Short's Uncle Steve's Irish Stout - Short's Brewing Company

wyatt13

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

My dad picked this one up while he was in Michigan a month or so ago. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into my Hardywood Park glass.

A - Pours a deep, dark black that only lets the tiniest amount of light shine through. A finger of creamy mocha head bubbles up with the pour but then quickly dissipates. Decent lacing.

S - Nice roasted coffee and bitter chocolate here, as well as a good amount of hop bitterness and a nutty quality like hazelnuts.

T - A charred coffee taste is first upon the tongue, with a burnt or slightly ashy quality. A minimal chocolate presence that plays second fiddle to the strong smokiness. No alcohol bite is apparent.

M - Creamy and smooth mouthfeel that is on the lighter side of medium. Not a lot of carbonation in this one and it really dries out the mouth.

O - This was a bit too burnt or smoky for my taste, but it was still enjoyable. Worth giving a try if you want a stout with a lower ABV.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 22:00:48 | More by wyatt13

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanx Shamrock071521:

Into a pint glass:

A: dark brown/black colored body with a one finger white foamy head which quickly dies into the body, some light lacing is left

S: rich coffee, light chocolate coming through in a roasty/smoky sort of way

T: dry and roasty as an Irish Dry Stout should be, bitter and sweet at different times, dry aftertaste

M: medium, adequately carbonated, sessionable

O: I say this is very well done for its style and is very good to me, of course I'd have another if I could get this in Maine

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 00:45:44 | More by kangarooAdam59

SportsandJorts

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Type: 12 oz bottle
Glass: Pint
From: Meijer in Ann Arbor
Price: $8 a six pack

Appearance: jet black and opaque. small tan head that doesn't stick around too long

Smell: roasted malts, chocolate and some coffee

Taste: A medley of the three, roasted malts chocolate and coffee. some sweetness but its over powered by bitterness.

Mouthfeel: dry and medium in body

Overall: decent brew from short's. nothing I could get excited about but good to have around st pats day.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 14:56:26 | More by SportsandJorts

Mavigo

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Was looking for a good Irish themed beer for the weekend. Was gonna buy a 6 pack of Guinness Extra stout but saw a six pack of this for the same price. Opted for the latter.
Served it in a tulip.

A: Poured a fine opaque dark brown black color with a short cafe colored head which dissipated fast and had minimal lacing.

S: Smells very rich, coffee, malts, barley, chocolate, smoky hints to it

T: Good flavor, quite sweet with its maltiness, evokes a smoky feel to it, robust coffee and dark chocolate flavors

M: Rich, full bodied, lower levels of carbonation, a plus for me

O: Well I bought I impulse bought this to support a local brewery, and one of my favorite breweries personally, and my loyalty did not disappoint me one bit. Recommended by me.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 02:12:39 | More by Mavigo

CloudStrife

New York

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours black with a 1 finger fairly bubbly khaki tan head. After a few minutes it dwindles to a thin covering, leaving a touch of lacing on the sides. Light just barely gets through the edges.

S: The aroma is a blend of milk stout and dry Irish stouts. Has a bit of lactic qualities as well as coffee. A touch of chocolate in the background.

T: Following the Irish stout style this is a mild flavored, easy drinking brew. Roasted malts pull through nicely and provide a bit of a coffee ground taste. A touch of alcohol shows up at the end. More sweetness comes out as it warms up.

M: Thin to medium body, average carbonation. A tad bit watery. Would like to try this through a nitro tap.

Overall not the most impressive beer but by no means bad. If you can get it on draft or a single bottle give it a go.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 19:51:08 | More by CloudStrife

stevepat

Michigan

4.39/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Great representation of the style. I am not the world's biggest stout fans and when i do partake i prefer milkier stouts but the flavor here is spot on. Especially appreciable on a cold late winter day in Michigan. My only real complaint, which may be erroneous, is that the beer is a bit fizzy. I always associate stouts with a flatter feel. Anyway, a great choice for a classic stout

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 18:29:34 | More by stevepat

Alextricity

Michigan

3.84/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass.

Appearance: Gorgeous. I poured aggressively and didn't see a head initially, but before long, a two finger or so head was sitting on top. A nice dark brown, creamy head. The beer itself is pitch black with no light going through the glass -- lacing is fantastic.

Smell: A very nice chocolate sweetness. Dark malt. Maybe some woody notes as well.

Taste/feel: Well, well, well. The taste, for me, is super roasty with a lot of those woody notes coming through in the taste. I was expecting a quite bitter stout, but there's actually some very nice sweetness here. It's pretty sweet on the front, and bitter at the back. Semi-sweet chocolate on the finish, with a very nice mouth feel that's almost like chocolate milk. A really nice beer.

