The Evolution of German Brewing and Beer Culture

Germany’s beer culture is renowned worldwide. Grounded in centuries of tradition, it has significantly impacted how beer is perceived, produced, and enjoyed globally. From medieval monks mastering brewing methods to the contemporary surge of independent craft brewers, German beer culture has adapted while maintaining its authenticity. Its brewing heritage profoundly influences the global craft beer scene, motivating brewers from the U.S. to Japan to recreate styles such as Dunkel and Hefeweizen.

A standout feature of German beer culture is its strong ties to community, festivals, and tradition. The vibrant ambiance found in the finest beer gardens and the cherished Festzelt Tradition during Oktoberfest demonstrate how Germany continues to exemplify beer appreciation.

Medieval Origins: The Monks and the Reinheitsgebot

German brewing has roots that stretch back over a millennium, with monasteries playing a pivotal role in refining beer production. Monks brewed beer not only for sustenance but also as a source of income. This era witnessed the rise of early beer styles, including the darker, malt- centric Dunkel. The combination of local ingredients and controlled fermentation techniques established the unique character of German beer.

In 1516, the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV enacted the Reinheitsgebot, or Beer Purity Law, which restricted beer ingredients to water, barley, and hops (yeast was added later once its role in fermentation was clarified). This legislation guaranteed quality and set a benchmark for clean, carefully crafted beers that continue to represent German brewing standards.

The Rise of Beer Gardens and Community Drinking

Beer gardens are an integral part of German culture. Originating in the 19th century, they were initially created in Bavaria, where breweries stored beer in underground cellars to keep it cool. Trees were planted above these cellars for shade, and soon tables and benches transformed these areas into communal spaces.

Today, the best beer gardens offer much more than just excellent beer—they create an experience. Families and friends share time in these open-air venues, relishing traditional foods like pretzels and bratwurst alongside classic German brews. The convivial atmosphere fosters camaraderie, a fundamental aspect of German beer culture that has inspired craft breweries around the world. Many contemporary craft beer taprooms aim to capture this welcoming, communal spirit.

Oktoberfest and the Festzelt Tradition

Any examination of German beer culture would be incomplete without acknowledging Oktoberfest. This iconic festival, which commenced in 1810 to celebrate a royal wedding, has evolved into a worldwide celebration. Central to Oktoberfest is the Festzelt Tradition, where enormous tents, or “Festzelte,” welcome throngs of beer enthusiasts. Each tent offers a distinct ambiance, ranging from energetic party atmospheres to traditional Bavarian settings filled with folk music and hearty meals.

German breweries craft special Oktoberfest beers—often Märzen or Festbier styles—that boast a richer, maltier profile compared to standard lagers. These unique brews have prompted numerous craft breweries worldwide to develop their own Oktoberfest offerings, preserving the festival’s spirit well beyond Munich.

The Global Influence of German Beer Styles

As the craft beer movement has grown, brewers globally have taken cues from German beer styles. Some of the most notable include:

• Dunkel – This dark, malty lager, featuring caramel and toasty notes, has inspired a fresh wave of brewers to explore malt-forward styles.
• Pilsner – Initially crafted in the Czech Republic but perfected by German brewers, this crisp, golden lager has surged to global popularity.
• Weissbier (Hefeweizen) – Recognized for its hazy look and banana-clove aroma, this wheat beer has impacted American wheat ales and hazy IPAs.
• Bock and Doppelbock – Known for their strength, smoothness, and rich malt profile, these beers set a high standard for winter warmers and high-ABV lagers.

Craft brewers in the United States, in particular, have embraced these styles, adding their unique twist. Many American breweries showcase their interpretations of German classics, all while honoring the brewing principles that make these beers exceptional.

Lederhosen and the Cultural Experience of German Beer

In Germany, beer transcends being just a beverage—it’s a celebration of heritage and identity. Traditional attire such as Lederhosen plays a vital role in beer festivals and gatherings, particularly in Bavaria. Wearing Lederhosen at Oktoberfest or a local beer celebration reflects respect for tradition and immerses individuals in the experience.

