Short’s Brewing Company- Soft Parade: Killing Me Softly…

I have to admit, I’ve be slacking on the reviews lately.  Shit’s just been too damn busy and I haven’t MADE the time to sit down and put some effort into it.  Life’s been coming to a head here as of late and I have a feeling that stuffs about to blow up and I don’t necessarily mean in a good way.  Thankfully, I’ve got a cellar and fridge full of some yummy brews and I plan on drowning my sorrows until I figure out a game plan to rid myself of the hassles.  Lucky for me, Wes always manages to keep me stocked up on a variety of Short’s brews.  So far, when it comes to me & Short’s, it’s about 50/50.  The brews are either epic or just don’t cut it for me.  I’m hoping that this Soft Parade is in the epic category.  As the label states, this is an ale fermented with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries and I for one am very curious how this combination is going to play out in the flavor department.  I’m ready to find out.

Short’s Brewing Company classifies this brew as a Fruit Infused Rye Ale and their website describes Soft Parade as, “This gourmet specialty is engineered of toasted rye flakes and two row malted barley. Loaded with pureed strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, we refer to this fermented potion as a fruit infused rye ale. The result is a refreshing fruit delicacy that’s easy to drink, appealing to look at, and finishes dry.”

Soft Parade pours a fruit juice/ruby red with a 1” pink hued white head.  The aroma is sour and tart at first but then you start to get the raspberries and strawberry, I didn’t detect any hint of the blueberries or blackberries but let me just say that the aroma is fantastic.

I have to say that I was a bit concerned at first when out from the bottle comes this pinkish hue beverage.  The head truly was a light pink color and my gut told me that this was all fruit all the way.  My concerns were unfounded, this is a great brew.  Soft Parade is a fruity, slightly sour and tarty brew that is absolutely fruitastic!  You get a slightly fruity sweetness right off the bat then BAM; you get a wonderful tart and sour flavor that finishes with just a hint of hoppiness.  The body is fairly light and Soft Parade goes down all too easy with no hint of it being 8.0% ABV.  Because I can’t get Short’s brew here in Illinois (unless Wes gets me some) I hate finding a brew of theirs that I really enjoy because I typically know that I most likely won’t get to enjoy another one anytime soon.

ABV: 8.0%

Consumed: Trinity Brewing Company Glass

Verdict: Buy a Case

Short's Brewing Company- Soft Parade: Michigan Spring Break Day Four

So my spring break is extra late this year because of Easter being pushed back and I was not able to go snowboarding in Montana. Instead I decided to visit my bro Ryan and is wife Amy in Michigan and check out their new house. It was a great and relaxing weekend and I loved every second of it. Naturally I brought plenty of beer back (about $150 worth) including Bell’s, New Holland, Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company, and of course tons of Short’s. Over the next five days, I am going to review five Shorts Brews in a segment I am calling, “Michigan Spring Break.”

Soft Parade is a rye berry ale and you can tell by the pink label featuring a girl longing on the beach that this brew is not meant to be perceived as badass. It pours a bruised strawberry shade of dark pink with pure white lacing. The carbonation level is very active with tiny bubbles dancing in the glass like a bottle of New Year’s champagne. The sweet berry aroma dominates the nose with hints of sweetness and tartness. It reminded me a lot of Smucker’s mixed berry jam.  

The flavor took me by surprise. It actually leans heavily towards the sour end of the spectrum. The fizzy body creates a zapping sensation on your tongue akin to licking a 9-volt battery. The end is slightly better as it warms and gets a very authentic raspberry flavor. I must say overall, I was quite unimpressed. At the end of the day a beer should still taste like a beer. This beer is two fruity to appeal to most guys and too freaking sour to attract the ladies. I guess that leaves me wondering who Soft Parade is aimed toward? Believe me when I say that Short’s has amazing brews and this is one you can easily shove aside in the pursuit of better endeavors.

ABV: 8.0%

Consumed: Sensory Glass

Verdict: Bum One From A Friend