Stay tuned on this blog, and you'll probably find out what I think of the beer.
Friday, September 12, 2025
1519 Barker Exportbier (Batch 361)
Tuesday, September 09, 2025
My second #GCCUSA2025 Century
Friday, September 05, 2025
August Update on 2025 Cycling Goals
Wednesday, September 03, 2025
My first #GCCUSA2025 Century Ride
Monday, September 01, 2025
2025 Tribute Day Photos
Here it is ... September already.
As you know if you follow me at all, I'll be cycling 1,200 miles in September to help raise awareness and money to fight childhood cancer.
It is called the Great Cycle Challenge.
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Johnny McClure Rainier Lager (Batch 380)
Monday, August 25, 2025
Washington Trip ... More Seattle Photos
As I posted in Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos and Washington Trip ... Beach Photos, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) and I recently took a trip to Washington state.
The first few days, we spent in and around Olympic National Park, which is geographically / environmentally very diverse. Olympic National Park has rain forests. It has mountains. It has ocean - front beaches.
In Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos we shared photos from the first couple of days.
In Washington Trip ... Beach Photos we shared photos by the beach on day 2 and then a few more a little later in the week.
Washington Trip ... Mountain Photos we shared some Mountain Photos
Washington Trip ... Seattle Photos we shared some photos in and around Seattle.
And .. now ... here are more photos in and around Seattle:
Friday, August 22, 2025
Washington Trip ... Seattle Photos
As I posted in Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos and Washington Trip ... Beach Photos, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) and I recently took a trip to Washington state.
The first few days, we spent in and around Olympic National Park, which is geographically / environmentally very diverse. Olympic National Park has rain forests. It has mountains. It has ocean - front beaches.
In Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos we shared photos from the first couple of days.
In Washington Trip ... Beach Photos we shared photos by the beach on day 2 and then a few more a little later in the week.
Washington Trip ... Mountain Photos we shared some Mountain Photos
And .. now ... here are photos in and around Seattle:
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Washington Trip ... Mountain Photos
As I posted in Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos and Washington Trip ... Beach Photos, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) and I recently took a trip to Washington state.
The first few days, we spent in and around Olympic National Park, which is geographically / environmentally very diverse. Olympic National Park has rain forests. It has mountains. It has ocean - front beaches.
In Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos we shared photos from the first couple of days.
In Washington Trip ... Beach Photos we shared photos by the beach on day 2 and then a few more a little later in the week.
Here are some photos from the mountains in Olympic National Park:
Monday, August 18, 2025
Washington Trip ... Beach Photos
As I posted in Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) and I recently took a trip to Washington state.
The first few days, we spent in and around Olympic National Park, which is geographically / environmentally very diverse. Olympic National Park has rain forests. It has mountains. It has ocean - front beaches.
In Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos we shared photos from the first couple of days.
Here are some photos from the beach in Olympic National Park:
Saturday, August 16, 2025
Washington Trip ... Rain Forest Photos
My wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) and I took a trip to Washington state last week.
We did a bunch of stuff and had a ton of fun.
The first few days, we spent in and around Olympic National Park, which is geographically / environmentally very diverse. Olympic National Park has rain forests. It has mountains. It has ocean - front beaches.
And in just a few days we did it all.
Our home-base was a motel in Port Angeles, WA.
Monday, August 11, 2025
Voodu Magic Tropical Stout 🪄🌴
Brewer: SheppyBrew
ABV: 6.6%
IBU: 43
SRM: 38 (mystical black)
Appearance 👀
Pours obsidian-black with a velvety tan head that lingers like jungle mist at midnight. The body is opaque, yet alive with glimmers of burnt amber when held to light. Legs cling to the glass like shadow spirits.
Aroma 👃
Layers of dark chocolate, roasted malt, and licorice swirl with unexpected bursts of ripe tropical fruit—papaya, mango, maybe a banana whisper. The warm fermentation brings esters that add intrigue and illusion to every sniff.
