2024 Seasonals

Early in 2022, I spent some time identifying "SheppyBrew Seasonals". I tied a specific SheppyBrew beer to every month in the year.

For whatever reason, after the year was done I shared 2022 Seasonals I had brewed during the year. I had brewed all but 3 of the "Seasonals".

I reported on the 2023 Seasonals as well, missing 4 months. Now that I've established the pattern, I feel like I have to share my brewed "Seasonals" for 2024.

I actually made it a brewing goal in 2024 to brew all my "SheppyBrew Seasonals". Around July or August, I got tired of the idea, but I had hit all the months so far, so I forced myself to finish them up.

2024 Mardi Bock

Falling Leaves Autumn Saison

As the crisp air of autumn descends upon the Colorado foothills, the Falling Leaves Autumn Saison emerges as a tribute to the season's vibrant tapestry. This enchanting brew, with its rich amber hue, captures the essence of fall in every sip. Brewed with a harmonious blend of Pilsner, Munich, and White Wheat malts, it offers a complex malt backbone that is both robust and inviting.

The addition of Midnight Wheat Malt imparts a subtle depth, while the Magnum and Saaz hops provide a delicate balance of bitterness and floral notes. Fermented with the renowned French Saison yeast, this beer boasts a dry, farmhouse character that is quintessentially saison.

2024 Q3 SheppyBrew Stats

It is already October, which blows my mind. Where did the summer go?

Of course, this means the 3rd Quarter of 2024 is done. We can report on the Q3 SheppyBrew Brewing Stats. 

When it comes right down to it, I'm sure no one besides myself really cares, but I like to look back on these posts to see how much I've brewed and what I was planning on brewing at certain points of the year.

As I've been saying, I expect that I'll brew less beer this year than I have for the past several years, and so far it does look like I'm tracking for a lower volume than 2023.

In fact, as of October 1 ... I was on track for just over 93 gallons for 2024, which would be the least amount I've brewed since 2018.

In this quarter, I brewed 4 batches of beer:

• Hail Storm Summer Saison ... 2024 Hail Storm Summer Saison (batch 359)
• N.T.S. Faux Pilsner ... N.T.S. Faux Pilsner (Batch 360)
• 1519 Barker Exportbier ... 1519 Barker Exportbier (Batch 361)
• Falling Leaves Autumn Saison ... 2024 Falling Leaves Autumn Saison (Batch 362)
  
  

2024 Falling Leaves Autumn Saison (Batch 362)

Well ... as I mentioned in 1519 Barker Exportbier (Batch 361), I've been pretty busy with my #GCCUSA, and not brewing much.

As a result, my current beer inventory is lower than it has been in awhile. Sunday, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) killed the keg of 2024 Hail Storm Summer Saison (batch 359).

And, so, my beer inventory was two not-so-full kegs.

Before V is for Village, Greenwood, Downhill Brewing, we stopped by our favorite Homebrew Shop, and picked up some malts.

I wasn't actually sure I'd brew this past weekend, but I did end up decide to fire up the Anvil Foundry and get a batch of my Autumn Seasonal Saison brewed:
 

Falling Leaves Autumn Saison

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

 

SheppyBrew's Most Brewed Beers

Last week (from when I am typing this ... not when it was posted), there were technical issues with SheppyBrew.com where the web server could not connect to it's database.

I was a bit annoyed that my hosting company needed me to point out the problem, and that it took them several hours to fix it after I pointed it out.

But, in the grand scheme of things ... it's a first world problem.

For some reason ... once the issue was fixed, and I was looking through the database I decided to figure out what beers I've brewed the most.

I went down a rabbit-hole of sql queries and since I had gone through that effort ... I thought I might as well share what I found.

3 Redheads and a Blonde

I feel like I've brewed a lot of Amber / Red beers lately. Currently, I have 4 homebrews on tap, and they are all in that color range.

• Falling Leaves Autumn Saison ... my Autumn "Seasonal Saison". Sort of an Oktoberfest with a French Saison character.
  
