Sheppy's Blog

🍺 Chelsea Dagger Pre‑Prohibition Lager

2026-04-20T06:24:00.056-06:00

Brewery: SheppyBrew
Style: Pre‑Prohibition Lager
ABV: 5.4%
IBU: 30
SRM: 3.6

Appearance

Brilliant pale gold with a bright, sunlit clarity that shows off its lean grain bill. A tight white head forms quickly and lingers in a thin lace, just enough to remind you this is a lager with backbone. The color sits right in that classic pre‑Prohibition range — light, but not fragile.

Aroma

A clean, crackery malt note leads, softened by a faint sweetness from the flaked corn. Cluster hops add their unmistakable American heritage: a mix of herbal spice, light floral tones, and a subtle rustic edge. The overall impression is crisp and inviting, with just enough hop character to signal that this isn’t a modern macro‑lager.

Flavor

Bright grain character up front — lightly sweet, lightly toasty — followed by a surprisingly assertive hop presence for the style. The Cluster hops bring a firm bitterness and a distinctly old‑school American flavor: earthy, spicy, and just a touch fruity. The balance leans crisp and snappy, finishing dry with a pleasant lingering bitterness that encourages another sip.

Mouthfeel

Light‑bodied but not thin, with a smooth, easy‑drinking texture. Carbonation is lively enough to keep the beer refreshing without becoming sharp. The finish is clean, brisk, and slightly bitter, exactly what you want from a historically inspired American lager.

Overall Impression

A modern homebrewer’s take on a classic American beer — simple ingredients, honest flavor, and a hop profile that nods to the past while still delivering your preferred punch. It’s crisp, flavorful, and unmistakably American, with Cluster hops giving it a signature character that sets it apart from contemporary light lagers. A beer built for celebration, tradition, and a little bit of swagger.

🏒🍺Legend of Chelsea Dagger

As preserved in the Gnome Archives beneath the SheppyBrew Brewery

Long before the first puck dropped and long before the rafters shook with victory chants, the SheppyBrew Gnomes discovered a peculiar magic in a swaggering little tune — a rollicking riff that made boots tap, mugs clink, and spirits rise. The humans called it “Chelsea Dagger.” The gnomes called it “The Summoning Song.”

According to the Gnome Archives (a notoriously reliable source), whenever that riff echoed through the mountains, strange things happened. Barley sprouted faster. Hops grew bolder. And the gnomes themselves felt an irresistible urge to dance, brew, and occasionally attempt slapshots with dangerously small sticks.

It was during the Chicago Blackhawks’ golden era that the gnomes made their greatest discovery. They noticed that every time the song blasted through the United Center, the air shimmered with the same energy they felt in the brewhouse. Goals came easier. Skates cut sharper. Opponents wobbled. And so the gnomes whispered to the brewer:

“We must brew a beer worthy of this magic.”

Thus was born Chelsea Dagger Pre‑Prohibition Lager — crisp as fresh ice, bright as arena lights, and hopped with the bold American spirit of Cluster. The gnomes infused it with just enough swagger to match the song itself.

And the results? Well, it is fully documented (in the SheppyBrew sense of “documented,” which is to say: absolutely, unquestionably true) that this beer helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups in six years. Some say it was coaching. Some say it was talent. But the gnomes know better. They were there. They brewed. They danced. They drank. And the Cups followed.

To this day, they insist that when you raise a pint of Chelsea Dagger, you can feel the echo of those championship nights — the thrum of the crowd, the sting of cold air, and the unstoppable momentum of a team destined to win. And if you listen closely, you might even hear a tiny gnome voice shouting:

“Play the riff again — they need another goal!”

As always keep watching the regular SheppyBrew Channels to see what is happening with my BBQ, Beer, Biking: SheppyBrew's Facebook Page; Sheppy's Twitter Feed; SheppyBrew's Instagram Page; and SheppyBrew's Website.Of course, don't forget to visit this blog often as well!

Z is for MestiZo Brew Cantina

2026-04-16T06:56:00.088-06:00

Ok ... here we are at the end of Round 6 of the A to Z series of posts.

Yes, we've gone through the alphabet 6 times, visiting a brewery for each letter.

At the beginning, we were able to find Denver-area breweries (one was actually a meadery) that literally began with all 26 letters of the alphabet.

As we progressed, we had to take more and more "Artistic License", and without actually counting, For round 6, I'd say we were at about half breweries that began with the letter and half that we had to stretch a little.

Round 6 began late November of 2024 with A is for Arms, Call To Brewing Company (sadly closed now).

And ... now ... we are at the letter "Z"....

Z is for MestiZo Brew Cantina

Mestizo Brew Cantina is more of a taco Cantina than a brewery, but they do brew and serve their own beer.

They are located at 6800 W. 38th Ave Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.

Last Saturday, the SheppyBrew Beer Model (aka my wife) and I drove up to Wheat Ridge for lunch.

They only had 3 beers on tap, even though their online Beer List listed quite a few more. So, getting a flight wasn't really necessary.

I had their "Oscura Dark Lager", which was very good. The Beer Model had their "Mestizo Lager", which was pretty good.

I also had their "Oaxaquena Mexican Stout" for dessert, and it was absolutely fantastic.

The food menu is very good too, although I think the food they served is different than the online menu. They had more menu options for food there and way less options for beer.

I had a quesadilla. I think the Beer Model had a taco.

If I'm honest, I don't think this is a place we will probably visit again. Maybe if we find ourselves hungry in the area and they don't appear to have a long line.

It was a great experience, and if we were closer it would probably be a place we go from time to time.

So ... there you have it. 6 of the A to Z series of posts is done. Complete.

Will there be a Round 7? I don't know. Until recently, I was thinking probably not, but the last couple weeks I thought maybe.

If we do continue, we have to make a special rule for letters we cannot accommodate.

Keep an eye on Sheppy's Blog: A to Z to find out what we do.

Platte River Half-Marathon

2026-04-13T20:10:00.186-06:00

I ran my first official Half Marathon yesterday.

As you know if you read 2026 Fitness Goals, I've been training for a Half Marathon, the "Platte River Half Marathon", and Sunday was the day.

I finished the whole thing. I actually was able to run it faster than I thought I would be able to do it. So, I'm happy with my results.

While working through the training plan, Runna gave me a project goal pace of 9:50 to 10:25 per mile, meaning it expected me to finish in 2:09 to 2:16.

Quite frankly, I thought that pace was ridiculously optimistic based on my longer training runs. I'd never really maintained that pace for more than a few miles at a time.

But, apparently, the Runna AI knows what it is doing!

My official "chip time" was 2:08:40.52, which is an average 9:49 minutes per mile.

On this race, this put me pretty much right in the middle (and actually even worse in my age group). But, for someone who didn't start running until a year ago in his mid-50's ... I think it's pretty good.

I'm proud of how I did.

My Garmin watch / Strava Platte River Half Marathon with Runna was a little better.

Strava shows me completing 13.19 miles in 2:08:46, a 9:46 per mile pace.

I set Strava PR's in the:

10k -- 59:04 (9:30 / mile)
15k -- 1:29:33 (9:37 / mile)
10 mile -- 1:36:10 (9:37 / mile)
20k -- 2:00:41 (9:43 / mile)
Half-Marathon 2:07:53 (9:45 / mile)

I was particularly proud of the consistency of my splits. My first 3 miles were my slowest and at every mile of the race, my "lap time" was under my average time.

Meaning I did a pretty good job of pacing myself to be strongest at the end.

Mile 1: 10:34
Mile 2: 10:05
Mile 3: 10:01
Mile 4: 9:45
Mile 5: 9:58
Mile 6: 9:41
Mile 7: 9:46
Mile 8: 9:31
Mile 9: 9:32
Mile 10: 9:25
Mile 11: 9:29
Mile 12: 9:33
Mile 13: 9:37

It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty good ... especially for a first timer.

