Ardbeg, the world-renowned Islay Distillery, just announced their first ever beer, The Shortie, a Smoky Porter which will be available next week for fans in the UK. Named after Ardbeg’s beloved canine mascot (Shortie is the distillery’s Jack Russell); this beer has been released in partnership with Brewgooder, a craft beer social enterprise, with all profits from this limited edition going towards supporting clean water projects in Malawi.
“We all dig Ardbeg, and no more so than Shortie. So for this life-saving, well-digging clean water brew, it was only fitting that our canine mascot should represent Islay.
As with most porters, this beer is smooth and creamy. However our malt has helped make it distinctly smoky – the way we imagine an Ardbeg beer is meant to taste!”
– Dr Bill Lumsden (Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, Ardbeg)
Originally scheduled for release to support World Water Day (22 March 2020), the development and launch was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Shortie will now be available from 13th August on Ardbeg.com and selected retailers.

To produce this one-off beer, Ardbeg joined forces with Williams Bros Brewing Co. Made using the same peated malt as the award-winning Ardbeg Ten Years Old whisky, they’ve captured the Distillery’s signature smoky character with notes of bitter dark chocolate, malty biscuit, dry espresso coffee and a hint of liquorice.
“This collaboration is particularly special for me. To create an incredible beer that helps empower people’s lives is one thing, to do it with one of the world’s best whisky brands is another, but to bring it to life with my best friend: there are few things I have been prouder of in my life.
I look forward to working with the team at Ardbeg to turn the profits from this beer into life-saving clean water wells for those who need them.”
– Alan Mahon (Founder, Brewgooder)
The Shortie will be available to purchase exclusively in the UK from Ardbeg.com, and from selected retailers, from 13 August – priced at £14 for a four-pack. For more information, follow Ardbeg and Brewgooder on Twitter.