Captain Fantasy - Short's Brewing Company

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - The beer pours a clear golden-orange color with a finger of frothy white head. The head hangs around for quite some time before fading down leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - The aroma is a mix of sweet pear, with some yeast esters, floral elements, citrus hops, and a touch of peach. More complex than expected in a very good way.

T - The flavor starts off with some sweet and lightly tart pear and light peach with some yeast esters and some farmhouse flavors. Through the middle, some floral flavor with some citrus hops comes through. The finish is a mix of tart pear, yeast, citrus hops, with a bit of a spicy note.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a sweet, tart, and spicy finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really interesting mix of flavors but the tartness of the pear and the citrus hop flavor really work very well in this saison.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 07:35:58 | More by ngeunit1

minterro

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Split single bottle from Spartan Sprits

A&S: as advertised its has lots of floral and citrus hops pair nicely with... pear haha. The color is hazy yellow. There is some liveliness to it from vigorous carbonation bubbles. There is also unfiltered elements. Poured two fingers of off white head that hangs around at about a full finger of foamy head. Lacying clings very well.

T&M: on the hopper side of the saison so of course I liked it. Good quantities of citrus hops. Other elements of the beer include: spricness (peppery) and lemon zest. The pear doesn't come through as well in the taste as the smell. Has a bitterness present in the finish but its not overpowering. Medium bodied and on the higher end of the carbonation spectrum.

O: The best saison I've had to date, I thought this beer was excellent. I thought this beer was great and for the style it was amazing!

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 02:57:59 | More by minterro

alpinebryant

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy peach color with a frothy foam on top. heavy lacing

S: Musty peach and pear with fruity citrus aromas. Nice Citra grapefruit hop aroma with citrus and lemon notes.

T: Nice and refreshing Saison. Light and fruity with hints of pear, peach, citra or other citrus forward hops. Slight mothball presence. (same mothball flavors I got from my homebrew saison this summer).

M: slightly thicker in mouthfeel than most saisons I have had. Light carbonation

O: Overall a very tasty saison. It is a little hazier and thicker than others I have had recently, but very good overall . The hop flavors are very pronounced for a Saison, but you can clearly pick up the saison characters along with the saison yeast.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 21:47:12 | More by alpinebryant

dfillius

Michigan

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass
A: Moderate pour yields 1.25 fingers of white rocky head with good retention. Hazy golden color.
S: Lemon, lime, pear, Brettanomyces
T: Fruity sweet and tart right up front with pear lingering in the aftertaste. Not as much Brett dry funkiness as in the aroma. Thank goodness! Just a tiny bit of funkiness. Unique. Some whole wheat breadiness lingers on with some pear as well. Nelson Sauvin or citra hops maybe? Not readily apparent.
M: Smooth, tart, dry.
O: Unique and enjoyable. Very nice. I'd order another. Perfect for a sunny day. I wouldn't buy 6 probably, but I do want it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 00:07:17 | More by dfillius

jmunsters

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a snifter. Reviewing in steps.

A - Accidental moderately vigourous pour produced a serious head (shocking) that dissipated quickly with a beautifully knit lacing around the edges. Brilliant blonde tone. Can't wait.

S - Hops and lots of them. Grapefruit and the citrus for sure with a certain nose of pear. It might be stretching, but a bit of yeast?

T - If you blind folded me, I'd say a Huma with fruit. Very, very hoppy that finally settles down to something that seems like a farmhouse.

M - Very good. Perfect carbonation, crisp, clean, thin and refreshing like a saison should be, but it's not a saison...

O - Picked this up with a pick 6 on a visit to the brewpub. It's not a saison. Maybe it started off with that intention, but it was overly dry hopped and disguises that. Regardless, I love it. It comes off as an extra carbonated DIPA with fruit, and if they want to bill that as a saison, then I'm an American Belgian. Very happy I have two left. Saving them for good company.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 01:51:16 | More by jmunsters

Ratman197

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of chadcsu (thanks Chad) poured a clear gold with a lasting creamy white head. Aromas of straw, yeast, pear, earthiness, lemon and light pine. Mouthfeel was light bodied and crisp with a dry finish. Flavors of straw, pear, earthiness, light lemon and a hint of pine with a crisp dry lingering bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 01:30:11 | More by Ratman197

