hopIQ
ENDE
Sign up freeSign in

Short's Soft Parade

Short's Brewing Company
Tap to rate
🌍 United States · Fruit Ale · One of 2 Fruit Ales in hopIQ

A pale ale brewed with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Fruity, tart and surprisingly complex — not a cider, not a juice, but a serious craft beer that happens to taste like summer. One of Michigan's most distinctive beers.

ABV
7.5%
Bitterness
Mild
SRM
golden8
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Balanced backbone, with every axis close to the middle.

Nothing dominates, and that is the craft — each element gets room to be tasted.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Fruit Ale.
Hop character
hoppy
Malt character
malty
Fermentation & yeast
fruity
tart
clean
Distinctive notes
berry
Compare with another beer →

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Short's Soft Parade

Appearance

Pale golden hue with bright, translucent clarity and a delicate white head that settles to a thin collar. Fine carbonation rises steadily through the glass, leaving light lacing on the walls. The body carries the characteristic lightness of a fruit ale without haziness.

pale goldenclearfine carbonationdelicate head

Aroma

The nose leads with ripe strawberry and raspberry, backed by softer notes of blueberry and blackberry that build with warmth. Underneath, a subtle pale malty foundation provides structure without dominating. Clean fermentation allows the fruit character to remain bright and inviting rather than jammy or oxidized.

ripe berriesstrawberry forwardclean fermentationsubtle malt

Taste

Entry is crisp and fruity, with tart berry acidity taking the center of the palate—particularly red fruit tartness that recalls fresh-pressed juice without veering into cider territory. Mid-palate reveals gentle malty sweetness and a delicate grain backbone that anchors the fruit. Bitterness remains restrained (12 IBU) and refined, allowing the tart-sweet interplay to evolve naturally toward the finish.

tart berrybright aciditymalty sweetnessbalanced fruit

Finish

The finish is clean and medium-length, with fruit tartness lingering pleasantly on the lips and a gentle mineral dryness in the aftertaste. No harsh tannins or cloying residue—the beer finishes refreshingly dry despite its 60% sweetness profile.

dry finishberry lingerrefreshing
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
80
Finish
79
+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Short's Soft Parade

Serve at 6–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Short's Soft Parade

About Fruit Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Fruit Ale?

Fruit Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Fruit Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same fruity, tart, sweet character as Short's Soft Parade will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Fruit Ales in hopIQ

WHERE TO BUY

Not sure where to find Short's Soft Parade? Search on:

RateBeer →Untappd →