When Grant Pauly grew dissatisfied working at his family’s concrete business, his wife encouraged him to try a different occupation that also ran in his family—brewing. Pauly’s great-grandparents had owned Sheboygan’s Kingsbury Breweries, which they operated through the 1960s. Realizing that he needed a change, Pauly formed 3 Sheeps Brewing (1837 North Ave., Sheboygan), and as founder and brewmaster, he, along with co-owner James Owen and a talented team of brewers, grew the brewery by leaps and bounds since opening in 2012.
“I wanted to make sure we never took anything seriously again, so naming ourselves after a fluffy ruminant mammal was a great way to just have fun,” Pauly said. The name is also a play on the “three sheets to the wind” phrase.
Two years ago, 3 Sheeps Brewing underwent a large expansion when they moved into a former Coca-Cola packaging plant. Now with 40,000 square feet for production, a taproom and an outdoor area, the brewery has carved out a prominent place in the Sheboygan community. Their beer varieties are widely available at bars and retail establishments throughout Milwaukee and Wisconsin, as well as Illinois.
With an approach to brewing beer “with heart and science,” Pauly and Owen like to try things that have not been done before, yet still keep their beers approachable. “What it really comes down to is that the beer should be drinkable. It should have flavor and good quality ingredients, but at the end of the day it should be balanced so people can enjoy it all the way through,” Pauly said. “The heart of brewing is coming up with unique interpretations of beer, and the science is how to make that drinkable and not gimmicky.”
First Kiss IPA is full flavored and hoppy with 110 International Bitterness Units (IBUs), but it has wildflower honey to coat the tongue’s taste receptors so bitterness doesn’t linger. “We strive toward balancing flavor and aroma, versus high bitterness,” Owen said. “We’ve always brewed to find balance in any of our beers.”
Customer favorites include Waterslides IPA, their flagship beer; and Cashmere Hammer Nitro stout. Owen noted that 3 Sheeps Brewing is only the third brewer in the country to bottle a nitrogen beer, which is made through a process in which nitrogen is infused into the beer to give it a creamy flavor.
Newer releases include Fresh Coast, an easy drinking canned pale ale with juiciness you’d expect from an IPA, but with low bitterness and only 4.8% alcohol by volume (ABV). “This is one that’s great for the beach, without getting yourself into trouble,” Owen joked. The Uber Joe Imperial Stout, released in March, is brewed with coffee from Colectivo, along with coco nibs and vanilla. 3 Sheeps Brewing has a partnership with the Milwaukee-based coffee roaster, Owen noted, and they brew beer for their cafés.
3 Sheeps Brewing’s taproom, which opened two years ago when they moved to their new digs, was crafted with repurposed wood from the Sheboygan armory. The taproom has a friendly ambiance with communal seating, a lounging area and up to 20 beers on tap. Pauly and Owen enjoy customer interaction and getting feedback on their new releases. The taproom will be rockin’ on Saturday, April 21, when 3 Sheeps Brewing celebrates its sixth anniversary. The bash will include live music, food and anniversary releases of Bourbon Barrel Aged Paid Time Off and Bourbon Barrel Aged Uber Joe imperial stouts.
For more information, visit 3sheepsbrewing.com.
