Despite growing in up northern Michigan, I am sorry to say I have not visited Short's Brewing Company, in Bellaire...but I will. I discovered Short's this past winter during a visit to my hometown, Petoskey, Michigan, when my sister, Christina, compared a batch of Bitter I'd made to a Short's sold at the food co-op where she works. Intrigued, I made a point to do some investigating (i.e. sampling), and I've become a big fan of their Bellaire Brown.While shopping the other day, I remembered the sole surviving Pandemonium Pale Ale in my fridge, and decided to grab a bottle of Huma Lupa Licious for an impromptu tasting.
Pandemonium Pale Ale (5.4% ABV) &
Huma Lupa Licious IPA (6.6% ABV)
Short's Brewing Company
Bellaire, MI
Appearance
Pandemonium: A somewhat thin and translucent head with coarse bubbles - disappears pretty quickly. Bold, coppery amber color.
Huma Lupa Licious: A thick, soft, lingering head. Deep straw color - almost orange.
Aroma
Pandemonium: A grassy, almost sweet aroma - earthy.
Huma Lupa Licious: A crisp, fresh-pine scent - invigorating.
Taste
Pandemonium: Zesty bitterness followed quickly by a full, sweet malty goodness. Fizzy with quick dissipation, followed immediately by full bodied malt. A pleasant, celeryish flavor that dissolves into a mild, lingering bitterness.
Huma Lupa Licious: A clean, sharp, grapefruity flavor. Smooth and creamy. A bitterness on the back of the tongue that hangs on well after the sip.
Overall Impression
Pandemonium: A good choice for a Friday night at the pub with a few friends. Tasty, but won't distract you from the topic of conversation. Drinkable and satisfying.
Huma Lupa Licious: Very refreshing - the kind of beer you want after a few hours of yard work, during an August softball game, or while tending burgers on the grill.
Parting Shot...
Maybe its the fact that I've been on a big IPA kick lately, but if I'm getting dropped on a desert island, I'm hoping to wash ashore with a flat of Huma Lupa Licious. Speaking of IPA, I just bought a four-pack of Double Trouble, an Imperial IPA from Founder's, the big-hitting Grand Rapids brewery. I am very excited to dive in to these 9.4% ABV heavy hoppers.
--Brewfus