A super solid beer that, like others have said, is better than Guinness in every aspect, except maybe the appearance (it's hard to beat Guinness, in my opinion). Uncle Steve's is just a solid stout all around... try it if you haven't already.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 18:17:23 | More by Alextricity

Dr_Bahmbay13

Michigan

3.94/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Great session beer ! Seen this at local Meijers store on sale and picked up a Six pack .This Beer has rich dark stout flavor with almost chocolate back end taste to it . I found it very easy to drink and you could easily enjoy this paired with fish and chips as i did .

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 18:51:51 | More by Dr_Bahmbay13

tectactoe

Michigan

3.7/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a deep, deep brown, virtually black color with a thin tan head comprised of very fine bubbles that stuck around for a while but surprisingly didn't leave much lacing on the glass. I like to think of this beer as a "pumped up Guinness" - they are very similar (makes sense, since they are both Irish stouts) but it seems like Uncle Steve's picks up some of the slack that a typical Guinness Draught has. The nose is bigger, the taste is bigger, and the mouth is creamier. Hints of coffee beans, deep and bitter mocha, and lots of roasted grains and malts hit your nose and your throat. The mouth is slightly chewy and quite a bit thicker than a Guinness.

Very solid Irish Stout here that I would definitely have again and again. In many places I've seen, the price of these is usually very comparable to the price of Guinness, and this beer outperforms in nearly every aspect.

EDIT: Update 3/10/2013

Enjoyed this one again for the first time this season, a week before St. Patty's Day. The nose is much better and fuller than I remember it being - lots of roasted coffee beans and bittersweet, dark chocolate notes. Very roasty taste, inducing a nice mix of bitter and sweet. Smooth, creamy, and finishing with some roasted malt and burnt coffee beans flavors. Dry, low carbonation.

Overall, a bit better than I remember it being. I could knock back six of these no problem. A tasty Irish style stout with a nice, bitter roast aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 14:50:45 | More by tectactoe

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a nice hearty stout. Seems a bit too hearty for the style. Nice roasted tones with a thick body. Good complexities. I still think it's a bit too much for the style. Again, another Short's beer that is quite good, but doesn't quite fit to style.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 00:47:33 | More by RblWthACoz

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear black, almost opaque with the barest hint of amber at the edges of the glass when held up to a bright light. Coffee coloured head and lacing.

A warm aroma including smokiness and oak along with the toasted malts. The flavour is well balanced and smooth. Taste includes a variety of sweet roasted dark chocolate malts followed by a nicely dry smoked finish with tannins.

A magnificent dry stout and definitely a beer I'd recommend.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 23:48:42 | More by hopsolutely

hmbrewer336

3.48/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: pours a dark brown almost black body with a brown head about one finger thick. last couple drops run around on top of the beer before falling in. no lacing left on my glass

S: smells roast and tobacco and biscuits. as the beer warms coffee smell starts to come through. slight noble hop aroma with a slight grassiness.

T: roast and chocolate. slightly hoppy when held in the mouth. good bitterness. very earthy. i pick up a touch of green apple. after taste lingers bitter for a few moments.

M: moderately high carbonation feels good on the mouth. light in body and easy to drink.

O: this is a nice irish stout. uncle steve should be happy with this. beer is very true to the style. full of roast and biscuit with a slight hop.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 21:51:58 | More by hmbrewer336

robboyd

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I thought the easiest way to describe this beer is to compare it to a Guiness, which I would consider the standard for an irish stout (if it truly is I have no idea). I think this brew from shorts stacks up favorably. There are many similar characteristics. The malt, aroma, bitterness, is all very similar. I would say this beer has a bit more going for it. The head is frothy rather than creamy and the taste is a little more acidic rather than smooth. It has a nuttiness to it, almost like roasted pecans. The moutfeel is medium and drinkable. I let this beer warm over the course of an hour or so and it's flavor profile held true throughout. I will say that it became softer with warmth, more drinkable, but that's not to say it was boozy from the start. Overall I think this is a really great every day stout. I'm glad they come in six packs!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 23:30:40 | More by robboyd

KevJams

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

A~ Dark, as you would expect. Pours nice with a small amount of head, not much lacing.

Smell~ Reminds me immediately of the Winter Beer Festival in Grand Rapids, so many different great tastes in one spot. Really like the smell

Taste~ First taste is one of delight! I have enjoyed almost every Shorts beer I've tried, this one is no exception. Lots of yummy chocolate and malt.

