Skadoosh Blond Ale (Batch 386)

I brewed some beer a couple Sundays ago. 12/12/2025.

If I'm counting correctly, this is my 19th batch of 2025, putting me at 95 gallons brewed this year.

It's the 386th batch of beer I've ever brewed. 

It is a new recipe, my 15th new one of the year and 346th unique recipe I've brewed.

I actually have quite a lot of beer inventory, but I have family coming to visit around Christmas and the beers I have are not really beer-flavored-yellow-beer-drinker-friendly styles.

And ... at least one of the people visiting is/are beer-flavored-yellow-beer-drinker(s).

So ... I came up with a simple blond ale recipe to (hopefully) be ready to go by Christmas.

Skadoosh Blond Ale

X‑Mas Ale 2025

Style: English Barleywine
Brewer: SheppyBrew
ABV: 8.0%
IBU: 36
SRM: 14 (deep amber)

Appearance 👀

Pours a glowing copper‑amber with ruby highlights at the edges. A modest off‑white head forms, then quickly settles into a thin lace that clings to the glass. The body is clear yet rich, catching the light like stained glass in a winter chapel.

Aroma 👃

Sweet malt dominates—caramel, toffee, and biscuit—with undertones of dried fruit (fig, raisin, plum). A gentle waft of English hops adds earthy spice and a touch of floral character. There’s a warming alcohol note, subtle but inviting, like brandy by the fire.

P is for Platt Park Brewing Co

So ... after several months of delay in the A to Z Series of posts, we are trying to get back on track.

I posted O is for Odell Brewing 5 Points just a week ago and now we're doing another one today.

If you follow along on this blog ... you likely know what this is all about ... but ... in case you are new here or just forgot ...

Back in February of 2015, I was embarrassed by the huge number of Denver Breweries that I had never visited.

I decided to make an effort to hit more of them.

As I started to look at the list, it struck me that I could go down the list alphabetically and find Denver-area breweries that started with just about every letter.

I went through the alphabet once, and then even decided to keep going ... I now on Round 6 up to the letter "P" ...

P is for Platt Park Brewing Co

2025 Update on the BJCP Goal

If you follow this blog, you know I've renewed my old BJCP Goal.

My original BJCP Goal was to make sure I've brewed beers in every category of the BJCP Style Guidelines. I've now covered all the categories, and have decided to work through all the styles (although there are some I will probably skip).

I even came up with a "Roll-a-Style" concept to give me help deciding which style to brew.

At the end of 2023, I posted 2023 Update on the 2021 BJCP Goal and last year, I posted 2024 Update on the 2021 BJCP Goal.

And, now I decided I'm not going to brew any more new styles in 2025, so I'm doing another similar post for 2025. (Can you believe 2025 is almost over? I can't)

At the beginning of 2025, I planned on hitting the Roll-a-Style list harder. My unofficial goal was to reduce the list enough that I'll be rolling a 12 sided die by the end of the year (as opposed to the 20 sided die I had been rolling).

Keep an eye on Sheppy's Blog: Roll-a-Style, and you'll be able to continue to follow along how I'm doing. 

O is for Odell Brewing 5 Points

Remember the A to Z Series of posts?

Back in June we were flying through Round 6.

We had just posted N is for North River Brewery (RiNo), which is more than half-way through the alphabet.

This after only 7 months from posting A is for Arms, Call To Brewing Company, the beginning of Round 6.

Then, for whatever reason we inexplicitly stopped for several months.

I'm not sure why this happened, but there's always a woman to blame, so it must be the Beer Model's fault.

Anyway ... last Saturday, the Beer Model allowed us to pack a lunch to hit the next brewery on our list ...

O is for Odell Brewing 5 Points

12 5k's of December

So ... I mentioned on Bobcat that I've been following some running plans by Runna. 

I'm currently in week 4 of 9 of their "5k Improvement Plan". I do a couple of runs a week that are designed to improve my 5k time. 

At some point, I noticed the 12 Days of 5ks on Facebook virtual challenge advertised in my Facebook feed.

Taking a look at my Runna plan, I was already going to do 8 runs of 5k or more in December, and I thought to myself, "How hard can it be to run 4 more 5k's in a month?"

Well, I decided to go ahead and sign up.

I'm not pushing the fundraising like I did for the Great Cycle Challenge, so currently I'm the only one who donated to my challenge. If you'd like to help out, it is a Facebook Fundraiser at:

I’m Doing 12 Days of 5ks for the American Cancer

November Update on 2025 Cycling Goals

I do quite a bit of cycling for a middle-aged couch potato.

With all the BBQ I make and eat, and all the beer I brew and drink, biking a ridiculous amount helps keep me somewhat in shape.

So ... I spend lots of time cycling around the foothills of Denver.

If you're interested, I always track on Strava. (even if you're not interested)

Anyway ... as you may remember from 2025 Cycling Goals, I have 5 cycling goals this year:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth / #8200MilesIn2025 / #16EverestsIn2025 / Triple Bypass Ride / #GCCUSA

We're getting close to the end of the year ... and ...

Here is an update for these goals as of the end of November, 2025: