The Blog

Here Comes the Phuzz
Starcut Ciders

Here Comes the Phuzz

It’s officially fall here in Northern Michigan and it’s only fitting that we celebrate with a new bottled cider. Inspired by the sweet and juicy peaches of a late summer harvest, we’ve concocted a tantalizing cider fermented with apples and peaches we’re affectionately calling “Phuzz.”

Phuzz (6.9% ABV) is a semi-sweet cider fermented with Michigan apples and peaches. The cider is a brilliantly clear amber-straw color and has aromas of fresh apple and peach. Phuzz is mildly tart and subtly sweet with flavors of bold apple and pleasant lingering peach.

So here comes the Phuzz! Find ‘er pouring from taps and packaged in 12oz bottle six-packs. Phuzz is now available throughout the mitten state. Distribution to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Colorado will begin soon.

We’re headed west with Short’s for Colorado Events!
Starcut Ciders

We’re headed west with Short’s for Colorado Events!

Are you ready Colorado? The Short’s and Starcut crew is headed west! We’re on our way to the rocky mountain state for three days of special Short’s brew and Starcut Ciders events leading up to the biggest, bestest beer festival of all, the Great American Beer Festival.

Short’s brews will be showcased alongside Starcut Ciders at a series of tap events. A limited supply of bottled beers is being shipped across the U.S. for sale in CO. Starcut Ciders are now available in bottle and on tap year round in Colorado.

Check out all the details below!

Events

Monday, October 3rd, 2016

Black Bottle Brewery
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
1611 S College Ave., Suite 1609
Fort Collins, CO 80525

Tuesday, October 4th, 2016

FATE Brewing Company
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
1600 38th St.,
Boulder, CO 80301

Back Country Pizza & Tap House
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Boulder, CO 80302

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

Finley’s Pub
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
375 South Pearl St.,
Denver, CO 80209

Falling Rock Tap House
10:00 pm
1919 Blake St.,
Denver, CO 80202

 

Short’s Brewing Co. Announces Short’s & Starcut Ciders CO Events
Starcut Ciders

Short’s Brewing Co. Announces Short’s & Starcut Ciders CO Events

Elk Rapids, Mich. – Short’s Brewing Company announces it will host a string of events to take place in Colorado in the days leading up to the 2016 Great American Beer Festival. These events will feature their hard cider brand, Starcut Ciders, as well as Short’s beers, which are not regularly distributed outside of the Midwest.

Starcut Ciders is a division of Short’s Brewing Company. Originally introduced at Short’s Bellaire pub in 2014, Starcut Ciders was born out of a desire to celebrate the bounty of Michigan orchards. Short’s began distribution of Starcut Ciders in Michigan in 2015. In early 2016, Short’s announced it would begin regular distribution of Short’s brews and Starcut Ciders outside the state of Michigan for the first time. The company began distributing cider in Colorado in March of this year.

Short’s Partner, Scott Newman-Bale is excited to be returning to Colorado for the events leading up to GABF. “We’re thrilled to be able to make the trip out west. We’ve only been distributing our ciders for a number of months in Colorado, so we’re still becoming acquainted with the market. It’s very exciting to be in the field to help introduce new craft lovers to Starcut and give them a glimpse into the world of Short’s.”

The events will take place at Black Bottle Brewery in Fort Collins on Monday, October 3rd, at FATE Brewing Company and Back Country Pizza & Tap House in Boulder on Tuesday, October 4th, and at Finley’s Pub and Falling Rock Tap House in Denver on Wednesday, October 5th. Short’s Flagship brews, Soft Parade and Huma Lupa Licious, as well as their current variety pack will be available in bottles at retail accounts. Additional specialty varieties will be available on tap at all events. Starcut Ciders Octorock, Pulsar, and Phuzz will be also available. Joe Short and members of the Short’s team will be on hand for each event.   

Starcut Ciders is distributed by Elite Brands of Colorado. According to the distributor, “GABF is an exciting week for us.  We’re thrilled to welcome the Starcut Ciders & Short’s Brewing team back to Colorado and to showcase these two great Michigan brands throughout the week!”

For more information about Short’s Brewing Company please visit www.shortsbrewing.com.

