June 2013 Blogging

June ended up with the 2nd most page-views all-time on this blog behind March. For the most part, the whole month was pretty consistent. I always thought it looked like it would come in 2nd.

Here are the top 10 viewed posts over the past 30 days:

Factotum Brewhouse

I got an email through my Contact Me form on this blog from a guy starting a new Denver area brewery. The brewery will be called Factotum Brewhouse.

His concept is a little different than your typical brewery, though. Unique. Brilliant, really. Genius.

Factotum will give home-brewers an opportunity to brew on its system. In fact, it sounds like most of the beer served in its taproom will be brewed by home-brewers.

Read the press release he sent me below. Make sure to check out his kickstarter page. I am thinking about making a donation and I will certainly visit the brewery when it is finished.

Chelsea Dagger 2013

The Blackhawks won last night thanks in part to me and my little Gnome buddy. Obviously, game 6 was on the road so they were not going to be playing Chelsea Dagger in the stadium, but I took it upon myself to play it loud whenever I thought the Blackhawks needed a lift.

It worked.

I was also sure to save some SheppyBrew Blackhawk Black for the final period. You may think that my choice of beverage has little to do with how the hockey team did, but you would be wrong. Tommy Hawk APA helped get them to the finals, and  Blackhawk Black helped push them to the championship.

I waited all my life to see the Blackhawks win a Stanley Cup. I just had to wait 3 years to see them win a 2nd. Hopefully I'll get to see several more.

Go Blackhawks!

Firestone Walker Wookey Jack

Well, after seeing Zymurgy's newest Best Beers in America list, (see Zymurgy's 2013 Best Beers in America), I didn't waste much time looking in my local liquor store to see what I could pick up. Of course, I can't get T9. Lagunitas Sucks until December or January. The next highest ranked beer that I have not tried was #16. The Alchemist Heady Topper is not available in Colorado.

I found a 22oz bomber of the 3rd highest ranked beer I had not tried, though.

#20. Firestone Walker Wookey Jack
Beers from Firestone Walker Brewing Company are very available here in Colorado. In fact, you may remember that I've blogged about both Firestone Walker Union Jack and Firestone Double Jack since both appeared on my 2012 list.

Still More Sexist Beer Labels

Remember my post "Sexist Beer Labels"?

At the time I told you, "I've never bought any of these beers, but if I saw one of these in my liquor store, I would at least consider buying it for the clever labels."

Recently, Clown Shoes started distributing to Colorado, and I had an opportunity to pick up a four pack of Tramp Stamp Belgium India Pale Ale in my local liquor store. I took that opportunity because I wanted to try the beer behind the artwork. I couldn't resist the blogging opportunity.

From the Clown Shoes website:

"Like a stamp on a tramp, this beer is about not so subtle seduction.  Soft but complex malts, Chambly yeast, sweet orange peel, Columbus, Amarillo, and Centennial hops have merged to create a bodacious Belgian IPA."

Zymurgy's 2013 Best Beers in America

Zymurgy's 2013 Best Beers in America just came out.

None of SheppyBrew Brewery's beers made it this year.

Of course, if you follow this blog, you may know that every year I target this list to make sure I've tried as many of the beers as possible. From last year, I ended up with only 2 that I have not had (or at least that I don't remember ever trying).

The ones I missed from 2012 were:

• Troegs Nugget Nectar (#34)
• Russian River Pliny the Younger (#48)

Not a bad. Not bad at all.

So, now it is time to move on to the 2013 list.

Brewing the Un-Wheat

I was at my brew shop last Wednesday trying to purchase ingredients to make SheppyBrew's world famous Summer Lovin' American Wheat. I was talking to one of the employees there about my win, and scooped out German Pilsner malt instead of the Wheat malt I meant to add to the recipe. By the time I realized my mistake, I had it crushed and blended in a bag with the rest of my malts.

Ooops.

At that moment, I decided to change what I was going to make last weekend. I decided to make Summer Lovin' Un-Wheat instead. Initially, I thought the only difference was going to be the pilsner malt replacing the wheat malt, but since I was changing the beer, I decided to try another thing I had been thinking about. Rather than the orange zest I put in the wheat beer, I am going to add orange juice concentrate after a couple days of fermentation. I also reduced the coriander a bit.

You can look at the whole recipe by following this link to the SheppyBrew website.

Pictures at the Great Sand Dunes

For the third year in a row, my family went camping at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Just like last year, we camped in a group site with the same people (mostly) that we camped with last year.

You can read all about our adventures in and around the Sand Dunes (including this post) by following this link.

