Short’s says:
“A medium bodied amber lager with a light mahogany color and mild toasted malt character. Fresh local plums and 20% malted rye yield sweet toffee flavors initially, followed by subtle tart plum qualities that lead to a slightly bitter and dry finish.”
Short’s Plum Rye Bock
Fruit Beer, 6% ABV
Sayeth the Guys:
Ryan: Ah, another exciting Short’s foray in to the world of fruit beers. Will this one win all-star status like the Short’s Cake? Or will it tank, and then slightly redeem itself, like the Key Lime Pie? The Plum Rye Bock fell right in between the two. It didn’t knock my socks off but it definitely wasn’t a bad beer either.
The Plum Rye Bock poured a deep mahogany in color with purple hues along the edges and a thin, crisp layer of white head sitting atop this beer. The nose is a pleasant mix of bright, tart plums and a hint of red grapes and red wine. The taste is in line with the nose with a bonus kick of toasted malts and a bit of spiciness and dryness from the rye.
The toasted malts kick in first followed by cannonball splashes of sweet, tart plums, cranberries and spicy rye. There was also a bit of acidity here, but nothing to abusive or aggressive. The rye brings up the rear creating a crisp, dry finish that leaves you in need of a big glass of water.
The carbonation on this beer was pretty spot on; not too much and not too little. Overall, this is an entertaining take on the dopplebock style – although I might be hard pressed to drink more than one in a sitting. The tartness and acidity makes this a one and done beer for me.