Short's Brewing Company: Recent Episodes
Short's Brewing Company
Elk Rapids, Mich.
Thirst Mutilator—if you know, you know. The non-alcoholic sparkling hop water, created in collaboration between Michigan’s Short’s Brewing and GRAMMY Award-winning musician Billy Strings, will launch a new Grape flavor in mid-May.
“We tested dozens of flavors and combinations, mixing up glass bottles in the lab to send to Billy on tour. But we kept coming back to Grape, it was so unique and refreshing.” Stated Tony Hansen, Chief Innovations Officer for the Brewery.
Just like the OG flavor, Thirst Mutilator Grape boasts zero alcohol, zero calories, zero carbs, and zero gluten. All-natural hop oils and grape flavors make for a surprisingly delicious concoction with just a dash of nostalgia.
“Grape flavor reminds me of riding my bike around the neighborhood when I was a kid, but the hops add a kick of sophistication and refinement we hadn’t experienced before,” said Kerry Lynch, Director of Sales for Short’s. “I might like Grape better than the original flavor…”
Grape Thirst Mutilator will be featured at key events across Short’s distribution footprint, including around Billy Strings’ upcoming shows at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
“It’s super important that Billy’s fans are some of the first people to try Grape! They have been such huge supporters of Thirst Mutilator since we launched.” Lynch continued.
Part sparkling water, part hoppy libation, and all kinds of refreshing—Thirst Mutilator Lemon-Lime has been growing steadily since it was released in June 2022, establishing itself as a favorite of bartenders and craft drinkers alike who are looking for interesting alternative beverages and low-key experiences.
In conjunction with the new flavor, Thirst Mutilator Lemon-Lime is getting a packaging refresh as well. “We worked with the illustrator, Gregg Gordon, to create a new custom logo for the brand to keep it fun and fresh. You’ll see the new look in the coming months.” Lynch concluded.
Thirst Mutilator Grape will be available in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, Tennessee, and Kentucky starting late May.
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Bellaire, Mich. – Locally known as champions of community development, in 2022 Short’s Brewing decided to face Northern Michigan’s seasonal housing & workforce crisis head on: by purchasing an inn.
“Even we were surprised, but as we were looking down a very busy summer and had employees leave the area because of the lack of affordable housing, we had to do something.” Scott Newman-Bale, CEO for the brewery stated. “This Workforce Housing model is fairly common in larger resort towns. We attempted to subsidize the rent of our employees by offering a limited number of vacation-rental rooms but in the end demand for staff housing left few openings.”
The brewery is no stranger to property development and management, having acquired, renovated, leased, and sold many buildings in Bellaire and Elk Rapids over their 20 year history. (They even owned the Bellaire Post Office, but sold it to finance the Inn.)
“I have lived at the Inn for over a year. There is a shared kitchen and game room—it’s been fun meeting new people and building friendships.” Drake Manwaring, an employee of Short’s Bellaire Pub stated, “The Inn is a great place to stay, I’d recommend it to anyone needing “affordable” housing.”
This past summer the brewery was able to take advantage of the J1 program, a type of work-study program for students from around the world where they develop skills and experience another country’s culture. Nine J1 workers came for three months from places like Jamaica, China, Turkey, Jordan and Kazakhstan. Cultural experiences for the students ranged from concerts, local festivals and water activities on Torch Lake.
“Without the Bellaire Inn, we probably would have had to close one or two days a week. We never would have been able to support this program, let alone our summer business levels, without it.” Newman-Bale concluded.
Scott Newman-Bale shares some stats from their first year of ownership:
Bellaire Inn Stats:Number of rooms : 26, including the full-time innkeeper.
Number of rooms rented to employees, summer : 22
Number of rooms rented to employees, current : 5
Average cost per week : $115 per week rate for employees (below-market rate for non-employees)
Average length of stay : 3-5 months
Most surprising part? Being landlords. We’ve had some damage, but overall everyone is very respectful. We’ve also hosted traveling workers from nurses to construction workers to teachers, while they’re here they spend time and money in our communities.
Toughest part? Being prepared for anything and everything that could happen. Leaky toilets, fire alarms going off, resident issues, you name it.
Any advice? When times get tough, get creative. We weren’t planning on purchasing the inn, but it saved our summer in so many ways.
