Business expands at Short Story Brewing

Even in the midst of a tough business environment, opportunities are expanding at Short Story Brewing Company in Rivesville. This year, the brewery has added a beer canning operation and greatly expanded its outdoor serving spaces. And they continue to release a bunch of new beers.

On Episode 021 of West Virginia Beer Roads, Aaron Rote, brewery co-owner, fills us in on the many things going on at Short Story. We also sample two IPAs with him as we delve into Short Story’s brewing philosophy. It’s great to see this small Marion Country brewery expanding its reputation for IPAs, sours, and lagers.

Video Podcast

Audio Podcast

Aaron Rote is co-founder and co-owner of Short Story Brewing. Day-to-day, he heads up the marketing and sales side of the business. He is joined in ownership by his sister and brother-in-law, Abby and Mike Kopischke. Mike also serves as head of brewing operations and gets the credit for the great tasting brews.

Canned beer moves brewery ahead

Short Story says canned beer sales, which began this past June, have helped boost business during the pandemic. The cans have sold very fast at the brewery store. The brewery has continued its torrid pace of fresh releases every week or so, including a dozen totally new beers so far this year and many re-brews of popular brands. They keep their beer fresh.

Short Story Brewing is another WV brewery that has utilized talented West Virginia artistic talent to design its beer can labels. One they have called on is Morgantown artist Max Perrott, who did the label for the Sideways Glance can shown above.

The introduction of canned beer filled an important space and created new demand for Short Story beer this year. Best known for their very well-made line of IPAs, Short Story’s lagers also rate highly and sell fast. Consistency is a strong suit of this brewery.

A nice touch at.Short Story Brewing is beer flights that come in old card catalog drawers. Many other literary influences are evident in the beer names.

Beer styles done right

You will always find at least two or three, and often more, IPAs on tap at Short Story. Brewer Mike Kopischke has developed quite a good reputation for mastering the hazy IPA style. He has learned how to push-to-the-front the flavor and aroma of the tropical, citrusy, new age hops, making for a most pleasant drinking experience. And it’s not just IPAs, either. Mike’s lagers and other traditional styles are truly in the top echelon of the state.

Part of the reason for the high quality lagers is that Short Story was the first brewery in the state to utilize a dedicated, specialized lagering tank. This, plus premium ingredients, good recipes, and the commitment to taking proper lagering time have all contributed to the brewery’s success in the Helles and Pilsner styles.

The Holiday season brings out more of the brewery’s dark and malty brews. Look for Captain Eye Dunkel Lager and Hunt & Peck Brown Ale.

Location

A fairly short hop (6.5 miles) off the I-79 downtown Fairmont exit, the brewery sits along U.S. 19 just on the north side of Rivesville. The taproom features a full-service food menu with outdoor and indoor seating areas.

5904 Fairmont Rd.
Rivesville, WV
(304) 933-2165

LINKS

Short Story Brewing website
Rivesville location open Wednesday through Sunday

Past article: Short Story long on flavor and style