Short's The Soft Parade - Short's Brewing Company

pablot71

Virginia

3/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a growler into a pint glass. Sweet fruity strawberry aroma. One finger head. Murky brown with red hues. Taste starts with a little bit of the fruit followed by notes from the malt bill. Finishes with a medium bitterness. Well carbonated slippery mouthfeel. Overall it is a unique tasting fruit beer. Although there is some alcohol in the flavor profile it doesn't stand out as being 9%.

Serving type: growler

05-30-2010 03:23:05 | More by pablot71

johnd513

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this from a growler fresh from the brewery.
Pours a ruby color with a small head that quickly disappears. Huge smell of strawberry and other fruit flavors. The taste is not as sweet as I expected and is very different from the smell. Tastes of rye with a fruity sweetness and finishes dry. The mouthfeel has medium body and has decent carbination. Drinkability is good and is hindered only by its high abv. The board at the brewery said 8.0%. Overall a solid choice from Short's for those who enjoy fruit beers.

Serving type: growler

11-29-2008 05:36:20 | More by johnd513

thickerfreakness

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to bgramer for my first Short's beer. Cheers dude!

Pours a vibrant ruby red with a little white head that lasts for a few minutes and doesn't leave much lacing.

Smells absolutely amazing for a fruit beer. Tons of fresh amazing fruit smells, dominated by strawberries for me. There is a slight bit of spiciness from the rye but the smell is definitely fruit dominated.

The taste is a 100% reversal. It tastes like a hearty rye bread with some slight fruit sweetness and a relatively dry and bitter finish. Really interesting to have such a 180 flavor turn like that.

Extremely dry finish with a medium body feel.

Wow, no one could convince me that this was 9% ABV this is just hidden so well and its one of the best fruit beers I have ever had not to mention being extremely interesting. Thanks again Brendan!

Serving type: growler

06-28-2008 20:48:36 | More by thickerfreakness

bgramer

Washington

4.7/5  rDev +29.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I was lucky enough to find this on tap at HopCats with 3 other Short's beers.

This is probably my favorite of the 4 they had. I got a growler to go as well. This beer poured out a light berry color with very little head but lots of carbonation. The berry taste was very prominent without being too sweet or overpowering (like a sick sweetness if you know what i mean)

There's some tart dryness and a medium body - the berry flavor blooms just before you finish it - where you can taste some zest.
This is probably a good beer to share with ladies who prefer fruity beers but find lambics too fruity.

Serving type: growler

04-03-2008 20:37:00 | More by bgramer

Baileyuk

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The color of this beer (a dark pink color) initially scared me thinking that it would be an over the top fruity beer. In reality it was surprisingly balanced on the fruit. There was not an overly sweet taste but rather a dry finish a little like champagne. I could not pick out the specific fruit although I know it has Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries. It is a kicker at 7-8% (they have an imperial at 10%+) hence the nickname "Ye Olde Leg Spreader". It was not one that I would drink too much off, although it is good it is very powerful and I like too many of the other beers to pass out that quickly.

Serving type: growler

02-14-2008 00:50:51 | More by Baileyuk

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a purplish hue with a slightly pinky thin head. A few strands of bubbles rose from the bottom. Aroma was fruity, definitely could pick up berries. Predominant to me was blueberry, with hints of other berries as well. Taste was somewhat similar to the smell, a bit of sweet berry flavor, that shifted to a more grainy finish. The grain flavor didn't mix terribly well with the berry. Some times it was much more pronounced than others. Thankfully the berry wasn't overly sweet or powerful, it was fairly subtle and balanced. Felt ok in the mouth. Coated nicely, but seemed a bit over carbonated. Too many bubbles were felt on the tongue. Overall one of the more successful beers at tasting what it claims to. The grainy finish was a bit distracting though.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 23:20:28 | More by mountdew1

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.21/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: a brownish color with the slightest hint of red. nearly opaque. almost no head.

Smell: strong fruit: strawberries and blueberries, and other sweet fruits. rye

Taste: again strong fruit. strawberries sometimes, blueberries others, and other harder to identify fruits. Rye comes in the back end balances the sweetness with just a touch of bitter. sometimes alcohol is apparent. quite complex and varies from sip to sip.

Mouthfeel: heavy and sticky. overall sweetness

Overall: a very good and unique beer. i like using the rye to balance out the fruit to give the beer multiple dimensions. way up there in both fruit beers and rye beers

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 01:54:35 | More by SportsandJorts

yamar68

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks alelover!

Fucking gorgeous. I want Lowes to color-match this beer so I can paint my bathroom this color. Every dinner guest would comment.