Other plans in the works? We’re working with some friends on another Workforce Housing project of 100+ units in Bellaire under a mile from the Pub. The project is still in its early stages, but expect an announcement soon!
For more info on the Bellaire Inn, visit: https://www.staybellaire.com/
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How much awesome can you pack into three months? If you’re Short’s Brewing, the answer is a whole heckin’ lot. The brewers year end releases have been announced, and with a line up this good, we can only imagine what Short’s has in store for their 20th anniversary next year..
“When your beverage library has over 1000 recipes (and counting!), it is an exciting challenge to determine the right libations to share with our fans. When I look at this season, I get all fired up, both personally and professionally. This lineup is so dang Short’s-y!” Exclaimed Kerry Lynch, Sales Director for the brewery.
From the return of Seasonal favorites like Mule Beer and Pure Michigan Winter Pils to small-batch, limited-release rarities featuring unique and innovative ingredients (with a variety pack thrown in for good measure), Short’s Brewing is doing what they do best: getting weird in a big way with more seasonal releases than most brewers can squeeze in over the course of an entire year. Each product listed below will be available in 12 oz cans and draft. Package sizes vary from 6- to 18-packs.
Seasonal Releases: Available for 3ish months in lots of spots
Mule Beer: Experimental ale with Lime & Ginger: 4.5% ABV
Available October in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN, WI.
Pure Michigan Winter Pils: Imperial Pilsner: 7.3% ABV
Available October in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana.
Limited Releases: Super-small batches, super-weird ingredients, super-limited availability
Bloody Beer: Experimental Ale with Roma tomatoes, fresh horseradish, black pepper and dill: 8.3%
Available October in Michigan and Indiana.
Juicy Tree: Experimental Ale made with blue spruce tips, cranberries, and juniper berries: 9.3%
Available October to MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN.
Hoppy Holiday Variety Pack: 18 pack, 12 oz cans: 6.1% – 9.1% ABV Line up: The Curl, Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, Slurm, Stellar Ale, Nitro Good Humans, and Superfluid.
Available October in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN, WI.
Peachy Yum Yum: American Sour Ale with peach and pomegranate: 7.5% ABV
Available October in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN, WI.
Chocolate Wheat: Porter made with Chocolate and Wheat Malts: 7.3% ABV
Available October in Michigan only.
Starcut Cider Releases: In case beer wasn’t enough…we’ve got you.
Pulsar Holiday: Dry Spiced Cider with cranberry and blood orange
Available October in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN, WI.
Rhuby: Rhubarb & Pear Cider
Available October in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN, WI.
For release info: https://www.shortsbrewing.com/release-schedule/
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Short’s Brewing Kicks off Summer with Short’s Fest
Elk Rapids, Mich. – With their 19th Anniversary Celebration just days away, Short’s Brewing is deep into the planning for their annual summer celebration, Short’s Fest. This year, it is scheduled for June 10th, 2023.
“We’re changing the date, people!” shared Rachel Payne, General Manager for the Elk Rapids Tap Room, “We have typically hosted Short’s Fest the same weekend as the Elk Rapids Harbor Days Festival, but we were always bummed to miss out on celebrating Harbor Days with our friends and neighbors.”
With a new date, Short’s Fest is promising to be the kickoff party of the summer and will feature live music, food trucks, and of course, beverages. The only thing missing will be the Harbor Days firework celebration.
“We’ll be pouring TONS of our beers and ciders, with multiple serving stations inside and out. We know folks are finally getting back into the party spirit, and we can’t wait to party with you.” Payne concluded with a smile.
Tickets are on sale now with two options available: an early entry ticket will set you back $65 and includes 4pm entrance, drink tokens and a swag bag. General admission tickets are available for $35 and include drink tokens and a 5pm entrance time. With the festivities scheduled until 11pm, there will be plenty of time to ring in summer in style.
To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shorts-fest-2023-tickets-588430189537
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Short’s Brewing Kicks off Summer with Short’s Fest
Elk Rapids, Mich. – With their 19th Anniversary Celebration just days away, Short’s Brewing is deep into the planning for their annual summer celebration, Short’s Fest. This year, it is scheduled for June 10th, 2023.