Starcut Ciders Official, Official Colorado Launch Events
Starcut Ciders

Starcut Ciders Official, Official Colorado Launch Events

We know you’ve probably already seen our ciders in stores and on tap around the beautiful state of Colorado and we hope you’ve had a chance to give ‘em a taste. But now, we’re ready to celebrate with official launch events taking place this week. Join us in celebrating Starcut Ciders distribution in Colorado at tap features in Ft. Collins, Lakewood, and Denver. Get the details below and come thirsty!

Tuesday, June 21st  
Black Bottle Brewery Tap Feature
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
1611 S. College Ave Ft. Collins, CO

Wednesday, June 22nd
World of Beer Tap Feature
4:00 pm
921 Pearl St, Boulder, Colorado 80302

Thursday, June 23rd
First Draft Tap Feature
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
1309 26th St. Denver, CO

Introducing Immortal Jelly
Starcut Ciders

Introducing Immortal Jelly

Many of you may know our sister brand, Short’s Brewing Company, brews and bottles one of the most delectable beers out there: Soft Parade. Well, we hoped that maybe those juicy berries would be just as tasty in a cider too. We brewed, and (taste) tested and determined this to be absolutely correct. And thus, Immortal Jelly was born! Today, we’re happy to introduce the long-awaited, berry filled, semi-dry Immortal Jelly to cider lovers in Michigan and beyond.

Immortal Jelly (5.1 % ABV) is a semi-dry hard cider inspired by Short’s Brewing Company’s Soft Parade. Immortal Jelly is fermented with Michigan apples and a blend of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. This cider is rose in color and has scents of tart fruit. Immortal Jelly’s complex blend of berry fruit flavors provides a big tart acidity up front before a semi-dry finish.

Evoking only the most treasured of summertime memories, Immortal Jelly is the perfect cider to sip post swimming, sunbathing, snoozing, or snacking. Just in time for the holiday weekend, our newest bottled cider is now available in Michigan. Out of state fans, look for Immortal Jelly in Colorado, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio very soon.

Share your photo for a chance to win a Starcut Ciders tacker!
Starcut Ciders

Share your photo for a chance to win a Starcut Ciders tacker!

Share your photo for a chance to win a Starcut Ciders tacker!

 

We’re looking for the prettiest, goofiest, coolest, most bestest photos of Starcut Ciders in all the land. Take a photo with a glass or a bottle, by yourself or with friends, in Michigan or wherever you happen to enjoy sipping on Starcut Ciders, and share it with us on Instagram using #MIcider and #StarcutCiders.

 

We’ll announce the three winners and post the winning photos to our social media channels on June 2nd, 2016.

 

Here’s how to win:
*Take a photo of your Starcut Ciders bottle or glass showing us where you most enjoy a cider.
*Upload the image to Instagram and use #MIcider and #StarcutCiders by 5/31/2016.
*Entrant profile must be public. Three winners will be chosen and their photos shared on 6/1/2016.
Per Instagram rules, this is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram Inc. By entering, enterants confirm that they are 21+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use.
Bringing Home Hardware from GLINTCAP 2016
Starcut Ciders

Bringing Home Hardware from GLINTCAP 2016

The Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition comes but once a year and this year she was pretty good to us. We spent some time in Grand Rapids sharing Starcut, tasting ciders, hanging out with fellow cider makers, and even earning a few medals. In fact, we’ll be looking for a place to hang nine new medals this week as we took home five silver and four bronze!

The best news? Many of these ciders are currently available in bottles. In fact, Erraticus 1 – Erraticus 4 are now for sale at the pub and Short’s Mart, Pulsar and Squishy are currently available in bottles and kegs, and Octorock can be found on tap, in bottles, and in cans. Cider on the beach anyone?

Check out the list below for our cider award details.

New World Cider – Modern
Octorock, silver
Izabella, bronze
Pulsar, bronze

Fruit Cider
Erraticus #3, silver
Erraticus #4, silver,
Squishy, silver

Hopped / Herbal Cider
Olly Spexx, bronze

Wood Aged Cider and Perry
Erraticus #2, silver
Erraticus #1, bronze

Looking for more information about GLINTCAP? Check out glintcap.org.

Starcut Ciders now available in Illinois
Starcut Ciders

Starcut Ciders now available in Illinois

We’re making our Illinois debut this weekend! We’ll be pouring Pulsar (semi-dry hard cider), Octorock (semi-sweet hard cider), and Squishy (semi-sweet hard cider made with Northern Michigan cherries) at Cider Summit Chicago. Post summit, we’ll be celebrating at Emporium – Wicker Park where we’ll be hosting a Cider Summit After Party.