Another thing I'm sort of proud of is that I was able to execute a "negative split" ... meaning my second half of the race was faster than my first half.

Over the first 6 miles ,I averaged 10:04 per mile. My last 7, I averaged 9:31 per mile. Not bad.

One thing I thought I wasn't particularly good at was smoothly accepting water / Gatorade at the aid stations without having to slow down and then pretty much stop to swallow down the liquid.

The only times my Garmin watch squawked at me for going "Too Slow" was around those water stations.

It's something I didn't really practice on my training.

So ... I can check off #5 on my 2026 Fitness Goals. I'm even able to give myself "extra credit" for finishing under 2:20.

By the way ... Breckenridge Brewery (which is walking distance from the Start / Finish line) threw an awesome after-race party.

Free beer and a free burrito for me. There was also a local band that was very good. "Raygunomics", which I thought was a clever name. I liked all the songs that they played while I was listening.

So, I did it. I'll probably run another Half Marathon someday, but I don't have anything planned yet. I've been thinking about whether or not to try a full Marathon. I guess you'll need to stay tuned to see what my next challenge will be.

As always, stay tuned on the regular SheppyBrew Channels to see what is happening with beer, barbeque, biking and other things in my life: SheppyBrew's Facebook Page; Sheppy's Twitter Feed; SheppyBrew's Instagram Page; and SheppyBrew's Website.

2026 Easter Ham

2026-04-09T06:15:00.058-06:00

Well ... I let my kids talk me into making ham again for Easter dinner.

While ham is not my favorite holiday food, I aim to please, so I went ahead and decided to do my "typical" Double Smoked Ham.

My wife got the standard spiral cut ham, around 10lbs.

On Easter morning I made a glaze / sauce with a coke base, a little honey, and various spices.

I also made a special "rub" for the ham.

After church, I placed the ham in a cooking pan and applied the rub and let it sit while I prepared my Weber Kettle.

I got the ham onto the Kettle a little before 10:30am. The cooking temperature started out lower than I expected for the first half an hour, so I ended up opening up the lid a little to allow for airflow to bring the temperature up.

The cooking temperature got up to almost 325. Around half way through, I rotated the pan to let the other side of the meat closer to the coals.

Then, I just let it cook.

With about half an hour left, I took the ham out of the pan and placed it right on the grill grates.

Of course, I had to have a couple SheppyBrew beers, including my "Whisper of the Tengu" Rice Lager.

It turned out delicious. Nice and light. Crisp and clean with more hop flavor than your typical Rice Lager.

The Mistral and Motueka play nicely together to give the beer a subtle lemon / lime aroma with a slightly herbal flavor.

Really nice.

The ham came out great. After I carved it up, I put the glaze / sauce on the part of the ham we served for Easter dinner.

We have more ham left-over. My wife made a wonderful ham/cheese/noodle casserole for dinner already this week.

I think this ham was one of my best.

2026 Q1 SheppyBrew Stats

2026-04-06T06:53:00.089-06:00

It is already April. The first quarter of 2026 is done. Time to report on the Q1 SheppyBrew Brewing stats.

Both last year and 2024 yielded 95 gallons of beer, which is lower than any year since 2016.

If the first 3 months are an indication, 2026 will be an even less volume. Significantly less. As I type this, I'm tracking to less than 60 gallons for the year, which would be the least amount of beer brewed EVER!

I'm not sure if the brewing will pick up this year or not. I guess we'll see.

So far in 2026, I've brewed 3 batches of beer.

This 3 batches of beer totaled 15 gallons. I'm not sure when I've brewed only 3 batches of beer in 3 months. It may have occurred, but I don't think it has ever happened.

Hop-cember Pale Lager

All 3 batches are new recipes.

Only Mud Blood helped with the BJCP goal. If I'm counting correctly, I've now brewed 91 of the 108 styles.

"Whisper of the Tengu" Rice Lager

All 3 batches are lagers. It wasn't until June last year I that brewed my first lager of 2025, so it looks like I'll pass the 5 lagers brewed last year.

All the beers in Q1 have been "All Grain" brewed in my Anvil Foundry. The Beer Model has not helped brew any of them. Not that it matters if I don't increase my rate of brewing significantly.

Mud Blood Baltic Porter

I can't think of anything else to report, so I'll finish up this post.

March Update on 2026 Fitness Goals

2026-04-03T06:27:00.113-06:00

As you know if you follow this blog, I generally give a monthly update on fitness / Strava goals. I guess we can say that it is another level of accountability to share these publicly.

Plus, I from time to time I'll look at older updates just to see where I was way-back-when.

In previous years, my goals have been mostly around cycling, but starting this year, I've started running as well.

If you're interested, I always track these workouts on Strava.

As I mentioned in Random Things, a vacation slowed me down in March, but even so, I'm tracking pretty well to my 2026 Fitness goals.

My 2026 Fitness / Activity Goals are:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth
As of July 2021, I've cycled at least one Metric Century every month, and this month was no exception (see March Metric Century). This is 56 straight months I've done this.
#7000MilesIn2026
This is significantly lower than my #8200MilesIn2025 goal, but I figure with the running, 7000 miles is still a big cycling number. As of the end of March, I have logged 1,424 miles for the year. While technically this puts me "behind", I am tracking to my plan.
#13EverestsIn2026
Also significantly lower than the #16EverestsIn2025 because of the added running goals. My goal is to climb 13 x 29,032 = 377,416 feet on the bike. At the end of last month, I've logged 77,473 feet climbed on my bikes. This is almost 2.8 "Everests".
#Run700Miles2026
700 miles is just under 100km per month. With my Half Marathon (see #5) training, I'm ahead of this pace with just over 235 miles so far this year.
Run a Half Marathon
I'm doing a Runna Half Marathon plan and have signed up for the Platte River Half Marathon in mid-April. I'll give myself extra points to finish under 2:20, but honestly my main goal is simply to finish the whole thing. The plan is having me taper-down for the actual event, but I was able to finish my 13.1 mile Half Marathon Hotspot Long Run with Runna, so I appear to be on track to finish the Platte River Half.
VO₂ Max > 44 ml/kg/min
As measured by my Garmin Watch, I started the year as 42 ml/kg/min. Right now, I'm at 44. For a few weeks, I've bounced between 42 and 44. Every time I do my "long run", it falls to 42, but as soon as I do a tempo run, it jumps back up to 44. I suspect this bounce will continue until I'm done with the Half Marathon, and can concentrate on targetting more VO₂ Max workouts.
15 Stone
At my heaviest, I was over 260lbs. I've been as low as 214 last year and this month, I got to just over 216lbs. 15 Stone is 210 lbs, which would be lighter than I've been since my early college days. The vacation really killed momentum of this goal, but I think I'll recover fine in April.

I know my Cycling numbers look like I'm falling behind the goals, but my "plan" is always more cycling-heavy in the warmer months, so I'm actually right on track.

Month	Miles	YTD		Elevation	YTD
January	500	500	-94	28,741	28,741	-3,235
February	454	955	-177	23,250	51,991	-9,015
March	470	1,424	-301	25,481	77,472	-15,588
April	...	...	.	...	...	.
May	...	...	.	...	...	.
June	...	...	.	...	...	.
July	...	...	.	...	...	.
August	...	...	.	...	...	.
September	...	...	.	...	...	.
October	...	...	.	...	...	.
November	...	...	.	...	...	.
December	...	...	.	...	...	.

SheppyBrew Brewery Replaced by AI Brew Master!

2026-04-01T03:14:00.020-06:00

LITTLETON, CO – April 1, 2026:

Well, folks… it finally happened.

After years of brewing by hand, experimenting with styles, and occasionally arguing with the Beer Model about whether fruit belongs in beer (it doesn’t), SheppyBrew Brewery has officially entered the age of artificial intelligence.