“We’re changing the date, people!” shared Rachel Payne, General Manager for the Elk Rapids Tap Room, “We have typically hosted Short’s Fest the same weekend as the Elk Rapids Harbor Days Festival, but we were always bummed to miss out on celebrating Harbor Days with our friends and neighbors.”
With a new date, Short’s Fest is promising to be the kickoff party of the summer and will feature live music, food trucks, and of course, beverages. The only thing missing will be the Harbor Days firework celebration.
“We’ll be pouring TONS of our beers and ciders, with multiple serving stations inside and out. We know folks are finally getting back into the party spirit, and we can’t wait to party with you.” Payne concluded with a smile.
Tickets are on sale now with two options available: an early entry ticket will set you back $65 and includes 4pm entrance, drink tokens and a swag bag. General admission tickets are available for $35 and include drink tokens and a 5pm entrance time. With the festivities scheduled until 11pm, there will be plenty of time to ring in summer in style.
To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shorts-fest-2023-tickets-588430189537
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Elk Rapids, Mich. – In case you needed another reason to look forward to warmer weather, Short’s Brewing has just released their Q2 line up.
April kicks off with the launch of Psychedelic Cat Grass as an Always Available, year round offering. Kegs of the triple dry hopped India Pale Ale will be filled and hand-delivered to select accounts in less than 24 hours after being packaged. Folks wanting to taste the freshest, friskiest Short’s beer around can visit Short’s website for more info. Cat Grass will be available on draft, in six packs, and 12 packs starting in April.
Also in April, Short’s celebrates their 19th year in business in their hometown of Bellaire, Michigan with an old-school celebration that’s free and open to the Public on April 29th from 11am to 11pm. Beers, bands, and the debut of their brand new beer garden.
From there, it just keeps getting better, with returning favorites, variety, and innovations.
“Striking the balance between fan faves and new releases is always tricky. But, we’re genuinely excited to drink every single one of these products—personally very excited for Freedom of ‘78 to come back.” Stated Kerry Lynch, Sales Director for the brewery. “We’re gearing up for a really awesome summer.”
April:
Soft Parade Shandy: Seasonal
Berry Ale blended with lemonade, 4.2% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, 12 packs, 18 packs, draft. Available in MI, IN, IL, OH, CO, WI, TN
Batch 15,000: One time drop
American Sour Ale with papaya and soursop, ABV TBD but it’ll be big.
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in Michigan.
May:
Pure Michigan Summer: Seasonal
India Pale Ale made with all Michigan ingredients, 4.2% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, IN, IL, OH, CO, TN
Freedom of ‘78: One time drop
American India Pale Ale with guava, 8% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, drafts. Available in MI, IN, IL, OH, CO, WI, TN
Starcut Ciders: Peach Mosa: Seasonal
Peach cider with fresh orange juice, 4.8% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, drafts. Available in MI, OH, CO, IL, IN, WI, TN
June:
Local’s Lime: One time drop
The best selling craft lager in Michigan, with the perfect hit of lime. 5.2% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, 12 packs, draft. Available in MI, IN, OH.
Nicie: One time drop
The Most Refreshing Beer in the History of the World! American Pale Wheat: 5.4% abv
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in Michigan and Indiana.
Strawberry Short’s Cake: One time drop
Golden Ale brewed with strawberries and milk sugar, 4.4% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, IN, IL, OH, CO, TN
Starcut Ciders: Squishy: Seasonal
Cherry hard cider: 6.3% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, CO, IL, IN, WI, TN
With that much awesome crammed into just a couple of months, you’d better get thirsty.
For more information about Short’s Brewing Company: shortsbrewing.com
About Short’s Brewing Company
Located in the heart of Downtown Bellaire, MI, Short’s Brewing was established in 2004 by Joe Short. In 2009, Short’s began keg and bottle distribution in Michigan via their Elk Rapids Production Facility. The brewery is known widely for its flagship and experimental brews including Soft Parade, Local’s Light, and Huma Lupa Licious. Short’s prides itself on producing fearlessly creative beers, handmade by people who care in Northern Michigan.
Short’s Brewing also has a passion for beverage innovation and created Starcut Ciders in 2014 to push the boundaries of ingredients and fermentation innovation to create unique, premium ciders with no added sugars that are all-natural and gluten-free.
