Carrot Cake
Short's Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- Strong Ale - American
Ranked #36 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 91
Ranked #2,643 - Avg:
- 4.37 | pDev: 7.78%
- Reviews:
- 10
- Ratings:
- From:
- Short's Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating/Seasonal
- Wants
- 83
- Gots
- 2
SCORE
91
Outstanding
91
Outstanding
Notes:
Carrot Cake is an Experimental Strong American Brown Ale developed to taste like a traditional carrot cake. The malty rich base provides the “cakebatter” to support the ginger, allspice, cinnamon, maple syrup and carrot puree for additional depth, complexity and flavor. Simcoe hops and orange zest add a slight citrus element coupled with the vanilla and marshmallow fluff to deliver the cream cheese frosting component
Reviews: 10
| Ratings: 45
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Reviews by drabmuh:
drabmuh from Maryland
3.99/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The best part about this beer is the aroma, NAILED IT. Even the owner of Short's told me that the flavor couldn't possibly live up to the aroma. Overall if you like carrot cake, drink this beer.
Beer is orangish red with a mild haze, lazy head with bad retention some lacing low carboantion.
Smells like carrot cake, biscuit, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, molasses, sweet sweet sweet. In a blind smell test you would think you are smelling a piece of cake.
Beer is thin and sweet with some carrot character and some sweetness but overall it doesn't live up the hype built up by the amazing aroma. The finish is a little bitter, overall a good beer. Seriously that aroma, forget about it.
Jun 03, 2011
3.99/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The best part about this beer is the aroma, NAILED IT. Even the owner of Short's told me that the flavor couldn't possibly live up to the aroma. Overall if you like carrot cake, drink this beer.
Beer is orangish red with a mild haze, lazy head with bad retention some lacing low carboantion.
Smells like carrot cake, biscuit, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, molasses, sweet sweet sweet. In a blind smell test you would think you are smelling a piece of cake.
Beer is thin and sweet with some carrot character and some sweetness but overall it doesn't live up the hype built up by the amazing aroma. The finish is a little bitter, overall a good beer. Seriously that aroma, forget about it.
Jun 03, 2011
More User Reviews:
Buck_Jones from Michigan
4.35/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Aug 07, 2019
4.35/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Aug 07, 2019
metter98 from New York
4.14/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: The beer is clear dark amber in color and does not have any signs of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: The aromas are moderately strong and smell exactly like a carrot cake—so close to the original that it’s like you are smelling a Yankee candle.
T: The taste has a moderate amount of sweetness and is very similar to the smell, except that the spices are a bit stronger.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a bit syrupy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a beer that needs to be sipped, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing because you can take the time to savor the aromas and flavors.
Jun 07, 2011
4.14/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: The beer is clear dark amber in color and does not have any signs of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: The aromas are moderately strong and smell exactly like a carrot cake—so close to the original that it’s like you are smelling a Yankee candle.
T: The taste has a moderate amount of sweetness and is very similar to the smell, except that the spices are a bit stronger.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a bit syrupy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a beer that needs to be sipped, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing because you can take the time to savor the aromas and flavors.
Jun 07, 2011
HopHead84 from California
3.77/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
5/26/2012
Bomber into a snifter.
A: Orangish red with a big beige head.
S: Allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar. Carrot cake! Frosting and vanilla. Love the aroma.
T: Flavor tastes of carrot cake but it's really intense. Very spicy, lots of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Reminds me a bit of a pumpkin beer with all the spices.
M: Medium body with medium carbonation.
Overall. Great nose but one ounce is enough to taste. A novelty that's worth trying.
May 27, 2012
3.77/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
5/26/2012
Bomber into a snifter.
A: Orangish red with a big beige head.
S: Allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar. Carrot cake! Frosting and vanilla. Love the aroma.
T: Flavor tastes of carrot cake but it's really intense. Very spicy, lots of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Reminds me a bit of a pumpkin beer with all the spices.
M: Medium body with medium carbonation.
Overall. Great nose but one ounce is enough to taste. A novelty that's worth trying.
May 27, 2012
Huhzubendah from District of Columbia
4.54/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On draft at Churchkey in D.C.
This was the beer I was most excited to try at the Short's takeover event, and I was not disappointed.
The beer is reddish orange, with a thin off white head.
The aroma is stunning. Seriously. I am baffled. The beer smells like a delicious piece of carrot cake. I would have believed someone put fresh baked carrot cake under my nose if this was a blind test.
The flavor, while not living up to the aroma, per se, is really tasty. The beer is sweet, with vanilla, spices, brown sugar, and malt. Just beautifully done.
Overall, this is one of the best beers I've had from Short's. This was the star of their lineup. Superb.
Jun 06, 2011
4.54/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On draft at Churchkey in D.C.
This was the beer I was most excited to try at the Short's takeover event, and I was not disappointed.