  
• Steamacularly Common ... a "California Common" brewed in tribute of Anchor Steam upon closing of the brewery.
  
  
• Buckwheat's Belgium Pale Ale ... SheppyBrew classic BPA. Favorite of the Beer Model. Currently the lightest in color, but still in that amber range. 

• Humdinger of a Hootenanny ... Kentucky Common. currently the darkest of the beers I have on tap. Almost a "brunette", but still in the red range.

 

2023 Falling Leaves Saison (Batch 344)

Here it is Autumn. Time to brew my Autumn Seasonal Saison.

I knew I was going to brew sometime in the next week or two, so I had actually biked to my favorite LHBS on Sunday.

See Sunday Ride on Strava.

More than anything I was interested in seeing how the ride would be.

It turned out to be an awesome 40 mile round-trip ride, so I will probably do this commute more in the future.

The LHBS was out of the dark Munich malt I like to use in this recipe, so I modified it "on the fly". This resulted in a slightly darker beer, but I don't think it will taste too significantly different.

I brewed ...

Falling Leaves Autumn Saison

2022 SheppyBrew Seasonals

Earlier in the year, I published a blog post in which I talked about beers that could be considered  SheppyBrew Seasonals, attaching them to each month of the year.

As I was working my way through brewing over the year, I kept this list in mind. I didn't hit every month, but I brewed most of the beers close to their month this year.

2022 Q3 (and 2) SheppyBrew Stats

Well ... crap ... here it is the end of Q3 ... and I just realized I never reported on SheppyBrew's 2nd Quarter.

Oh well.

As you may know, the Brewery likes to post quarterly updates on how much we have brewed. You can see all these updates (including the one you are reading right now) by following this link: Sheppy's Blog: Brew Stats.

You just will not see one for 2022 Q2. I think this is the first quarter I missed since I started doing these updates.

Must be getting old.

So ... just a quick update on the 2nd quarter ... I brewed 5 batches of beer for 26 gallons. There were 2 new recipes during that time, and I brewed 2 lagers.

Colorado Vienna Lager

 

Falling Leaves Autumn Saison (Batch 320)

As you know if you've been following along,  I've been pretty busy cycling over September.

But, of course live goes on. Here it already is ... Autumn.

And at the SheppyBrew Brewery ... Autumn means it is time to brew up one of my Seasonal Saisons ... Falling Leaves Autumn Saison.

2022 is the 9th year I've brewed this beer. 

That last sentence sort of blows my mind away ... where did the time go? I still sort of consider my idea of Seasonal Saisons a newish thing ... but 9 Autumn Saisons says otherwise.

Anyway, last Sunday (not yesterday, the one before that), I brewed up 

Falling Leaves Autumn Saison

As with most of my saisons, I got started the night before and did an overnight mash. I figure saisons are supposed to be dry, so the long mash with temperatures on the lower side of the beta amylase range make the overnight mash perfect.

SheppyBrew Seasonals

While out for a walk earlier in the week, I was thinking about homebrewing (surprise surprise).

One of the things that popped into my mind was beers that I always brew about the same time of year.

I was wondering if I had seasonal beers for every month of the year.

An obvious example is my Seasonal Saison series of beers. January is almost always when I brew Arctic Vortex Winter Saison. I usually brew Melting Stream Spring Saison in March or April, Hail Storm Summer Saison in June or July, and Falling Leaves Autumn Saison in September or October.

May is easy. The tag line for Helles in a Hand Bock-sket is "Will Drink in May". 

Will-o'-Wisp Pumpkin Ale makes the most sense for October.

Decemberfest Lager has "December" right in the name. 

2021 Q3 SheppyBrew Stats

Q3 is over. 

As you may know, the Brewery likes to post quarterly updates on how much we have brewed. You can see all these updates (including the one you are reading right now) by following this link: Sheppy's Blog: Brew Stats.

Summer Lovin' American Wheat

Falling Leaves Autumn Saison (batch 298)

As you know if you follow my Instagram feed, I brewed Sunday.