Here are some pictures:

Another Father and Son Backpacking Trip Part 2

This is part 2 of "Another Father and Son Backpacking Trip". If you have not read Another Father and Son Backpacking Trip Part 1, go back and read it now. In fact, even if you have read it, go back and review it again. Who knows what important detail you may have forgotten. Go ahead, read it. We'll still be here when you are done.

So, it was Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, and my youngest boy and I had spent a bunch of time exploring rock formations by the "Shaft House". After spending a couple hours up that way, we returned to camp and hung out / collected firewood / explored some more.

Another Father and Son Backpacking Trip Part 1

You may remember that last year, my youngest son and I went on a backpacking trip together over Memorial Day Weekend. If not, see SheppyQuest Lite, Father and Son Backpacking trip Part 1, and Father and Son Backpacking trip Part 2. This year, my wife and older son were gone for the same reason as last year, and we decided to do the same trip.

Like last year, I picked up my little boy right after school. Unlike last year, we were able to just leave straight for the wilderness because I didn't forget my wallet.

May 2013 Blogging

May did not did not beat the page-view record on this blog, but it did beat April and was second all-time behind March. Some days in May the traffic was pretty strong, some days pathetically light. Colorado 6 pack gave the blog a much-needed boost at the end to make the month finish somewhat respectable.

And ... for your reading enjoyment ... here are the top 10 viewed posts over the past 30 days:

Blind Pig at Parry's Pizza

I have not talked about it very much since GABF, but you may remember that for the past 3 years I have attempted to find and drink as many of the beers I have not had on Zymurgy's Best Beers in America lists. I started out having already tried most of the 2012 list (see 2012 Best Beers in America, so there has not been very much to report this year.

Last I reported, I had tried all but 3 on the list. I still needed:

• Troegs Nugget Nectar (#34)
• Russian River Blind Pig IPA (#37, tied)
• Russian River Pliny the Younger (#48)

Yesterday, I rode my bike to work and beforehand told my wife and kids that they could come "rescue" me with the mini-van and see my new work-location. Then we could go have pizza at a place we like called "Parry's Pizza".

Parry's has 4 locations. Before last night we had been to the one in Highlands Ranch, but when I bike home I always pass by the one in Greenwood Village, and I've thought to myself it would be nice to check it out.

The reason I like Parry's Pizza is that they have a spectacular selection of craft beer on tap. The Highland's Ranch and Greenwood Village locations each have 50 taps, and all of them are craft beer.

Plus, we all think that the Pizza is great.

Colorado 6 pack

Not too long ago, I got a tweet and then a subsequent email from one of my virtual blogging / brewing buddies, @BryanDRoth at This Is Why I'm Drunk. He had this crazy idea for a blogging collaboration. He wanted to get 6 different bloggers from six different states to each come up with a 6-pack of beers that "best represent your state and/or state's beer culture".

It is actually very similar to Denver's 5280 Magazine's 6 packs that they put out from time to time. Check out Billy Brew's article "What's Your State's Dream Team Six Pack" and you can also read more about the 5280 six packs on my blog.

@BryanDRoth had some rules:

• Must pick a six-pack of beers that you feel best represent your state and/or state's beer culture
• Beer must be made in your state, but "gypsy" brewers are acceptable, so long as that beer is brewed with an in-state brewery and sold in your state
• Any size bottle or can is acceptable to include
• Current seasonal offerings are fine, but try to keep selections to year-round brews as much as possible. No out-of-season brews preferred. (ideally that could be another post)

3 Balls per Barrel

Remember the whole thing last year around GABF about  Wynkoop's Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout? If not, check out that handy hyperlink I included.

Of course, you remember that my wife and I both tried it at GABF (see 2012 #GABF Friday Night). I didn't taste testicles at all. The Beer Model thought it tasted a little meaty ... almost like a bacon beer. I actually thought it just tasted like a standard Foreign Extra Stout. I didn't taste the 3 BPB at all.

Since GABF, the Wynkoop brewery has actually made more of this beer and even canning it 2-packs (I am not even making that up). I was at my liquor store awhile ago and made an impulse buy of one of those 2-packs.

It is honestly a little weird seeing that sign in a liquor store. The lady who rung up my purchases made a comment about the 2-pack before she realized what the beer was. I just thought it amusing that she commented on the packaging before making a comment about the bull testicles.

Everybody gets a certificate

If you follow this blog at all, or SheppyBrew's Facebook Page, or my twitter feed, or are just someone I have talked to in the past couple of weeks, you know that SheppyBrew's  Sasquatch Hunter German Altbier is now an award winning beer.