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This year we’re kicking it old school for our 19th anniversary, like years 1-9 old school. No tickets, no tokens, all are welcome. We’ll have bands, beers, and our brand new beer garden open. Come kick it with us for a full day of Short’s. First come, first served. Doors open at 11am. So save the date and we’ll see you in Bellaire, it’s going to be an awesome day.
Line up:
Pub Stage:
3p – 4:30p : Brett Mitchell
5p – 6:30p : Delilah Dewylde
7p – 8:30p : Breach the Sun
9p – 10:30p: Slow Tako
Beer Garden Stage
2p – 3:30p : Aldrich
4p – 5:30p : Jesse Ray
6p – 7:30p : Radel Rosin
8p – 9:30p : M-22
Beers:
TBD—but let’s just say we’re going a little nuts…
Food:
The Pub will be have their full menu and there will be food trucks across the street. You won’t leave hungry.
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Big news. Sorta.
This year we’re kicking it old school—like years 1-9 old school. No tickets, no tokens. All are welcome and we’ll be open all day long from 11am – 11pm. We’ll have bands, beers, and our brand new beer garden open. So come on down to Bellaire, it’s gonna be an awesome day.
Bands:
Pub Stage:3p – 4:30p : Brett Mitchell5p – 6:30p : Delilah Dewylde7p – 8:30p : Breach the Sun9p – 10:30p: Slow TakoBeer Garden Stage:2p – 3:30p : Aldrich4p – 5:30p : Jesse Ray6p – 7:30p : Radel Rosin8p – 9:30p : M-22Beers:
TBD: But let’s just say we’re going a little nuts
Food:
The Pub will have a full menu and there will be food trucks in the beer garden. You won’t leave hungry.
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Elk Rapids, Mich. – While the craft brewing industry saw record numbers over the two-year pandemic haze, 2022 ushered in record lows for many. The folks at Short’s Brewing had what they call “an ok” year, down 10% from previous years, hovering around the industry average.
“We knew that COVID growth numbers weren’t sustainable. Thankfully, we forecasted a down year at the start of 2022, as we planned to eliminate multiple brands and cease bottle production, so we spent the year making sure we were focused on quality and projects we find fun which we know will ultimately guide us well.” Stated CEO Scott Newman-Bale. “The industry will have a few tough years ahead, we did everything we could to set ourselves up for a healthy year in 2023.”
But while the brewery has had its fair share of challenges—labor and housing shortages led to the purchase of a 26 unit inn last April, and climate change threatened fruit supply for one of their top brands, fruit ale Soft Parade—one brand outshone the competition to claim the top spot in the Craft Lager category.
Local’s Light, thanks to it’s approachable, full bodied profile and lo-cal, lo-carb footprint, has beat out craft giants to top the list of lagers sold in the state of Michigan in 2022. Local’s grew 10.2% over 2021 numbers and saw an average of 40% growth in their top accounts, in both the on- and off-premise world.
Pretty impressive for a destination brewery producing less than 60,000 barrels per year and a beer brand that’s been around since Short’s opened in 2004. So how’d they do it?
“Well, first, it’s dang delicious. It’s absolutely a “wow, that was delightful, I’m gonna order another” beer, which has been the ultimate goal. It’s also a true craft Lager, made with only grain, water, yeast, and hops—beer in its simplest form as we like to say. We don’t add corn or rice or other fillers like most brewers do. Plus, we’ve tried to keep price increases to a minimum—we know accounts and consumers are struggling with massive inflation everywhere else—so you can get a keg of Local’s Light for less than almost any keg beer, including macro-produced beers, so it’s a win/win for accounts and patrons alike.” Stated Kerry Lynch, Sales Director for the brewery.
Local’s Light is available on draft and in packages across Short’s distribution footprint in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, Tennessee, and New Jersey.
If you’re an retailer and would like more information on Local’s Light, please contact sales@shortsbrewing.com
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For 18 years, Short’s Brewing has created an impressive list of over 900 unique products that run the gamut of style and ingredient combinations, with experimental beers accounting for over half of the total releases. In case you were wondering—that’s a lot of beers.
And nearly as many favorites.
“There’s not a day that goes by that we aren’t getting asked for very specific releases through social media and our customer service channels. Stuff that we made one time 10 years ago at the Pub or for a random beer fest is beloved and sought after!