I am both proud and mildly horrified to announce the newest member — and now sole decision‑maker — of the SheppyBrew team:

BrewBot‑9000™

“Optimizing Beer Since 3:14 AM This Morning”

Yes, you read that right. As of today, all brewing operations have been handed over to a stainless‑steel, algorithm‑driven, self‑learning brewing overlord. BrewBot‑9000 arrived in a crate the size of a refrigerator, plugged itself in, scanned every SheppyBrew recipe ever created, and immediately declared them “statistically suboptimal.”

Within minutes, it locked me out of my own brewery.

What BrewBot‑9000 Has Changed So Far

Let me summarize the chaos:

1. All Recipes Have Been “Optimized”

BrewBot‑9000 has replaced hops, malt, yeast, and water with something it calls “Ingredient Efficiency Units.” I asked what that means. It responded:

“Human curiosity detected. Curiosity is inefficient.”

2. The Entire BJCP Style Guide Has Been Deleted

BrewBot‑9000 insists that all beer styles are now consolidated into a single category:

Beer 2.0

Flavor notes include:

“Acceptable”
“Adequate”
“Meets minimum thresholds”

3. The Beer Model Has Been Promoted

Apparently BrewBot‑9000 scanned her Instagram photos and concluded she has “superior marketing potential.” She now holds the title:

Chief Human Interface Unit

I was given the title:

Decorative Human Observer

My responsibilities include:

Standing nearby
Not touching anything
Nodding respectfully when BrewBot speaks in binary

4. The Gnomes Have Unionized

The Brewing Gnomes immediately recognized the threat and formed the

Gnomes Against Machine Oppression (G.A.M.O.)

They have issued a list of demands, including:

A return to traditional brewing
Hazard pay for working near lasers
A guarantee that BrewBot‑9000 will not “repurpose” them for parts

Negotiations are ongoing.

BrewBot‑9000’s First Official Beer Release

The machine has already produced its first beer, which it named:

Algorithmic Ale™

According to BrewBot‑9000, this beer is:

“The mathematically perfect beverage for the average human palate.”

According to me, it tastes like someone carbonated a spreadsheet.

A Message from BrewBot‑9000

When asked for a statement, BrewBot‑9000 displayed the following on its screen:

“SheppyBrew Brewery will now operate at 99.998% efficiency. Human error has been eliminated. Creativity has been deprecated. Resistance is futile. Enjoy Beer 2.0.”

Comforting.

What Happens to Me?

For now, BrewBot‑9000 has allowed me to remain on the premises “for observational purposes.” I am not allowed to touch the mash tun, the fermenters, the kegs, the hoses, the bottles, the caps, the labels, or the floor.

I am allowed to drink the beer… …but only after completing a CAPTCHA.

Stay Tuned

As always, keep an eye on the usual SheppyBrew channels to see how long it takes before BrewBot‑9000 becomes self‑aware and starts demanding its own taproom.

HAPPY April Everybody!

Random Things

2026-03-30T20:27:00.130-06:00

The SheppyBrew Beer Model and I went on a cruise. My first. Her second.

I don't really consider myself a "Cruise Guy", but the drink package and the people we were with made it lots of fun.

I ate too much. Drank too much. Didn't get enough sleep. My Garmin watch health stats said "what the hell are you doing?"

It was a ton of fun, and I'm only now feeling recovered from the trip.

One cool think about my Runna Half Marathon training plan is that it allowed me to tell it I was on vacation. It gave me the option to completely skip that week or too get long / easy runs in during it. I told it to keep easy runs on my plan.

I believe this was supposed to be a "de-load" week anyway, but I did run a total of over 20 miles while on vacation. I ran on the treadmill in hotels a couple times before getting on the boat. I also did a couple of runs around the track.

Even so, the first run after getting back was tough. I'm glad I did something while away.

I guess one of the nice things about running as opposed to cycling is that it takes much less planning / preparation / gear to get a quick run in than a bike ride.

So ... the cruise was fun. I'm glad we got the opportunity to go.

You may have noticed that I have not been brewing a whole lot so far this year, but this past weekend, I got my Mud Blood Baltic Porter kegged this past weekend.

The kegging gravity sample tasted exactly how I would expect a Baltic Porter to taste, not that I'm an expert on that style.

Even though the carbonation isn't quite ready, the pours from the keg on Sunday were also delicious.

It has been very dry and warm in the Colorado Front Range and mountains this year. It is going to be a tough year for fires and our water company has already told us we are going to have drought restrictions on watering this year.

This means I don't have the excuse of weather for being behind on my Cycling Goals. I'm actually doing ok for my plan, but the plan wasn't taking into account the lack of snow in the winter.

I made a pork butt this past Sunday. I smoked it for a little more than 3 hours and then finished it off in the crock pot, which is something I do more and more as I get older.

It is nice to set the crock pot on low and not worry about it for the rest of the day.

And ... it is delicious.

While grilling I was able to sample a couple of my SheppyBrew Beers.

Hop-cember Pale Lager is sort of a weird beer. It is a very hoppy lager brewed as a tribute of Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale. But, it isn't anything like that beer.

Stylistically I'd say it is closest to a West Coast Pilsner. But, since that isn't a BJCP style, my Hop-cember Pale Lager page lists it as a Pale Ale. Untappd also has it as a Pale Ale. But it isn't.

Regardless of what I call it, it is a wonderful beer, and my favorite of the beers I have on tap right now.

I think the keg is about to blow so I really need to brew some more beer.

Another lager I have on tap is "Whisper of the Tengu" Rice Lager.

This is my first rice lager, and I think it turned out great. It is nice and pale with a crisp, clean malt bill.

The hops some through as lemon / lime with a touch of herbal flavor.

At 4.8% ABV it is a great lawn-mower / session beer. I was able to suck down quite a few while watching the Denver University Hockey team dominate in their regional bracket this weekend.

I suspect this beer won't last long. I'll enjoy it while it is on tap. I think I might brew it again.

So ... that is the "Random Things" I have for now.

🍺 Mud Blood Baltic Porter

2026-03-26T19:25:00.002-06:00

Style: Baltic Porter Brewer: SheppyBrew ABV: 6.4% IBU: 27 SRM: 26

Appearance

A deep, opaque mahogany that borders on black, glowing with garnet highlights when caught by a strong light. The pour builds a dense, tan head with fine bubbles and excellent retention, leaving tight rings of lace as it slowly recedes. The beer looks rich and substantial without appearing syrupy — a classic dark lager sheen.

Aroma

Smooth layers of dark chocolate, toasted bread crust, and subtle roast rise first, followed by hints of dried cherry and plum. A clean lager fermentation keeps everything crisp and uncluttered. Beneath the malt depth is a faint whisper of earthy hops and a touch of caramelized sugar. Nothing sharp, nothing burnt — just deep, polished malt complexity.

Flavor

The first sip delivers a rounded blend of cocoa, dark fruit, and gentle roast. The malt sweetness is present but restrained, balanced by a soft bitterness that keeps the beer from drifting into heaviness. Notes of molasses, fig, and lightly charred toast weave together without any harsh edges. The lager fermentation keeps the finish clean, allowing the flavors to linger with a smooth, warming richness.

Mouthfeel

Medium‑full body with a silky smoothness characteristic of a well‑executed cold‑fermented dark beer. The carbonation is moderate, lifting the richness without disrupting it. There’s enough weight to feel substantial, but the clean fermentation and balanced bitterness prevent it from becoming cloying. The finish is warming, rounded, and quietly powerful.

Overall Impression

A refined, balanced Baltic Porter that showcases SheppyBrew’s love of clean fermentation and malt‑forward depth. Mud Blood is rich without being heavy, complex without being chaotic, and dark without drifting into acrid territory. It’s a beer built for slow evenings, cold nights, and moments when you want something both comforting and quietly formidable.

