Aorta Ale (Double Red Ale)
Short's Brewing Company

Aorta Ale (Double Red Ale)Aorta Ale (Double Red Ale)
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From:
Short's Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Imperial Red Ale
ABV:
9.6%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.89 | pDev: 12.34%
Reviews:
59
Ratings:
174
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 01, 2017
Added:
Oct 13, 2007
Wants:
  17
Gots:
  15
A double red ale that seems to indicate an intensity of flavor simply by it’s dark reddish brown appearance. Subtle aromas of candy, brown sugar, and toasted malt seem reluctantly released from the depths of this full bodied beast. Raisins, figs, and burnt caramel are among some of the sweeter flavors up front, before giving way to a roasted cocoa like bitterness that becomes magnified by high alpha hops. Considering the initial overall sweetness, it’s a heightened bitterness that dominates the finish.

82 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Supergenious:
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Rated by Supergenious from Michigan

4/5  rDev +2.8%

Mar 20, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.72 by Taphouse_Traveler from Florida

Dec 01, 2017
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Reviewed by buschbeer from Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
12 fl. oz bottle
Served in a Michigan Wolverines pint glass

This beer pours a rust color with copper highlights. Suspended yeast is visible. It is topped with an inch of thick, tan head that leaves some nice lacing.

It has a malty aroma. I get rich, toasted grain.

The taste is sweet, full flavored malt up front, not dissimilar from a barleywine. Bitterness comes in the finish and balances the malt.

Full mouthfeel

This is a full bodied, well balanced beer. I find it quite enjoyable on a chilly, college football Saturday.
Oct 28, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by C_Adams from Ohio

Oct 23, 2017
 
Rated: 4.29 by Hemlock4888 from Michigan

Jul 07, 2017
 
Rated: 3.92 by blissfulNemo from Michigan

Jun 19, 2017
 
Rated: 3.76 by Grupatre from Michigan

Jan 30, 2017
 
Rated: 3.28 by moshea from Michigan

Jan 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.85 by lochef81 from Michigan

Jan 29, 2017
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Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 12/2/2016. Pours hazy deep reddish/orange/copper color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Thick soapy lacing clings on the glass. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, raisin, plum, fig, orange peel, citrus rind, pepper, pine, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness/roast, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/pine hops, fruity yeast, and dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of huge grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, raisin, plum, fig, orange peel, citrus rind, pepper, pine, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness/roast, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Moderate pine/citrus rind/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, raisin, plum, fig, citrus rind, pepper, pine, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness/roast, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/pine hops, fruity yeast, and dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and no lingering hop astringency after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitterness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/sticky/resinous, and lightly slick balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden, a mild warmth lingering after the finish for 9.6%. Overall this is an awesome imperial red ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/pine hops, fruity yeast, and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to sip on for the big ABV; despite the moderately strong bitterness and increasing resin/rindy dryness. Nicely juicy feeling on hops and yeast fruitiness. A really delicious offering.
Jan 27, 2017
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Reviewed by TreyIsWilson from Michigan

3.96/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Pours a dark ruby red with a two finger creamy off white head. Tons of soapy lacing.

S - Aroma is caranel malts, toffee, tropical fruits and light earthy hops.

T - The taste is sweet caramel malts, brown sugar, dark fruits, grapefruit peel and some piney hop bitterness.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a soft dry mouthfeel.

O - This is a pretty solid double red. The flavors are nice sweet malts and earthy hops.
Jan 24, 2017
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Reviewed by ribby from Michigan

4.32/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
From 12 oz bottle. Slightly cloudy caramel red, with a fine bubbled creamy head. The aroma is relatively intens for the style, mostly hops with a bit of yeast. The taste is a slighly sour hoppy ale. There is enough malt to be balanced, but still on the hoppy end of the spectrum. Overall, a very good beer, and one of Shorts best.
Jan 24, 2017
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Reviewed by Tripel_Threat from Michigan

4.17/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From bottle to tulip. Deep, rich garnet color with a few fingers of substantial head that leaves pretty attractive lacing. Aroma is sweet malt, warm sugary dark fruits. Flavor is figs, plums, caramel, biscuit, with a bitterness that's more prominent on the finish and becomes less prominent as the glass is drained. The aroma and flavor increase as the ale warms, the feel becomes thicker and silky.
Jan 22, 2017
 
Rated: 3.79 by Phoodcritic from Michigan

Jan 21, 2017
 
Rated: 2.87 by DanGeo from Michigan

Jan 02, 2017
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Reviewed by 98green from Michigan

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
From a bottle. Very unique style for me. The smell and taste are very wine-like to me, tannins and some grape must tang. Lots of warming burn in the end too. In the end, I neither love it or hate it. I won't seek this one out next time around, but I will recommend it as it might be in somebody else's wheelhouse.
Jan 01, 2017
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Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

4.27/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Enjoyed it in a snifter from draft. Beautiful mahogany color, beautiful beige head and very nice veiled lacing. The smell is pungent and malty. Great taste with caramel and spice. Nice and sweet and full bodied.
Jan 01, 2017
 
Rated: 3.79 by MIbeer27 from Michigan

Dec 30, 2016
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Reviewed by Blackop555 from Michigan

4.21/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Pours a red with medium white head lasts a bit with light lacing

Smells amazing. I really loved the smell. Sweet malty hoppy. Earthy just great.

Sweet malty and nice hops well balanced. Medium body with medium carbonation but the carbonation feels like it's a lot smoother smaller bubbles maybe. Finish is hops with some sweetness.

I definitely enjoyed this and will enjoy again
Dec 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.09 by HardyA from Michigan

Dec 28, 2016
Aorta Ale (Double Red Ale) from Short's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 174 ratings