Loads of berry goodness... every fruit makes an appearance. The beer beneath is less than evident which I am totally okay with. It's all about the fruity nectar.

Tooty fruity. Like a Raspberry Tart with a less aggressive sweetness but an equally well masked alcohol character (and twice the ABV...)

Underrated.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 05:19:16 | More by yamar68

Roman5150

Michigan

3.51/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

bottle into duvel

appearance: murky ruby red with a VERY thin foam head (huge bubbles)

smell: strawberries, apple, oranges, honestly not that pleasant

taste: whole palate of fruitiness hits you instantly, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, some orange, although to be honest it's not AS fruity as the label would make you think. not much hop or malt character, but there's some subtle rye bready notes on the backend. You do not taste any alcohol whatsoever.

mouthfeel: has the feel of juice more than a beer, highly carbonated

overall: While not a huge fan of fruity beer, for what it is this is perfect for the style. Not too fruity, but enough character to make me want to classify this as, well, not really a beer. I would recommend this basically to any women who likes those fruity beers, as this is a top notch well balanced version of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 02:38:30 | More by Roman5150

SeanSweeney

Michigan

2.41/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75

Like purple bag of skittles mixed with coors light. Wouldn't recommend or try again. But then again not a fan or fruity beers. But overall too much fruit to discern any specific flavors. Reminiscent of trix cereal due to not being able to tell what flavor this beer was willing to take on.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 03:35:53 | More by SeanSweeney

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Acquired as an extra in a trade (forgot who sent it, please mail me if you remember!)

A- Pours a clear amber body with a very small white head that reduces very quickly. Leaves some lacing.

S- I definitely get the berries on the nose - blueberry and raspberry juice but not overpowering or sweet. There's a strong buttered corn note in there too, indicating diacetyl is present, which is usually not a good thing. I kinda like that smell though, which is why I'm not slamming it on aroma.

T- It isn't the berry bomb that everyone is describing - maybe because it has some age and the berries have mellowed out? Subtle berries and caramel, with a little hoppyness in the background. Again, I get that diacetyl note, which isn't cloying but I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be there.

M- Medium body, medium carbonation. Fairly easy to drink, I highly doubt this is 9% ABV.

One of the more unique beer's I've tried. I don't really know what to think of this one, it was decent and easy to drink but at the same time very one dimensional. Meh.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 03:00:27 | More by gcamparone

wowjimi

Michigan

3.56/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Nice name - good Doors song - and appealing label/packaging. Tastes like I mixed some blackberry juice in with a microbrew beer that I found too bitter/hoppy and wanted to dilute it for drinkability. (I have done such things). main reason I am posting is I find it VERY hard to believe this is a 9% Alcohol content.

As a regular imbiber of COLT 45 and Molson XXX, I think i know my buzz factors. And i am sure if you are at this site you know it is not easy to achieve such a high % in manufacture, especially when Taste is the main objective. just sayin'....

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:14:56 | More by wowjimi

fredmugs

Indiana

2.63/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I'm writing this review in case anyone reads it before buying this beer. It tastes exactly like a wine cooler. In a blind taste test I'm not sure if I could tell the difference. It is fermented with blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. You've been warned.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 21:26:17 | More by fredmugs

portia99

Massachusetts

3.61/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a Brooklyn snifter.

A - Pours a bit hazy and a strongly pink tinted amber color with practically no head...only a hint of a bubbly white collar.

S - Very fruity aroma filled with mixed berries....raspberry for sure, touch of strawberry and blackberry. Label claims blueberry, but I don't get any in the nose. Somewhat buttery base beer underneath the fruity aromas, soft malt.

T - A bit buttery in aroma mixed with some odd off bitterness, grainy, cereal malt, dry fruity berries - mostly raspberry with some blackberry character too. Light hoppy bitterness.

M - Lightish medium body with a neutral carbonation that gives a slight tingle. Fruity and bitter, noticeable diacetyl.

O - Just ok...drinkable but not wowing me either. Misses the mark a bit with some off flavors and a fruitiness that doesn't quite complement the base beer. The base seems to be where the flaws are and the fruit just can't compensate enough. Nowhere near the top of the list for Shorts beers...at least for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 00:06:07 | More by portia99

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A- Pour from the bottle into a pint glass. Murky pink-red body fills the glass with some haze to it, probably from fruit and yeast. A small white head forms to about one finger but has lackluster retention. A small ring remains and lace dots are seen here and there.

S- They certainly weren't lying about the fruit additions. The aroma comes off with a general berry feel, the raspberries and strawberries make the most impact to me. It all seems muddled a lot like a fruit juice cocktail, something I expected.

