Shorts Gambler

Brewed by Shorts Brewing Co.
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Bellaire, Michigan USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Tumbler

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Sampler at Shorts. Somewhat murky golden orange pour with an eggshell ring. Fairly complex nose included herbal notes, a fair amount of sweet oaky bourbon, a touch of maple, some soft fruit tones, and a smoky meaty quality. Taste on the sweet side with some bitterness. Fuller bodied with a fairly lengthy finish. Pretty good beer, a lot going on but I felt that it worked pretty well together.

tap. amber with small head. better than i was expecting. tea is quite forward. tobacco is subtle, spicy and unique.

On draft at Churchkey in D.C. The beer is orange to amber in color. The nose is all kinds of interesting. Spices, tobacco, hops, barrels, oddness. The flavor is different than any other beer I have yet had. Extremely ashy, like ground up cigarettes. Other flavors include cream soda, spices, alcohol, smoke. The feel is creamy, but not smooth, as there is so much happening, but nothing is in sync. Overall, I would say that this beer was a fun and interesting idea, but ultimately not drinkable. Serving type: on-tap Reviewed on: 06-10-2011

Sampled at EBF. Always in the mood for some crazy concoction that Short’s brews. This had some sort of tea, citrus, orange thing going on. Couldn’t quite place all the flavors but it was most certainly different and interesting.

Sample from EBF Night of the Barrels. Did not know what to expect of my first tea beer and it was definitely interesting and "extreme" - just not sure if it was good. Somewhat hazy orange with an off white head, Tea is there for sure, some orange zest, vanilla, ash, peat (which doesn’t really make sense but I wrote it down), some spice. Moderate body and carbonation, bitter, surprisingly light (but alcohol content means it shouldn’t be a surprise) and worth trying for sure.

GABF 2011. Slight hazy bright gold, bubbly foamy white head. Big nose of green tea leaves, oak, and bitter flower. Flavor much the same but too astringent and bitter. Tastes almost of oak and tobacco with a green tea finish. Big body, but too astringent. Lots of herbal hops. Not very keen.

Draft at GABF. Pours a deep reddish brown with a persistent head. Nose is a smack in the face of rich leather and mahoggany and big smoky phenols. The smoky notes really overwhelm everything else. Some persistent fruity notes as well. on tasting, the tobacco and leather of the lapsang really overpower everything else. It does taste a bit like a cigar parlor, but it’s overwhelming. Interesting, but not my cup o’ tea.

Sampled at GABF 2011. Bright golden pour with a small, soapy looking white head. Aroma smells like tobacco, earth, and lots of herbs. Some herbal tea. Flavor is smokey, lots of wood and herbal tea. Also, very dry and interesting. Slick mouthfeel. I’d love to spend some more time with this beer.

Hazy blonde. Lapsang all over the nose...the phenols are actually a bit off-putting. But hey, I was excited because I’ve been waiting for years for somebody to make a lapsang souchong beer. Solid medium-strength blond ale base. Woody, dry, smokey finish. Very interesting brew if nothing else.

@ GABF. Bright dark gold. Wonderful extraction of the Lapsang Souchong tea here, it really comes out! The smoke with underlying tea leaf is such a lovely, complex aroma. Interesting beer. The rooibos adds very subtle astringency and hibiscus-like character. The malt backbone is strong enough to carry all the flavors. Great fun.