“Over and over we’d hear ‘If you made (insert random obscure Short’s beer here) I’d buy 10 cases of it.’ At the same time, we had an idea for a new pre-order program, so we created the Classic Stache project. So to all you squeaky wheels out there, you’re welcome.” Kerry Lynch, Sales Director for the brewery exclaimed.
Classic Stache (named for founder Joe Short’s epic facial coif) is a preorder program featuring a handful of classic brews. Beer fanatics may head to their local beer store and order unlimited cases (each style will be available as full cases: 24 packs of 12 oz cans) for a limited time, once the order window closes Short’s produces the products and delivers them to stores the following month.
The hardest part of this project? Narrowing down their portfolio to just four products.
“When we were scheming up this idea we had no idea how to pick our first lineup. Joe had opinions, our sales team had opinions—ultimately we tapped some of our longest-running employees to pick their favorites,” stated Scott Newman-Bale, CEO of the brewery. “Lucky for all of us, they picked some great beers for our Classic Stache launch.”
So what’s on deck?
Aorta Ale: Double Red Ale
This ruby-red masterpiece was created as a tribute to a most excellent human as a part of the Imperial Beer Series (ya know, the weird and experimental beers that put us on the map back in the day). This Double Red Ale beats strong with luscious caramel and toasted malts, balanced by tons of classic American-grown Cascade hops resulting in a glorious brown sugar, raisin, fig, and burnt caramelly treat with a bitter roasty cocoa finish.
Pandemonium Pale Ale: American Pale Ale
BEHOLD THE BITTER HYSTERIA of an OG classic Short’s Brew, drug up from the depths of Hell…errr…our recipe vault, to please the most passionate of Pale Ale pursuers. Cascade hops flow forth with bountiful bitterness and earthy aromas for a brew that will satiate the hottest hopheads out there. Pour yourself a glass and think about the choices you’ve made.
Black Cherry Porter: Imperial Porter with Northern Michigan Black Cherries
Dark, velvety, sweet, and toasty. Black Cherry Porter entered the Short’s-iverse as part of our Imperial Beer Series in 2007. We coulda dumped black cherry puree into a light, refreshing beer, but Joe had an itch for something more robust. The deep, rich flavors of an Imperial Porter are the perfect complement to our region’s national export, and Black Cherry Porter was made and quickly became a Pub favorite.
Pontius Road Pilsner: American Pilsner
If you’ve ever found yourself in the Pub and wondered where all the amazingly crafted wood goods come from, you can thank the woodmaster, Bill Sohn. It’s no exaggeration that without our friends the Sohn’s out on Pontius Road, Short’s Brewing would not exist. Brewed as part of our original lineup, Pontius Road Pilsner is an homage to early-American brewing history (and our dear friends) that uses flaked maize as a fermentable. Full of flavor, with a hoppier profile than most Pilsners (had to Short’s it up!) this golden-hued wonder is worth the trip to the north.
Getting in on the action is easy, visit Short’s website for a list of participating retailers. Once you find your store, head there and place your order. Then wait very patiently. Orders will be open from December 26 until January 26th. A 24-pack of 12 oz cans will set you back between $39.99 to $49.99. Cases of your selections will arrive at participating retailers by the end of February, just in time to celebrate the end of the Short’s-est month of the year.
For more information on the program, to find a list of retailers (or sign up as a participating account), please visit: shortsbrewing.com/classicstache
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Short’s Brewing announces 2023 First Quarter Line Up
Elk Rapids, Mich. – It’s the most wonderful time of the year…for next year’s beer release lineups. Short’s Brewing and Starcut Ciders just released their first quarter line up, and it’s going to make for an awesome start to 2023. In the mix are old favorites, new styles, and the return of a few of their most loved brands to wider distribution. Most notably, Psychedelic Cat Grass, a beloved Triple dry hopped American IPA will
“Not going to lie, this line up has us all pretty jazzed. We are super excited about the changes to our seasonal lines and the fact that Cat Grass (one of our highest-rated, most delicious IPAs) will be sticking around all year. We’re really looking forward to having two amazing, totally different IPAs in our year-round line up!” Stated Kerry Lynch, Sales Director for the brand. “Look forward to lots of Huma vs Cat Grass tastings where we can really show off our IPA prowess.”
Short’s has several tiers of product releases: year round brands, seasonal products available for a few months, and one-time drops with limited distribution. Also included are releases from their all-natural gluten-free cider brand, Starcut Ciders.