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled 8/2/2011. Pours very hazy golden straw color with a very nice 2 finger dense white head with great retention that reduces to a thin cap that lasts. Some very nice soapy lacing on the glass. Aromas of big pear, apricot, herbal, grape, orange peel, lemon zest, grass, pepper, yeast spices, and light funk. Nice, complex, and balanced aromas with good strength. Taste of pear, apricot, orange peel, lemon zest, pepper, herbal, grass, and yeast spices. Light tartness on the finish, with lingering notes of citrus zest, pear, pepper, and yeast spices on the finish for a bit. Great malt and spice flavor balance, with the malt being stronger. No cloying sweetness at all. Medium carbonation and body; with a slightly slick and crisp mouthfeel. Very easy to drink; with hardly any alcohol warming after the finish. Overall this is a great saison. Nice fruity flavor and balance; and very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 03:36:24 | More by superspak

oline73

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours a very cloudy yellow with hints of orange. There are two fingers of off white head that fades quickly but leaves very nice lacing.

Smell: Very nice. Sweet and fruity from the pears with a strong herbal hop note from the Sorachi Ace. Add some more herbal notes from the yeast and you're in business.

Taste: A bit sweet up front from the malt and just a hint of the pear. The finish is dominated by the bitter herbal and citrus peel hops.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with very smooth carbonation and a super dry finish.

Overall: I really enjoyed this take on a saison. I would have like a little more pear and a little less fruit, but I was quite happy drinking this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 02:38:23 | More by oline73

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

amber color with a huge, towering head of white that refused to part ways no matter what you did. Really just superb looking with tons of lacing down the sides of the glass and a rich and proper looking appearence. Nice elements of light clove, peach, hints of grain and fresh grasses and a nice little spicey punch to it. Warming brings out the wonderful light tart notes through the air that carry over so well into the flavor. Not over done at all, in fact it seemed to fit perfectly as the mellow sourness played off of the rich grainy and frsh flavor

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 14:34:30 | More by mikesgroove

cosmicevan

New York

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

High 5 to yeahnatenelson for putting this one on my porch today. Always a fan of collabs and been loving Half Acre.

a - popped the bottle and filled my E snifter. Wow...really nice murky golden copper with a nice frothy foamy head that hung out and left nice chunky lacing. classic to style and my mouth is starting to water...

s - the first thing i noticed when i popped the bottle was a wonderful sweet fruity smell. after the pour i went in for a closer look...YUM. bubblegum and tangy tart grapefruit. peppery citric pears. candied sugar with a splash of sour lemons.

t - again, rather impressive. classic saison flavors with an angle of pears, pepper, grapefruit and a bitter finish. certainly has representation of both short's and half acre. there is an offbeat tanginess reminiscent of many short's brews and a nice full bodied hop reminiscent of half acre. this ain't your pappa's saison.

m - much more full bodied that your average short's brew. a touch fizzy, but nice carbonation. finishes with a bitterish tingle. dry on the back of my pallete.

o - overall this feels like the mix of what i know of short's and what i know of half acre...with actually a dominance towards half acre's beers. the tanginess that i normally associate with short's is pretty present and seems to detract a bit from the brew. i'd be really interested to check out the half acre version, but much like freedom of 78, looks like this one is just the short's. pretty enjoyable, but not a classic saison...a saison with a short's twist...but the body of a half acre brew and extreme hopping to tame back the weirdness from the pears.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 02:57:35 | More by cosmicevan

alexgash

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle.

Slightly hazy orange straw body. Thick cushion of dense, implacable, bright light beige head. Very nice lacing. Passion fruit, pear juice, grapefruit, vinegar, and pepper on the nose. Intriguing.

Soft wheat and sweetened bread notes up front. Fruit moves in quickly with notes of pear, papaya, passion fruit, grapefruit, and guava (?). Very fruity, but not overly sweet (which is good). This might be due, in part, to the wall of herbal, leafy hop bitterness that comes in near the finish. Lingering hop bitterness and fruit sweetness in the finish. Some tartness throughout, but not very "funky," like some saisons. Medium-full body. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 23:22:08 | More by alexgash

david131

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a very hazy light orange liquid with a very creamy white head that settles to a thin covering.

S- Pears, apples, white bread, a bit of pepper, and a touch of farmhouse funk.

T- Pears, lemon rind, pepper, maybe a bit of alcohol, some white bread, and a bit of farmhouse funk.

M- A very creamy mouthfeel with abundant carbonation to keep things light. Just a tad astringent on the finish.