Thursday, August 07, 2025
July Update on 2025 Cycling Goals
Monday, August 04, 2025
Cuttlefish Czech Amber Lager 🦑🍺
Brewer: SheppyBrew
ABV: 5.2%
IBU: 34
SRM: 15 (deep amber)
Appearance 👀
Pours a shimmering amber with flashes of copper and coral in the light. Dense, off-white foam crowns the glass like sea foam on a tide-washed reef. Moderate clarity and sparkle give it a polished, nautical charm.Aroma 👃
Crackling toast and caramelized malt surface first, chased by faint herbal hops and a splash of ocean breeze (or maybe just noble spice). There's a subtle, almost briny undertone—as if the grains were whispered over by cuttlefish sages.
Friday, August 01, 2025
Voodu Magic Tropical Stout (Batch 379)
Monday, July 28, 2025
Gob Stopper Grape Ale 🍇🧙♂️
Style: American Grape Ale
Brewer: SheppyBrew
ABV: 7.0%
IBU: 16
SRM: 7 (radiant violet)
Appearance 👀
Pours a soft purple with glowing edges—somewhere between wizard robe and melted grape popsicle. Medium white head fades quickly but leaves a ring like candy dust. Light haze gives it a whimsical, fairytale feel.Aroma 👃
Concord grape front and center—like you just cracked open a juice box at recess. Beneath that: gentle floral honey, a whiff of grapevine must, and faint cereal notes from the malt. Nostalgic without being fake or flashy.
Flavor 👅
Tart grape onset morphs into gentle sweetness mid-palate, lifted by honey malt and clean fermentation. A crisp finish keeps it from going syrupy, and low bitterness balances the fruit. Tastes like if childhood had a craft beer sponsor.
Friday, July 25, 2025
Roll-a-Style 10: 29C. Specialty Fruit Beer
If you follow this blog at all, you probably have read that I want to concentrate more on my BJCP Goal this year.
As of the time of this post, if I'm counting correctly, I've brewed 86 of the 108 styles in the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. Since the beginning of the year, I've already brewed 8 new BJCP styles (9 if you include Tasman Pilsner).
And ... I have ingredients and will probably brew my Roll-a-Style 15: 16C. Tropical Stout soon.
I have my Roll-a-Style list, which helps me keep track of styles that I still need to brew.
The idea is that I use a 20-sided online die to decide which style to brew next.
In late-ish July, I was killing time one day and thought I'd spend time coming up with a new recipe.
To figure out what beer I'd brew, I rolled my 20-sided online die, and rolled a 10 ...
Monday, July 21, 2025
Hickory Smoked Mac and Cheese
So ... I don't make it a whole lot, but my kids REALLY like my smoked mac and cheese.
Well ... not just my kids. Just about anyone who has ever tried it has raved about it. I love it too. Unfortunately, it isn't the healthiest of meals, and that comes from someone who makes a ton of BBQ.
Anyway ... a couple weeks ago, my older son had his girlfriend over and my son requested that I make my smoked mac and cheese.
Friday, July 18, 2025
More SUP Photos
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
2025 Triple Bypass Ride
Monday, July 14, 2025
Roll-a-Style 15: 16C. Tropical Stout
If you follow this blog at all, you probably have read that I want to concentrate more on my BJCP Goal this year.
As of the time of this post, if I'm counting correctly, I've brewed 86 of the 108 styles in the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. Since the beginning of the year, I've already brewed 8 new BJCP styles (9 if you include Tasman Pilsner).
I have my Roll-a-Style list, which helps me keep track of styles that I still need to brew.
The idea is that I use a 20-sided online die to decide which style to brew next.
In early July, I was running sort of low on inventory, and needed to brew to get the pipeline going.
I rolled my 20-sided online die, and rolled a 15 ...
Friday, July 11, 2025
Cuttlefish Czech Amber Lager (Batch 378)
Wednesday, July 09, 2025
4th of July Paddle on Chatfield
Monday, July 07, 2025
Roll-a-Style 2: 3C. Czech Amber Lager
If you follow this blog at all, you probably have read that I want to concentrate more on my BJCP Goal this year.
As of the time of this post, if I'm counting correctly, I've brewed 85 of the 108 styles in the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. Since the beginning of the year, I've already brewed 7 new BJCP styles (8 if you include Tasman Pilsner).
I have my Roll-a-Style list, which helps me keep track of styles that I still need to brew.
The idea is that I use a 20-sided online die to decide which style to brew next.
In early July, I was running sort of low on inventory, and needed to brew to get the pipeline going.
I rolled my 20-sided online die, and rolled a 2 ...
