Short's Controversial Ale in Stores Now

Was there a story behind the old label?

 

I did not even notice the skin color on the hand when I had a bottle of this a while back. Now that I see the label here it does look a bit iffy.

 

Damn third coasters being all angry about hanging people. Jeez! Its like those damn Bostonians and East Coasters mad about tramp stamps and muffin tops.

I like the old label, but yeah a bit of a gray area.

Cheers!

 

Thanks for letting me know, i'll look for some tonight!

 

there is a story behind this name, but I cannot remember it exactly. I think a while ago (long time ago) someone (probably named Frank) hung himself in the building the brewery is in. Bellaire is a fairly old lumber town and some of the buildings have been around for a long time and have a bunch of history. There is a bed and breakfast in town (that I highly recommend) that has a little "haunting" and cool story behind it. Also, the B&B is a Short's mug club member, so you get to use the mugs when you stay there.

 

haha, unbelievable...i didn't even notice the hand...just thought it was a hanging guy...LOL @ people.

 

by chance are you from that area? I went to HS in Central Lake and went to church and got married in Bellaire

 

There is a few errors in the explanation of this beer's history. Here is some information taken from Short's website.

ControversiALE was one of Shorts first beers and was made and named for the City Park Grill in Petoskey. Here is an excerpt from the Petoskey news explaining why Frank is Hangin:

It is said that the ghost of Frank Fochtman, former owner of the City Park Grill in Petoskey, haunts the establishment today. Manager Jason Septic said it is rumored that Fochtman hung himself in the basement, when it was named Grill Cafe. ”I know many people who’ve just had a weird sensation or feeling that there’s someone else down there,” he said, adding that his hair has stood up on the back of his neck on occasion when down in the basement.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I knew some of my info was off.

 

I have a complaint...it looks like a white guy being hung!!!

 

Oxymoron.

 

I knew of a guy who went to stay with his auntsie and uncle there once...i think he was some sort of royalty, the details escape me.

 

The revised label was also distributed last year. The 2010 distribution was the original "black" label.

 

Kind of bummed I didnt save that six pack holder. I've been collecting all the six pack holders the last year or so and that was one of them that I missed.

 

Boy, we get offended by too many things in our country. This sorta made me think of when others got offended by Jeremy Lin's Ben & Jerry's flavor "Taste the Lin-sanity," because of the fortune cookie ingredient. Was there any information on the back label about Hangin' Frank?