Short’s Brewing Autumn Ale (365 Day 51)

By scot in 365 Days of American Craft Beer on Friday, January 21st, 2011

Short's Autumn Ale

Beer number 51 comes from Short’s Brewing Company. Autumn Ale is an ESB that is released each fall. It was about an average beer with its most redeeming quality being the taste: the hops, floral mainly, come through quite nicely but don’t overwhelm or add much bitterness, just a nice shot of balance. I would have it again but would look for something else first.

Just a thought or two on Short’s: I have now had some 18 different flavors of their beer with my opinion, mostly, always the same: average and usually interesting, but not outstanding. Novelty is the best way I can describe Short’s. Yes, they have Bellaire Brown, a year round beer that is quite outstanding, but most of their beers are one offs, that have some very unique spin on a style or, more likely, don’t adhere to any style but try to create something completely anomalous.

I am not knocking them for their inventiveness, I applaud it, but those strange flavors, mouth feels, and aromas don’t always work for me. I still try them, I still seek them out, because I want to be part of each interesting permutation. After all, American craft beer is all about the artistic and stimulating creativity that a brewer can impart in his craft. Enjoy!

Aroma: 7, Taste: 8, Look: 8, Drinkability: 7, Overall: 7.4

Useless Fact: Stressed is Desserts spelled backwards.