Short's Nicie Spicie - Short's Brewing Company

iadler

Minnesota

2.83/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Roommate brought back a growler from the brewery. Poured into a tulip glass.

A- Clear gold with a small white head. Leaves tiny lacing.

S- One of the most pungent beers I've smelled. Peppercorns, lemon zest, orange zest, bready malt, coriander, and other spices. I could smell this quite a few feet away from the glass.

T- Some spiciness upfront from the peppercorns followed by some citrus notes including lemon and orange zest, coriander and sweet bready malt follow after.

M- Light carbonation and light body with a slightly sweet finish. A tad crisp but the high spice profile prevents it from being too drinkable for my taste.

O- One of the most interesting beers I've tried in recent memory. The smell was pretty complex, but the spice level prevented me from being able to drink more than a small pour of this. Glad I tried it, but not really my kind of brew.

Serving type: growler

07-05-2011 22:15:26 | More by iadler

webmanspidey

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Light clear golden color. Light head.
Light peppery smell... cloves, coriander, oranges, and lemon.

Taste is a mix of spices dominated by peppercorns. Some coriander and citrus are also prevalent. Slightly bitter, but very clean and refreshing. Finish is all pepper.

Serving type: growler

08-30-2009 00:23:06 | More by webmanspidey

johnd513

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange color with a small head and minimal lacing. The smell is dominated by the pepercorns, followed by citrusy flavors. The taste begins with the spicy pepercorns and is followed by ginger and a nice spicy burn. The mouthfeel has a medium body. This beer is easy to quaff and the pepercorn is done just right. Short's also uses pepercorns in their anniversary ale which makes for a interesting and spicy brew in both cases.

Serving type: growler

07-12-2009 17:26:36 | More by johnd513

stouty1

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a Growler into my new Sam's Adams glass. White frothy head and apple juice color. Smells of orange and lemon.
Orange, coriander, and a peppery finish all blend together with a zesty refreshing drink. Very complex how they fit all that fruity refreshing drink into one spicey, bite the tongue finish.

Serving type: growler

08-06-2007 01:47:01 | More by stouty1

treedoctor5002

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled from a growler I bought on sight at Short's in beautiful Northern Michigan.
Here we go...
This beer is a pale golden color with what seems like a decent amount of carbonation and plenty of lacing.
Wow, the smell is what gets you here. What is it? Citrus-yes, grassy-maybe, peppery- yes
The taste is different from anything I've ever had and I think I like it. It's quite refreshing, tastes like lemon-tea with a very peppery finish (especially when it warms up a bit).
I'm sure this beer isn't for everyone but it wins me over because of its uniqueness.

Serving type: growler

10-29-2006 21:59:14 | More by treedoctor5002

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Nicie Spicie, released from it's growler, pours a lovely ginger hue, active carbonation rushing up, to greet a thinnish white head.
Aroma is warm spice, ginger, cinnamon, and coriander, a whisper of pepper, but dominated by orange zest. Very pleasing to this nose, a gentle mix of fruit and spice.
Zing, goes the tongue, on meeting this brew, a burst of tidy spices entangle the buds, sweet citric fruitiness blends in next, and all is settled well.
Flavor never wanes, and in fact, gets juicier and plumper further in, tastes of apricot and peach shining through, with the pepper laying out new levels of spiciness, without getting hot and spoiling the feeling.
Nearing the end of my first glass, I feel the peppery heat more and it dominate the palate in ways I'd never imagined when first sipping this serving.
This carries over in the finish, where previous I felt it was mildly possessed by pepper, it now almost carries a sting, and has claimed a long stake on the senses.
(We must pour a new pint to be sure..)
On this pour, the head is larger and takes longer to shift in size...I'll bring it up 1/2 a point for that...
This time, the nose takes pepper in largest, mixed well with lemon & orange...yeah, that's a hot tamale!
Soaking the brew on my tongue again, it only feels hotter, and commands control of the mouth. Tempered well by the fruit, matched with the malt, this hot, spicy quality sits at attention and barks, but doesn't bite. It slings a powerful heat, yet holds it back in abeyance, making a very palatable, tasty brew.
Long, hot finish, medium body, unique and memorable. I've yet to encounter a beer quite like this, and congrats to Short's for coming up with something so bold, yet easily drinkable! (I've had a few that go the other way, making even one pint a chore.)

