Shorts Anniversary Ale Part Deux Dry Hop Version

Brewed by Shorts Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Bellaire, Michigan USA

Bottled at DLD. Poured clear grapefruity-brown with a short cap of off-white head. The aroma was just delightful.. dark, sweet grapefruit meat and pine with strong floral and perfumey accents.. heavy and hopped-up. The flavor was not so good.. it can be described as a rough, boozy mess actually.. sweet grapefruit and grain alcohol with pine and grapefruit bitterness at the finish.. unbalanced and unpleasant. Thick and boozy on the palate with rough alcohol-fueled bitterness.. long, warm finish with lots of residual sugars. This went way downhill from the initial impression.

12oz bottle, no date with a big thank you to Colin General_Gao. Clear orange with minimal reddish highlights and a small, short-lived off-white head, fading to a ring after a minute. The aroma I get is pretty damn great and I can’t put a finger on it other than a blend of bourbon and grapefruity and dried grassy hops. There is also some caramel, and digging deeper I get some mango and light wood--can’t necessarily place it as oak, though. Big bitterness carries through to the semi-dry finish, peaking at a 6. But, back to the rest of the flavor. It is just as fruity with the delicious new flavor put together by the dry hops and bourbon aging. There is some caramel and raisin sweetness kept at bay from the hops. There is some light raw alcohol in the finish. Light creamy carbonation with a full body. Only 10 ratings? Damn, Shorts really is up in the middle of nowhere. Of the 5 beers I’ve had from them, this one continues to impress.

Name: Anniversary Deux Dry Hop
Date: 02/23/2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: cloudy burnt orange, wispy beige head,
Aroma: sweet crystal malt aroma with lots of astrengent earthy hops,
Flavor: sweet crystal malt flavor, lots of citrus hops for balance, lots of earthy bitterness, long bitter finish,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: **+/4

Poured a cooper color with a small off-white head. The aroma is full of grapefruit juice and some sugary sweetness. It smells like breakfast. Some vanilla and caramel underneath. Citrus, grapefruit, and caramel mix together to form the flavor. But as it fades you get pure grapefruit juice mixed with mild bourbon and a touch of alcohol. Nice warmth in the chest. Which feels good on this cold rainy night after having a chest cold. Medium to full bodied. The bourbon really came out when the beer warmed.

Pours a hazy copper color with a white head. Aroma is lots of sweet citrus hops. Flavor is malty, biscuit, caramel, and a bitter citrus hop finish.

Pours a slightly hazy orange copper with a thin ring of white head. Aroma of bourbon and lightly sweet caramel malt with some resiny grapefruity hops. Starts lightly caramely sweet and citrusy hoppy bitter with a big bourbon oaky balance. FInishes warming oaky and bittersweet. A decent double IPA.

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 smaller sized off white head. Aromas of fresh floral green hoppiness, caramel, some vanilla, pine, citrus, and a trace of woodiness. Tastes of floral hops, citrus, caramel, and vanilla. This one was also nice and bitter. The barrel aging was done nicely as the bourbon was in the background and added nicely to the overall experience.

Better than the original, but not a ton. Pours a clear still copper with almost no head. Tangerine like citrusy hop bite. Sweet malt. A little toasty. Hops come much harder. A chemical like smell. Thin body, low carbonation, but not bad. Big bitter hops. Amarillo-like aspriin. Bitter toast. A bit sweet. Lingering bitter.