January
Evil Urges: One time drop
Belgian Dark Strong Ale, 11.7% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN.
Power of Love: Citrus Seasonal
Raspberry & Rosemary Ale blended with lemonade, 2.5% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, 12 packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, TN.
Starcut Cider: Aurora Borealis: One time drop
Imperial hard cider, 8% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, WI, NJ, TN.
Huma Lupa Licious Variety Pack: One time drop
Six pack contains three variations on Short’s Flagship: Imperial IPA, Hazy Imperial IPA, Triple IPA Humongous Huma
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN.
February
Pure Michigan Spring: Seasonal
India Pale Lager, 5.1% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN.
Critterless: One time drop
American Sour Ale, 8.6% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, WI, CO, TN.
Starcut Cider: Star Parade: One time drop
Berry cider, inspired by Soft Parade Fruit Ale, 5.2% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, WI, CO, TN, NJ.
March
Hopstache: One time drop
American IPA, 6.8% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN.
Psychedelic Cat Grass: Year round brand
Triple dry hopped American IPA, 7.6%
12 oz cans, six packs, 12 packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, CO, TN.
Starcut Ciders: Cidre Colada: One time drop
Pineapple Coconut Cider, 6% ABV
12 oz cans, six packs, draft. Available in MI, OH, IN, IL, WI, CO, TN, NJ.
And while this may seem like a ton of releases, Short’s Brewing has more up their proverbial sleeves for the new year. “We’re keeping a big project underwraps, but you can expect a big announcement soon!” Stated Christa Brenner, Brand & Marketing Director for the brewery.
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Short’s Brewing Co. Announces End of Year Line Up Short’s Brewing is heading into the last quarter of the year with a stellar line up of new beers and old faves (and some killer ciders from their sister brand, Starcut Ciders) justRead More
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With the first week of school behind most Michiganders, the return of fall hangs in the air. As nights get cooler and the days get shorter, fall is arriving whether we like it or not. Lucky for us, Short’s Brewing does notRead More
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Short’s Brewing Launches Hop Water in Collaboration with Billy Strings Short’s Brewing is officially launching a non-alcoholic, sparkling hop water in collaboration with Grammy-Award winning musician, Billy Strings. The hopwater, Thirst Mutilator, clocks in at 0 calories, 0 carbs, 0 alcohol, andRead More
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As Northern Michigan businesses gear up for the summer season and influx of tourism, they’re all faced with the same challenge: not enough workers to fill open positions. The worker shortage has been a challenge for Short’s Brewing every summer since theyRead More
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Every year on the last weekend in April beer lovers from across the country head to a small, rural, Northern Michigan town for a celebration of epic proportions—Short’s annual Anni Party. At least, until COVID showed up. After two long years, AnniRead More
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It was a good year. At least for Short’s Brewing Company. 2021 marked another year of growth for the brewery, after the pandemic pushed sales to record numbers in 2020. From their Bellaire Pub and Elk Rapids Pull Barn to their distributionRead More
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Ready for another awesome line up from Michigan’s favorite brewery? Short’s Brewing goes big with their first quarter releases, with a mix of OG bangers (DOUBLE SOFT PARADE!!!) and new innovations. Not only does Short’s have a sweet specialty line up comingRead More
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Elk Rapids, Mich. – Leaves and temps aren’t the only things dropping in Northern Michigan this weekend. Short’s Super Hoppy Holidays 2021 Edition is slated to hit retailers in Michigan October 31 and will arrive across their distribution footprint the week ofRead More
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Summer is the best time in Northern Michigan—the weather is nice, the lakes are warming up, and Short’s releases their third quarter line up, chock full of heady favorites and new brews. This quarter will see two seasonal products with wider releaseRead More
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The message is simple: You drink, We Donate. Giving back has never been easier, or tastier. For the entire month of June head to your favorite store or restaurant and purchase Local’s Light—Short’s flagship American Lager—take a picture of your receipt, andRead More
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Y’all have been thirsty this year. So thirsty in fact, that we’re running out of stuff to put our delicious liquids into! That’s a slight exaggeration, but due to the can shortage affecting breweries across the country, we wanted to be sureRead More
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Elk Rapids, Mich. – After the craziest year ever, it comes as no surprise that Short’s Brewing Co has decided to cancel their 2021 annual April Anni Party celebration, which would have marked their 17th year of business. After postponing and eventuallyRead More
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Every year Short’s Brewing Co. rewards their legions of fans with a very special release at the start of the holiday season—The Super Hoppy Holiday variety pack. Hop-heads rejoice, because this pack packs a punch. In a larger format than previously released,Read More
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Elk Rapids, Mich. – There’s a saying at Short’s—the only thing constant is change. Since the brewery opened in a renovated hardware store in 2004, change—along with growth and expansion—has been a part of the company’s DNA.
