The Takeover

The (SHORT’S) Takeover

It was ON, and when I say ON, I mean 18 handles deep ON.  Such was the scene at CK Diggs on a balmy Octobre eve.  The crown jewel of Crooks Road, with its 41 sexy beer spigots, and Short’s Brewing Company, the one and the only, took over half the draft at this fine Rochester Hills establishment and boy howdy did they throw down.  As always Mr. Chris Khami and his staff did an outstanding job slinging the brew and the food to go with it.  The Schuett Bros. from Imperial Beverage were on site to lend a hand and Handsome Rob Cutmore from Short’s Brewing Co. was running around shaking babies and kissing hands.  The order of the evening was damn fine and the loud mouth soup was flowing.  The rest is liquid history and for ya’ll to dream about. 

Tale o’the Tape

The 5 Standard Brews made up north by people who care

-The Magician, Huma-lupa-licious, Soft Parade, Pandemonium Pale Ale and Bellaire Brown.  All were delish and filling up samplers and pints frequently.  All too often I forget just how tasty these beers are and they maintain it on a consistent basis.  Beer so good you’ll want to smack your mama but I don’t condone that so give her a hug instead.

The Seasonings

- Nicie Spicie, Via con Dios Summer! This brew just gets better as the days get shorter, fully integrated with layers of spice and fruit, savory and sweet.   Noble Chaos is reason enough to party in the fall months, their riff on a Marzen with all the trimmings you’d expect from Short’s.   ContraversiALE , RIP Hangin’ Frank and it is saddening that the last bastion of brewing creativity where we have Bithces Brew, Little Sumpin Sumpin, Kind Ale etc and some of you folks couldn’t handle Ol’ Frank taking matters into his own hands? Well, you probably can’t handle this brew billed as a Strong Pale Ale with enough Simcoe for you people and the sipability that should accompany a beer this controversial.  Get over it scumbags, it’ll always be Hangin’ Frank to me and you can juggle the beans if you don’t like it.

The Brews I drive to Bellaire for

- Pontius Pilsner, Spruce Pilsner, Chocolate Wheat…love it when you talk dirty to me.  I go from 6 to 12 when I see these beers.  Pontius is a balanced hop-lager situated on a razor blade of fresh fermented perfection.  The Blue Tips in the India Spruce Pilsner make your mouth not only happy but leave it piney fresh and clean.  Choc Wheat is a malt rave where the “E” is free and the DJ is spinning flavors at you that you can not only taste but see.  Wicked good stuff.

The We already make Bangin brews so why not make more

- Publican Porter might be the best Michigan made Porter to ever slide down my gullet.  A great reminder that beer doesn’t need to have wild herbs or exotic yeast strains to be pure alchemy, think Turkish coffee with some of that espresso bitterness (And don’t worry kittens this one be coming in 6 packs soon) Good Samaritan is a straight up trip to the Cider Mill without the crying children, pony rides and wasps, cider meets beer they fall in love you know that old horseshoe.  Bludgeon Yer Eye Black IPA…so this is the trend now and some might say it’s actually not a style but more or less a spin on a classic. F*** Y** I don’t care this beer is magnificent.  A ménage a trios of Porter, Brown Ale and IPA, Straight up liquid porn.  Grashoppa threw me for a loop, frankly because I didn’t like it and well to be honest I didn’t understand it.  Not as dark as Black IPA and not as malty as a brown.  This beer is a twisted concoction of chocolate malt and hops that give it a burnt bitter sweetness reminiscent of baker’s chocolate. 

The Reason the Beer Revolution will not be televised (with apologies to Mr. Gil Scott-Heron posthumously)
- 2009 Black Cherry Porter, Whiskey Sour (Key Lime Pie blended w/ a Belgian sour and aged in bourbon barrels), Bourbon Barrel Aged Wizard.  Even a faint attempt at describing these beers would be folly, much like telling someone else about seeing KISS play Cobo Hall for the last time ever; they need to have this experience to understand.  Special thanks to Jon Wojtowicz of Short’s for scurrying around the brewery and scoring these rare barrels.

Matt Schuett & Handsome Rob

And for the record when it was all said and done…I finished the night with a refreshing Soft Parade, why would I do that?  Because I can, and that’s what The Hombre does.  Looking forward to the Next CK Diggs Tap Takeover with Atwater Brewery on Friday November 11^th.  Some more Great Beer from the Great State.  Stay Frosty Non-Believers…

Please and Thank You:  Everyone that came out to CK Diggs over the weekend, Joe Short, Scott NB, Jon Woj, Handsome Rob and all the rowdy folks up in Bellaire and Elk Rapids.  Short's Brewing Co. Brewed Up North by people who care, Sold in Michigan & Made in Michigan.  Keep brewing it up!

Keep Hope Alive and RIP Al Davis, A Commitment to Excellence