These events are only the beginning. Starcut Ciders Pulsar and Octorock will be available throughout the state of Illinois beginning this week. Looking for Starcut Ciders near you? Check the list below for a location in your neck of the woods.

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 3121 N. Thatcher Ave., River Grove

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 4610 W Elm St. McHenry

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 103A Orland Park Place, Orland Park

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 12307 S RTE 59, Plainfield  

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 124 McHenry Rd, Buffalo Grove

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 1409 N Veterans Parkway, Bloomington

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 100 16th St. Space A, Oak Brook

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 1720 N Marcey St., Chicago

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 1950 Lincoln Highway St., Charles

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 2010 Butterfield Rd., Downers Grove

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 213 W Grand Ave., Chicago

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 21410 Wold Rd., Mokena

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 323 W Golf Rd., Schaumburg

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 3447 W 95th St., Evergreen park

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 5100 W Dempster St., Skokie

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 639 E Boughton Rd., 180, Bolingbrook

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 670 W Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 69 W Rand Rd., Arlington Heights

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 6920 S Route 83, Willowbrook

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 802 W Town Center Blvd., Champaign

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 844 S Randall Rd., Algonquin  

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 975 Rand Rd., Lake Zurich

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 353 Army Trail Rd., Bloomingdale  

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 7330 W North Ave., Elmwood Park  

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 767 W Golf Rd., Des Plaines  

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 8935 N Milwaukee, Niles

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 1531 E 53rd St., Chicago  

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 85 N Greenbay Rd., Glencoe  

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 1132 S Jefferson St., Chicago

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 153 Skokie Valley Highway, Highland Park

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 3000 N Clark St., Chicago  

BJ’s Wine & Spirits, 1154 Douglas Rd., Oswego

Blue Frog’s Local 22, 22 E Hubbard St., Chicago

Bottles and Cans LLC, 4109 Lincoln Ave., #1, Chicago

Breakroom Brewery, 2925 W Montrose Ave., Chicago

Cucina Paradiso, 814 North Blvd., Oak Park

Deja Brew, 5129 W 95th St., Oak Lawn

Emporium Arcade Bar, 1366 N Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

Empty Pockets, 101 S 3rd St., Oregon

Fischman Liquors and Tavern, 4780 N Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

Friar Tuck Beverage, 1085 S Route 51, Forsyth

Friar Tuck Beverage, 1333 Savoy Plaza Ln., Savoy

Friar Tuck Beverage, 1401 W Glen Ave., Peoria

Friar Tuck Beverage, 3080 Mercantile Dr., Springfield

Friar Tuck Beverage, 67015 Goshen Rd., Edwardsville

Friar Tuck Beverage, 2401 Maloney Dr., Bloomington

HQ Beercade, 213 W Institute Place, Chicago

Hy-Vee, 2115 S MacArthur Blvd., Springfield

Kenwood Liquors, 12037 W 159th St., Homer Glen

Kilroy’s,  3502 Ridge Rd., Lansing

Kuma’s Corner, 2900 Belmont Ave., Chicago

Kuma’s Too, 666 W Diversey Pkway., Chicago

La Primera, 5012 – 5014 N Clark St., Chicago

Leo’s Wines & Spirits, 3018-22 Hobson Rd., Woodridge

Lincoln Station, 2430-32 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago

Liquor Park, 1937 W North Ave., Chicago

Madison Tavern, 500 W Madison St, Chicago

Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar, 960 W 31st St., Chicago

Milk & More, 702 W Diversey Pkwy., Chicago

Old Town Pour House, 1417-1419 N Wells, Chicago

Owen & Engine, 2700 N Western Ave., Chicago

Parlor Pizza Bar, 108 N Green St., Chicago

Rayan Liquor & Deli, 4553-4559 N Clark St., Chicago

Riverside Foods, 48 Burlington, Riverside

Roots Handmade Pizza, 2200 W Lawrence Ave., Chicago

Rudy’s Liquors INC., 285 Chartres Street, Lasalle

Sedgwick’s Bar, 1935 Sedgwick St., Chicago

The Craft Beer Store, 131 N Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville

The Eastwood Golf Co., 2000 Eastwood Ave., Streator

The Noble Grape Corp., 802 N Bishop St., Chicago

The Open Bottle, 7101 183rd St., Suite 105, Tinley Park

The Standard Market, 333 E Ogden Ave., Westmont

The Tribes Alehouse, 11220 Lincoln Hwy., Mokena

Timothy O’toole’s, 622 N Fairbanks Ct., Chicago

Tribes Alehouse, 9501 W 171st St., Unit R, Tinley Park

Tuman’s Tap & Grill, 2159 W Chicago Ave., Chicago

 

