noting that new stars have been born.  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shady-Hill/219256894764122?ref=ts&sk=wall

On Friday, August 12th at 8:00 p.m.,  Short’s “resident” band, The Younce Guitar Duo performs. The Younce Guitar Duo is an inspiring acoustic guitar instrumental duo. Together they carve out a time, space and sound that is uniquely balanced, rich with imaginative approach, expression and distinctive guitar interchange. Their music embraces jazz while being vibrantly connected through many genres of music, playing original compositions and original arrangements of well-known songs. Creative and innovative, while accessible and audience friendly, the Younce Guitar Duo’s music is beautifully spoken, intuitively spirited and is played with soul.  www.reverbnation.com/younceguitarduo

On Saturday, August 13th at 8:00 p.m., Andrew Sturtz returns to Short’s.  A mix of jazz, acoustic, and pop, Andrew has received immense praise for his soothing vocals and powerful stage presence, both of which he brings to every performance. Joining him as of recent is the very talented Alex Gusler. Playing in such groups as The Saving Sara Project and other local ensembles, Alex has impressed many with his complex drumming style and strong technical ability. Having been together for over a year, Andrew and Alex continue to perform their music to crowds either small or prodigious for the enjoyment of all.  http://www.andrewsturtz.com/

We hope that you will join us at Short’s to embrace and behold this impressive lineup of musicians.

-SBC Pub Staff

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What is Short’s Fest?

Short’s Fest is our 2nd annual outdoor summer celebration in Elk Rapids. Short’s travels to many festivals and this is our way to share the “festival” experience with our hometown crowd. Short’s Fest is also part of Elk Rapids Harbor Days, northern Michigan’s best small town summer festival.

What should I wear to Short’s Fest?

Whatever you are comfortable in, within reason! Wear comfy clothes suitable for the weather conditions of the day. Our only requirement is that you wear shoes. You may also want to bring a beach towel, blanket, or lawn chair for watching fireworks.

Where should I park for Short’s Fest?

We do not have on-site parking. You may park alongside Industrial Park Drive, along US-31, or at any of the public parking areas in Elk Rapids.

How much does it cost to get into Short’s Fest and to purchase drinks?

Admission is free. Drink tokens cost $3 and are redeemable for Short’s beer or Short’s homemade soda pop. There will be 20 varieties of beer on tap and 3 types of homemade soda. Water will be provided at no cost. The Blue Pelican will be on site offering a variety of delicious food items.

What else are you going to be selling?

T-shirts, sweatshirts, 6-packs, pint glasses, flags, stickers, and other Short’s items. We have extremely limited edition 6-packs for sale at this event: Cornholio (the Dogfish Head collaboration beer) and Captain Fantasy (this year’s collaboration with Half Acre). However, we are not able to fill growlers at this event.

Will there be tours of your Elk Rapids production brewery?

Yes, but spaces are limited on a first come, first served basis. There are 100 spaces available. If you would like to take a tour, plan to arrive at Short’s Fest right at 6:00 and visit the Tour Booth. Tours cost $10, but for this price you will also receive a Short’s pint glass and a drink token that you can use at Short’s Fest.

What yard game activities will be taking place at Short’s Fest?

Ladder golf, Big Birdie Golf, and bag holes. Be sure to bring your pitching wedge for Big Birdie Golf. However, we ask that you exercise extreme caution in safely swinging golf clubs to avoid other people.

Will Short’s have an entry in this year’s Grand Parade?

Yes, Short’s will be featuring the S.S. Honeybadger, it’s new beer festival vehicle, in the parade. The parade takes place at noon. Last year, Short’s won honors as the top commercial entry. Can we do it two years in a row?

What time are the fireworks?

The Harbor Days fireworks will begin at 10:20 p.m. Valentiger will take a set break and everyone will be able to watch from Short’s Fest.

Where can I get information about all of the Harbor Days activities in Elk Rapids?

The Harbor Days guide is located here.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

-SBC Brew Staf

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