O- Interesting and kind of fun. Tasty but a bit rough around the edges.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 04:22:32 | More by david131

webmanspidey

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a pint glass. Cloudy pale color with lots of soapy head. Smells of Belgian yeast, pear, and apple. Taste is a very drinkable mix of hops, spice, and pear. Alcohol presence very low. Mouthfeel fairly creamy. Very tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 23:39:20 | More by webmanspidey

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 12oz bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 3/20/12
*From notes

A: Gorgeous cloudy lemon in color. A good pour yields a 1.5 finger fluffy white head. Really sticky and thick lacing rims the glass as the heads refuses to fall.

S: I get some blue cheese funk at first, and as I really inhale, I detect tart, acidic citrus.

T: Mildly funky. The balance here is pretty on-point. Plenty of acid and biting citrus. I do continue to get some blue cheese, but it's not overwhelming. There's a lasting lemon rind and hop quality to it. Pretty nice stuff.

M: Bubbly as it should be, and with a bit more texture then your average farmhouse ale. It really helps to bump up the flavors.

O: I haven't had many Shorts beer, well....many I've liked anyway. This, though, is quite nice, and something that paired beautifully with my dinner. One-of-a-kind and tasty. What more could you ask for? Recommended for sure.

*Paired with grilled chicken gyros

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 23:44:03 | More by Rhettroactive

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The Short's half of the collaboration. Never a dull moment...Thanks Derek!

A: The beer pours a hazy golden color with a finger of white head.

S: The pears really come through on this. There are lots of fruity hop aromas as well as the fruity ester qualities. A bit of pepper and some spicy notes that seem to be from the yeast. A light bread and malt aroma to round it out.

T: Mildly bitter and peppery with a ton of apples and pears. There's some yeast and quite a few different esters and phenols going on here. Some mild tropical fruits and a pretty nice citrus hop note.

M: Medium bodied with medium to high carbonation.

O: Really a different beer, but the pears came through nicely. I liked this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 05:30:31 | More by womencantsail

HopHead84

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

10/30/2011

Bottle shared by Carlos, thanks! Snifter.

A: Transparent orange with a small head.

S: Pear accompanies peppery phenols and a touch of clove. Floral notes are pronounced, and there's a dash of orange and earth.

T: Pear and orange with a lower moderate bitterness and big floral notes. Light peppery spiciness with a touch of grainy malt.

M: Lower medium body with upper moderate carbonation.

Overall: Nice stuff. A well made hoppy fruit Saison.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 17:14:10 | More by HopHead84

danwho

California

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Though not usually a fan of saisons, this one tastes different to me.
Must be the pears, there is a pronounced sweetness on the palate. Very nice and totally unexpected.
Got this bottle from FourKicks as an extra, last October.
Poured into a tulip, nice head, lasts a while, with lacing.
Smells more sweet and less spicy than most farmhouse ales.
A pleasant surprise.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 04:17:45 | More by danwho

doughanson78

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: A hazy light apricot color. Big two finger white head with great retention and pretty good lacing.

S: A blend of pear and apricots that mixes very well with the slight Belgian funkiness. A touch sweet and a touch tart.

T: The blend of pear, apricot, and funk doesn't come off as well as it did in the nose. It has a slight ashy flavor to it. Leaning a tad to the tart side.

M: Light bodied. High carbonation. Not near as crisp as most other Saison's I've had. A bit acidic in the back of the throat.

O: It's decent. Definitey better out there. But worth a try for the well blended aroma.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 15:12:21 | More by doughanson78

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip. This is bottle number three of the crazy Short's beers from MarcatGSB. This one, admittedly, doesn't sound anywhere near as crazy as the others.

Appearance - Clear golden body with a fluffy white head. Nice retention and great sticky lacing. Not enough bizarre food additions to kill the head on this one, apparently!

Smell - Fruity aroma with a slight Belgian funk. It's definitely an aroma with some depth, though. Behind the fruitiness is a distinct hop aroma. It's dank and grassy in the back. Interesting, for sure.

Taste - Ok, interesting yes. Good, perhaps not. I get the pear at the beginning. It's even a touch cidery. The sweetness fades to a complete palate-bashing of hops and black pepper. It runs the complete gamut from sweet and fruity to bitter and peppery at the end. Definitely complex, although in the realm of saisons, I'm not looking to be beaten over the head by complexity.

Mouthfeel - I don't know what the ABV is (come on, Short's!) but it feels like a heavy saison. I'm always looking for lightness from saisons, but often the fruit additions make them a bit syrupy. The bitterness in the finish is also a big detractor.

Overall - I can't call this good, but it's certainly interesting. At first I didn't think I could finish it, but it really is growing on me. I won't have any problem if I take it slowly. Not the refreshing saison I was looking for on a hot afternoon, but decent nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 20:32:28 | More by Alieniloquium

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle.

