A.I. Generated SheppyBrew Logo

So ... I mentioned in Roll-a-Style 1 ... 3A. Czech Pale Lager that I was playing around with Chat GPT.

I use the free version, because I think the upgrade just wouldn't be worth paying for.

One of the things in the upgrade version of Chat GPT that really interested me was DALL·E ... which is the technology that allows you to enter a description and the A.I. will generate an image.

I have been thinking that I need a SheppyBrew Logo for awhile, and I thought it would be fun to use DALL·E (or something similar) to generate one for me.

So ... I did some searching, and came across Bing's Image Creator from Designer.

When I signed into it with my Microsoft credentials, it didn't appear to want to charge me, so I think it is free. It might be that I don't have to pay because I already have MS 365, but whatever ... it is something I could play with.

 

Roll-a-Style 1 ... 3A. Czech Pale Lager

Here it is 2024 already. Crazy!

As I mentioned in SheppyBrew 2023 Year End Brewing Stats (and probably other posts in late 2023), I want to continue the Roll-a-Style concept in 2024.

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, the concept is fairly simple ...

I made a list of BJCP Styles that I've never brewed, and assigned them to the numbers 1 - 20. When I want to brew, but am not sure what style to go after, I "roll" an online 20-sided die. Whatever number I roll is the style of beer I brew next.

Most recently, I rolled a 1:

Right now, according to the list on Random SheppyBrew Recipes, 1 corresponds to 3A. Czech Pale Lager. 

2024 Arctic Vortex (Batch 349)

I brewed last weekend for the first time in 2024. Actually, when this posts it will probably be the weekend before last, but regardless ...

We really had frigid cold for awhile. We didn't get much above 0 degrees F for several days.

I tried a bike ride on Saturday. It was too cold for a bike ride.

On Sunday, I brewed. It was actually too cold to brew. Or at least it was too cold to chill the wort using water from my outside faucet.

Oh well ... it turned out ok anyway.

It being winter, it was time to brew my 2024 Winter Seasonal Saison ...

Arctic Vortex Winter Saison

I is for Sanitas Brewing II

Yes, we're continuing along with Round 5 of  the A to Z Breweries Series of Posts.

If you read H is for Left Hand RiNo Drinks & Eats, you know that "I" is up next.

You also know that according to the Colorado Brewery Map & List, we'll have to be pretty creative to find a Denver-area brewery that starts with the letter "I".

Honestly, the letter "I" has been challeging for us from the beginning of this whole thing.

We've used I is for IronWorks Brewery and Pub (closed), I is for [The] Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project (closed), I is for Iron Mule Brewery (not really what I consider the Denver area), and I is for {"..."} (a collection of breweries I visited during GABF).

The wife (aka The SheppyBrew Beer Model) came up with the idea to visit a new local brewery ...

I is for Sanitas Brewing II

H is for Left Hand RiNo Drinks & Eats

As you know if you've been following along on the A to Z Breweries Series of Posts, we're a few breweries into round 5.

If you're not familiar, several years ago, I was a little ashamed at number of Denver breweries I had been to at the time.

Looking at a list of brewery names, it struck me that I could start at the letter A and hit just about every letter of the alphabet.

So, I started the A to Z Breweries Series of Posts with A is for Alpine Dog Brewing Company way back in 2015.

Since then, I've been through the alphabet 4 times, and the Beer Model and I have started round 5 of the project. 

In fact, we are up to "H" now. And ... what did we decide as an "H" brewery?

H is for Left Hand RiNo Drinks & Eats

#7100MilesIn2024

Back in October, I reported that I had cycled over Over 6000 miles in 2023.

As I mentioned in that post, my 2023 Strava cycling goal was 6250 miles and 326,749 feet elevation gained.

As of October, the mileage goal was easily attainable. The elevation goal was certainly in reach, but much more of a challenge.

It turned out that I got both goals without too much effort over November and December. 

 

New Year's Ribs

Happy New Year!

I got a couple of BBQ gifts over the holidays that I thought were really cool, and that I really wanted to give a try.

I'm really a fan of the BBQ Pit Boys and especially their youtube channel.

I really thought it would be cool to have their "Customized 10" Chapter Knife" with "SheppyBrew" on it.

My in-laws were kind enough to buy me one for Christmas.

The knife also came with a container of one of their BBQ Rubs.

Pretty awesome! For dinner on New Year Day this year, I smoked some Spare Ribs, which gave me an opportunity to try out both the knife and the rub. 

2023 #Strava #YearInSport

If you've been following along on this blog for awhile, you may remember that I have been sharing my Strava YearInSport stats over the past couple of years.

I pay more attention to my cycling goals and totals on Strava, but the YearInSport stats cover all activities.

Sort of interesting to me. Not sure if any blog readers care, but I'll share regardless. To be honest, this just helps me compare year-to-year how I do.

G is for Great Divide Brewing Company

It blows my mind that it is 2024 already. 2023 just flew by for me.

Crazy!

Since we made the decision to continue the A to Z Breweries Series of Posts into the 5th round, it has been basically 5 months.

We posted A is for AC Golden Tank Room in August, and F is for Fiction Beer Company Chapter Two a couple weeks ago.

That's 6 breweries in 5 months. Not a bad pace.

Now, it is time to post our 7th brewery of the round. We needed a "G" brewery.

According to the Colorado Brewery Map & List, we actually had lots of "G" choices. One jumped out at me as the next one I wanted to visit:

G is for Great Divide Brewing Company

 

2023 Seasonals

So ... a couple of years ago, I spent some time identifying "SheppyBrew Seasonals".

I didn't really pay much attention to "Seasonals" in 2023, but a couple weeks ago, looking through my blog, I came across 2022 SheppyBrew Seasonals. That made me want to check out which of these seasonals I did brew in the past year.

I figured that I had not done nearly as many as I had in 2022, but as it turned out ... I was actually pretty close.

The fact that I always brew the Seasonal Saisons every year gives me a little of a head-start.

Arctic Vortex 

 

SheppyBrew 2023 Year End Brewing Stats

So ... as I'm typing this, we still have a couple of weeks left in 2023, but I won't be brewing again this year, so I can actually report on my 2023 Brewing Stats.

Last year, I mentioned that I was on a downward trend on my brewing totals since the ridiculous amount I brewed in 2020.

All year, I've been saying that this year will continue that downward trend, despite evidence to the contrary every quarter so far this year.

But, with a slightly lower brew total in the 4th quarter, I did end up lower than 2020, 2021, and 2022.

In the 4th quarter, I brewed 5 batches of beer for 25 gallons:

• Falling Leaves Autumn Saison
• Humdinger of a Hootenanny
• Golly Jeepers Wild Mango Ale
• X-Mas Ale 2023
• Decemberfest Lager

4 beers including Falling Leaves and Humdinger