Anniversary Ale Part Deux 2007 - Grapefruit Version
Short's Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

hazy amber with a big billowing white head that was so sticky it literally collapsed on the inside but the top and sides stayed together. Big time lace and alot of carbonation coming up from the bottom of the glass. The smell was hoptastic, hey a new word. Such a deep citric smell. Lots of grapefruit and orange, with a touch of pineapple and Lemon thrown in. The taste was out of this world. Bigtime hoppy IPA. Not alot of alcohol taste, well covered up. But soo sticky with hop resin and orange and grapefruit taste.

Huge thanks to Brad for this bottle which I thought I'd never get to try. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip.

Pours a murky but bright orange that looks closer to caramel in the glass. There's a small thin white head that clings to the edges as a small collar.

The aroma is still massively fruity after all this time. Juicy, sweet grapefruits dominating. Maybe a little sugary sweetness and some orange zest. Oh, and a hefty bourbon aroma throughout.

The taste is more bitter than the aroma suggested with the grapefruit evolving from sweet to a more pithy bitterness. The finish is boozy with the bourbon burning in the aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation and very slick.

This one is a big bourbony DIPA that has a surprisingly big grapefruit presence still hanging on after 2+ years. Really enjoyed it.

From a 12oz bottle, this is from my dwindling 12 pack purchased a couple years ago. This is my favorite IPA of all time, and perhaps my favorite beer of all time. A monster of an IPA for only the extremist of extreme beer lovers, this combines the mastery of Joe's IPA alchemy with pure essence of grapefruit pith, zest and flavor. The result is a magical concoction fusing the best of both. This particular bottle featured heavy bitter grapefruit, with the smell of pure grapefruit extract. A delight to sip as it warmed in the glass. One of these will befuddle the brain and delight the senses.

Received via trade from hoppymeal.

Pours a slightly murky, caramel candy color with a decrepit and depleted ring of lace.

Holy WOW! This one is boozy! Alcohol, caramel, slight toasty aromas. Good god this is big. Cant say it smells all that good, just alcoholic.

I do get a bit of grapefruit in comparison to the other versions, mostly in the aftertaste. Sweet alcohol with a huge caramel malt bill, big and bready as well. Not bad.

This one is hard to judge due to the sheer size of this one. I think this is around 16%abv and I taste every percentage of it. Thick and chewy and cloying and extremely warming, this is a special occasion buzzfest. Thanks again hoppymeal for the series.

Just received this brew from OHLRangers in a face-to-face Dark Lord Day trade. This will be the last of the '07 Short's Anniversary brews. Drank from my Stone India Pale Ale flute.

Appearance- Pours a very hazy yellowish orange with a decent enough one finger creamy light tan head. The cap recedes fairly quickly leaving a fairly thin cap and thick collar. The alcohol must be impeding the lacing because I'm surprised there isn't more.
Smell- Although this was bottled quite some time ago it still has a very fresh floral fruitiness to it. Grapefruit, chardonnay grapes and orange zest are all still fairly bright and vibrant. Some caramel malt adds a bit of candy sweetness reminiscent of red licorice. Not as woody as you'd expect from a beer that spent nine months in the barrel but it is there. Very light on the oak with a tad bit of vanilla and alcohol.
Taste- Starts with a very intense grapefruit bitterness that is unlike anything I've tasted before. Grapefruit pith is exceeding raw with some fresh grapefruit juice and chunks of leaf hops (kidding, but its bitter!!). Orange zest and candied ginger add a bit of actual fruitiness. Somehow a teeny tiny bit of sweetness cuts through with a touch of woody caramel, bubblegum and vanilla. Finishes bitter with a bit of warming alcohol, grapefruit and some lightly woody oak.
Mouthfeel- Big and heavy with a definite barrel aged feel. Sort of creamy and smooth with a crisp jab of carbonation.
Drinkability- Well after the fist sip I thought it was a bit much (bitterness wise) but once you acclimate, it's delicious. The barrel aging is very light and really works well with everything. I have no idea what part of the grapefruit is used in the aging but it seems to really do its part. Good stuff, thanks Ed!!

Hard pour gives thin head of tiny bubbles that hangs around for a couple minutes. No lacing thin residual head. Color is light brown with slight rose tint.