If I'm counting correctly, it was my 298th batch of beer.

My 22nd of the year. My 27th on the Anvil Foundry.

It is Autumn. For the most part, the weather here in Denver isn't really cooling down THAT much, but regardless, Summer is technically over.

My last couple of batches have reflected the passing of Summer. 

A couple weeks ago, I brewed a Märzen, Rocktoberfest Lager (Batch 296).

Last week, I brewed a pumpkin Ale, Will-o'-Wisp Pumpkin Ale (Batch 297).

This past weekend ... I continued the Autumn-themed beers with my Autumn Seasonal Saison ...

Falling Leaves Autumn Saison

SheppyBrew 2020 Year-End Brewing Stats

2020. What a year.

One side effect of staying at home so much in 2020 was that I brewed a lot of beer. 

A ridiculous amount, really.

As I type this, the year is not over, but I am done brewing for the year.

And, as you may know, the Brewery likes to post quarterly updates on how much we have brewed. You can see all these updates (including the one you are reading right now) by following this link: Sheppy's Blog: Brew Stats.

In the 4th quarter of the year, I brewed 8 batches of beer:

• Falling Leaves Autumn Saison
• Lithuanian Autumn Ale
• Bud Light Lime
• 2020 X-Mas Ale
• Irregular Eric Double IPA
• Puppy Monkey Baby
• Schreck Gartenzwerg Pilsner
• Decemberfest Lager

SheppyBrew brewed 31 batches of beer in 2020.

Falling Leaves Autumn Saison

Lithuanian Autumn vs. Falling Leaves

When I kegged Lithuanian Autumn Ale, and tasted the sample of the beer, I thought "Wow ... that really tastes a lot like Falling Leaves Autumn Saison".

A couple days later, on election day, I thought I'd run a blind triangle test on myself between these two beers.

2020 Falling Leaves Autumn Saison (Batch 269)

It is autumn. 

The weather is getting cooler and the leaves are beginning to fall.

... and you know what that means .... right?

Time to brew my Falling Leaves Autumn Saison.

Falling Leaves is, of course, the Autumn version of my Seasonal Saisons series of beers. It is darker in color than the Spring and Summer Saisons, but not as dark as the black Winter Saison.

Last Sunday, I did. I brewed it. I brewed the SheppyBrew Autumn Saison.

Obviously, I brew a lot of saisons. There isn't any question that I brew more saisons than any other style of beer. 

2019 Q3 SheppyBrew Stats

This year is really flying by. Here is it October and the 3rd Quarter is done.

As you may know, the Brewery likes to post quarterly updates on how much we have brewed. You can see all these updates (including the one you are reading right now) by following this link: Sheppy's Blog: Brew Stats.

As you may remember, I didn't brew very many times last quarter, although I did some bigger batches so my volume was still pretty high.

I brewed a whole lot more often in Q3. I brewed 6 batches which yielded a 34 gallons of beer.

Hail Storm Brew Day

• Hail Storm Summer Saison
• Muggled Pale Ale
• Alabama Pelican Brown Porter
• Schreck Gartenzwerg Pilsner
• Will-o'-Wisp Pumpkin Ale
• Falling Leaves Autumn Saison

2019 Falling Leaves Autumn Saison (Batch 241)

Until the last couple days ... it really has not felt very Autumn-like in Colorado.

But, it is Autumn ... and you know what that means .... right?

Time to brew my Falling Leaves Autumn Saison.

Last Sunday, I did. I brewed it. I brewed the SheppyBrew Autumn Saison.

Falling Leaves is, of course, the Autumn version of my Seasonal Saisons series of beers. It is darker in color than the Spring and Summer Saisons, but not as dark as the black Winter Saison.

I was just looking at my brew day blog post for the 2018 Autumn Saison . Apparently last year I thought I had pumpkin. Didn't have it. Went to the store to buy some.

This year, I thought I had some. Didn't have it. And decided I didn't need it.

I might be getting lazy in my old age.