T- Things get more interesting here for me. Some alcohol and strong ale feel opens up in a pretty much equal mix with the mentioned fruit juice feel. Individual fruits can be picked out but it comes off as more of a blend and with the ABV here actually does take on a vinous characteristic. Rye adds a nice dimension to this with a spicy cracker/bread flavor. I don't know if they still exist, but this reminds me of those fruit juice popsicles my mom would buy like ten years ago, in a good way. Like a nice jam/jelly.

MF- Pretty dried out body, overall I would say it is on the lighter side. Not as sweet as many fruit beers. Alcohol warmth is felt atop the high end carbonation.

Berry madness. The ABV strength can be felt but not in a bad way, it adds a nice edge to the heavy fruit feel. Nothing artificial about this one but it does remind me of a good fruit juice mix.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 04:05:51 | More by cbutova

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

3.69/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

A - I knew going in that this beer was made with berries, I didn't expect it to be this pink. A thin white head disappears rapidly. To hazy to note carbonation or even sediment. .

S - Holy Berries!! The raspberries and blackberries are there, but the strawberries are the star of the show. Not much more going on, but the berries are intense and fantastic. '

T - Berries and malts, berries and malts and not much else.

M&D&O - a fun drink, is well suited for the summertimes. Plenty of nice flavor. The malts arent my thing, but the quality is there

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:39:06 | More by sinstaineddemon

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A-Pours a turbid pinkish orange. Very neat color. Nearly zero head or lacing.

S-Delectably fruity. Smells just like strawberry jam. Somebody grab me some peanut butter and a couple slices of bread...its time to make a PB&J. Raspberry jam too. Lighter notes of the darker fruits (blueberry and blackberry).

T-The flavor is more of the same jammy flavor with an addition of yeast and rye. All the fruits were there and they taste great. Far from artificial, the flavor is natural and tart. I think the raspberry stands out the most. And personally, when I get raspberry in a beer I tend to absolutely love said beer.

M-Far less heavy than I was expecting. Surprisingly drinkable. The glass becomes light very quickly.

O/D-Loved this beer. Drinks like a 5% brew. The flavors are natural and delicious. Kicking myself for only buying a single and not the whole sixer...RASPBERRIES.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 22:38:14 | More by VelvetExtract

parris

Massachusetts

2.84/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

A - Brownish red. Somewhere in between amber and ruby, but doesn't really hit either well. Thin white head

S - Berries, red wine

T - Dry wine, bitter but not hoppy, booze

M - Descent carbonation, odd bitterness that hits the sides of your tongue, light-medium body

O - If I were the brewer, I would have chalked this on up as a loss, it tastes like a homebrew experiment I tried once long ago, where I added frozen fruit juice concentrate to the boil.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 23:08:56 | More by parris

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.11/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a murky berry red with accents of brown syrup, and touches of salmon orange. The head is eggshell white with light pink highlights, and the lacing is thin but sticky and dry. The beer’s body is surprisingly clear of particles and quite translucent, featuring a steady stream of small carbonation bubbles. On the nose, the beer is big and jammy, with lovely thick berry scents and an excellent barley malt and rye spice background. The smell is reminiscent of “assorted berry” scents, in that no individual berries can really be picked out without really shoving your nose in the glass. The malt smells of light biscuity caramel bread and has me thinking rye toast and jam. On the tongue, the beer tastes terrifically sweet with berries while the more spicy bread malts balance the sweet, and a touch of hops adds slight earthy bitters. The flavor begins with a big rush of fruit berries, moving from strawberry, to blueberry, to black berry, and to raspberry nearly so fast that the tongue has trouble differentiating between them. The berry flavor powers through the mouth throughout the taste, building to a crescendo that tastes a little syrupy and then fading into the aftertaste, but beside the berries there is a strong underlying flavor of spicy rye bread and caramel malt which eventually brings the light earthy bitters onto the back of the palate. The aftertaste rings lightly with strawberry jam, faint earthy bitters, and a touch of aspirin. On the mouth, this beer feels on the heavier side of medium in body with some nice syrupy qualities on the tongue. The mouth is left clean with the slightest dry feeling on the tongue. The beer’s carbonation is light with effervescence, providing a slight prickle across the tongue as it moves down the throat. The beer feels clean and drinkable. Overall, this is one of my favorite non-wild fruit beers. It’s big in booze and in fruit flavors, but still lets you know there is beer beneath it, and it blends those two things very nicely. It has nice the rye flavors underlying the heavy jam, and definitely has some semblance to a fruit wine, which is nicely refreshing. This beer would be great for summer nights, and is really a nice beer. Try it.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 20:54:50 | More by Maxwell

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: Pinkish rose bodied beer with one finger of egg shell white head. Drops quickly to a thin cap.