Aroma is sweet but somewhat meaty. Strawberries grapefruit floral hops. Best smelling beer ever. Seriously.

Holy crazy mouthbomb. Citrius hops. Clearly grapefruity. Tons of floral hops on finish. Sweet malt. Even some bourbon notes there.

Mouthfeel is pretty large and somewhat cloying.

Taste is overly sweet. It would be interesting to see how further aging would change it - clearly it would knock down some of the hops (for better or worse), but it might meld the flavors more.

A - Pours just like the others from the series, except this one for some reason has a decent head on it. It doesn't stick around for long, but while it's there, it's a nice 1 finger of tight foam. The body, as usual, is a rusty orange/amber. Lacing, surprisingly!

S - Fruity citric hops, coupled with grapefruit, and a nice sweet bourbon backend. It's similar to the other two Part Deux brews (shocking), but definitely has a sweeter smell than the others. Where the other ones smelled like a walk through the forest, this smells like a walk through a grapefruit orchard. And a hop farm. And... well you get the picture.

T - This actually mellowed out a lot nicer than the others from the Part Deux series. It starts off with a nice little hop kick, followed by a fruity vibe that really doesn't scream grapefruit... it just screams fruit. This bittersweetness then transforms into a sweet, bourbony finish that helps balance everything out. Like the dry-hopped version, this is another one of those supremely balanced brews Joe likes to create. Definite boozy notes, yet nothing detracts. Big, complex, "extreme". Dry, sweet, bitter, all at the same time.

M - Same as the others. Thick with a nice soft carbonation. Big without being gross.

D - I actually think this is a little more drinkable than the dry-hopped version, which differs from the last time I had these two. This one is a gem right now.

Notes: I remember when Jason first reviewed these, I wanted to try this particular brew so bad. I was both lifted up and beat down in the same moment, realizing Short's was in Michigan but 4 hours away.

Now that I had the chance to drink it a couple times, I'm really happy I made the trek to Bellaire. This, like the vast majority of Short's Brew's, is truly pushing the envelope of brewing.

KEEP IT UP JOE!

12oz bottle acquired in trade with hoppymeal (thanks!!). Tasted side by side by side (Original , Dry hop, & Grapefruit versions).

Poured a medium and hazy amber color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of grapefruit, citrus, caramel, vanilla, some wood, and pine. Tastes of citrus rinds, grapefruit, caramel, wood, and vanilla. This one was definitely more 'citrusy' than the other 2 and was more balanced. Again the barrel aging was done very nicely. Shorts kicks ass again!

Notes from and tasted on 2/22/08

Via trade from aqsprint - thanks for sending some of that phat MI product to the Massholes! Poured into a Moosehead mug we never use from a trip to the brewery in Saint John, NB...

Cloudy, caramel body with eggshell beige head that dissipates quickly. Moderate carbonation.

LOADS of (what else) grapefruit with solid floral hops and decent, oily malt backbone. Deep, oaky bourbon tones bring out a sweet alcohol burn. Citrus coats olfactory like a blanket.

Whoa, camel! Yup, there's grapefruit. The oak/bourbon barrell is defintely there also. The oil from floral hops and copious malt is pronounced with a fairly significant alcoholic sweetness. On top of it all, the finish is borderline smoky. They got a lot goin' on here, but a little Beautiful Chemistry may be in order.

Hits the palate from all angles. Citrus pith abounds with warmth and combines with the hop bomb for pretty profound bitter pucker action. The bourbonized oak and malt lend a bit of husky kickback to the offering any maybe contribute to slight smoky notes.

I enjoyed the daylights out of this from a cutting-edge, pushing the envelope viewpoint that draws me to the Short's silo and all their unusual offerings. I gotta tell ya though, this one is all over the place!

Big thanks to fellow BA dashirey for picking me this one up at the brewery.

Ok...been waiting for this one...a BBA DIPA aged with grapefruit...oh my this sounds like a dream I once had!

A-Hazy orange tinged copper with a thin barely present off-white head that reduced to a film leaving no lace.

S-WOW! A giant slam to the nostrils of pungent grapefruit, a bit of pine and sweet bourbon with trademark oak and vanilla. This is simply like heaven in a bottle for me....so many of my favorite aromas in one place!

