Short's Brewing Company

Short's Brewing Company is a brewpub and microbrewery in Bellaire, Michigan, United States. Registered in 2002, the company opened its pub in 2004. In 2008, a production facility in Elk Rapids, Michigan was purchased and renovated to accommodate larger scale batches. In July 2017, Short's sold 19.9% of the company to Lagunitas Brewing Company, which is owned by Heineken International.

History
Short's Brewing Company was registered as a business in 2002 with the State of Michigan by 22-year-old Joe Short.

In 2003, a 100-year-old empty hardware store in Bellaire, Michigan was refurbished for use as a brewpub. The pub opened on April 26, 2004, initially housing a seven barrel brewing system utilizing five fermenters and five serving tanks. First year production totaled 178 barrels. During the fall of 2006, Short began work on The Imperial Beer Series. By 2007 the 13 series beers were released, each one with its own trading card and story. The pub offers space for community gatherings, local art, and live performance. The pub has 20 beers and Starcut Ciders on tap.

Short's purchased an old manufacturing building in Elk Rapids, Michigan in January 2008, to accommodate larger scale batches separate from the brewing done on-site at the brewpub. The first Elk Rapids batch of beer was brewed in January 2009. With the Elk Rapids warehouse facilities, production capacity increased to 30,000 barrels per year. The bottling line is designed to process 800 cases per day.

In 2014, the company set a Guinness World Record for the largest tap takeover when it served 120 Short's beers for the opening of HopCat's new location in Detroit. In 2014 the company produced 34,443 barrels.

About
Shorts Breweries is one of the largest craft breweries in Michigan and “employs around 175 people year-round” (Shorts Brewing, n.d.). Short's mission is to “leverage the power of smallness to help good humans lead awesome lives through our products of passion, and leave the world better than we found it” (Shorts Brewing, n.d.). The Short’s team enjoys spending time outside “biking, kayaking, trail running,” (Shorts Brewing, n.d.) and a plethora of other things outdoors as well. Shorts Brewing is a proud supporter of a large variety of community programs and partnerships. From being a part of natural resource protection to outdoor recreation and even equality initiatives. Shorts has over fifteen community partnerships that they strive to help make their community a great place.

Production site
The Elk Rapids production site is a 30-barrel brewhouse. The site has 21 fermenters and 6 bright tanks. Short's beer is brewed with natural ingredients and is unfiltered. Every bottled product and some kegs are flash pasteurized. The production site is geared to brew and package 56 different beers in 2014. In 2010, the Elk Rapids location threw its first-ever Shorts Fest. It happens every year on the same weekend as Harbor Days, another fun local event. There is food and beer, live music, and an energetic crowd (Brenner, 2017). “Short's' brewpub now covers five storefronts in downtown Bellaire and includes a retail store and private dining space. The pub in Bellaire is known for its pizzas and pretzels with dough made from scratch daily and includes a by-product from the brewing process” (Selasky, 2024).

Availability
The beer is distributed mostly in Michigan, and is sold in over 3,200 locations statewide. In addition to its year-round "flagship" brews, it bottles over 40 seasonal and specialty beers annually. In January 2016, Short's announced that it would expand its distribution territory for both brands (Short's Brew and Starcut Ciders) to include additional states. In March 2016, Short's began distribution in Indiana and Ohio markets through Cavalier Distributing. In January 2019, Short's partnered with Cavalier Distributing in the greater Orlando area and J.J. Taylor Distributing Florida, Inc. in the greater Tampa area to bring Short's brews to Florida

Awards
2009 Great American Beer Festival
 * Bloody Beer - Silver Medal - Experimental Beer

2010 RateBeer Best Beers In The World
 * #64 - 100 Best Brewers in The World
 * #5 - 50 Best Brewpubs

2010 Great American Beer Festival
 * Key Lime Pie- Gold Medal- Experimental Beer

2010 World Beer Cup
 * Black Licorice Lager- Bronze Medal- Herb & Spice Beer or Chocolate Beer

2011 Draft Magazine Top 25 Beers of the Year 2014 Great American Beer Festival 2015 Great American Beer Festival
 * The Gambler
 * Key Lime Pie- Gold Medal- Experimental Beer
 * Melt My Brain - Silver Medal - Experimental Beer