The Ways 3 Sheeps Expanded its Portfolio But Was Able to Buck Trends

Although there have been some lowlights, 3 Sheeps Brewing is going to come out of COVID a better company than how it went in for different reasons, believes founder Grant Pauly.

“I’m ready to get past it and just get back to making beer without and being able to enjoy a beer somewhat when I make it,” he told Brewer recently.

The increase in small-batch production is something that the Sheboygan, Wisconsin brewery has seen as a large shift as it is near 10,000 barrels per year. Being able to have the flexibility to service accounts as needed along with putting out a good amount of extra brands as well.

“We had a lot of time on our hands,” Pauly cracked. “So we leaned into our R&D and specialty program.”

3 Sheeps started putting out up to three new beers a week for a good chunk of 2020.

“When we got into 2021 one of our priorities was we didn’t want to lose that kind of fun, creative thing,” he said. “That was why we all got into craft beer to begin with. We love making new things.”

The brewery launched a schedule for this year where it currently has about 95 new releases on the books. Some will be larger batches with distro, some taproom-only.

“And not just the hazy or pastry stouts,” he said. “Some lagers, some German-style beers, a Belgian Tripel.

“We want to really kind of open up a little bit to every style out there and give people something new that they haven’t been able to get from us before.”

The brewery has been able to do this because of adding a two-barrel pilot system along with working on making as little as a nine-barrel batch on the brewery’s 30-barrel brewhouse. Working with ProBrew to get a larger canning line online this past year, the more packaged product can hit key accounts as well.

“From low gravity to high,” Pauly said. “Part of that is because we have a Sprinkman brewhouse and it pulls through the mash tun just so even and consistent,” he said. “We can have a really thin mash bed and still have it be successful and not just send over a bunch of schmutz to the kettle.

“Even when we did a 9-bbl, 4.5% Lager through and it was crystal clear by the end.”