Friday, July 04, 2025
2025 Q2 SheppyBrew Stats
It's July, which means that we've made it through the second quarter of 2025. It is time to "report" on the 2025 Q2 SheppyBrew Stats.
Q1 was pretty busy, and I was on track for 120 gallons of beer in 2025.
Q2, on the other hand wasn't nearly as busy. I only brewed 4 batches of beer totaling 20 gallons, putting my projected 2025 volume right at 100 gallons.
The Q2 batches were:
- Melting Stream Spring Saison
- Halfway to Helles Leichtbier
- Summer Lovin' American Wheat
- Gob Stopper Grape Ale
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Melting Stream Spring Saison |
Wednesday, July 02, 2025
June Update on 2025 Cycling Goals
Monday, June 30, 2025
Gob Stopper Grape Ale (Batch 377)
Friday, June 27, 2025
Halfway to Helles vs Astrosuds Lager
So, part of the logic around brewing Halfway to Helles Leichtbier in May had to do with my May "Seasonal" Helles in a Hand Bock-sket.
Last year, while drinking Hand Bock-sket, I made the comment:
#WillDrinkInJune. Great bready malt character. Loving this beer. I think the only improvement I can think of is making it lower ABV ... But it wouldn't be a Maibock then 😎
I believe this was shortly after drinking a beer at Green Mountain Brewing Company that really reminded me of Hand Bock-sket, but was lower in ABV. It's name was "AstroSuds Lager".
While a 5A. German Leichtbier isn't really anything like a lower ABV Maibock, it is sort of similar in that they are both German lagers.
Before my latest camping trip, I saw cans of AstroSuds Lager in Green Mountain's beer cooler, and I decided to pick up a four pack.
Around that time, I poured the Halfway to Helles Leichtbier and AstroSuds to compare side-by-side.
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
2025 Fathers' Day Photos (Part 3)
So ... as you know if you've been following along on this blog, I've been posting Fathers' Day photos recently.
If you have not been following along and are interested, check out 2025 Fathers' Day Photos (Part 1) and 2025 Fathers' Day Photos (Part 2).
Now, I'm posting the finale, Part 3.
We got up Sunday morning and the boys made me pancakes for breakfast. Then we packed up the camp.
Monday, June 23, 2025
Juneteenth Paddle on Chatfield
Friday, June 20, 2025
2025 Fathers' Day Photos (Part 2)
A couple days ago I posted 2025 Fathers' Day Photos (Part 1), and I have more photos from that trip.
After the hike on Part 1, we decided that it was too early to go back to the campground, so we decided to drive up Trail Ridge Road, which is the main road running through the park 48 miles from Estes Park to Grand Lake.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
2025 Fathers' Day Photos (Part 1)
Thursday, June 12, 2025
N is for North River Brewery (RiNo)
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Summer Lovin' American Wheat (Batch 376)
Friday, June 06, 2025
Stuffed Peppers on the Kettle
Tuesday, June 03, 2025
Roll-a-Style 12: 29D. Grape Ale
If you follow this blog at all, you probably have read that I want to concentrate more on my BJCP Goal this year.
As of the time of this post, if I'm counting correctly, I've brewed 84 of the 108 styles in the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. Since the beginning of the year, I've already brewed 6 new BJCP styles (7 if you include Tasman Pilsner).
I have my Roll-a-Style list, which helps me keep track of styles that I still need to brew.
The idea is that I use a 20-sided online die to decide which style to brew next.
June is here, and I did my Big Brew Day ... Halfway to Helles (Batch 375) at the beginning of May, checking off my 84th style. I think it is time to pick another beer to brew.
I rolled my 20-sided online die, and rolled a 12 ...
Saturday, May 31, 2025
May Update on 2025 Cycling Goals
Thursday, May 29, 2025
M is for Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub
Thursday, May 22, 2025
L is for Littleton Brewing Company
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
K is for Knotted Root Brewing Company
Saturday, May 17, 2025
April Update on 2025 Cycling Goals
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
What the hell is up with Oisin Owl?
I have a confession to make.
Quite often on this blog when I say that I ask ChatGPT something, I am lying. For the purposes of this blog, I lump all AI Chatbots together, and refer to them all as ChatGPT.
I actually use MS Copilot a lot more. But, still on this blog I refer to them as ChatGPT.