Name: Tröegs Brewing Company
Location: Hershey, PA
Type: Production
Available in DC Market: Yes
What you need to know: Started by two brothers in 1997, Tröegs takes its name from their surname (Trogner) and the Flemish word for pub (Kroeg). At their new-ish Hershey facility, the brothers Trogner proudly flout the restrictions of brewing to style, instead making whatever they feel like drinking themselves – with commendable results. The brewery distributes exclusively within America’s breadbasket, so we’re lucky to see such favorites as Hopback amber ale and Nugget Nectar imperial amber ale, as well as their beguiling winter seasonal, Mad Elf, on our shelves. This year, they’ll be showing up at SAVOR with the same hefty brews they brought last year; here’s what we said then about them.
Beer #1: Troegenator (Double bock / 8.2%)
Notes: The Troegenator is a huge, chewy double bock that could easily be mistaken for a loaf of delicious bread if it weren’t, you know, liquid. This beer is 8.2% but hides it quite well. The rich malt isn’t marred by an alcohol burn, but instead carries through all of the classic bock flavors; it’s toasty and nutty with dark fruits and a touch of caramel sweetness, while the moderate carbonation helps to keep it from landing too heavily. Need another reason to try this one? It was the GABF Gold Medal winner last year for double bock, and the Silver Medal winner the year before that. How’s that for creds?
Beer Advocate: 87 (885 reviews)
Rate Beer: 94 overall, 93 style (845 ratings)
Beer #2: Flying Mouflan (Barleywine / 9.3 %)
Notes: Fan of barleywines? I would hope you’ve already tried the Flying Mouflan, but if you haven’t, be sure to get over and try it at SAVOR. This is the 2010 GABF Gold Medal winner for barleywines, so you know it’s a good one. Tons of hops push this barleywine to 100+ IBUs, and a huge grain bill balances those hops out with flavors of dark chocolate, dark fruit, and brown sugar. Sticky, hoppy, dark, delicious, and strong (9.3%), so fly with the Mouflan, just not too often, at least at SAVOR.
Beer Advocate: 93 (473 reviews)
Rate Beer: 99 overall, 97 style (409 reviews)
Summary: Tröegs has held a special place in my heart since my formative beer-drinking years in Philadelphia; even back then, I knew I was tasting something special. But I have to be honest – I’m a bit bummed that we won’t get to taste any of Tröegs’ more esoteric offerings (I’m looking at you, Scratch and Splinter series). I thought that we stood a chance of seeing at least one such rarity, given that they brought Flying Mouflan and Troegenator last year, but instead, I’ll resign myself to drinking two GABF winners from one of my favorite breweries. Poor me.
This profile is a part of the DCBEER.COM SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2012 SAVOR participants.
Beer Review Disclaimer: The beer reviews found on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer do not represent the opinions of this site. We provide these in the hope that they will serve as a resource showing what some craft beer fans have thought of the beers. These reviews can be a helpful guideline, but are not the be-all end-all about a beer’s strengths or weaknesses.
