U is for Ursula Brewery

Well ... you may remember that in November and December, I made a lot of progress on the the A to Z Denver Breweries series.

Since mid-November until late December, I moved from N is for New Terrain Brewing Company to T is for TRVE Brewing Company.

I even covered Q with Q is for Queen Bee Brews. When I started this project, I thought I'd never find anything for Q.

Wondering what the hell I'm talking about ... check out Sheppy's Blog: A to Z ... I think you'll be able to figure out the concept.

It is as simple as A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T.

And now ... What comes after "T"?

You guessed it ... "U".

U is for Ursula Brewery

Jalapeño Zucchini Sauerkraut

So, you may recall (see Fermented Zucchini) that I got this  Go Ferment! Fermenting Kit with a Christmas gift certificate.

As I mentioned, I had ingredients for Jalapeño Sauerkraut. I just needed another wide-mouth mason jar.

Sometime during the week, I got another wide-mouth mason jar (actually 4 of them). So, this past Sunday, I made up some of this Jalapeño Sauerkraut.

Just like the Fermented Zucchini, the recipe is super simple.

• One head of cabbage.
• Some Jalapeños (I got 5 I think).
• 2 tablespoons Sea Salt

Snowy Pictures up at Echo Lake

Winter means snow.

Snow means snowshoeing.

Snowshoeing usually means we go up to Echo Lake.

If you've followed this blog at all over the years, you've seen us at Echo Lake in the snow a bunch.... with and without snow shoes.

I guess we're boring that way.

We tend to do the same things over and over.

Anyway ... we went up there again this weekend.

Here are some more pictures of us in the snow up at Echo Lake ...

Fermented Zucchini

So ... I got a couple Amazon gift cards for Christmas.

One of the things I got with part of that money was a Go Ferment! Fermenting Kit. If you would like read up on these, you can check out the GoFerment Website.

Essentially, all this is a couple lids that can screw onto wide-mouth mason jars. Along with the lids are airlocks to allow fermentation gases to escape without allowing oxygen to get in.

Wide-mouth mason jars are not included, but you can get a bunch of those for a few bucks.

And the purpose of these simple little things ... to make fermented food.

So simple. It is one of those things you say to yourself ... "why didn't I think of that?"

Well, I didn't think of it. GoFerment did.

SheppyBrew 2016 Year-End Brewing Stats

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.

Just as I started writing this blog post, I noticed that in 2016 Q3 SheppyBrew Stats, I said ...

"Q3 of 2016 at the SheppyBrew Brewery, we only brewed one batch of beer."

However, I wrote that before Q3 was over. I must have been thinking that September was part of Q4. So, I actually brewed a few more beers in Q3.

• Laser Salt Sandy Blonde Ale
• Blending Kölsch
• Will-o'-Wisp Pumpkin Ale
• Falling Leaves Autumn Saison

So, I lied to you. Sorry about that. Forgetting that September was part of Q3 transformed it from a light quarter to a pretty busy one.

The 2017 Arctic Vortex Winter Saison

It is that time of year again.

Winter. Snow. Arctic cold. Icy roads. Skiing. Snowshoeing. Sledding. Winter Saisons.

Yes ... Winter is time to brew SheppyBrew's Arctic Vortex Winter Saison.

Arctic Vortex was the first of my Seasonal Saisons. I decided to make it a Black Saison because I thought winter is the time when it is darkest longest.

I brewed it Sunday. This is the 4th time I've brewed this beer. For the most part it has stayed pretty much the same. I did include some simple sugars in the malt bill this time to help dry out the beer a little. We'll see what I think when I taste it.

This year, I did go back to WY3711 (aka the Real Super Yeast). The yeast I used last year did work out ok. I just tend to prefer 3711 both in flavor and in performance.

T is for TRVE Brewing Company

If you follow this blog regularly, you have probably noticed a lot of progress on the A to Z Denver Breweries series.

Since mid-November, I've moved from N is for New Terrain Brewing Company to S is for Spangalang Brewery.

I even covered Q with Q is for Queen Bee Brews. When I started this project, I thought I'd never find anything for Q.

Wondering what the hell I'm talking about ... check out Sheppy's Blog: A to Z ... I think you'll be able to figure out the concept.

It is as simple as A B C.

And now ... What comes after "S".

You guessed it ... "T".

T is for TRVE Brewing Company

So ... TRVE is actually a brewery I've been meaning to visit for a long time. Basically since they opened.

2016 X-Mas Ale Vertical Tasting Part 2

Well ... this is the continuation of 2016 X-Mas Ale Vertical Tasting post from yesterday.

If you want to refresh your memory, go ahead and read it. Go ahead ... I'll wait.

Every year, (since way back in 2009 when I started home-brewing) SheppyBrew brewery brews an X-Mas Ale.

Blah blah blah.

Usually, I save a 6-pack of bottles so that I'll be able to get them out and try older beers from year to year.

Blah blah blah.


You remember all that ... right?

So after last Sunday, I still had 3 more versions to taste this year. Obviously, I have to throw in this year's X-Mas Ale into the flight as well.

So, yesterday, I did a flight ...

2016 X-Mas Ale Vertical Tasting

Every year, (since way back in 2009 when I started home-brewing) SheppyBrew brewery brews an X-Mas Ale.

Usually, I save a 6-pack of bottles so that I'll be able to get them out and try older beers from year to year.

I used to do Vertical Flights, but I have not really gotten around to it lately.

This year, I actually didn't bottle any beers, so 2016 won't be part of any Vertical Tastings other than this year. But, I did get out some old X-Mas Ales and did a little one this past Sunday while watching the Bears lose to the Packers.

It made the game feel better to taste several pretty-high alcohol beers at once.

As a reminder ... my 2016 X-Mas Ale is a peppermint beer. I have been drinking it since around Thanksgiving. It has been pretty good, although I'm pretty sure I prefer the base beer recipes that I've done the past couple of years.

Cubs Win! Munich Dunkle Chili

My team at work decided to do a "Chili Cook-off" last week as sort of a festive pre-holiday "team building" activity.

That meant that I had to make some chili Tuesday night.

Generally speaking, I don't follow any sort of recipe when making things like chili. I just throw some things together, and hope it tastes good.

I know I'll like it, because I use ingredients that I like. I never really know how others will like it.

You may recall that quite awhile ago I made Stouticus Chili - icus as part of a work-competition. I thought that chili deserved to win. The judges did not.

Anyway, Tuesday night, I started by looking around in the house for ingredients.

Usually we have a decent supply of canned goods in our basement that make good chili. There wasn't really anything that would work this time, though.

I had to run to the grocery store. Where I got:

Brewing some Eric's Red (2016)

If you've followed this blog for awhile, you know that I started my brewing hobby with a Mr. Beer Kit that I got as a Christmas Gift from my sister.

I was a Mr. Beer Brewer for a long time. In fact, I still have and use a Mr. Beer Little Brown Keg (LBK) from time to time.

In fact, I have my "X-Mas Graff" fermenting right now in the LBK. I should bottle that soon.

In mid-February of my first year of brewing (way back in 2009) ... I came up with a "recipe" I called "Eric's Red".

It was a can of Hopped Malt Extract. A can of Unhopped Malt Extract. Some corn syrup and water. Oh ... and that awesome Mr. Beer Yeast.

That was the recipe.

At the time I was really into Amber Beers. And I loved this beer. Loved it. I considered it a beer worthy to be my "Breweries" Signature Beer.

S is for Spangalang Brewery

It is time for another post in my A to Z Denver Breweries series.

In case you don't know ...

Back in early 2015, I composed a list Denver Breweries that I had not visited (see Denver Breweries II). As I was composing the list, I realized that most of the letters in the alphabet were covered by the first letters in these brewery names.

I started with A ... A is for Alpine Dog Brewing Company

If I counted right, there are currently a total of  18, all of which you can review by looking at Sheppy's Blog: A to Z.

The most recent one was R ... R is for Ratio Beer Works.

If you know your alphabet (or read the title) you probably can figure out that the letter S is up next.

... And I picked another "River North" Brewery.

S is for Spangalang Brewery

Random Hiking Pictures

Well ... recently, this blog has been dominated by the A to Z Series of Denver Breweries.

I thought you'd like a break from that. I also thought I should demonstrate that I do more than to do breweries and drink ...

Here are some recent pictures from various hikes ...

Enjoy ...

R is for Ratio Beer Works

As I mentioned in O is for Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company, I had already visited my "R" brewery before writing up OMF.

Actually, I visited "R" the same night as "O".

Let me step back a little in case you are new to this and wondering what the heck I'm talking about.

You see ... Back in early 2015, I composed a list Denver Breweries that I had not visited (see Denver Breweries II). As I was composing the list, I realized that most of the letters in the alphabet were covered by the first letters in these brewery names.

I started with A ... A is for Alpine Dog Brewing Company

I've done things like ... B is for Baere Brewing Company; G is for Great Frontier Brewing; and L is for Little Machine Beer.

You can read every single one (including this one) at  Sheppy's Blog: A to Z.

And so here we go ...

R is for Ratio Beer Works

Q is for Queen Bee Brews

Q.

Did you know that there are no Breweries anywhere close to Denver that start with the letter Q?

If you've been following this blog at all, you know I've been working my way down the alphabet in a quest to visit more of the little local breweries in the area.

I started with A ... A is for Alpine Dog Brewing Company

I've made my way through to P ... you can see a sampling at D is for Draw, Boggy; I is for IronWorks Brewery and Pub; M is for Mockery Brewing Company.

You can go back and see them all (including this one) by going to  Sheppy's Blog: A to Z.

Most recently, I hit P is for Pints Pub

No breweries start with the letter Q. I've known from the beginning that Q would be a challenge.

P is for Pints Pub

As I mentioned in O is for Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company, I had already visited my "P" brewery before doing OMF.

Let me step back a little in case you are new to this and wondering what the heck I'm talking about.

You see ... Back in early 2015, I composed a list Denver Breweries that I had not visited (see Denver Breweries II). As I was composing the list, I realized that most of the letters in the alphabet were covered by the first letters in these brewery names.

I started with A ... A is for Alpine Dog Brewing Company

I've done F is for Factotum Brewhouse; J is for JoyRide Brewing Company; and M is for Mockery Brewing Company. In fact, I've done one for every letter up to and including  O is for Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company.

You can read every single one (including this one) at  Sheppy's Blog: A to Z.

And now .. I am pleased to announce ...

P is for Pints Pub

O is for Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company

It has been a couple weeks since I posted N is for New Terrain Brewing Company.

It is time for another post in my A to Z Denver Breweries series.

In case you don't know ...

Back in early 2015, I composed a list Denver Breweries that I had not visited (see Denver Breweries II). As I was composing the list, I realized that most of the letters in the alphabet were covered by the first letters in these brewery names.

I started with A ... A is for Alpine Dog Brewing Company

I did C is for Comrade Brewing Company; H is for Hogshead Brewery; K is for Kokopelli Beer Company.

There are currently a total of  15, all of which you can review by looking at Sheppy's Blog: A to Z.

The most recent one was N ... N is for New Terrain Brewing Company.

If you know your alphabet (or read the title) you probably can figure out that the letter O is up next.

O is for Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company

My 1000th Blog Post

Hey hey hey ...

You are reading this blog's 1000th blog post. Can you believe it?

My first blog post was on June 27th, 2005 (see Blogging).

I got to 500 on February 5th, 2012.

And now, here I am at 1000.

I don't know of many personal blogs like this one that last this long.

At the beginning, I didn't really know what I was going to write about. Now I've settled into this being mostly a beer blog and most of those articles being about my adventures at my SheppyBrew Home Brewery. But, I've managed to sprinkle in other topics from time to time.

Brewing Chelsea Dagger Again

Remember Chelsea Dagger?

Chelsea Dagger is the Fratellis song that gets played whenever the Blackhawks score a goal or win a game.

It is also a SheppyBrew Beer that I brewed after the Blackhawks won their 3rd Stanley Cup in 6 years.

Chelsea Dagger Pre-Prohibition Lager

It was one of those beers that really surprised me how much I loved it. The cluster hops really taste good in the light bodied lager.

X-Mas Graff

I didn't share this at the time, but when I brewed my 2016 X-Mas Ale (see I brewed a peppermint (X-Mas) ale) ... I had a little too much for the fermentor and moved about 3/4 of a gallon to a glass jug and fermented it.

It has been sitting around since then waiting for me to make Graf (or is it Graff?)

What is Graf (or maybe it is Graff)?

According to the Dark Tower Wiki ...

Graf is a strong hard cider or apple-based beer widely consumed in In-World. The specifics of the beverage are not mentioned (except to say that some varieties of graf are weak while others are eye-wateringly strong).