T-Intense sharp bitter grapefruit and a blast of citrus hop mix with an underlying tone of bourbon with subtle ,but present, vanilla and oak flavours. Once one fights through all of that you get to the supporting cast of a semi-sticky, sweet caramel malt base. A sting of alcohol zing comes through at the end to keep things from getting boring! Man, there is A LOT going on in this little 12 oz bottle.

M-Medium body with a fair bit of stickiness, but never reaches cloying levels. Low carbonation lets the complexity of the beer shine through. Alcohol heat builds as one works through the glass. This is one big beer that is best for the end of the night....or all on it's own.

D-A bourbon infused grapefruit aged DIPA....WTF?! Are you kidding...I knew I was going to like this beer before I had it. But, I found out that I don't like it...I LOVE it. This is about extreme as beers can get and I couldn't be happier! What a fabulous combination, thank you Joe Short for creating this one.

Pours hazy amber with a scant head. Smells heavily of grapefruit and bourbon. Taste is of grapefruit, both sour and bitter, with notes of bourbon and alcohol. It has surprising body considering the lack of carbonation. I personally consider this to be highly drinkable, but then again I love grapefruity IPAs. Though not exactly balanced, this is my favorite of the part deux anniversary series.

Wow. That was my first thought upon smelling this creation. Huge grapefruit rind in the smell with sweet bourbon back there. Can't wait to dive right in and taste it!

Bitter grapefruit/grapefruit rind, bourbon vanilla and some hoppiness against a relatively thick caramel/toffee malt body. The grapefruit though definitely steals the show. So creative and unique - and well pulled off to boot.

Mouthfeel is pretty rich with low carbonation - something that suits this beer well.

Drinkability is not amazing, but, given what it is, is not bad.

Recommended. Every single brew from this talented brewer I have loved in one way or another - sometimes because it tastes really good, sometimes because the flavors are so unique, sometimes because it just works for me - this beer continues that trend. Please, Joe Short, whatever you do, don't stop making offbeat beers like this.

Thanks to hopdog...
Appears a hazy, light golden toned orange with a small, white head that quickly fades into a mild cap. Tiny spots of lacing are scattered around the glass.
Smell is of heavy amounts of citrus, with some juicy bubble gum, and orange peel.
Taste is more citrus with heavy orange and small amounts of fruity, spicy esters.
Mouthfeel is sticky, resinous, with an oily, slick film let on the tongue.

Thanks a bunch to hoppymeal for this brew. Derek has to be the most generous trader around.

12oz. brown bottle, poured into a snifter.

A: Pours orange tinted grapefruit. Cloudy, glowing. short head that holds a bit. Not much lacing.

S: Lots of grapefruit. Has that pungent, super sweet, highly tart, almost stinging grapefruit scent. Mix it with some alcohol... pleasant but potent.

T/M: Bitterness is very high but nice for this hophead. Grapefruit is very tasty but has too much of that 'stinging' tartness. I like the alcohol compliment but it's a bit too much. Malts don't do a whole lot to balance but has a good sweetness. body is medium.

D: Actually becomes cloying toward the end. Just too much citrus astringency.

Appearance: Pours a clear, amberish body that lacks any sort of head.

Smell: Flowery, fresh grapefruit aroma good enough to be a candle scent. Get on that, Yankee Candle Co.

Taste: Hmm, well that's different. Toasted bread crumbs. Not much in the way of sweetness. A mouthful of fresh flowers. Great juicy grapefruit taste. Moderate bitterness grows to a citrusy, powerfully citric finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Mild carbonation.

Drinkability: That is one interesting beer. My favorite of these three Short's Anniversary Ale (Part Deux) Beers.

What the hell? A DIPA aged in bourbon barrels with grapefruit for nine months. This version may have picked up a 1/2 shade darker color than the original sitting still at orangey amber, the head retention is much better though. It has the aroma of an old school cocktail of fresh citrus juice, bitters and booze. So damn smooth, then comes a thick resiny and tannin laden hop bitterness and barrel puckering character. Lots of flavors to deal with, as a fusel note from the bourbon creeps up from the depths. A shot or two of grapefruit hits in the middle, but where does the malt stand in all of this? It barely punches through with a vague bread sweetness. Bitter and boozy warming finish.

Yeah, its not extreme enough so why not throw a bunch of grapefruit at it. Ok now its really extreme. Again, say it with me. What the hell ... yeah I enjoyed this one.