It pours a clear gold with a foamy bright white head that sticks for a bit before leaving some decent lacing.

The smell is good. It is initially spicy, then fruity. It is very flowery as the yeast dominates, the pear is in the back ground and is a pleasant compliment to the yeast and hops.

The flavor is good. Very yeast-driven. The pear comes in underneath and provides a nice accent. A nice saison.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 00:11:51 | More by crossovert

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to StormKing47 for gifting me with a bottle of this. 12oz bottle poured into a shaped pint glass. The brew appears a pale yellow with slight haze. 2 and a half fingers of fluffy white froth sits atop the brew composed of larger than average bubbles. It maintains an uneven froth completely across the top supported by constantly rising bubbles of carbonation. As the cap slowly fades, it leaves a thick webbing of lacework sticking to the glass.

The nose on this brew has an interesting mixture of fruity aspects. Lemon hits first that blends into a bit of tropical quality. Notes of sulfur are fairly strong coupled with peppery spice, straw-like grain and herbal to veggie-like hops. As the brew warms up, it picks up an interesting aroma that almost smells like cooked cabbage.

The taste is mildly fruity with a lemony tartness. More sips bring out an earthy flavoring with toasty straw grain flavoring. A bit of peppery spice is noted along with some clove and more earthy flavors that blend with something along the lines of cooked vegetables. A touch of bittering hops is noted towards the back and comes out as the brew warms and it mixes with the earthen flavors. Light hints of fruited quality are present but never really gives a true nod in the direction of pears as listed on the label. If anything, the pear quality of this brew is present with a skin flavor and earthy feel, not so much the fleshy ripe aspects.

This is a medium to light bodied brew with a lively amount of carbonation. It finishes quite dry which increases the drinkability quite a bit. By all means this is an interesting brew that is worth a try if you like your saisons with a fruity twist. All in all I think this one worked pretty well but it should probably be drank on the cooler side since that awkward cooked veggy/cabbage aspect is quite distracting when it comes out. Thanks again Josh for sharing this.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 02:02:00 | More by stakem

russwbeck

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Hazy yellow pour with a ton of bubbles racing to the top, which hold a wispy white head. The beer actually becomes quite clear once it has sat for a while. Not much retention here, but the lacing is quite nice.

S: There's a lot going on in this guy's aroma! Typical saison funk and yeast, but with definitely some pear and far more than your average hoppiness. The label is not lying to you here folks.

T: The taste here really surprised me, I thought I was ready. Huge hit of pears start it off, followed by some fruity and bitter hops. A bit metallic at times, the beer does still boast some barnyard funk. Something about the taste is putting me off, and now that I taste it, I smell it as well. Just an odd metal like character that I do not like.

MF: Over-carbonated, but light and crisp in body. The beer stings the palate ever so slightly and has a dry finish. Not all that drinkable with the strange, disjointed taste.

O: This was damn interesting. I liked parts of it, and hated parts of it. I would certainly recommend it to someone who wanted to delve into something they've never had before.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 00:08:45 | More by russwbeck

Soonami

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to erric for the hookup!

A bright, very pale beer with a nice head. The beer smells nice, there is a little spicy phenol, juicy pears and herbal hops. The beer tastes sweet like ripe anjou pears but also pretty bitter with a lingering resiny oily finish that is slighly unpleasant. There is just a weird interplay between all of these ingredients that just doesn't mesh well, but it doesn't taste bad. Not a bad beer, a nice one to try.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 04:46:41 | More by Soonami

morimech

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Six pack picked up at the brewpub. Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a quarter inch of head that settles to a thin cap. Some nice lacing is left on the glass.

Aroma of pears, yeasty phenols, and some tropical fruit. Some herbal qualities linger in the background.

Do not know if it is the yeast strain a lot of American brewers use for their saisons, or the way they use them. But not a fan of all the phenols that seem to perpetuate in the style. If it was not for the bright, pear flavor, I would not have liked this beer. The pear offsets the yeast qualities. A little herbal bitterness in the finish.

Light and lively body. A touch thin with a lot of fine carbonation.

Another example of a Short's beer that would probably be better on-tap at the brewpub.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 18:40:13 | More by morimech

waltonc

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Sarro for sending me this along with several other nice shorts brews.

Pours hazy honey in color with a nice white head. Nose of spicy saison yeast, hops, and pears. Lots of bitter hops on the palate complement the earthy, spicy saison qualities, while supported by a nice dry pear note. Body is medium with lively carbonation. Overall, a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 00:35:55 | More by waltonc