Serving type: growler

01-13-2005 08:26:54 | More by feloniousmonk

tectactoe

Michigan

2.63/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a deep golden, nearly amber color with a pretty wispy, white head that recedes pretty quickly to a small outline of the glass. The aroma is... different, to say the least. At first, it's like mixing together a bunch of random spices off the rack and taking a big whiff. Upon settling down and taking repeated sniffs, some clarity begins to form - peppercorns are the heaviest spice, as expected, because that's how it's advertised. Nutmeg? Maybe. It's hard to tell. Coriander? Definitely, but it's not very strong. There are some other ashy, leafy spices lingering around, may just be a product of ingredient clashing. Intense fruity, sweetness spikes hit the nose as well, bittersweet orange rinds and a peppery lemon zest, almost in a wood-polish, Pledge kind of way. Certainly stings the nostrils.

The taste is full of many things. Oranges? They're there. Lemon zest? Big time, again, taking on an almost too-strong, cleanser profile. Coriander? Yeah, certainly in the backdrop. Hops? Sure. A present leafiness hangs around, almost on the herbal side, along with a slight pungent, citrusy-pith character. Malt? Of course. Nice malty background, slightly toasted with a nice bread character and some light caramel even (very light, however). BUT - none of these flavors are any match for the peppercorns. My GOD, the pepper is strong in this one. It's like sucking on a pepper mill. Strong and overpowering, to the point of tickling the back of the throat. I like pepper. But not this much, and it certainly doesn't belong in a beer. Medium body, medium-high carbonation.

As always, Shorts is trying something out-of-the-box, which I love. This time, for me at least, it happened to be a miss. No big deal. I commend their efforts to always shake things up, but this one is too crowded with peppercorns to be drinkable and enjoyable all the way through.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 17:46:13 | More by tectactoe

kylehay2004

Florida

3.23/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Little to no head on a hazy golden with slight orange tinge body. Aroma is a little pungent with grains, honey and light lemon custard. Flavor is a little spicy with quite a bit of honey, lemongrass and maybe some ginger on a grainy base. Light to medium body and moderate carbonation. I was hoping this to be spicier. The sweetness isnt very well balanced and it feels too syrupy.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 02:30:37 | More by kylehay2004

welldigger888

South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

nise pale gold hue with a fluffy white head that recedes leaving minamal lacing

Tart wheat and peppercorn with a hint of hops. Almost sour note on the nose that leaves a nice spice from the peppercorns.

Well, again a nice tart wheat like brew with a lacto type sour that leads way to a BIG peppercorn taste thaty does not overwhelm the wheat. well done.

Medium bodied brew that satisfies.

Well, We have a nice peppercorn wheat that I enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 02:23:19 | More by welldigger888

Alextricity

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a deep, clear yellow color with a short-lived head, and no lacing. Really a pretty sad looking brew. It looks like stagnant urine.

Smell: Faint on the aroma after the head bubbles away. Some spice is certainly there, as is some hops and malt. Nothing overpowering though.

Taste/Feel: Very, very interesting. There's a whole lot of everything going on. My first thought was that it tasted a lot like tea... like an Earl Grey or something. Then the zest comes in so you get some citrus in the background, but on the finish you get a slight burn on your tongue from the peppercorns. Very bizarre but also enjoyable. The carbonation is medium, despite seeing very little bubbling in the glass. The feel is pretty light.