Mouthfeel~Very light feel, average carbonation

Overall~ A great stout from another recent favorite of Michigan beers

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 02:52:41 | More by KevJams

madeofsteel

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a thick, pitch black color with a chocolate looking head of about a half inch. Some retention and spotty lacing.

S - Very pleasant roasted malts, coffee, chocolate and some mellow booze in the back.

T - Delicious. Roast coffee, very faint caramel, toffee and chocolate.

M - Very creamy and smooth. Kinda messy, but still damn drinkable.

O - While not the best stout I've had, still pretty good for the money.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 00:20:13 | More by madeofsteel

superspak

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass; no bottle dating, so presumably from last spring. Pours almost pitch black color with a nice 2 finger fairly dense tan head with nice retention that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of big roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, caramel, biscuit, and herbal hops. Some nice and well balanced aromas with good strength. Taste of big roasted malt, herbal hops, earth, chocolate, biscuit, caramel, and a bit of coffee. Fair amount of earthy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of chocolate, caramel, biscuit, earth, and herbal hops. Nice balance of flavor, with a nice amount of robustness. Fairly dry on the finish; but the robust flavor does stick around for a bit. Medium carbonation and body; with a pretty creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel. Very easy to drink as expected of 5.5%, with only a slight alcohol warming after the finish. Overall this is a very nice dry stout offering. Very robust and drinkable; with nice flavor balance.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 05:33:51 | More by superspak

warnerry

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From notes

A - Pours black with barley one finger of head. Not much lacing.

S - Smell is primarily chocolate and roasted malts. Eventually some coffee notes come through as well. Simple but good aroma.

T - Taste is similar to smell, though with more of a coffee presence. Roasted malts and coffee, with some chocolate in the background.

M - Light/medium mouthfeel seems a bit over-carbonated for the style, lacking creaminess.

O - Flavor profile is nice, but the high carbonation reduces the overall enjoyment. Still pretty good though.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 17:20:44 | More by warnerry

mdaschaf

Washington

3.15/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours a dark brown, practically black color, with a thick one finger head upon pouring that quickly dissolves to a thin layer on top. The foam is rather dark tan/brown in color. Thin, but sticky lacing clings to the sides.

S: Lots of roast and some espresso/coffee. There is a hint of chocolate and some bitter hops.

T: Very roasty with coffee being the predominate flavor. There is a little bit of coffee and some biscuity malt.

M: Light to medium bodied, medium to high carbonation.

O: Not really a fan. It seemed a bit thin and I just didn't really like the flavor combination. Made well, just not for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 02:27:47 | More by mdaschaf

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Black like any other stout. Mocha Brown head. No lacing to speak of. Fair amounts of carbonation.

S- Roasted malt stands out most. Bits of caramel sweetness and chocolate fill in the gaps.

T- Coffee and chocolate come in small doses and blend seamlessly. There's a bitterness to this that comes out, but it's very slight. This beer has flavor, but it never really goes to far in either the bitter or sweet direction. It's very neutral.

Finish is almost like a brown ale. Coffee and nuts are the last things you taste. Sadly the aftertaste is a bit richer than the initial taste is.

M- Medium light body which is nicely carbonated. Has a fairly dry finish.

O- Short's didn't screw up with this brew, but they made what I would consider one of their most average offerings. I enjoyed it without dobut, but I expected a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 17:01:28 | More by BBP

GRPunk

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a GRBC pint glass.

A- A liberal pour created a 1/2-finger brown head atop a near pitch body. Even the edges stay a shade short of jet. Difficult to judge carbonation level. The head thins to a fully covering film and ends up a little sparse. Nice spots are left about the glass, but end up falling back into the body before I'm done. Better head retention would up the score here.

S- Ahh, classic dry Irish stout going on here. Dark roast coffee and lighter chocolate and vanilla notes. It gets really roasty with a little bit of warmth, nearly smokey.

T- Very, pleasantly, rich for the style. Lots of medium-dark roast coffee with chocolate notes that hint at powdered chocolate milk mix. Hopping is suitable to keep sweeter malts in check without becoming overwhelming.

M- Great for the style. Lightly carbonated without getting thin or watery. Creamy and smooth with a quality near chalky, though pleasant. Bottled dry stouts can really lack in mouthfeel. This one certainly didn't.

