Why yes, that IS a reference to the lovely Nair commercial of the 70s. (Yeah I know that's not spot on...'tis the best I can do).

Most craft beer enthusiasts are very familiar with Short's Brewing Co. up in Bellaire. When Jeff and I went up there a few years ago, several locals told us that the brewpub was responsible for increasing tourism.

For example, people will drive from several states away for a Short's beer release. This of course translates into money for hotel rooms, money for other restaurants and so on. That is one way to revive this economy, and I wish it would happen in every city.

For those of us who can't get up north, we thankfully have a pub like Ashley's that frequently features beer releases. This past Thursday found a special release of Short's beers. Some of the beers were old favorites of ours, like Bellaire Brown, Key Lime Pie and Huma-Lupa-Licious (available in six packs) and Joyous Almondo (which I had the Winter Beer Fest). The new beers that we sampled were:

Kolsch 45: Like any good Kolsch, this beer was light bodied and the color of straw. The nose was bready and yeasty. The beer itself was crisp and refreshing... perfect for a warm summer day.

Prolonged Enjoyment: I had no idea what to expect of this beer when I read the name of it. I am happy to say that it was excellent and indeed, I did enjoy it for a prolonged period of time! (See what I did there? Masterful). The pale ale is made with American hops, so there is an immediate hit of citrus in both the nose and taste. The finish is dry with a nice hit of pine (not air freshener pine, which is certainly a taste I have detected in lesser beers). Delicious!

Crunchy Grooves: Again, I had no idea what to expect just from the name of this beer. Again, I was not disappointed. The "crunchy" name comes from (I presume) the fact that it is made with all organic ingredients. Organic or not, this pilsner is all liquid bread and outstanding. The nose is yeasty and bready with a satisfying finish.

Rye Not: I am a huge fan of RyePAs (IPAs that have rye in them) and this was definitely up there with my all time favorite, Founders' Red's Rye. Crisp, bitter, hoppy and delicious.

Richard in the Dirt Belgian Trippel: This was my surprise of the evening. Normally, trippels are a bit too much for a sensitive girl like me; however, this one was smooth and not too sweet. Lots of orange in the nose and taste, zesty, like liquid beer candy!

Other beers that were available and might still be on tap were Adia's Ale (ale with strawberries and kiwi... I don't like kiwi so I didn't try it), Agave Peach Wheat and Bananarama (banana rum inspired beer). Run to Ashley's like your pants are on fire, and you might be able to catch some of these delicious beers before the taps are SHORT! Get it? (licks finger, touches self, waits for sizzle).

Cheers!

Patti Smith enjoys making really bad jokes and drinking really good beer! Read her personal blog at http://palateofpatti.wordpress.com.