This is one strange yet tasty beer by Short's. I should also note this is the first Short's I've ever had. It essentially tastes like a tea with pepper in it to me, which isn't a bad thing. It's just very unusual. I'm not sure I'd drink this too often... I see it as more of a novelty. I'd still get it again in the future just because it's so strangely compelling.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 00:14:47 | More by Alextricity

smalenberg

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smell - Slight bubble gum ester character with a wonderful fruitiness and pleasant citrus that is at least in part from the coriander.

Mouthfeel - the carbonation is just right - too much would have hidden the best characteristics of this beer.

Overall - the peppercorn lingers on the tongue along with the lemon zest. Very well balanced and a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 01:56:08 | More by smalenberg

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

The nose had me very worried on this one as it was so much orange zest. Thankfully, it did settle down a bit. Unfortunately, it settled down to an orange tang thing, The flavor is a wad of crap and spices. At least that was my first impression. Then it seems like it starts to work. Then it seems like an obnoxious contrast. I'm ready to move on here.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 02:40:11 | More by RblWthACoz

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 06/27/12 poured in to Founders tulip.

A - Slightly hazy pale yellow colour with a golden glow around the edges. A small layer of white head formed and quickly receded to a ring around the glass.

S - Big lemon zest aroma up front, followed by black pepper. Belgian yeast is also present along with lighter orange zest and clove aromas.

T - Lemon zest and peppercorns are dominant at first with lighter Belgian yeast notes present. The orange zest is detectable as well, but is somewhat overpowered by the lemon. Not specifically detecting the coriander, but there is a big spice presence from the peppercorns that it likely plays in to. Very good balance of citrus and spice.

M - Light to medium body with a slight chew. Moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 14:16:07 | More by TheSevenDuffs

jaasen64

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle thanks to makdeco for picking this one up for me. Poured into Founders snifter.

A- Pours a translucent golden yellow with absolutely no head at all. Some light carbonation of sporadic carbonation bubbles of varying sizes.

S- Lots of spices, pepper, lemon, some grass, leafy herbs, mint, kind of a lot going on and definitely well above average aroma strength.

T- Lemon, spices, pepper, mint leaves, a tiny bit of medicinal herbs. Finishes with lemony mint and pepper bitterness, the lemony mint lingers for awhile.

M- Light to a little bit medium bodied, not much carbonation but fits well with the beer, goes down easily.

O- This was definitely an interesting beer. It was definitely very different then anything I'm used to. Lots of interesting flavors that makes for a fairly complex beer. While it was interesting to try, I didn't particularly like a lot of the flavors going on. It was a little bit too spicey and I didn't really care for the pepper or leafy mint flavors going on. I would maybe recommend trying this beer if you like interesting beers, otherwise I probably wouldn't.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 02:27:51 | More by jaasen64

Grohnke

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +21%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Nose is smacked with cracked pepper, lemon, and orange. The spice and citrus additions almost form a spicy lime-like aroma - extremely pleasing and welcoming. Soft sweetness.

Incredibly balanced citrus and spice palate. Lots of orange up front, lots of peppercorn. Those are the two major players, supported by the coriander spice and lemon (and that damn lime again). Behind all this, is a well made American wheat that's able to withstand all these additions, while holding its own.

Lingering pepper is quite prevalent but not overbearing. Soft citrus and sweetness are there, just in the background. Refreshing, smooth. Light bodied with generous carbonation.

This beer is incredibly good - my first shorts and now I have to drink everything they brew. The flavors are so powerful and bold, and yet the beer is unbelievably smooth and easy to drink. The lingering spice is shorts way of saying "don't you ever forget what we are all about." outstanding!

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 16:49:54 | More by Grohnke

mattcrill

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Aroma: Light orange rind notes up front, a little bit of spicy Belgian yeast "funk", and light pepper notes all play off the nose in wonderful fashion. At least with the aroma, the beer is as advertised.

Appearance: Slightly cloudy light amber pour with a very low, thin white head. Head retention is poor.