O- This is a wonderful example of the style. Flavorful, yet drinkable. It's screaming to get matched with Irish fare. I could sit down and put back a bunch of these. A very sociable drink. I had some initial worries that this might be a bit out of season (and bottling this style seems to ruin it for me). Any worries were laid to rest. Definitely exceded expectations.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 16:29:50 | More by GRPunk

chugalug06

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pour is amazingly THICK; think motor oil. Chocolate colored head with a very soapy bottom and a slightly foamy top. Brew is jet black with slight purple and red streaks.

S - Smokey! Strong scent of chocolate and oak. Very woody. Slight scent of caramel too.

T - Tastes like a 60% coco bar. Very sweet and delicious! Quite refreshing! Smokey, oakey taste... Not bitter, or unpleasant.

M - Dry, and crisp. Very elegant carbonation; not too heavy and not too light... just right.

O - A very delightful drink! Relaxing brew! I would Love to see this brew come in a CAN! Good brew in a good trade! Thanks Another6pack, can't wait until round two....

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 03:36:09 | More by chugalug06

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Uncle Steve's Irish Style Stout

Poured from a12oz bottle into a SA Perfrect Pint.

Pours a very dark brown that is nearly opaque. The brew settles solid black with 2 fingers of light mocha head that sticks around for a while. Spotty lacing.

The nose is very roasty and has hints of coffee as well. The roasted malt is dominant and very inviting.

The taste follows the nose and some! There is a massive roasty presance but underlying this is a flavorful dark chocolate taste. I bit of coffee creates a taste akin to cup o' mocha.

The mouthfeel is chewy and full-bodied. Creamy for the most part but a bit of bitterness is felt from the dark cocoa and coffee flavors.

Overall, this is my first from Short's due to where I live and I'm very impressed. This is a flavorful and drinkable treat.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 04:24:59 | More by ChugginOil

Arbitrator

California

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Chilled bottle into a glass. From a generous trade with semibaked. Thanks!

A: Pours an opaque, dark brown body that borders on black. A finger of mocha foam rises and recedes rather quickly into a thick collar and broken film on top of the beer. No lace.

S: Roasted grain up front, carrying notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and earth. This is pretty expressive on the nose, and even with some slight seasonal allergy stuffiness, I find myself enjoying the aroma.

T: Roasted malts carry this one, expressing flavors of grain, dark chocolate, and coffee. The roast is so pervasive that I'd even say I'm picking up flavors of *roasted* dark chocolate and *roasted* coffee, but there is very little bitterness that I typically associate with those flavors. The bitterness is instead found in the aftertaste, from earthy hops and even a touch of grass.

M: Medium-bodied. Carbonation is a little more lively than low; it's a little too sharp to be velvety, but it's not a glaring flaw. This is a remarkably balanced beer.

O: Quite good. I didn't have any expectations when I went in, but I was impressed by what a flavorful beer this turned out to be.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 02:58:45 | More by Arbitrator

alleykatking

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottle.

A- Pours a deep dark brown color...almost black but not quite there. One finger light brown head shows medium retention. Nice sticky streaks of lace on the sides of the glass. This is the first Short's beer that actually looks great after a pour.

S- Nice roasted malts in the front of the aroma. This imparts a nice coffee like hint to it as well. Chocolate malts come through toward the middle with the roasted malts muting a little bit. Molasses and light earthy hops bring up the backend with a ever so lightly hint of alcohol. This beer is robust but has a little sweet side to it.

T- Starts of with a hint of toffee which dies almost as soon as it hints the palate. Roasted malts take over all this and bring forth a coffee like flavor. Hints of darker chocolate come out toward the middle with a molasses like sweetness. The ending of the beer is mostly roasted malts paired off with a nice crisp earthy bitter hop bite. Hints of alcohol are in the ending but nothing really comes of it.

M- Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. Roasted malts and light darker chocolate are left on the palate. Aftertaste is mostly earthy hops, chocolate, and roasted malts. Flavors were very well blanaced which I found amazing for a Short's beer since they seem to be over the top at times on a single flavor. No off flavor (which I still haven't seen in a Short's beer). Light alcohol drying on the palate.

O- This beer was a fantastic surprise. I was expecting something with a little offness to it (in a good Short's kind of way) and found a well balanced beer. The ABV is a nice lower number so enjoying a sixer of this is very much in the cards. Another great beer from Short's.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 20:51:50 | More by alleykatking

THECPJ

Delaware

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes:

appearance: dark brown black with a 1 finger mocha head

smell: coffee, roast,

taste: coffee, roast,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, thin to medium body,

overall: This beer had great flavor just wish it had a bit more body. Definitely drink again. Has a nice coffee kick to it for being an Irish Stout.

Cheers,
the CPJ

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 15:38:05 | More by THECPJ