Tröegs News
The New and Improved Tröegs Tasting Room
We would like to thank all our visitors for your continued patience as we transform our Tasting Room and Brewery Offices. The project is about 75 percent complete and we hope to have everything wrapped up by Nov. 1st.
This project doubles the size of the Tasting Room, adds a small brewery office in the back of the space, increases the number of windows for better brewery viewing, and adds permanent seating for visitors.
Once we receive final PLCB approval, the Tasting Room will be able to sell growlers and six-packs for take-out, as well pints and sampler trays. The brewery office will take care of case and kegs sales, and we will be expanding the gift shop with new Tröegs merchandise.
Effective October 6, the Tasting Room will be opened Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 12 noon-4 p.m. The brewery offices will be open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 12 noon-4 p.m.
Look for project updates on our website.
Mad Elf Release Dates and Kudos from Joe Sixpack
We have several Mad Elf items to report as we approach our favorite time of year.
Several markets will start seeing the newest Mad Elf package – 22 ounce bottles – as early as October 2; 22 ounce bottles will be available in all markets by the end of the month. Mad Elf 12 ounce cases start shipping from wholesalers the week of October 13 and will be available in all markets by the week of October 20. 101 ounce bottles start shipping the week of October 27 and draft will be released the week of November 17.
In more exciting news, we just received word that beer writer Don Russell (aka Joe Sixpack) has picked The Mad Elf as the number one holiday beer in the world. Russell’s second book, Christmas Beers: The Cheeriest, Tastiest and Most Unusual Holiday Brews, looks at the 2,000-year-old worldwide tradition of brewing and drinking festive ales and lagers during the winter holidays, and lists the 50 Best Christmas Beers Ever, with The Mad Elf topping the list. It offers reviews of 150 plus Christmas brews; and provides home brewing recipes for ambitious readers who want to try their hand at the winter warmer brewing tradition. The book will be available soon at the Tröegs Brewery Tasting Room.
The Mad Elf will go on sale at the brewery starting Wednesday, October 15, with growler sales starting on Saturday, October 18 (which, for anyone in the know, means that growler sales will begin on Friday, October 17).
To avoid being shut out on The Mad Elf, remember to buy early (and stash it away for Christmas)!
available on Amazon.com
The Art of Drinking Tröegs Winner Announced
Greg Orth of Lancaster, Pennsylvania was named the winner of the 2008 Art of Drinking Tröegs contest. Orth took home $500 in cold hard cash for asking the question: Tröegs: Is it Part of Your DNA? To illustrate his point Orth constructed a double-helix DNA strand out of Tröegs bottle caps.
“Once again, we had a tough time picking a winner from the six finalists,” said Chris Trogner. “Once our Tasting Room expansion is complete, we plan on building the Art of Drinking Tröegs Wall of Fame to show off all the winners. We are already looking forward to next year’s contest.”
Scratch Beer News
Scratch Beer #14-2008: Saison is now available in cases and growlers in the Tasting Room. Here’s the vital statistics and tasting notes:
Scratch #14-2008: Saison
O.G.: 15.4 Plato
A.B.V.: 6.7%
I.B.U.’s: 25
Malt: Pils, Munich, Vienna
Yeast: Belgian/Saison Blend
Juju: Ginger
Hops: English Pilgrim, Saaz
Scratch #14-2008 is our interpretation of a farmhouse ale—a once near-extinct winter-brewed (and summer–imbibed) Belgian ale.
Our celebratory brew starts with a black pepper and ginger nose. The nicely carbonated brew releases a honey-malt flavor that gives way to a tart crisp finish that masks the elevated ABV.
We use a blended yeast strain (Saison Dupont & Le Chouffe) to create the traditional peppery, spicy earthy flavors of the saison. Slight hints of ginger also come through in the finish.
In what’s next news, Scratch #15-2008: Espresso Stout was brewed this week and is expected to be released sometime in early November.
Tröegs Expands into Ohio and Upstate New York
We are happy to add Ohio and the rest of New York state to our distribution area.
Our entire packaged portfolio is now available throughout Ohio via Premium Beverage Supply. We will start selling beer in upstate New York in mid-October through L. Knife Company, focusing on Troegenator Doublebock and Hopback Amber Ale. We will continue to add brands to New York starting in early 2009.
Tröegs beer is now available in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Washington DC, New Jersey, New York and Ohio.
