NEWPORT, NORTH CAROLINA
An inconspicuous mini-mall oasis in the tony Carteret County ‘gateway’ town of Newport, SHORTWAY BREWING COMPANY serves up some of North Carolina’s finest – and often driest – American styled ales. Opened during 2017, the veteran family-owned Shortway Brewing’s understated interior gets intensified when patrons exit thru the rear and reach the garden of earthly delights, a flowery stone-ground back deck with Adirondack chairs and wood benches.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon in August ’24, my wife and I stepped up to the wood top serving station to try ten diversified proprietary suds (while taking three wheat ale variants to Topsail Beach – reviewed in Beer Index). There are twelve tap handles plus a few refrigerator draught lines at the central bar area as well as a blackboard tap list and decorative branched hop vine.
The simple concrete-floored wood-paneled pub includes six wood benches and a few metal-seated tables plus mason-jarred lights on antique gold-plated fans at the low ceiling. Windowed tanks to the right sidle the wood block-tabled metal seating upfront.
Dry raw-honeyed lemon musk, salty husked corn and sweet rice consumed light-bodied opener, Lookout Blonde, leaving barnyard hay-parched herbal hop astringency on the mildly mineral grained finish.
Mild lemon limed agave suited Sol Seeker Mexican Lager, a brisk pilsner-malted lightweight.
Spritzy lemon and dainty berry teased easygoing wheat-cracked moderation, Chatham Street Wheat Ale, concealing some floral-herbed hop phenols.
Tart lemon-seeded raspberry scurried thru the dry wheat-cracked spine of Squeeze The Day Raspberry Lemon Wheat Ale,
Briny watermelon rind and cologne-perfumed lemon liming faded for approachable Ordinance #25 Watermelon Lime Gose, letting its stylish coriander-seeded saltiness seep thru slowly.
Dry West Coast IPA, Down East, retained yellow grapefruit and orange rind bittering plus juniper berry licks to contrast its peachy melon swipes over spicy rye.
Lemony grapefruit and orange tanginess picked up floral perfumed pine musk for off-dry Good Vibes IPA, a tropical delight with tertiary mango, guava and pineapple whims.
Cocoa-dried light roast coffee received walnut, Brazil nut and macadamia nut influence for Newporter American Porter, shading its burnt caramel sweetness.
Soft-tongued confectionery dessert, Almond Coconut Stout, plied mild coconut-milked almond nuttiness to Nilla Wafer-like sweetness.
Whiskey-bent Newport Strong Ale, a caramel-spiced Imperial Red Ale, gained mild barleywine, Chardonnay and sherry wisps.