Troegs Brewing Company
TRP post courtesy of our East Coast affiliate, Nick:
As I was driving through Hershey, Pennsylvania on my way to Troegs Brewing Company back in May, I couldn’t help but think that there really should be an amusement park and town for craft beer lovers that is similar to how Hershey and Hershey Park are dedicated to chocolate and candy. The street lamps are all Hershey Kisses. Many street names have something to do with chocolate. And it’s called the “Sweetest Place on Earth.”
I remember going there when I was about 13. It was a blast and I’m sure I ate too much chocolate. Now, imagine going somewhere where beer comes out of the water fountains, there are barrels of hops all around the park for taste tests, and every snack or meal that you buy comes with a complimentary beer pairing. That seems like my kind of place.
Anyway, that place doesn’t exist. But Troegs Brewing Company’s new facility in Hershey, PA is a worthy destination nonetheless. Troegs itself originated very close to Hershey in Harrisburg in 1997 and it is run by two brothers who seem very committed to making quality craft beer. They recently decided that they wanted a bigger space and so they built their own brewing palace in Hershey. It just opened in 2011 and it still looks and smells brand new.
Highlights include a giant bar in the tasting room where you can enjoy several sample options. When I was there, the option was either a higher quantity of their standard offerings, or fewer of their more rare and experimental beers. I have had most of their year round beers so I went with the stuff I can’t find in bars in Philadelphia.
I grabbed the first sample and we took a trip around the self guided brewery tour. It’s a pretty short walk through the fermentation tanks, bottling lines, and quality control, but there are some good informative signs and if you just want to leisurely stroll and learn a little about beer, its a great choice. They also have guided tours that delve more deeply into the brewing process and a well stocked gift shop that is worth checking out.
Currently, Troegs makes 6 year round beers and 5 seasonals. Their Mad Elf is probably their most well known seasonal. It is 11% and highly sought after every fall when it comes out. In addition, they have their experimental Scratch Series, which is 72 beers strong so far and features non-traditional ingredients and brewing techniques.
Troegs is distributed in PA, NJ, NY, DE, VA, MD, MA, OH, and Washington DC.