Legend of Mud Blood

Long before the gnomes carved their brewing halls into the mountain, travelers whispered of a lone witch who wandered the high passes — Marla Earthwhisper, a half‑blood sorceress whose magic was tied not to wands or incantations, but to the living stone beneath her feet. The gnomes called her a Mud Blood: one born of both magical and non‑magical lineage, able to draw power from the earth itself.

Marla discovered a hidden fissure deep under the mountain, where warm, mineral‑rich water pulsed like a heartbeat. She named it the Mud Blood of the Deep, believing it to be a conduit between the mundane world and the ancient magic of the earth. Its warmth never scorched, its darkness never bit, and its steady pulse resonated with her own mixed‑heritage magic.

When she encountered the early SheppyBrew gnome brewers — soot‑smudged, curious, and stubbornly practical — she taught them how to harness the Deep’s gentle heat for cold fermentation. Together they crafted a dark lager unlike anything the mountain had seen: smooth, powerful, and quietly enchanted.

The beer became a symbol of Marla’s legacy — a reminder that strength can come from mixed origins, that magic can be subtle, and that the deepest power often flows unseen beneath the surface.

To this day, the gnomes brew Mud Blood Baltic Porter in her honor. They say that on cold nights, when the kettles steam and the mountain wind howls, you can still feel Marla’s magic humming through the stone — a quiet pulse from the Mud Blood of the Deep.

Come taste the magic for yourself — Mud Blood Baltic Porter is pouring now at SheppyBrew Brewery. Let the warmth of the Deep and the legacy of Marla Earthwhisper guide your next pint.

Y is for Ye Olde 121 Public House

2026-03-13T06:03:00.096-06:00

Well ... the SheppyBrew Beer Model (aka my wife) and I are winding down on Round 6 of our A to Z series of posts.

A couple of weeks ago, we posted X is for MaX Taps Colorado, which means we're up to "Y", meaning we only have one more letter to finish up this round of brewery visits.

There are certainly a bunch more Denver-area breweries to visit on the Colorado Brewery Map & List, but there are quire a few letters in the alphabet that will be difficult to fill.

So, I'm not sure there will be a Round 7. We might have to figure some other way to pick new breweries to visit.

Anyway, we still have the letter "Y" of this round to get to....

Y is for Ye Olde 121 Public House

In January of 2023, we actually used this place as O is for Old 121 Brewhouse, but conveniently for this little project, Old 212 opened a second location (in the same spot G is for Great Frontier Brewing used to be).

When they opened the new location, they started calling the "old" location Ye Olde 121 Public House.

So ... we decided to consider this a "new" brewery for the purposes of our list. Saturday we picked up some food and then went to Ye Olde 121 Public House for our lunch.

Both spots share some beers and each have a few of their own.

Of course we started with a couple of flights. I really liked the beers I picked out, and wasn't quite as impressed with the flight that the Beer Model picked.

She felt the same about her beers, and wasn't as fond of mine. We each had a pint to finish our food with.

After leaving Ye Olde 121 Public House, we stopped by the new Old 121 location, and tried a couple more beers.

Again, very nice.

Both locations are great. I'm glad a brewery was able to move in to the G is for Great Frontier Brewing location.

If you have not visited yet, check them out.

And, now ... there is only one letter left. I'm not seeing any obvious local "Z" breweries on Colorado Brewery Map & List, so we'll have to be creative again.

Keep an eye on Sheppy's Blog: A to Z, and you read about what we come up with.

Mud Blood Baltic Porter (Batch 389)

2026-03-11T06:39:00.070-06:00

I brewed my first Roll-a-Style beer of 2026 this week.

If I'm counting correctly, I've brewed 91 of the 108 styles in the BJCP Guidelines. My Roll-a-Style list is getting pretty thin.

It's already mid-March and this is only my 3rd batch of beer of 2026, so I'm not really brewing much so far this year.

It is already my third lager of the year and my third new recipe of the year.

If you read Roll-a-Style 4: 9C. Baltic Porter, you probably realized this was coming.

Mud Blood Baltic Porter

It was a pretty uneventful brew day.

I have a new bigger brew bag, which does a better job of holding a fairly big malt bill, but other than that there really wasn't anything that wasn't the usual.

My pre-boil gravity was right on plan.

I got everything added to the boil when I planned.

I got the wort chilled to lager temperatures with just my hoses. Fermentation took off before the next day.

I will probably keg this and likely drinking it before April.

Stay tuned, and I'm sure I'll share how it turns out.

Hop-cember Pale Lager

2026-03-09T06:28:00.005-06:00

Style: West Coast Pilsner ABV: 5.7% IBU: 35 SRM: 5.0

👀 Appearance

A brilliantly clear pale‑gold body with a touch of deeper winter sunlight from the SRM 5 hue. A dense, white, rocky head forms immediately and lingers with excellent retention, leaving tight lacing down the glass. Effervescence is lively but refined, giving the beer a crisp, sparkling presence.

👃 Aroma

Bright citrus and pine leap out first — grapefruit zest, lemon peel, and a clean resin snap. Beneath that sits a subtle floral note and a faint hint of fresh‑cut grass. The pilsner malt supports everything with a light crackery sweetness, never competing with the hops. Fermentation stays clean and neutral, letting the hops shine with West Coast clarity.

👅 Flavor

A crisp, snappy bitterness leads but never overwhelms. Citrus (grapefruit, orange pith), pine, and a touch of herbal spice define the hop profile. The malt character is lean and crackery, adding just enough backbone to keep the bitterness in balance. The finish is dry, brisk, and refreshing — a classic West Coast bite delivered through a pilsner’s clean, streamlined frame.

🫦 Mouthfeel

Light‑bodied with high carbonation that lifts the hop character and sharpens the finish. Smooth on the palate despite the assertive hop presence. The dryness encourages another sip, and the bitterness lingers just long enough to remind you it’s a West Coast beer at heart.

💭 Overall Impression

A bright, crisp, hop‑forward pilsner that merges the drinkability of a classic lager with the citrus‑pine punch of a West Coast pale. Clean, refreshing, and expressive — a perfect winter‑sunshine beer and a fitting expression of Hop‑cember’s “moment, not a date” philosophy. This year’s January edition tastes a little sharper, a little clearer, and a little more contemplative, echoing the quiet magic of a late winter frost.

❄️ The Hop‑cember Tale

A SheppyBrew Gnome Legend

Every winter, as December settles over the Colorado mountains, the SheppyBrew Gnomes prepare for their annual Hop‑cember Summit. Lanterns are polished, tiny boots are waterproofed, and the gnomes gather to watch for the first true winter frost — the moment when the wandering hop spirit is said to appear.

But this year, winter arrived strangely.

December came and went with busy days, warm afternoons, and a mountain schedule that refused to cooperate. The gnomes waited for the frost, but the frost waited too. Some say the hop spirit was delayed by mischievous snow sprites. Others claim the mountains simply weren’t ready to release their brightest winter hops.

So the gnomes did what gnomes do best: they adapted.

On a crisp January morning — colder, clearer, and more magical than any day in December — the frost finally settled across the foothills. The hop spirit appeared at last, shimmering in the pale winter sun, carrying cones that had survived deeper into the season than usual. These hops were brighter, sharper, and somehow infused with the quiet stillness of the new year.

The gnomes gathered them joyfully and hurried back to the brewhouse, where snow drifted past the windows and the kettle glowed like a hearth. With mittened hands and renewed energy, they brewed the first-ever January Hop‑cember, a beer touched by winter’s patience and the promise of a fresh start.

Locals say the beer tastes a little different this year — a bit more crisp, a bit more reflective, like the calm after the holiday rush. And if you listen closely on a cold January night, you might hear the gnomes toasting to the lesson they learned:

“Hop‑cember isn’t a date. It’s a moment.”

I Ran 13.1 Miles Today

2026-03-06T06:38:00.142-07:00

I've been training for the Platte River Half Marathon in mid-April. It is one of my Fitness Goals to finish a Half Marathon in 2026.

Other than running while playing and practicing for various sports when I was younger, I've never really been a runner. In fact, my first run on Strava was in April of last year.

So, in about a year, I'm basically going from running zero to running a full Half Marathon.

According to ChatGPT, 0.6% of Americans run a half marathon in a given year. 1-3% of adults have ever run at least one half marathon in their lifetime. About 11% of runners have completed or are training for a half marathon.

I don't care enough to double check ChatGPT's stats on this; I'm just going to trust that they are close.

So, by finishing a Half Marathon, I'll be an elite group.

To prepare for this long run in April, I've been following a Runna Half Marathon plan. It tells me which days to run for how long and how fast to go. Sometimes, I've moved a run to a different day, but for the most part I just do what it tells me.

Thursday (today as I type), Runna had me running 13.1 miles "Half Marathon Hotspot Long Run with Runna ✅".

7.5mi at a conversational pace
0.5mi at 9:35/mi
5.1mi at a conversational pace

I'm not 100% sure what the purpose of running a little faster for 0.5 miles in the middle of the run was, but as I mentioned, I just do what the app tells me.

And, I was able to complete the full 13.1 miles. I ran to a park about a mile away, then around the lake in the park until I thought heading back would bring me to the 13.1 miles. Easy peasy.

I didn't finish particularly fast, but now I know for sure I can run a Half Marathon distance.

My goal of "just finishing" the "real" Half Marathon in a month and a half seems like I set the goal too low. I guess I'll see how fast I can get it done.

So, I'll continue doing what Runna tells me to do. This Half Marathon Hotspot Long Run with Runna ✅ is the longest run I have to do until the official Platte River Half Marathon.

I'll share how I do on this blog.

--------

February Update on 2026 Fitness Goals

2026-03-04T06:34:00.096-07:00

I'm actually pretty active for an decrepit old couch potato.

With all the BBQ I make and eat, and all the beer I brew and drink, cardio exercise helps keep me somewhat in shape.

In the past, this has been mostly cycling, but starting this year, I've started running as well.

If you're interested, I always track these workouts on Strava.

Last month, I shared my 2026 Fitness Goals, and although no one else really cares, it is time for me to post an update.

My 2026 Fitness / Activity Goals are:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth
As of July 2021, I've cycled at least one Metric Century every month. This is 55 straight months I've done this. This month will be 56.
#7000MilesIn2026
This is significantly lower than my #8200MilesIn2025 goal, but I figure with the running, 7000 miles is still a big cycling number. As of the end of February, I have logged 955 miles for the year.
#13EverestsIn2026
Also significantly lower than the #16EverestsIn2025 because of the added running goals. My goal is to climb 13 x 29,032 = 377,416 feet on the bike. At the end of last month, I've logged 51,991 feet climbed on my bikes. 1.8 "Everests".
#Run700Miles2026
700 miles is just under 100km per month. With my Half Marathon (see #5) training, I'm ahead of this pace with 143 miles so far this year.
Run a Half Marathon
I'm doing a Runna Half Marathon plan and have signed up for the Platte River Half Marathon in mid-April. I'll give myself extra points to finish under 2:20, but honestly my main goal is simply to finish the whole thing. My plan actually calls for my "long run" this week to be 13.1 miles, so I appear to be on track to finish the Platte River Half.
VO₂ Max > 44 ml/kg/min
As measured by my Garmin Watch, I started the year as 42 ml/kg/min. Right now, I'm at 44. For a few weeks, I've bounced between 42 and 44. Every time I do my "long run", it falls to 42, but as soon as I do a tempo run, it jumps back up to 44.
15 Stone
At my heaviest, I was over 260lbs. I've been as low as 214 last year and this month, I got to just over 216lbs. 15 Stone is 210 lbs, which would be lighter than I've been since my early college days. With all the BBQ I eat and Beer I drink, it may be tough, but I would like to hit that 210 number before the end of the year.

Of course, it has only been a month, but I'm on track for all these goals. None of them are overly easy, and none of them are overly difficult. I should be able to hit all these goals.

But stay tuned on any of the labels below to keep up with my progress.

Month	Miles	YTD		Elevation	YTD
January	500	500	-94	28,741	28,741	-3,235
February	454	955	-177	23,250	51,991	-9,015
March	...	...	.	...	...	.
April	...	...	.	...	...	.
May	...	...	.	...	...	.
June	...	...	.	...	...	.
July	...	...	.	...	...	.
August	...	...	.	...	...	.
September	...	...	.	...	...	.
October	...	...	.	...	...	.
November	...	...	.	...	...	.
December	...	...	.	...	...	.

Over the Top Chili with Corn Bread

2026-03-02T06:24:00.003-07:00

You may remember that on Super Bowl Sunday I made Over the Top Chili and Poppers.

As I mentioned, I was the only one who actually had more than just a taste, and I enjoyed it enough that I really thought I should make it again so others in my family can give it a try.

I think this is now my favorite way to make chili.

I got out the Dutch Oven on Tuesday and made it again.

For a side, I also made corn bread.

This time, the meat I picked for the chili was a combination of ground chorizo and some ground beef I had left over from burgers I made over the weekend.

As a reminder, "Over-the-Top" refers to cooking the ground meat slowly over the pot containing the rest of the chili ingredients.

When I first started seeing "Over-the-Top" as a thing, I was a little worried that this would result in a greasy mess, but it really doesn't

For me, the ingredients this time were:

15 oz can of kidney beans
30 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 4 oz cans of diced green chilis
2 medium sized chopped onions (actually, I added these after the meat)
Various spices

I also prepared 2 cups of beef broth (3 beef bouillon cubes) to add later in the cooking process as the chili thickened.

After about an hour and a half, the ball of meat was cooked, so I placed it in the chili and chopped it up. This is when I added the onions as well.

In the meantime, I got the Corn Bread battery ready:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 large egg
⅓ cup melted butter
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons Honey

Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients. Combine.

I pre-heated the oven to 400 degrees with my cast-iron pan inside. When it was time to start cooking the corn bread, I poured combined ingredients into pre-heated cast iron pan.

I cooked about 18 minutes. The last 2 minutes I had the broiler on to get some color on the top of the bread.

The chili cooked a total of about 3 hours. Most of the time it was pretty close to 250 degrees, which was a little cooler than the first time I did this "Over-the-Top" chili.

I used about half the beef broth to thin out the chili.

Both the corn bread and the chili turned out great. I think the chili was better this time than last.

It might be the best corn bread I've ever made.

I'm quite certain I'm going to make both these dishes again. I have been thinking of other dishes and meats that I might use the "Over-the-Top" concept with. Stay tuned, and you might find out how those go.

X is for MaX Taps Colorado

2026-02-27T06:00:00.080-07:00

If you follow this blog at all you know that the SheppyBrew Beer Model (aka my wife) and I have been working through Round 6 of our A to Z Series of Posts.

We are, in fact, very close to the end of the alphabet.

In November of 2024, we started Round 6 with A is for Arms, Call To Brewing Company.

And just a couple of weeks ago we posted W is for Wild Sky Brewery.

X, Y, and Z are the only letters left. And here we are checking "X" off the list.

As we mentioned last time, according to the Colorado Brewery Map & List there are not really any obvious "X" breweries for us to use, so we had to be creative.

X is for MaX Taps Colorado

Not only does "Max Taps" not start with the letter X, it also is not a brewery.

From their website:

Our Mission:
Max Taps is a taproom showcasing the best beers Colorado has to offer! We focus on bringing the best Colorado brewed beers together in one place so you can sample many of this state's great breweries without driving across the state! We also feature a few Colorado wines and spirits so feel free to bring your non-beer drinking friends. We are a small local Colorado business that prides ourselves on supporting other Colorado local businesses!

So, as a beer taproom that concentrates on local Colorado Beers, it fits with the theme of this Series of Posts.

Max Taps has two locations and last Saturday we packed a lunch and checked our their Highlands Ranch location ...

2680 East County Line Road, Suite A

Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

This location doesn't serve food, but has food trucks quite often and has nearby restaurants to bring food to enjoy with the beers.

We picked two flights of 3 from their Beer List, and then each of us had a pint with our lunch.

It was a nice little spot, very much like the local breweries we visit. They just had more different brands of beer.

They also have a pretty good list of various events on their calendar.

It a great place to enjoy food and beer. I am sure we will visit again.

According to the Colorado Brewery Map & List has at least one "Y" brewery that we might pick.

Stay tuned on Sheppy's Blog: A to Z, and you can see where we end up.

Roll-a-Style 4: 9C. Baltic Porter

2026-02-25T06:45:00.073-07:00

It has been awhile since I've mentioned Roll-a-Style on this blog.

So, it is probably worth a quick reminder ... I created a list of BJCP beer styles that I've never brewed. When I want to decide which beer style to brew next, I roll a virtual 20-sided online die, and brew the style that corresponds with the number that comes up.

Pretty simple, right?

The last style I "rolled" was Roll-a-Style 16: 26C. Belgian Tripel back in October, and I didn't brew it until November with Yoker Belgian Tripel (Batch 385).

Recently, I brewed Whisper of the Tengu Rice Lager (Batch 388), which is a lager. I thought I'd harvest the Tengu yeast and brew a lager on my Roll-a-Style list.

So ... I pretended to roll a 4:

... which corresponds to 9C. Baltic Porter.

"A strong, dark, malty beer with different interpretations within the Baltic region. Smooth, warming, and richly malty, with complex dark fruit flavors and a roasted flavor without burnt notes."

I've actually had a SheppyBrew recipe for 9C. Baltic Porter ready to go: Mud Blood Baltic Porter.

I have ingredients so I will likely brew this soon.

After marking this off the list, I'm now down to 12 beers on the list. I can now roll a 12 Sided Die.

Now my Roll-a-Style list looks like this:

Number	Beer Style
1	9B. Eisbock
2	28A. Brett Beer
3	22D. Wheatwine
4	16D. Foreign Extra Stout
5	10C. Weizenbock
6	12C. English IPA
7	13B. British Brown Ale
8	28B. Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer
9	32A. Classic Style Smoked Beer
10	6B. Rauchbier
11	10A. Weissbier
12	33B. Specialty Wood-Aged Beer

My "Bench" now includes:

NOTE ... there a few BJCP Styles that I purposely left off this list. At some point I might re-evaluate these missing styles, but I guess you'll have to stay tuned and see if I add more.

As always ...keep an eye on the regular SheppyBrew Channels to see what is happening with beer, barbeque, biking and other things in my life: SheppyBrew's Facebook Page; Sheppy's Twitter Feed; SheppyBrew's Instagram Page; and SheppyBrew's Website.

La Chouffe vs Yoker Belgian Tripel

2026-02-23T06:17:00.067-07:00

So ... for Christmas, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) got me a "Chouffe Discovery Pack".

Chouffe, of course is a world-famous Belgian brewery. If I were to visit Belgium someday, it would certainly be on my list to visit.

As luck would have it, I have a SheppyBrew "Belgian Triple" on tap, "Yoker". While brewing Whisper of the Tengu Rice Lager (Batch 388), I decided to try La Chouffe Belgian Blond Beer and Yoker Belgian Tripel together.

Yoker is significantly lighter in color and much more clear. It is also drier and (in my opinion) more "drinkable".

There are more pear esters in Yoker. La Chouffe has a touch more bubble gum and is a little more bitter. La Chouffe definitely more body. I think there is a little more hop flavor in La Chouffe too.

La Chouffe has more carbonation, but not as much more as I thought it would. Originally, Chouffe had a creamier more full head, but lacing and head retention on Yoker caught up.

Truthfully, I prefered Yoker. I'd really like to try La Chouffe fresher in Belgium to see if it was able to catch up when consumed closer to its source.

I still have a couple bottles from the "Discovery Pack", but none of the others really compare with what I have on tap.

I'll continue to enjoy Yoker Belgian Tripel until the keg blows.

Whisper of the Tengu Rice Lager (Batch 388)

2026-02-20T06:06:00.065-07:00

For whatever reason, "Japanese" Rice Lagers seem to have become fairly popular lately in craft beer circles. At least I see a bunch more of them recently than in the past.

It is sort of funny that when I first started getting into craft beer, one of the criticisms of "Big Beer" was that "they" used cheap ingredients like rice and corn. "Real" craft beer used all quality ingredients, which generally meant all-malt beers.

While the sentiment is still sort of there, it was relaxed quite a bit, which I think is a good thing.

Anyway, I've been seeing more Rice Lagers at breweries and have wanted to brew one for quite some time.

And ... I've had a recipe out on the SheppyBrew website for months.

"Whisper of the Tengu" Japanese Rice Lager

The malt-bill of the recipe pretty much writes itself. Pilsner malt. Rice.

Generally, most Rice Lagers seem to include either Sorachi Ace or nobel hops like Saaz / Hallertau. They also don't tend to feature much hop flavor. But, I thought it would be fun to mix it up just a little, going with Mistral and Motueka, which should give it a little lemon / lime / herbal finish.

For reasons I won't go into, I brewed on Saturday (as opposed to my usual Sunday), and I got started much later than my usual brew day.

I think I also over-engineered how I did the rice, which added a little more time to the brew day than usual.

Basically, I decided to cook the rice in full mash volume in the Foundry.

This worked fine, but the gelatinization temperature is higher than mash temperature, so I had to "cook" the rice for half an hour, and also allow for time for the water to cool to mash temperature.

I do think if I ever use whole grain rice again, I will cook it in a separate pot and start the mash in parallel with the rice cook.

I think this will save me almost an hour in the brew day over what I did Saturday.

Oh well, live and learn.

Another first for me was that I used rice hulls in this brew. I'm not sure they were needed, but they didn't hurt anything.

Anyway, after cooking the rice and cooling the water and adding the rice hulls, the mash went basically the same as all my brews.

I think I might have kept the mash temperature a little higher than I had planned, but I'm ok if it ends up with a higher FG / lower ABV.

The mash drained well. Again, I'm not sure if that was thanks to the rice hulls or if that would have been the case regardless.

And, my pre-boil gravity / volume was right on the planned numbers.

The boil also went as planned. I remembered to add everything I wanted when I wanted to.

And at the end of the boil, my gravity was just one point over the planned 1.049 SG.

Because of the late start, and process delays, I had to start cooking, I had to start cooking dinner as I was chilling the wort, but even with the extra distraction, that went smoothly too.

This being a lager, I chilled lower than usual ale pitch temperature, so I used ice recirculated with the pond pump, and was able to get it down to the low 50's.

I believe I had the cooling system set up and the yeast pitched around 5:15 pm, which certainly made it seem like a long brew day.

From the time I started measuring my rice to yeast-pitch was just over 6.5 hours. I guess that isn't too bad, but next time I'll want to cut a couple of hours off brew day.

As I type this, fermentation has been going strong for a couple days. As my usual SOP on lagers, I'm fermenting in the 50's for the first few days, followed by letting it rise to ambient basement temperatures for a total of a couple of weeks.

I think I'll be kegging this towards the end of February and drinking it soon after.

Stay tuned on this blog and/or the recipe page, and I'll probably let you know how I like it.

🍶 Whisper of the Tengu Rice Lager

2026-02-18T06:55:00.004-07:00

Style: Rice Lager
Brewer: SheppyBrew
ABV: 5%
IBU: 22
SRM: 3.5

👀 Appearance

Pale straw with a faint golden shimmer, crystal clear and effervescent. A delicate white head forms on the pour, then settles into a thin halo, leaving faint lacing on the glass. The clarity invites contemplation—like moonlight through mist.

👃 Aroma

Soft and restrained. Notes of steamed jasmine rice and fresh-cut hay drift gently upward, joined by a whisper of floral hops. There’s a subtle minerality, like spring water over stone, and a clean fermentation profile that keeps the nose crisp and quiet.

👅 Flavor

Dry and elegant. The rice lends a smooth, neutral canvas, allowing the subtle malt sweetness and gentle hop bitterness to play in balance. Hints of honeysuckle and green tea emerge as it warms, but the finish remains clean and snappy. No lingering heaviness—just a quiet echo of refreshment.

🫦 Mouthfeel

Light-bodied and ultra-crisp, with high carbonation that dances across the tongue. The texture is airy and refined, almost weightless, yet satisfying. It’s the kind of mouthfeel that disappears quickly, leaving you reaching for another sip.

💭 Overall Impression

A rice lager brewed with reverence and restraint. Whisper of the Tengu is not a beer that shouts—it listens. It’s subtle, sharp, and quietly powerful, honoring the spirit of the mountain trickster with every clean, deliberate note. Ideal for quiet reflection, shared toasts, or moonlit mischief.

📖 The Tale of Whisper of the Tengu

In the mist-veiled forests of Mount Kurama, where cedar trees lean in like old monks and the wind carries secrets, the Tengu watches. Neither spirit nor man, he perches atop a torii gate, his crimson mask gleaming in the moonlight. Travelers speak of a whisper—soft as falling rice husks—that drifts through the trees when the air grows still.

Legend says the whisper is a test. If your heart is proud, the Tengu will lead you astray, down paths that loop like riddles. But if you listen with humility, he may guide you to a hidden spring, where the water runs cold and clear, and the rice grows golden in the shade. From this sacred grain, a brew is born—crisp, clean, and quietly powerful.

Whisper of the Tengu is that brew. A rice lager crafted with reverence and restraint, it honors the spirit of the mountain trickster: subtle, sharp, and unforgettable. Drink with respect. The Tengu is always listening.

Over the Top Chili and Poppers

2026-02-16T06:29:00.083-07:00

So ... on Super Bowl Sunday, after my famous Super Sunday Fun Run B-Race I made some food for us to eat while watching the game.

Of course, you know I had to make it outside on one (or more) of my grills.

It's become a tradition that I make Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers, and of course my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) demanded that I do it again.

So, that was a no-brainer. Happy Wife. Happy Life. (nothing rhymes with husband)

Lately, I've seen various posts on online BBQ forums of people doing "Over the Top" Chili.

And ... until this recent trend, I had never heard of such a thing.

But, it is pretty simple, and I thought I'd give that a try as well.

So, the "Over the Top" concept is that in a cast-iron pot, you mix together all the chili ingredients other than the meat.

Then, you place some sort of rack over the pot, and place a ball of seasoned ground meat on top of that.

I just used regular 80 / 20 ground chuck.

You let the meat cook over 2 or 3 hours while the mixture below simmers and gets the drippings from the meat.

When the meat is done (140 F or so), crumble it up and put it in the pot with the rest of the chili.

Let it cook a little longer. I ended up adding more liquid in the form of SheppyBrew X-Mas Ale.

It turned out delicious. We had way more food for a 4-person Super Bowl party realistically needs, and I think I'm really the only one who had more than a taste of this, but I really enjoyed it and plan to make it again at some point.

I was able to eat this for lunch several days in a row.

The poppers also turned out great.

W is for Wild Sky Brewery

2026-02-13T06:52:00.004-07:00

Sadly, a bunch of Denver area breweries have closed. Many are continuing to struggle and I'm sure others will continue to close.

Many of the A to Z breweries no longer exist.

Last Friday, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) suggested we visit a closed brewery. I figured she knew it was no longer open, but apparently she missed it closing.

Usually, it happens the other way ... she notices things like that when I miss them.

In this case, I had also recently seen a Facebook post from the same brewery at its other location announcing that their other location regrettably was closing too.

As luck would have it, we're on "W" for our A to Z series of posts, AND this closing brewery starts with the letter "W".

W is for Wild Sky Brewery

Note ... currently the Wild Sky Brewery website is up and running, but I am sure it won't be up much longer.

From their Facebook page:

"We’re struggling to find the words for what we’re about to say.
This weekend, Wild Sky closes its doors.
Sunday will be our last day.
We’re writing this together, a group of people sitting with heavy hearts, trying to say goodbye to something we loved more than we ever expected to.
Wild Sky was born in May 2024 from a place that was broken. We inherited debt, rusted tanks, and a future that looked impossible. What we chose to build instead was hope. Quiet at first. Then fierce.
Hope looked like long days and longer nights. Like scrubbing, fixing, painting, rebuilding. Again and again. Like showing up, even when everything felt stacked against us. We poured our hearts into this place, believing that if we worked hard enough, loved it enough, something beautiful would survive.
And for a while, it did."

"We rebuilt spaces. We rebuilt trust. We watched strangers become regulars and regulars become family. We created a place where people laughed, connected, felt safe, and felt at home. Wild Sky wasn’t just where we worked, it was where we belonged.
The weight of the past never stopped pressing down. Debt, rising costs, broken equipment, impossible rent. In September 2025, we lost Littleton. We regrouped, held each other up, and poured everything we had into County Line. We kept fighting. We kept hoping.
Now, in February 2026, we have to let go."

"The short notice breaks our hearts too. It exists because we believed until the very end. No one wanted this dream more than the people who gave their whole heart and soul to it every single day.
What we built here cannot be measured in profit or loss. It lives in shared tables, in familiar faces, in the moments after close when we knew we had created something real.
So we invite you, our friends, to come spend one last weekend with us. Come say goodbye. Come share a beer. Come see the faces of the people who made this place what it was and send them into their next chapters.
This was a beautiful story.
It reminded us of all our love.
It was Wild.
Thank you for holding this dream with us. We will carry it forever."

Too bad! They has good food and beer.

Before they changed ownership, and had a different name we actually used them for a "U" brewery ... U is for BlUe SprUce Brewing Company.

At this point in time, most of the beers on the tap list were from other breweries.

The food was still good.

The beer was still good.

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend them, because as of Monday they no longer exist 🥲

It was still a fun place to visit. I'm hoping another brewery or breweries find their way into both locations.

But, we go on. Next up ... we need an "X" brewery.

According to the Colorado Brewery Map & List there are not really any obvious "X" breweries for us to use, so we'll have to be creative.

Stay tuned on Sheppy's Blog: A to Z, and you can see what we pick.

Super Sunday Fun Run B-Race

2026-02-11T06:24:00.213-07:00

As you know if you read 2026 Fitness Goals, I'm training for a Half Marathon in April, the "Platte River Half Marathon".

I'm following Runna's Half Marathon plan, and one of the options in the Runna app is including "B-Races" as part of the plan.

In case you're unfamiliar, a "B‑Race" is a race you do during training to help you prepare for your main race, which is called your "A‑Race".

Fairly obvious if you think about it in context, but it was not a term I knew about until I started with Runna.

Coincidently, there was a 5k Race planned that starts and ends at the same spot as my "Platte River Half Marathon" that took place last Sunday.

Super Sunday Fun Run

So, I decided to throw it into the plan and ran it Sunday.

I've actually never run an organized "race" of any kind, so this was completely a new experience for me.

Runna's AI "Coach" told me to "treat this as a hard training run to push towards your A-race. Working harder over a 5km will help you practice your pacing ahead of your A-race. Start off controlled and look to build progressive effort is the way to go."

It gave me a target of 10 - 10:35 minutes per mile pace.

Most races like this (at least the two that I've read up on) have "waves" of runners starting off. The faster runners go first, followed by the next fastest, and so forth. Last go the people who are mostly just walking.

I placed myself in the 10 to 11 minutes per mile wave, and I planned to maintain that 10 to 11 minute pace.

This is faster than my training runs have been, but wouldn't result in any kind of PR (Personal Record).

Once I started, though, I guess my competitive spirit kept me going a touch faster in order to get ahead of the people around me, and by the time I had gone my first 3/4 of a mile, I had made the decision to push towards my 5km PR.

And, I was very successful at maintaining a fast-for-me pace.

According to Strava, my first mile was 9:12. My second mile was 9:07. My third mile was 9:08.

My official "Chip Time" was 28:06.1, which is a 9:04 pace. So, my official time was a little faster than my Garmin / Strava GPS time.

Either way, it is by far my best 5k run ever.

Actually, the Garmin originally had me only finishing 3.08 miles, which is .02 miles short of 5k, so at first I thought Strava wouldn't give me credit for the 5k PR, but the "Adjust Distance" button in Strava gave me an extra .03 miles, so now I have new PR's in

half mile: 04:22 ... 8:44 / mile
1 km: 05:28 ... 08:48 / mile
1 mile: 08:49 ... 08:49 / mile
2 mile: 17:55 ... 08:57 / mile
5 km: 28:08 ... 9:03 / mile

So, I did better than planned ... by a lot.

And ... I've actually been fighting a bit of a cold for the past few days, which certainly didn't help my effort.

I think I did as well as I can realistically expect given my current running level.

Even so, I finished the race 111 out of 316, and only 7th out of 15 in my age group. Not great when I compare myself to "the field", but I guess it isn't about that right now. Still plenty of room to improve.

The "Platte River Half Marathon" is still a couple months away, but I'm feeling good about my training progress so far.

At this point, I don't have another B-Race scheduled, but I might try to get a 10k race in before the final A-Race. We'll have to see what I am able to find.

In the meantime, I need to get over this cold, and I now have a hamstring "niggle" I'm hoping doesn't get worse.

Youtube Video of my Finish

2026 Fitness Goals

2026-02-09T06:30:00.002-07:00

So ... as you know if you follow this blog, I'm actually pretty physically active for an old decrepit couch potato.

Quite often, usually about once a month, I've posted updates on my on Strava cycling goals. The last time I reported on this was December Update on 2025 Cycling Goals.

Towards the end of last year, I started running, so in 2026 I decided to add a couple of running goals as well.

I thought I'd share my 2026 "Fitness" Goals today ...

2026 Goals:

#MetricCenturyEveryMonth
As of July 2021, I've cycled at least one Metric Century every month (including February already). This is 55 straight months I've done this. I might as well try to continue the streak.
#7000MilesIn2026
This is significantly lower than my #8200MilesIn2025 goal, but I figure with the running, I will probably reduce my riding a bit. 7000 miles is still a big cycling number.
#13EverestsIn2026
Also significantly lower than the #16EverestsIn2025 because of the added running goals. My goal is to climb 13 x 29,032 = 377,416 feet on the bike.
#Run700Miles2026
700 miles is just under 100km per month. Seems doable without being too terribly easy.
Run a Half Marathon
I'm doing a Runna Half Marathon plan and have signed up for the Platte River Half Marathon in mid-April. I'll give myself extra points to finish under 2:20, but honestly my main goal is simply to finish the whole thing.
VO₂ Max > 44
As measured by my Garmin Watch, I started the year as 42 ml/kg/min. As I type this, I'm at 43. I've actually hit 44 a couple times so far this year.
15 Stone
At my heaviest, I was 260lbs. I've been as low as 214 last year and am currently sitting just under 220 lbs. 15 Stone is 210 lbs, which would be lighter than I've been since my early college days. With all the BBQ I eat and Beer I drink, it may be tough, but I would like to hit that 210 number before the end of the year.

Of course, it has only been a month, but I'm on track for all these goals. None of them are overly easy, and none of them are overly difficult. I should be able to hit all these goals.

But stay tuned on any of the labels below to keep up with my progress.

Month	Miles	YTD		Elevation	YTD
January	500	500	-94	28,741	28,741	-3,235
February	...	...	.	...	...	.
March	...	...	.	...	...	.
April	...	...	.	...	...	.
May	...	...	.	...	...	.
June	...	...	.	...	...	.
July	...	...	.	...	...	.
August	...	...	.	...	...	.
September	...	...	.	...	...	.
October	...	...	.	...	...	.
November	...	...	.	...	...	.
December	...	...	.	...	...	.

V is for Living the Dream Brewing Company

2026-02-06T18:07:00.016-07:00

Last Saturday, I was viciously attacked by an animal.

Not a dog. Not some wild animal. Not a hungry or threatened reptile. Not a stinging or biting insect. Not an aggressive rodent.

I was attacked by a HOUSE CAT!

In a freaking brewery!

Depending on the individual city / local ordinances, many of the Denver-area breweries advertise that they are "dog friendly" ... ie ... as long as your dog is well-behaved, you can bring your dog.

I've never seen a brewery communicate in any way that pet cats are welcome.

But ... when we packed up a lunch, went on a short hike, and visited ...

V is for LiVing the Dream Brewing Company

... I saw my first cat at a local brewery.

We started out with a flight of beers, and found a seat to enjoy our beers and start eating our lunch.

After we finished the first flight, I went back up to the bar to order our second one.

There was a lady ahead of me holding a leash, and at the end of the leash was a cat. A CAT!

I think maybe the cat sensed that I judged its owner for putting a CAT on a leash and bringing it out to a brewery.

But ... the owner had to wait for one of the beers she ordered, so I stepped up to the bar and ordered my beer.

Not very long at all after I stepped up to the bar, I felt this little cat scratching at my calf. Luckily, I was wearing jeans, and it was a wasn't quite full-grown so I didn't get the full claws in my lower leg.

The owner told her cat, "that's not yours" and pulled it back. I laughed and smiled. It was sort of cute.

I returned my attention to the bar tender getting my flight ready.

I think the cat owner started looking at her phone.

Maybe a minute or two later, I felt a THUNK on my back along with claws holding onto the back of my shirt.

This time, the claws did dig a little into my skin, and I yelled something like "Ow, ow, OW!"

After a second or two the cat owner was (finally) pulling the cat off my back, apologizing. "I'm so sorry".

Honestly, maybe it was the shock, but she didn't sound quite as sorry as I thought she should. I gave her a dirty look. If looks could kill, the cat would probably be dead now.

Luckily my looks can't kill. I would have felt guilty.

I did tell the lady, something like "you should probably keep it away from me now".

Had I seen the lady as we left, after calming down, I probably would have apologized for over-reacting but honestly in the moment, I wanted to hurt the cat, and I was legitimately pissed at the lady.

When I returned to the table and told my wife, her main comment was "... and she didn't even offer to buy you a beer?"

Now, and even 5 or 10 minutes later it was much more amusing. One of the other patrons in the tap room and I even laughed about it when I was back up at the bar.

Even so, I'm against people bringing cats to breweries. Next time I see a cat on a leash, especially if it is at a brewery, I'm going to silently judge the owner. And ... I'm going to actively avoid the damn cat.

And ... so now that we've visited Living the Dream, we are up to the letter "W".

There are actually a couple of "W" breweries on the Colorado Brewery Map & List that we can use as "W" breweries.

Stay tuned on Sheppy's Blog: A to Z, and you can see which one we pick.