Those wishing to embrace a genuine Bavarian style find high-quality Lederhosen indispensable. Whether attending Oktoberfest in Munich or a German beer festival abroad, dressing appropriately enhances the cultural connection.

The Future of German Beer Culture in Craft Brewing

The traditions of German beer continue to shape the modern craft brewing landscape, as brewers globally respect and innovate on classic styles. From exciting beer gardens emerging in cities around the world to small-batch Dunkel lagers crafted by independent breweries, the essence of German brewing is flourishing in new and intriguing ways.

While some craft brewers are testing bold flavors and modern techniques, many still turn to the Reinheitsgebot as a foundation for quality brewing. The dedication to craftsmanship, tradition, and community remains at the core of both German beer culture and the worldwide craft beer movement.

Guest Post

(This was a guest post submitted by Arslan Saleem. He reached out to us wanting to have this published on the site. We did not receive any monetary compensation for this article, and we have kept it as written, with just minor editing for grammatical and formatting purposes.)

Oktoberfest and German Beer Related Articles

• How to Pour a Bavarian Beer the Oktoberfest Way
• Bavaria’s Major Breweries Serving Beer At Oktoberfest Grand Celebration
• Oktoberfest: Beer Expertise Unleashed
• Oktoberfest Beer Season Has Arrived
• Oktoberfest for the Rest
• Tröegs Oktoberfest Returns To Celebrate the German Beer Festival Season
• Troegs Brewing is Releasing Oktoberfest on August 5th
• Human Robot: The First Milk Tube Race in the World: USA vs. The World – Oktoberfest Invitational Beer Fest

Thinking about Oktoberfest? Massive amounts of beer first come to mind—and for good reason! This world-famous festival is all about tradition, celebration, and, of course, raising a Maß (liter-sized mug) of specially brewed drink. But Oktoberfest beer isn’t just any lager you can grab at your local store. It follows strict brewing rules, has a unique taste, and comes in two main styles: the classic Märzen and the lighter Festbier. Only six Munich breweries have the honor of producing this special brewery and calling their beer “ Oktoberfest official” served at the festival.

Revelers drinking at Oktoberfest in Munich

Do You Know? 6.7 million attendees visited and consumed 7 million liters of beer during Oktoberfest 2024. 

Each sip of German-style beer captures a distinct taste. Whether you take at the vibrant festivities or enjoy it at home, what makes Oktoberfest beer so special is its key ingredients and definitive features.

Oktoberfest Beer History – How a Maltier Brew Became an Iconic Tradition

Oktoberfest beer traces back to the early 19th century to celebrate Prince Ludwig’s and Princess Therese’s wedding. Their celebrations lasted for days and resulted in the popularity of a lot from the Bavarian culture, such as the traditional lederhosen and dirndl dress, along with plenty of beer.

The Oktoberfest, which is now called the world’s largest beer festivity, didn’t always feature the brews you associate it with today.  The wedding celebration was such a success that it was repeated the following year and eventually became an annual tradition of what we now know as Oktoberfest, and with it came a beer style that remains iconic.

Initially, the drink served was a darker, maltier brew known as Märzen. It was named after the month of March, when it was traditionally brewed and stored in cool caves over the summer. Märzen remained the official beer for Oktoberfest in Germany for around 100 years due to its amber color and toasty malt profile. But as the celebration grew into an international sensation, festival-goers wanted something even more palatable. Munich’s breweries responded with malt-forward lager with a beautiful light golden to copper color (Festbier). This modern Oktoberfest beer style with a clean finish is served at the festival today.

A woman models German attire for Oktoberfest

American vs. German Styles — What’s the Difference

Same name, Different Beer! If you have picked up an Oktoberfest beer outside of Munich, you might have noticed something different—it won’t taste the same. Many people think Oktoberfest brew is just one style, but it’s not. You may find American and German approaches to this special beer tradition. U.S. breweries took the inspiration from the original Märzen, while in Germany, you taste the modern Festbier. Both styles, however, share a malt-forward character.

• Märzen – The Original Oktoberfest Beer

American Oktoberfest Beers are often Märzen-style. It features an amber color and a slightly sweet taste with notes of toffee, biscuit, and bread. They typically have a medium body and a light toasted malt character. Märzen contains 5.8–6.3% alcohol by volume and is slightly heavier than a German Festbier.

• Festbier – More Refreshing Lager

When you think of Oktoberfest beer in Germany, you’re talking about Festbier—the golden, crisp lager that fills massive mugs in Munich’s beer tents. It tends to be paler and more similar to a Dortmunder-style brewer with a balanced flavor profile. Festbier has a clean fermentation character and provides a toasty-doughy aromatic with an impression of sweetness. This makes it easier to drink in liters at festivities. The color varies, but you will find German versions mostly in golden, like a strong Pils-dominated Helles.

When buying any of the above beer styles, read the label. Märzen is always mentioned in the bottle, but if it displays Oktoberfest, you are drinking Festbier.

What Defines the Oktoberfest Beer— A Representative of Bavarian Heritage

Not just any beer can call itself an Oktoberfest beer. It has a unique character and brewing process that sets it apart from your everyday lagers. The drink served at festivities reflects German centuries-old brewing traditions and makes it a symbol of true celebrations.

It Must Be Brewed in Munich

Only six breweries—Augustiner, Paulaner, Spaten, Hofbräu, Hacker-Pschorr, and Löwenbräu—are allowed to serve “official” Oktoberfest beer at the celebration. Other than these are strictly forbidden at the festivities. These breweries operate large and small beer tents at the Theresienwiese to serve millions of people during the festival. Also, the beer must be brewed within the city limits of Munich to ensure authenticity.

It Follows the Reinheitsgebot (German Purity Law)

The beer must meet specific criteria of Bavarian law to be officially recognized as an Oktoberfest brew. This means it only contains

• Water
• Malted barley
• Hops
• Yeast

No additives or shortcuts!

It Has a Balanced, Malty Flavor

Oktoberfest beer is known for its smooth maltiness. Whether it’s the traditional Märzen or the modern Festbier, the flavor profile is malty, smooth, and highly drinkable, with a good balance of sweetness and hop bitterness.

It Has a Higher Alcohol Content

To give it a strong kick, Oktoberfest beers generally have a higher alcohol content compared to typical lagers. The permitted ABV typically ranges from 5.8% to 6.3%, which can vary by brewery. Hofbräuzelt beer is the strongest, with 6.3% alcohol. This gives it a bit more body and warmth, making it perfect for cool autumn celebrations.

It’s a Lager, Not an Ale

Oktoberfest beer is a bottom-fermented lager. This means it ferments at cooler temperatures for a longer time. The lagering results in a refreshing, smooth taste with fewer fruity or spicy flavors compared to ales. It also adds a crisp and clean finish to Oktoberfest beers.

It’s Made for Drinking by the Liter

One of the key features of Oktoberfest beer is its high drinkability. As you don’t just sip it— you celebrate it every few minutes. The beer is brewed to be enjoyed by the liter (Maßkrug) without feeling too heavy. That’s why modern Festbier is lighter than Märzen—so festival-goers can keep drinking all day long!l

Pairs Perfectly with Traditional Bavarian Cuisine to Enhance the Taste 

Drinking Oktoberfest beer is only half the experience—the other half is savoring it with the perfect Bavarian feast. Whether you’re in a lively beer tent in Munich or hosting your Oktoberfest celebration at home, the right food pairing elevates the flavors of your brew. It makes each sip and bite more satisfying.

If you have Märzen-style, try its malty sweetness and yeasty flavor with

• Roasted Meats—A browned, crisp skin of roast chicken or sausage
• Hearty Dishes— The heat of hearty chili, stews, or schweinshaxe (roast ham hock or pork knuckle with gravy).
• Pretzels — Soft, salty, and chewy baked pretzels dip in Obatzda.
• Desserts — Waffles with syrup, pancakes with jam, or cookies and cake.
• Cheese: Gruyere and Emmental or flavor notes found in accompaniments like jam, nuts, toasted bread, or crackers.

