Short's Huma Lupa Licious 6Pk

Short's Huma Lupa Licious 6Pk is a 7.7% ABV India Pale Ale from Bellaire, Michigan, brewed with five distinct hop varieties and sold in a six-pack format. Scoring 90 on BeerAdvocate across over 2,300 ratings, this flagship IPA has earned a devoted following since it debuted as the very first beer poured at Short's Brewing Company's pub in 2004.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.7%  |  Origin: Bellaire, Michigan, USA  |  Style: India Pale Ale  |  Brewery: Short's Brewing Company  |  Format: 6-Pack

Production & Heritage

Short's Brewing Company was founded in Bellaire, Michigan, a small town in the northern Lower Peninsula. Huma Lupa Licious holds a singular place in the brewery's history — it was originally a homebrewing recipe that founder Joe Short called "Humulius Lupulius Maximus," and on April 30, 2004, it became the first pint of beer officially sold at the pub. The recipe deploys five different hop varieties that layer citrus, floral, piney, and earthy characteristics into a single beer that sits comfortably between a standard IPA and an Imperial IPA in terms of intensity, a style sometimes referred to as a "Midwest IPA."

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Grapefruit citrus leads, followed by pine resin and a subtle herbal earthiness. A bready malt backbone sits underneath, keeping the hop aromatics grounded.

Taste: The entry is surprisingly sweet, with biscuity malt providing a brief counterpoint before five hop varieties take over at mid-palate. Grapefruit and pine dominate the center, layered with earthy, almost dark-green vegetal notes and escalating bitterness that builds without becoming harsh.

Finish: Long and resinous, with lingering pine and herbal bitterness. A trace of citrus pith and breadiness rounds out the close, inviting the next sip.

How to Drink Huma Lupa Licious

Pour into a tulip glass or IPA glass at 45–50°F to let all five hop varieties express themselves fully. Drinking straight from the can is fine for casual settings, but a proper pour reveals the slightly cloudy bronze color and persistent head that signal the beer's complexity. For a Michelada, the citrus and earthy hop character stands up to hot sauce and lime. In a Beer Margarita (Beergarita), the grapefruit-forward profile blends naturally with tequila and citrus juice. As a Shandy mixed with fresh lemonade, the pine and herbal bitterness balances the sweetness without losing hop identity.

Best For

• Introducing a craft beer newcomer to a full-flavored IPA that doesn't overwhelm
• Summer cookouts and backyard grilling sessions
• Gifting to a hop enthusiast exploring Michigan craft beer
• Pairing with bold, spicy, or charred foods at dinner

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Huma Lupa Licious taste like? Huma Lupa Licious delivers prominent grapefruit and pine hop flavors over a bready malt base, with earthy and herbal notes adding depth. The bitterness is assertive but balanced by an initial malt sweetness.

How does Huma Lupa Licious compare to a typical West Coast IPA? While West Coast IPAs tend toward a drier, more aggressively bitter profile, Huma Lupa Licious carries slightly more malt sweetness and a broader earthy-herbal hop complexity from its five-hop blend, placing it in a "Midwest IPA" style that bridges standard and Imperial IPA territory at 7.7% ABV.

Is Huma Lupa Licious good for IPA beginners? Its initial malt sweetness and layered hop character make it approachable, though the 7.7% ABV and assertive bitterness mean it leans toward intermediate drinkers rather than absolute beginners.

Where is Huma Lupa Licious made? Huma Lupa Licious is brewed by Short's Brewing Company in Bellaire, Michigan, located in the northern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

What foods pair well with Huma Lupa Licious? Spicy Thai curry balances the hop bitterness with heat and coconut richness. Sharp cheddar cheese echoes the beer's assertive character. Grilled burgers with caramelized onions complement the malt sweetness. Fish tacos with citrus slaw mirror the grapefruit hop notes. Pepperoni pizza works well, as the hops cut through the fat and salt.

What sizes does Huma Lupa Licious come in? The standard retail format is a six-pack of 12 oz cans or bottles; it may also be available on draft at select locations.

Is Huma Lupa Licious worth the price? Huma Lupa Licious positions as a mid-range craft IPA that punches above its price point in complexity, thanks to its five-hop recipe and 90-point BeerAdvocate rating — strong value within the Michigan craft beer category.

Why Huma Lupa Licious?

Few beers can claim to be both a brewery's origin story and its enduring flagship, but Huma Lupa Licious is exactly that — born from a homebrewing recipe and served as the first official pint at Short's Brewing in 2004. The five-hop blend creates a layered IPA that avoids the one-note citrus bomb approach common in the category, instead weaving pine, grapefruit, earth, and herbal bitterness into a cohesive whole. A 90-point BeerAdvocate score backed by thousands of reviews confirms its consistency across batches and years. For anyone exploring Michigan's craft beer scene or looking for an IPA with genuine depth and provenance, this six-pack delivers.