The beer is reddish orange, with a thin off white head.
The aroma is stunning. Seriously. I am baffled. The beer smells like a delicious piece of carrot cake. I would have believed someone put fresh baked carrot cake under my nose if this was a blind test.
The flavor, while not living up to the aroma, per se, is really tasty. The beer is sweet, with vanilla, spices, brown sugar, and malt. Just beautifully done.
Overall, this is one of the best beers I've had from Short's. This was the star of their lineup. Superb.
Jun 06, 2011
2LCrew from California
4.04/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Received a bottle from volunteering at WBC this year. When I opened it up there was an amazing cinnamon smell coming up. I am not fan of carrot cake, but I enjoyed the beer. Taste was a little sweet for me but I just had a 2 oz pour or so as it was shared among 6 people. Would be hard to drink a full 22 oz bottle. Overall a unique beer and one that might have new beer drinkers around winter time convert to drinking better beer.
May 20, 2012
4.04/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Received a bottle from volunteering at WBC this year. When I opened it up there was an amazing cinnamon smell coming up. I am not fan of carrot cake, but I enjoyed the beer. Taste was a little sweet for me but I just had a 2 oz pour or so as it was shared among 6 people. Would be hard to drink a full 22 oz bottle. Overall a unique beer and one that might have new beer drinkers around winter time convert to drinking better beer.
May 20, 2012
Thorpe429 from Illinois
4.42/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Reviewed from notes.
Pours an orange-brown color with a thin off-white head and a few spots of lacing plus a nice collar throughout. The nose carries the aroma of freshly-baked carrot cake with some sweetness, light nuttiness, and raisins. Following through on this is a bit of light spices and a bit of vanilla. The flavor falls along the same lines with same cake-like bready malt as well as raisin, nuts, spice, and a pinch of vanilla. Moderate feel with a good enough body to create that cake-like feeling, though a bit too much sweetness. Overall, one of the best experimental beers I’ve had from Short’s.
May 31, 2011
4.42/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Reviewed from notes.
Pours an orange-brown color with a thin off-white head and a few spots of lacing plus a nice collar throughout. The nose carries the aroma of freshly-baked carrot cake with some sweetness, light nuttiness, and raisins. Following through on this is a bit of light spices and a bit of vanilla. The flavor falls along the same lines with same cake-like bready malt as well as raisin, nuts, spice, and a pinch of vanilla. Moderate feel with a good enough body to create that cake-like feeling, though a bit too much sweetness. Overall, one of the best experimental beers I’ve had from Short’s.
May 31, 2011
KickInTheChalice from Illinois
4.24/5 rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served on tap in a cervoise at the Great Taste of the Midwest.
Appearance: This pours a reddish brown color with a small creamy light tan head. The retention is not very good, and it leaves just a few spots of lace on the glass.
Aroma: This smells like a delicious piece of most carrot cake. The aroma is absolutely dead on. There is not much else to really say. Vanilla, cinnamon, a toffee sweet malt aroma, ginger, and nutmeg. I think that covers it. Wow.
Flavor: The flavor is nice, but does not quite live up to the aroma. Some toffee sweetness goes with the malt flavor, and some vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice are there as well. The carrot is actually the one thing that sticks out in a negative way; it is kind of over-exaggerated in a sense. The finish remains fairly sweet.
Mouthfeel: This has a fairly smooth feel with a light graininess to it. The carbonation is well-integrated and on the softer, creamy side. Slightly sticky sweet.
Overall: This was enjoyable, and Short's really pushes the limit with some of their beers. The flavor of this beer could not possibly live up to the aroma, but it was still quite good.
Aug 31, 2011
4.24/5 rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served on tap in a cervoise at the Great Taste of the Midwest.
Appearance: This pours a reddish brown color with a small creamy light tan head. The retention is not very good, and it leaves just a few spots of lace on the glass.
Aroma: This smells like a delicious piece of most carrot cake. The aroma is absolutely dead on. There is not much else to really say. Vanilla, cinnamon, a toffee sweet malt aroma, ginger, and nutmeg. I think that covers it. Wow.
Flavor: The flavor is nice, but does not quite live up to the aroma. Some toffee sweetness goes with the malt flavor, and some vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice are there as well. The carrot is actually the one thing that sticks out in a negative way; it is kind of over-exaggerated in a sense. The finish remains fairly sweet.
Mouthfeel: This has a fairly smooth feel with a light graininess to it. The carbonation is well-integrated and on the softer, creamy side. Slightly sticky sweet.
Overall: This was enjoyable, and Short's really pushes the limit with some of their beers. The flavor of this beer could not possibly live up to the aroma, but it was still quite good.
Aug 31, 2011
wethorseblanket from California
4.33/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
May 30, 2015
4.33/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
May 30, 2015
Carrot Cake from Short's Brewing Company
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
45 ratings
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