If you have Festbier in Munich, complement its light and crips finish with

• Schnitzel — Veal, pork, or chicken when served with lemon or red berry jam.
• Richer Dishes — Creamier recipies like cheesy noodles (käsespätzle), currywurst, or German potato salad.
• Weisswurst — White sausage presented with sweet mustard and a pretzel.
• Traditional Pairings — Roast chicken or pork, sauerkraut, and potato pancakes.

These pairings complement perfectly with the beers’ flavors and add to the overall enjoyment. The caramelized malt in Märzen doubles the taste of savory, slow-roasted meats. Similarly, the sharper and hoppier notes of Oktoberfestbier cut through the richness of creamy and saucy meals.

Wrapping Up

The rich and unique flavor, traditional roots, and the main brewery crafting procedure make Oktoberfest beer special. It is served in two main forms at different geographical locations. If you are in Munich and purchase a beer, it is most likely a light and smooth-textured Festbier. While outside Germany, breweries love to sell the traditional Märzen. The specific rules regulated to serve beer at Oktoberfest make it a unique experience for millions of visitors and set it apart from regular alcoholic drinks.

German Dancers at Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest and German Beer Related Articles

• How to Pour a Bavarian Beer the Oktoberfest Way
• Bavaria’s Major Breweries Serving Beer At Oktoberfest Grand Celebration
• Oktoberfest: Beer Expertise Unleashed
• Oktoberfest Beer Season Has Arrived
• Oktoberfest for the Rest
• Tröegs Oktoberfest Returns To Celebrate the German Beer Festival Season
• Troegs Brewing is Releasing Oktoberfest on August 5th
• Human Robot: The First Milk Tube Race in the World: USA vs. The World – Oktoberfest Invitational Beer Fest
• The Evolution of German Beer Culture and Its Influence on Craft Brewing

Note

(Editor note: This was an unpaid guest post by Sophia Tyler.)

Thank You For Reading

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• MAPS OF BREWERIES

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The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

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(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

Beer Review: Hocktoberfest by Sterling Pig Brewery: A Festive Brew with a Bold Personality

Hocktoberfest by Sterling Pig Brewery

First Impressions: Crisp and Classic

Hocktoberfest pours a deep amber hue, catching the light just right with a soft, autumnal glow. A frothy white head rises to the top, but doesn’t overstay its welcome, leaving a light lacing around the glass. The aroma hits you immediately: toasted malts, caramel sweetness, and a subtle hint of earthy hops. There’s that unmistakable whiff of baked bread that screams “fall is here” and transports you straight to a German beer garden, even if you’re sipping from your back porch.

The Flavor Profile: Smooth, Malty, and Oh-So-Drinkable

The first sip of Hocktoberfest is like an invitation to a cozy autumn gathering. It’s a full-bodied brew, but not heavy. Sterling Pig nailed the balance between malt sweetness and crispness. The initial taste is rich with caramel malts—think toasted bread with a touch of honey—but it doesn’t veer into cloyingly sweet territory. Instead, it rounds off with a gentle, slightly spicy bitterness from the hops that gives it a clean, refreshing finish.

One of the standout features of this Märzen is its smooth drinkability. At 5.8% ABV, Hocktoberfest is approachable, making it a perfect candidate for a lengthy session or pairing with hearty fall fare. (We’re thinking bratwurst, soft pretzels, and maybe even a slice of apple strudel.) It has a medium carbonation, which keeps things light and lively without distracting from the rich malt flavors.

The Experience: A Beer Built for Community

What really sets Hocktoberfest apart from the many other Oktoberfest beers flooding the market is its ability to feel both familiar and unique. Sterling Pig Brewery has crafted a beer that feels like it’s meant to be shared at long tables with friends, swapping stories, and enjoying the best that the fall season has to offer. There’s a communal vibe to this beer—one that encourages you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the moment.

The brewery’s playful branding only adds to the experience. Named after the pig—a cheeky nod to both their brewery and the pig roasts that often accompany Oktoberfest celebrations—Hocktoberfest brings a sense of fun and festivity to the table. And that’s what drinking good beer should be all about, right?