Flavor: Wow! Mouth-filling flavors that continue to play on the orange and pepper theme. Just a hint of both and they interplay in a lovely fashion off the back of the palate. A bit of earthy bitterness and some grainy sweetness that is quickly over-powered by all the spicy and fruity overtones. Balance is nearly even. Finish is clean and dry.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with lively, high carbonation. No alcohol heat or astringency.

Overall impression: A lovely spiced beer. I'm not a fan of spiced beer but this is light and refreshing with hints of spice that provide lovely accents while not killing your palate. A winner from Short's!

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 17:55:35 | More by mattcrill

EtOHMD

Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +29.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from 12 oz bottle into wine glass.

Pours golden orange with thin white head that fades quickly. Translucent.

Smells of grass, citrus, spice in general.

Awesome complex taste. Mild pepper up front and then I keep getting a taste that reminds me of chamomile tea in the middle which really balances the pepper. Then a long warm pepper burst at the end. Very unique and very very good.

Smooth dry with warming elements from the pepper.

Excellent beer all around. Reminds me of a saison but with more pepperiness. Will be requesting my local store to stock some.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 19:02:38 | More by EtOHMD

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.8/5  rDev +32.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to wintbs379 for this brew...

A: Pours a translucent golden straw. There is very little head and only a thin white ring lingers on the glass.

S: Mmm. I get a lot of pepper, some mild citrus, but mainly it's delicious peppercorns. I'm loving the nose.

T: Wow. I'm seriously shocked. That massive pepper nose is nothing when it hits the palate. This beer starts out super wet and juicy. There is a ton of orange and a bit of lemon. The peppercorns hit the palate late and make this beer really flavorful. It's delicious.

M: Light bodied beer. It's juicy all the way from start to finish. There is a really solid pepper heat, but it's not overwhelming. This is super drinkable, and the pepper lingers on the palate for quite some time.

O: I need more of this ASAP. Damn. Massive pepper nose and massive orange taste. The brain plays tricks on you and mixes both aspects of the beer beautifully. This has to be my biggest surprise of 2012 so far. I'm seriously loving this beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 14:06:03 | More by trxxpaxxs

jeremy13586

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A very hazy golden straw color. Left one finger of white head that quickly disappeared in to nothing more than a very thin layer of bubbles.

Tons of cirtus. The orange and lemon zest are the main aromas I picked up, with peppercorn and other spices riding beneath. A little bit of yeast rounds it all out.

Very citric with a light orange and lemon taste. It's almost like some one mixed lemon juice and orange juice together and then diluted it. Coriander and peppercorn follow it up and make things interesting. A bit of yeast tries to keep things kind of mellow. A bit of peppery spice lingers behind while everything else quickly vanishes.

Light bodied and a little bit thin in the mouthfeel, but it is very clean. Very creamy carbonation as well.

I thought that this was an incredibly refreshing brew. The light body seems like it would make it easy to knock back a few bottles, but I could see the spice from the peppercorn making it a little hard to session. Perfect for a hot sumer day.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 04:38:37 | More by jeremy13586

Ryan011235

Ohio

2.53/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a glass meant for wits and such on 6/25/12

Thanks to beesy

Pale, golden yellow; faded straw tones. Some chill haze. Foam is fizzy and minimal; a 1/4th inch layer is gone in no time. No retention, no lace.

The aroma is heaviest on the orange zest, trickling down from there - lemon, clean and dusty wheat, hints of coriander. There is an earthy, herbal crackle mixed in back; I reckon that's the peppercorn talking.

It's a good thing the spices are part of the name; the nippy peppercorn and milder coriander are about the only thing this beer has going for it. Beyond the spices are notes of timid wheat and over-watered orange juice concentrate. The finish has fairly strong herbal lingerings. Dry zest bitterness emerges as the beer warms.

The feel is thin and watery. Carbonation is thin as well, lacking any bodily support. I'm inclined to call the over feel "pesky."

