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April 7, 2025
SHEBOYGAN – With a little help from an iconic former Green Bay Packers player, Sheboygan-based 3 Sheeps Brewing is looking to add some excitement of its own to the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
3 Sheeps (1837 North Ave.) recently announced its partnership with LeRoy Butler – the creator of the well-known “Lambeau Leap” – in launching a series of football-themed promotions to celebrate the draft coming to Green Bay April 24-26.
Additionally, Butler has officially endorsed 3 Sheeps’ newest craft beer – Wisconsinitis Cream Ale.
“LeRoy is the nicest guy in the world,” Grant Pauly, 3 Sheeps founder/brewmaster, said. “I’ve done lots of interviews and spoken in front of thousands of people and have never been nervous, but when he walked in the door that first day, I wasn’t sure what to expect.”
Pauly said from day one, Butler “has been great.”
“He wanted to meet the whole team and hear what they do, and from that, it made me realize we definitely made the right choice,” he said. “No question about it – LeRoy is the perfect representative for what we want.”
To bring Butler on board, Pauly said they simply reached out to the former Packers great to get – in this case – the football rolling.
“We decided it would be really fun to partner with someone who felt the same way about our state,” he said. “LeRoy was one of the first people who came to mind. He chose to retire as a Packer and has lived here for many years, raising his kids here as well. We received a response very quickly.”
Pauly said he hopes the partnership with Butler is “just the start” for more collaboration with other Wisconsinites.
“We started with a Packers player because in Wisconsin, the Packers are a year-round sport,” he said.
Moving forward, Pauly said 3 Sheeps “really wants to showcase everything we have to offer in the state.”
“Whether it’s Joe who’s been bartending for 14 years at the corner bar, a local politician or someone who has just been active in the state – we’ll be choosing people who are investing in the state and have a good story to share,” he said. “We’re keeping it pretty broad right now, but once we get into it, then we’re going to start figuring out what’s next.”
Wisconsinitis – everything Wisconsin!
Pauly said 3 Sheeps created Wisconsinitis because “we love this state – its beauty, quirks and everything that makes it special.”
“Honestly, Wisconsin just gets into your soul,” he said. “People catch this Wisconsin-loving ‘disease’ we jokingly call Wisconsinitis. That’s why we’re partnering with people who truly embody that spirit.”
Since launching the ale, Pauly said Wisconsinitis has quickly become one of 3 Sheeps’ top-selling beers, second only to the brewery’s Hazy IPA Chaos Pattern.
“The beer’s smooth, easy-drinking style has made Wisconsinitis a statewide favorite,” he said. “It’s a cream ale we launched in January 2024, so it’s been up for a little more than a year. I think it’s resonated really well. You get some of that biscuit malt kind of flavor coming through. When you talk about a cream ale, there is no cream in that type of beer. Because of the ingredients you use, it has a bit more of a creamy, velvety feel to it.”
More draft fun
With the helping hand of Butler – an NFL Pro Football Hall of Famer who played for the Packers for 12 seasons after being drafted by the team in 1990 – to bring more excitement to fans, Pauly said the brewery plans to hold a tailgate party April 19 in the taproom parking lot, featuring a high-energy celebration with craft beer, football and an appearance by Butler.
Pauly said attendees can tailgate alongside the Packers icon, grab a Wisconsinitis and get autographs and photos.
“We are celebrating the Wisconsin way with a true tailgate party,” he said. “We’re excited to join in with the whole state as we celebrate the NFL Draft being hosted in Green Bay.”
Pauly said the tailgate party will be held from 11 a.m to 11 p.m. with a kickoff happening at noon.
Butler, he said, will make an appearance from 1-2:30 p.m. for photos and autograph signing of Wisconsinitis products and merchandise (one autograph per person).
Other highlights of the event, Pauly said, include:
- Interactive Lambeau Leap photo opportunity
- Live outdoor DJ music from Boogie Time’s Matt Brulla of Sheboygan
- Sheboygan’s Miesfeld’s Triangle Market is hosting a grilling station
- BYOF (Bring Your Own Football) and outdoor games are encouraged
Mr. Irrelevant
To further commemorate the draft, Pauly said 3 Sheeps is partnering with Green Bay’s Badger State Brewery to craft a collaboration brew called Mr. Irrelevant.
He said the name is a play on the name given to the “last pick” of the NFL Draft and is being released leading up to the multi-day event.
Pauly said Mr. Irrelevant will be available exclusively at Badger State (990 Canadeo Run) and the 3 Sheeps taproom.
“We’ve been talking with Badger State for years about brewing a beer together, so the NFL Draft was a good excuse to do that,” he said. “It’s a West Coast Pilsner with a tropical fruit – mango, guava and peach – flavor. People walking around Green Bay during draft weekend or just watching it from their couch will enjoy it.”
Pauly said Mr. Irrelevant will be available on tap at both locations and in 16-ounce cans sold in four-packs.
He said the beer will be released April 24 – the first day of the draft.
Increased draft traffic
Pauly said he expects 3 Sheeps – Wisconsin’s third-largest craft brewery, which he founded in April 2011 – to see increased traffic during the draft.
“I don’t think it will be astronomical, though,” he said. “In talking to a lot of the hotels in Sheboygan, they are pretty well booked up. From the small tidbits I’ve been able to find online, it sounds like people might not attend all three days. There’s a lot of time where people won’t need to be on the property, so we think we’ll get some carryover (at 3 Sheeps). We’re hoping people want to try a good local craft brewery.”
]For more information on 3 Sheeps, visit 3sheepsbrewing.com or find it on social media.