Pairing Suggestions: Feast Your Senses

If you’re going to throw an Oktoberfest party, Hocktoberfest is your beer of choice. As mentioned earlier, it pairs beautifully with all the fall comfort foods. Imagine biting into a savory bratwurst or a roasted pork shank while washing it down with this malty goodness. The beer’s caramel notes will enhance the richness of meats, while its crisp finish keeps your palate refreshed for another bite. Not into meat? No worries—this beer works wonders with roasted vegetables, aged cheeses, or a pretzel loaded with mustard.

If you’re like me and enjoy your beer with a sweet treat, grab a slice of caramel apple pie or some ginger snaps. The malts in Hocktoberfest will complement the caramel while the mild hop bitterness balances the sweetness, making it a match made in autumn heaven.

Final Verdict: A Märzen Masterpiece

Sterling Pig’s Hocktoberfest isn’t just another Oktoberfest beer; it’s a celebration in a glass. Whether you’re a seasoned craft beer aficionado or just dipping your toes into the world of seasonal brews, this Märzen has something to offer. It’s flavorful without being overwhelming, approachable without being boring, and festive without being gimmicky.

So, as the leaves start to turn and the nights get cooler, do yourself a favor and grab a pint of Hocktoberfest. Better yet, grab a six-pack, invite some friends over, and toast to good beer, good company, and the best season of the year. Prost!

Untappd Stats

My Untappd Rating: ***.75
Global Average Untappd Rating: 3.69 (as of 10.17.24)

Untappd Description: Our seasonal Marzen Lager has a solid malt backbone with notes of roasted malt and caramel. Best enjoyed in a stein the size of your head.

Sterling Pig Brewery’s website description: When it comes to our fest fest bier, we use only the best ingredients to achieve the smooth and malty brew you’ve come to know and love. This balanced and flavorful, amber-colored ale is brewed with a combination of malts and hops that produce rich and clean notes of caramel and malt. Note that this seasonal brew is best enjoyed fresh and preferably in a stein the size of your head. (It’s Oktoberfest, we don’t make the rules..)

Sterling Pig Brewery ships Hocktoberfest in four packs and cases to PA, DC, or VA. You can find Hocktoberfest here: Sterling Pig Brewery – Hocktoberfest.

Sterling Pig Brewery

Sterling Pig Brewery, based in Media, Pennsylvania, has quickly made a name for itself in the local craft beer scene. Founded in 2015, the brewery combines a passion for bold, flavorful beers with a sense of fun and community. Their mascot—a mischievous pig—embodies the playful, down-to-earth vibe that Sterling Pig aims to deliver in both their beers and their brewery experience. Whether you’re visiting their cozy brewpub or grabbing a pint at a local beer fest, the brewery has a welcoming, unpretentious atmosphere that makes you want to kick back and stay for a while.

At the heart of Sterling Pig’s success is their dedication to quality. Each beer is meticulously crafted, using a blend of traditional brewing techniques and creative innovation. From hop-forward IPAs to balanced lagers like Hocktoberfest, Sterling Pig’s lineup showcases a broad range of flavors that appeal to all types of beer drinkers. Their brewers are constantly experimenting, and you can often find limited-edition and seasonal releases on tap, giving patrons something new to look forward to with each visit.

(See Also: Top 6 BBQ Spots to Visit in or Around Philadelphia – Including Sterling Pig Brewery)

What truly sets Sterling Pig apart is their sense of community. Much like Hocktoberfest, their beers are built for sharing with friends, whether you’re gathered around the table at their brewpub or celebrating at home. The brewery frequently hosts events like trivia nights, live music, and even pig roasts, creating a lively, communal atmosphere where beer lovers can come together. It’s this combination of great beer, a friendly vibe, and a commitment to the craft that makes Sterling Pig Brewery a standout in the Pennsylvania brewing scene.