This one seems to be fashioned haphazardly. Not terrible, but I'm alright leaving it at one.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 01:17:13 | More by Ryan011235

beerdilly

4.1/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE - poured a hazy golden straw color with a thin fluffy white head. little lacing and head dissipated quickly. excessive haziness was likely due to the yeast that had settled in the bottle. i had a couple pints of this beer while visiting Shorts last month and i would say the added yeast is a nice little addition.

AROMA - one of my favorite things about this beer was its smell. after the pour, there are strong notes of citrusy orange and peppercorns. a spice beer shouldnt be overpowering and wafts of yeast and mild lemon zest round out this beers bouquet nicely. hints of coriander may be present further into the beer. no hop aroma is present which is appropriate for the base style.

FLAVOR - nice wheat flavor with notes of orange citrus, lemon twang and peppercorns. little to no hop character is present, which is appropriate for the base style. notable spice character as a result of peppercorns in the throat.

MOUTHFEEL - light bodied with medium carbonation. appropriate for the style.

OVERALL - i thought this beer was great. im not really a fan of american style wheat beers. not even in these summer months do i find them all that refreshing. that said, the spicy additions with this beer really round out what can already be considered an interesting and refreshing style. also, the resulting burps are phenomenal.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 03:16:19 | More by beerdilly

beesy

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass.

A - pours a cloudy, medium dark straw with a finger of white head. Head dissipates quickly.

S - at first, loaded with citrus. As the minutes pass the citrus faded significantly leaving massive amounts of peppercorns.

T - just as in the nose, lots of citrus initially that changes over to lots of pepper that leaces a drying effect on the tongue and palate.

M - light. Appears lighter because of the drying affect of the pepper.

D - this is tough, it goes down easy but the pepper keeps me from wanting to have another right after.

Overall, not a bad beer, and I love the pepper, but it might be just too much if you were looking to drink a few of these. But again, its what makes this different than the normal wit, plus its memorable. Worth a shot if you have a chanc to try it.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 01:15:09 | More by beesy

Ruds

United Kingdom (England)

3.13/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass to a hazy gold colour with a thinnish white head.

Smells of orange peel/zest, other hints of citrus and some peppercorn, corriander and a pinch of other 'unidentifiable' herbs!

Flavour wise a sour orange and to a lesser extent lemon dominates the mouth allied to background flavours of wheat and moderate spice. Also get the peppercorns again particularly in the finish however there was also a background 'sweetness' to the beer which I don't think overly helped the balance of flavours!

Mouthfeel was light to medium in body, perhaps a little too thin and watery?

Overall not impressed. Not a particularly well balanced beer and a little thin.

Slightly 'spicie' but not so 'nicie' - they must have set themselves up for a review along those lines and I'm sure I'm not the first to quote that and I won't be the last!

Would not seek out this beer in any way shape or form in the future. I would imagine the only likelihood of me drinking again would be on a hot summers day as I guess it has 'refreshment' potential in such conditions, but someone would have to give me a bottle!

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 08:28:25 | More by Ruds

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

2.88/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

330ml bottle.Tulip glass.Enjoyed on may´11.Golden color.Clear appearance.Brief crown, white in color.Mildy malty,orange zest & subtle peppery aromas.Dry bitter & lemony at first sip.Orange & slightly sweet fruit flavor.Light body,low carbonation.Coriander & hoppy bitterness on the aftertaste.Well balanced beer but quite bland eventhough.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 20:41:31 | More by GONZALOYANNA

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Color is a bright yellow with a touch of haziness. Head is minimal I get only a sticky lace that turns to nothing.

S - Sweet lemon and grass smells. I could also pick up on the orange zest and coriander

T - Wheat and lemon with spicy peppercorn flavors first. Orange peel is nicely integrated giving it a bittering edge. A tad bit spicy making it sort of acidic.

M - Light to medium the ABV is spot on.

Overall I looked to this beer as a Voodoo "White Magic of the Sun" with a more sessionable ABV and I was right. Flavors are just as good as the Voodoo beer if not better since its not as yeasty. Good beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 03:00:29 | More by DrDemento456