Smell: Really sweet and tart berry notes. Get a little bit of a medicinal note from this beer.

Taste: This beer is tart upfront and it finishes sweet. A "muttled" berry medley (I really cant draw out any of the individual berries that were used to brew this beer) and some cherries that are married with a bready malt profile. Really a different animal when it comes to a fruit beer; I am not sure if I like it or not. It has a medicinal, menthol "ish", eucaliptus leaf, and a slightly metallic aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. The beer has a syrupy feel to it, but it also has some prickly carbonation when the beer lands onto your tongue. Not a very boozey beer at all.

Overall: I guess that I am spoiled with all the New Glarus Fruit beers. I have tried Apple Ale, Belgian Red, Raspberry Tart, and Serendipity; so I have a fairely good idea of what the best fruits beers are all about. This beer isnt horrible, but it is definately a little bit odd in my mind. This beer reminds me of a beer called Pink Killer and its a bit of an improvement from that beer. It is hard to finish the 12oz bottle. I bet Dan Carey could make an amazing fruit beer from the 4 berries that are used to brew this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 07:31:36 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

SAxDRC5

Michigan

3.23/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

a: pinking red. white head, average lacing.

s: smells like strawberry jam. sweet smell

t: very berry. strawberry, blueberry, raspberry. wine like tannins/acidity/alcohol. no hop flavor but is balanced with rye

m: bubbbly, too much so.

o: i never expect much from fruit beers, but this exceeded my low expectations. would be a good summer beer, however, i could not see myself having more than 1 in a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 02:39:05 | More by SAxDRC5

Mavigo

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this at the red fox pub in royal oak. Served in a tulip

A: Poured a clear pinkish red with a short white head with good amounts of lacing.

S: Smells tart, raspberries, cranberries, wheat, grains

T: tastes a bit sweet, a little bit tart, has a kick of a hops, could use some more lavor though.

M: little too much carbonation for me, but its crisp, and refreshing

O: ah its alright, i was expecting much more, more tartness and flavor but its not bad

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2012 02:05:35 | More by Mavigo

merc7186

New York

3.4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into snifter glass.

A: Reddish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Mild Lacing

S: Wheat, Raspberries

T: Wheat, Raspberries, Cranberries

M: Average Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Lightly Sweet

Overall, A pretty light wheat ale with mild fruity flavor...very drinkable but very mild.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 00:38:05 | More by merc7186

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.6/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Capturing the essence of summer refreshment, Short's Soft Parade portrays what's best about porch sings, hammocks, and sun umbrellas. Its fruity focus is fresh and inviting to the tastbuds.

Ruby in color, the beer's mild pectin haze gives it the resemblence to Hawaiian Punch. Capped by an airy white foam, the beer retains reasonably well with sparce pocketed lace. It certainly embodies the look of fruit juice in a glass.

Bright aromas of fruit span an array of taste- from raspberry to strawberry to blackberry and currant. With such a variety of fruit, the beer seems nondescript, but wonderfully so. With very little aromatic support any bready malts or spicy rye is neglegable behind the strong fruit presence.

The rich and vibrant fruit flavors resonate well with the palate. The taste and pleasant tartness of berries and plump fruit show up on the front of the tongue with a genuine fruit taste and balanced acidity. As the beer softens and the fruit gains tartness, the spicy rye character seems to broaden the taste and heighten the bready malts everso slightly. With low hop bittering, the beer relies on the fruit acidity and the rye spiciness that mimicks oak tannin to balance in finish.

Medium-light in body, the beer's fruity tartness keeps the creaminess of carbonation dampened, and the malts crisp. While the acidity and fleeting spice fades, it allows for an extention of fruit and powdered sugar to linger slightly past the malt.

I can see why the moniker on the lable offers favorable comparisons to wine, but in the end, it's a pleasant fruit beer that's best enjoyed with a freshly mowed lawn.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 23:14:41 | More by BEERchitect

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.03/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This pours a semi-clear reddish color with a slight white head. The scent is fruity, but it’s not as strong as you would think for the style of beer. The taste is kind of a disaster with the clash of fruit with the “high gravity ale.” This essentially tastes like a cheap 40 that someone dumped day old fruit juice in. It’s hard to pick out the blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. This is something they really need to take back to the drawing board and I think eliminating the high gravity ale is a starting place. Finishes with a slight raspberry taste and chalky after taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 03:37:16 | More by Lemke10