Flamingo Juice and Otterson Apples
Starcut Ciders

Flamingo Juice and Otterson Apples

Ok, before you ask, the name of this cider may be a teeny tiny bit misleading. No, no flamingos were harmed in the making of our newest cider, Flamingo Juice. That being said, we totally pulverized the sh*t out of some special apples for the base of this cider, and we think you’ll know why as soon as you get a glimpse of its awesome color. World, we give you Flamingo Juice.

So, let’s start at the beginning. Flamingo Juice is one of our newest cider varieties made from a combination of Otterson and crab apples. If the variety “Otterson” is not familiar to you, it’s no surprise! Otterson apples are a variety of red juiced apples that have been rediscovered and cultivated at Michigan State University (can I get a “GO GREEN”), by plant geneticist, Dr. Steve van Nocker and botanist Chris Gottschalk. Why cultivate this variety? To put it simply, Dr. van Nocker and Mr. Gottschalk have been seeking to find an apple with a high concentration of anthocyanins in the fruit’s flesh. Without getting too sciency, anthocyanins are a type of flavonoid. Beside making things red, anthocyanins are thought to have a positive impact on human health and in turn, many applications in the food and supplement industry. You can read more about the sciency stuff here.

So to make a long story even shorter, late last summer we were contacted by Dr. van Nocker and Mr. Gottschalk about pressing Otterson apples to use in an experimental cider. With the promise of an awesome color and fantastic flavor, we charged forward with pressing the apples and fermenting the cider. And thus, Flamingo Juice was born.

While we hope you’ve already had a chance to try Squishy, a dark red, semi-sweet hard cider we make from local, Northern Michigan cherries. We doubt you’ve seen a cider of this color made strictly from apples. Otterson apples are bred for the purpose of extracting the juice, priming them for cider making. They are acidic and have a tannin content that is beneficial for the production of cider. In addition to Otterson apples, Dr. van Nocker and team are working to develop new varieties of red juiced apples.

Flamingo Juice is a semi-dry hard cider made with red fleshed Otterson and crab apples. Try it on tap at our Starcut Ciders Celebration tomorrow, Saturday February 20th, at Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire, MI.

Starcut Ciders Celebrates first year with party at Short’s Brewpub
Starcut Ciders

Starcut Ciders Celebrates first year with party at Short’s Brewpub

Bellaire, Mich. – Starcut Ciders, a division of Short’s Brewing Company that crafts hard cider made with fruit sourced from Michigan, announces it will host its first Starcut Ciders Celebration at Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire, MI on Saturday, February 20th, 2016.

Originally introduced at Short’s pub in late 2014, Starcut Ciders was born out of a desire to celebrate the bounty of Michigan orchards. Short’s began distribution of this new division with keg sales beginning in February of 2015. This celebration marks the anniversary of Starcut’s debut outside of the Short’s pub.

The Starcut Ciders Celebration will kick off at 11:00 am on February 20th inside Short’s brewpub. 10 ciders will be tapped, including current bottled varieties; Octorock, Pulsar, and Squishy. Pub fare will include specials handcrafted using Starcut Ciders. Short’s pub stage is known for hosting both local and national artists and the Starcut Ciders Celebration is no exception. Vox Vidorra will take the stage at 8:30 pm and keep the party going all night long.

In addition to ciders offered on tap, Starcut will release the first four ciders in its wild cider series, Erraticus 1, Erraticus 2, Erraticus 3, and Erraticus 4. Hand packaged in 750ml bottles, the Erraticus Series is comprised of wild ciders aged in barrels and wild ciders fermented with cherries and raspberries.

When asked about Starcut Ciders first Celebration, Short’s Pub Manager, Rob Lewis said “We are super stoked to be celebrating one year with our cider brand here in Bellaire. The past year has been very exciting, and we are looking forward to the continuous development of Starcut Ciders.”

Short’s Mart, Short’s Brewing Company’s very own merchandise store located at 113 N. Bridge St., Bellaire, will offer a variety of Starcut Ciders merchandise including a variety of shirts, hats, and wall art. Look for Starla and the scamp parked out front.  

For more information about Starcut Ciders please visit starcutciders.com.