Short's Brewing Company is a

brewpub Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis ...

and

microbrewery Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...

Bellaire, Michigan Bellaire is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Antrim County. The population was 1,053 in 2020 census. The village is split between Forest Home and Kearney townships. The historic Antrim County Courthouse is l ...

, United States. Registered in 2002, the company opened its pub in 2004. In 2008, a production facility in

Elk Rapids, Michigan Elk Rapids is a village in Antrim County in the state of Michigan. The population was 1,642 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Elk Rapids Township, about north of Traverse City. It is physically split by the Elk River, which r ...

was purchased and renovated to accommodate larger scale batches. In July 2017, Short's sold 19.9% of the company to

Lagunitas Brewing Company The Lagunitas Brewing Company, founded in 1993 in Lagunitas, California, is a subsidiary of Heineken International. Before Heineken bought a 50% share of the company in 2015, the company met the definition of a craft brewery. Two years prior ...

, which is owned by

Heineken International Heineken N.V. () is a Dutch multinational brewing company, founded in 1864 by Gerard Adriaan Heineken in Amsterdam. , Heineken owns over 165 breweries in more than 70 countries. It produces 348 international, regional, local and speciality b ...

History

Short's Brewing Company was registered as a business in 2002 with the State of Michigan by 22-year-old Joe Short. In 2003, a 100-year-old empty hardware store in Bellaire, Michigan was refurbished for use as a brewpub. The pub opened on April 26, 2004, initially housing a seven barrel brewing system utilizing five fermenters and five serving tanks. First year production totaled 178 barrels. During the fall of 2006, Short began work on The Imperial Beer Series. By 2007 the 13 series beers were released, each one with its own trading card and story. The pub offers space for community gatherings, local art, and live performance. The pub has 20 beers and Starcut Ciders on tap. Short's purchased an old manufacturing building in Elk Rapids, Michigan in January 2008, to accommodate larger scale batches separate from the brewing done on-site at the brewpub. The first Elk Rapids batch of beer was brewed in January 2009. With the Elk Rapids warehouse facilities, production capacity increased to 30,000 barrels per year. The bottling line is designed to process 800 cases per day. In 2014, the company set a Guinness World Record for the largest tap takeover when it served 120 Short's beers for the opening of HopCat's new location in Detroit. In 2014 the company produced 34,443 barrels.

Production site

The Elk Rapids production site is a 30-barrel brewhouse. The site has 21 fermenters and 6 bright tanks. Short's beer is brewed with natural ingredients and is unfiltered. Every bottled product and some kegs are flash pasteurized. The production site is geared to brew and package 56 different beers in 2014.

Availability

The beer is distributed mostly in Michigan, and is sold in over 3,200 locations statewide. In addition to its year-round "flagship" brews, it bottles over 40 seasonal and specialty beers annually. In January 2016, Short's announced that it would expand its distribution territory for both brands (Short's Brew and Starcut Ciders) to include additional states. In March 2016, Short's began distribution in Indiana and Ohio markets through Cavalier Distributing. In January 2019, Short's partnered with Cavalier Distributing in the greater Orlando area and J.J. Taylor Distributing Florida, Inc. in the greater Tampa area to bring Short's brews to Florida

Awards

2009

Great American Beer Festival The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is an annual beer festival hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado. Typically held in late September or early October, the event is currently held at Denver's Colorado Convention Cent ...

* Bloody Beer - Silver Medal -

Experimental Beer Experimental beer is beer that is produced in or as a new style, using a new recipe, or as a type of beer that does not fit within present beer style criteria or definitions. The term also encompasses minor beer styles that are not covered under ...

2010

RateBeer Beer rating is assessing and evaluating beer using a point system. The process is similar to that used in beer judging competitions, such as those organised by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) in America, though the participants are cons ...

Best Beers In The World * #64 - 100 Best Brewers in The World * #5 - 50 Best Brewpubs 2010 Great American Beer Festival *Key Lime Pie- Gold Medal- Experimental Beer 2010 World Beer Cup * Black Licorice Lager- Bronze Medal- Herb & Spice Beer or Chocolate Beer 2011

Draft Magazine ''DRAFT'' was an American magazine about beer and beer culture, published between September 2006 and August 2017 by DRAFT Publishing. Erika Rietz was the founder and editor-in-chief. The magazine was headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. It was pu ...

Top 25 Beers of the Year * The Gambler 2014 Great American Beer Festival *Key Lime Pie- Gold Medal- Experimental Beer 2015 Great American Beer Festival * Melt My Brain - Silver Medal - Experimental Beer

Notes

External links

* {{portalbar, Beer, Companies Beer brewing companies based in Michigan American companies established in 2004 2004 establishments in Michigan