I won't go into the details on the 1st place winning beer here. If you want, you can read my posts "Kind of a Big Deal" and "Brewing for the Nationals". Feel free to shower me with praise and congratulations in any or all of the comment sections.

Lots of you know that I have been brewing since 2009 when my sister got me a Mr. Beer kit as a Christmas gift. Until this year, I've never entered a home-brew competition. I've been told that I should, and I always agree. Not that I necessarily expected that I would win anything. I mostly thought I should enter competitions to get objective feedback.

Bike to Work Week

Did you know it is Bike to Work Month? Did you know it is Bike to Work Week? I didn't know it until late Tuesday, but according to the League of American Bicyclists, May is Bike to Work Month and this week is Bike to Work Week. Today is even Bike to Work Day.

According to the League's 2013 Bicycle Friendly State Rankings, Colorado is ranked 2nd in "bike-friendliness", and since moving to Colorado I always told myself I should commute to work more. When I was a consultant, it was often hard as I had to be driving to various clients. I ended up riding a couple times a year.

Since joining a "real" company with an actual day-to-day location, though, I had ridden to work maybe 3 or 4 times in 3 years. My main excuse is that after a 15 mile bike ride, I am generally very sweaty. My old building did not have a shower, and I used that as an excuse not to ride.

Still More @Untappd Badges 9

It has been a long time since I've posted about my newly earned untappd badges (see First Month of Untappd and Running for Mayor @BallyFitness , and Some more Badges @Untappd , and Still More @Untappd Badges), and Still More @Untappd Badges 2 and Still More @Untappd Badges 3 and Still More @Untappd Badges 4 and Still More @Untappd Badges 5 and Still More @Untappd Badges 6, and Still More @Untappd Badges 7 and Still More @Untappd Badges 8).

I just don't come across as many opportunities to get them. I have 92 of them, and am running out of ones I don't have, and other than the special day or event ones, most of them are ones that are not necessarily easy for me to get.

Laser Salt and Eldorado Canyon

Last year, we were invited to go with a group of people to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The SheppyBrew Beer Model and I designed and brewed a beer to bring with us for that trip, calling it Laser Salt Sandy Blonde Ale. You can read quite a bit about the whole experience (including this blog post at http://blog.ericshepard.com/search/label/Laser%20Salt).

Once again, we are invited to go with the same group. The Beer Model and I were planning on brewing Laser Salt again on Big Brew Day, but as you may recall, we had to brew something else that weekend (see Brewing for the Nationals). So, we had to move this year's Laser Salt Sandy Blonde Ale brew day to this past weekend.

I got started much earlier Saturday than we got started Big Brew Day. In fact, I was starting to chill the wort this weekend about the time we got started last time. My wife doesn't believe in doing anything before the sun comes up, especially brewing.

Hurray for #HomeBrewing in Alabama

At the beginning of 2013, there were still 2 states in which Home-brewing beer was illegal.

In March, Mississippi finally passed a bill to legalize home-brewing, leaving Alabama.

And now, the Alabama senate finally passed a bill that legalizes home-brewing beer in their ass-backwards state. As soon as the Governor of Alabama signs the bill, thousands of home-brewers will officially be legal.

See the American Homebrewers Association's Alabama Homebrew Bill Passes Senate .

Congratulations on joining the rest of the country, Alabama. It is about time.

Brewing for the Nationals

Did I mention that my Sasquatch Hunter German Altbier won first place at the Denver Regional round of AHA's National Home-Brew Competition in Category 7 : Amber Hybrid Beer?

Yes, I have mentioned it to lots of people. Hopefully I am not coming across too much as an arrogant, bragging ass. At some point I'll share some of the humbling things about the other beers I entered to the competition to knock myself down a couple pegs.

As I mentioned in Kind of a Big Deal, the first place win advanced my beer to the finals of the National Home-Brew Competition. Unfortunately, I did not save enough bottles to send to the finals.

This meant I had to brew it again this weekend.

As lots of you know, the first Saturday of May is National Homebrew Day, and for as long as I remember, the American Homebrewers Association has organized a Big Brew Day. Basically it is just an excuse for homebrewers to get together in packs and brew together.

The SheppyBrew Beer Model (aka my wife) and I have made it a tradition to brew together on Big Brew Day. You can follow lots of posts (including this one) by going to my Big Brew Day label on this blog. Originally, I was planning on brewing Laser Salt Sandy Blonde Ale with her, but the home-brew competition win changed that plan. We had to brew Sasquatch Hunter German Altbier. Luckily, the Beer Model was ok with this.