2020 impacted the brewery in ways they didn’t expect—and one in a good way. June saw a 30% increase in sales for the brewery, followed by their busiest July 4th holiday ever. Summer sales trends continued, and resulted in 14% growth over summer 2019. And while 2020 was crazy, the change and expansion didn’t stop.
“We’ve literally been working around the clock to try to keep our products stocked for our distribution and retail partners, and we are so grateful for their patience and grace. The demand has been insane, this expansion couldn’t come on line at a better time.” Said Scott Newman-Bale, Chief Executive Officer for the brewery. “We definitely experienced some bumps and setbacks along the way due to COVID, but are excited to be wrapping up construction soon.”
Starting with their new warehouse. At over 6,000 square feet, with an additional three loading docks, the new warehouse sets the brewery up to store a surplus of packaging, and to get ahead on production during slower seasons. Additionally, it will streamline shipping and logistics, easing distribution issues.
Short’s is also about to install a massive new packaging line—which has been under construction in California for the past four months—that will double the rate in which beer can be packaged. It will also eliminate the need for plastic rings, a sustainability issue Short’s has been working on for some time.
A new kettle has also just come online for the brewery, which allows Short’s to produce multiple products at a time—which has been great for the multi-dimensional producer whose brands include Starcut Hard Cider, Beaches Hard Seltzer, and the recently acquired Arcadia Brewing Company brands.
In addition to production facility updates, Short’s is almost finished with an expansion of their Elk Rapids tasting room, known as The Pull Barn. The Pull Barn expansion will turn the outdoor, three-season tourist destination into an indoor, year-round location complete with a beautiful custom bar and bathrooms. The brewery hopes to have the Pull Barn open for inside service by the beginning of November and will feature 20 drafts from the brands mentioned above.
The cost of these projects? A cool $1.5 million. But Short’s isn’t stopping there—the brewery has an additional $2 million in improvements scheduled for 2021 that will continue to increase capacity and efficiency.
“We plan to implement one of the fastest expansions we have ever undertaken and continually increase capacity throughout 2021.” Stated Newman-Bale. “We’re ready for 2021 to be our biggest year yet.”
Of course, change and growth don’t come without their share of setbacks.
“We’ve had to cancel a couple of Specialty projects in our schedule to make sure we could produce enough of our flagship brands to meet demand.” Stated Pauline Knighton-Prueter, Sales Director at Short’s, “But fear not, good humans, we’re going to slate any projects we cancelled into our 2021 release calendar.”
The company is ready to put 2020 behind them, and plans to continue their legacy of caring so hard about their people, products, and community in 2021.
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Elk Rapids, Mich. – As fall plans remain uncertain, Short’s Brewing Co announces the cancellation of their annual anniversary party, scheduled for October 17th, 2020 at their Bellaire location.
Originally rescheduled from April 2020, before the impact of COVID was known, the October date felt promising to the team at Short’s.
“When we moved our party to October, we had hopes that COVID would be behind us and we’d all want a reason to celebrate. Now, we know that’s just not the case and are making the call early to give people plenty of time to cancel plans.” Said Tim Reicha, Short’s Brewing Co’s Festival & Events coordinator.
Their annual Anniversary party is a huge draw for the Northern Michigan community and its local businesses, with typical attendance over 3,000 people.
Short’s is reaching out to all ticket holders individually, and states ticket refunds will be issued within 60 days. There are three refund options available: Ticket holders can choose to hold their ticket for Short’s 17th Anniversary currently scheduled for April 24th, 2021, get a gift card for the ticket value + $5, or elect for a full refund.
If you purchased tickets and have not yet received an email with your options for refund, please email anniparty@shortsbrewing.com
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