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Mixing things up on the go
September 22, 2025
SHEBOYGAN – Grant Pauly, founder and brewmaster of 3 Sheeps Brewing Company in Sheboygan, said for many Wisconsinites, childhood memories include hiding from their parents in the aisles of Piggly Wiggly, arguing over who should push the cart and quick trips to “The Pig” for a gallon of milk.
It’s that nostalgia, Pauly said, that inspired 3 Sheeps to partner with the long-standing Wisconsin grocery store on three of its very own branded house beers.
“With Piggly Wiggly’s corporate headquarters being in Sheboygan, we’ve known the team there for years,” he said. “When this idea finally came up, we began chatting about it. It was one of those moments where you don’t know why the light bulb didn’t go off sooner, but it just made so much sense.”
Growing up in Manitowoc, Pauly – who started 3 Sheeps in 2012 – said he visited the local Piggly Wiggly every Sunday.
“We’d go there, and I’d get my donut holes,” he laughed. “Piggly Wiggly is one of those iconic Wisconsin groups. It’s been around, and everyone has gone to ‘Shop the Pig.’”
Pauly said when a grocery store or other entity enters into a partnership with another company, the product usually already exists and is oftentimes just a relabel – however, “that’s not the case in this partnership.”
“Whether it’s sugar packets, beer or wine, the product probably already exists in most cases,” he said. “That’s what I really enjoyed in this process – crafting something [specifically] for Piggly Wiggly.”
Like any new partnership, Pauly said it took time.
“We started talking about it, really, within the last year,” he said. “I’d say the whole thing went pretty quickly, but there was still a process to it – making sure the packaging looked great, making sure we ran enough R&D on the three different styles of beer and the finished product was what we really wanted. There was also time spent getting materials, etc.”
Overall, Pauly said the whole process has been quite easy.
“I think it will be a great partnership,” he said. “We’re excited about the three beers we’ve put together for them.”
And if the first two months are an indication, Pauly said the partnership is a win-win for both 3 Sheeps and Piggly Wiggly.
“Reports are indicating the three beers are doing very well,” he said.
As for distribution, Pauly said you can pretty much find the beers statewide in all Piggly Wiggly locations.
“There are [Piggly Wiggly] stores that are owned by the corporation, and then there are a lot of independent groups that own the local stores,” he said. “What’s been really great is the corporate ones and all the independents have pretty much universally agreed to bring the beers in, so you can pretty much find them in all Piggly Wiggly stores in the state.”
The beers
Pauly said each of the three brews – the Midwest IPA, Amber Lager and German Pilsner – offers its own distinct flavor profile, reflecting 3 Sheeps’ unique approach to all its beers.
“At 3 Sheeps, we like to say all of our beers can belong in anybody’s fridge at any time,” he said. “I think that’s a good way to describe the Piggly Wiggly beers – you can find these beers in anybody’s fridge at any given time.”
Pauly said the Midwest IPA has a nice balance – “this beer is right down the middle.”
“It’s got a little bitterness to it, so it’s a refreshing beer you can enjoy from the first sip to the last,” he said.
The Amber Lager, Pauly said, is very “Wisconsin-like – we love our amber ales in Wisconsin.”
“That malty style really resonates with a lot of us here,” he said. “By doing it as a lager, you get this crisp, cold finish to the whole thing. You can have a fuller beer, but it still finishes clean and has you wanting more.”
Pauly said the German Pilsner is similar to the Amber Lager.
“It has a little sweetness to it, which I like,” he said. “You might consider it a classic pilsner, but I think it plays really well and is very drinkable.”
Continued growth
Pauly said that a few years after he began homebrewing, he made the decision to turn his passion into a full-time business – and in 2012, 3 Sheeps was born.
What started nearly two decades ago with a homebrew kit, he said, has since grown into the third-largest craft brewery in Wisconsin
“We’re currently on pace to brew just fewer than 15,000 barrels of beer this year,” he said.
To keep up with its growth, Pauly said 3 Sheeps recently invested in a pair of fermenters to increase capacity.
“These are our biggest ones to date,” he said. “With our ceiling heights, it’s tough because we can’t buy a typical-sized 120 or 150-barrel fermenter. They all have to be kind of custom-made to be a little bit shorter, which means a new tank is extremely expensive. These custom ones are few and far between.”
Pauly said they bought the fermenters at an auction from another brewery that went out of business.
“It was a perfect opportunity for us,” he said. “We will be tilting them up soon. It will add about 3,000 barrels to our capacity, which will especially help come summertime when it’s our heavy season and [when we] need to start producing our Oktoberfest brew.”
Pauly said Oktoberfest sells “extremely well.”
“If you can believe it, we actually start brewing that in April,” he said. “While we’re gearing up for summer with all of our other beers, we usually need three tanks always full with Oktoberfest. I expect these two tanks to brew Oktoberfest starting April 1 through September. It will make things a lot more streamlined.”
Though the craft beer market in Wisconsin is down about 8%, Pauly said 3 Sheeps is continuing to grow.
“I’d like us [to be growing even more], but we’re up about 7%,” he said. “We’re having a great year. Our team is busting their butts out there, day in and day out. Thankfully, people are still choosing 3 Sheeps.”
In 3 Sheeps’ 13 years in existence, Pauly said the brewery has never had a year where it’s gone backward.
“We’ve been fortunate to have great customers, a great staff and great partners,” he said. “We want to make drinkable beers, whether that’s a good pilsner or a brand with Piggly Wiggly.”
Another sign of growth, Pauly said, is the fact that 3 Sheeps is releasing its own soda line.
“We’ll have a root beer and a creamsicle [flavor],” he said. “It will be nice to give our customers a non-alcoholic option as well, and be fun to have a new audience. The goal is to have it available in grocery stores, liquor stores, bars and restaurants. It has not hit our distributor yet, so we’re not exactly sure where it’s going yet. We’re excited to see where this can go.”
For more on 3 Sheeps Brewing Company, visit its Facebook page or 3sheepsbrewing.com.