So, the next time you crack open a Hocktoberfest, know that you’re getting more than just a well-made Märzen—you’re supporting a brewery that values community, creativity, and the simple joys of enjoying good beer with great company.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of August 2024.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

Troegs Oktoberfest Lager (photo courtesy of Troegs Brewing)

That Time of Year Again

Its August…. so you know what that means….. Oktoberfest! (No seriously, hear me out, its time for Oktoberfest.)

Although already out in the wild via the newest variety pack – Perpetual Exploration Variety Pack 3 – the Oktoberfest by Troegs Independent Brewing officially hits the shelves of their brewery on Monday, August 5th 2024. It will be going out to distribution shortly thereafter. (The variety pack started showing up in places like West Connection Beer Vault and others as early as July 26th. The variety pack includes Perpetual IPA, Graffiti Highway IPA, Hopora IPA, and the Oktoberfest.)

Oktoberfest will be on draft starting the following week – August 12th – at the brewery.

(Last year Oktoberfest was released on August 1st.)

Tröegs Oktoberfest

By boiling a portion of the mash, we create a bright, dry maltiness.

John Trogner – Tröegs brewmaster and co-founder

Tröegs Oktoberfest is 6.1% ABV – not too high and not too low either. The lager is true to its origins, a good toasty lager that would make any Bavarian happy. Brewer tasting notes for the Oktoberfest are caramel, toasted oats, sweet caramel, fresh baked bread, and flowering herbs.

Troegs Independent Craft Brewing collaborated with German artist David Leutert to make the can label and some of the artwork on merchandise. They have also collaborated with another artist for the tee shirts that will be released to celebrate the Oktoberfest season. Leutert took inspiration from the Bavarian flag and the traditional bier halls of Bavaria to create the design. Festzelte is the Bavarian bier gardens that you see traditionally in pop culture with the tents and the white and blue everywhere.

Lagers

Troegs Brewing has several lagers to scratch any lager fan’s itch. They have the year round Troegenator Double Bock, they have the Sunshine Pilsner, they also currently have When in Doubt (a helles lager) and they’ve had some recent scratch lagers – Scratch 511 and 514 in particular. The Oktoberfest Lager joins their Long Live Lagers celebration series.

(See also: The Rise of Craft Lagers in Pennsylvania Breweries)

Oktoberfest Lager can be found in 12-oz bottles and 12-oz cans. You can use their Tröegs Brew Finder to find it.

For More Information on Troegs Independent Craft Brewing

According to Untappd, Troegs Independent Craft Brewing is a regional brewery with 151 unique beers listed (despite their being over 500 Scratches). (A lot of vintage and variants get consolidated into single unique listings as well.) They have 2.3 Million ratings and as of 8.3.24 have a global average rating of 3.79. Their Untappd bio reads:

“Founded in Pennsylvania in 1997 by brothers John and Chris Trogner, Tröegs Independent Brewing is driven by a sense of adventure and curiosity. Our brewery has been built by family, friends and kindred spirits who share a love of great beer. Together, we all make Tröegs. You might know our Perpetual IPA, the best-selling IPA in Pennsylvania. Or the dark, malty and crisp Troegenator. You may have come across such iconic beers as Nugget Nectar or Mad Elf in your beer travels. Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to try one or two of the hundreds of experimental Scratch Series beers we’ve brewed over the years. Whether you’re already a member of our extended family or you’re just getting to know our brewery, there’s always something new to discover with Tröegs.“

You can find them at the following social media pages:

• Troegs.com (Official Website)
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing (Facebook)
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing (Instagram)
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing @ Twitter
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing (Untappd)

More Troegs Independent Craft Brewing Related Articles

Looking for more Troegs in your diet? Here’s some other Troegs Independent Craft Brewing related articles we’ve written:

• Troegs Brewing and Wigle Whiskey Team Up to Bring Peach Whiskey Back
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing Adds 1,628 Solar Panels To Their Brewery
• Beer Review: Double Blizzard (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• The Mad Elf Gets a Face Lift – Troegs Independent Craft Brewing Changes The Mad Elf’s Look
• Troegs Brewing Releasing Cordial Elf
• Beer Review: Double Nugget Nectar (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Beer Review: Grand Cacao (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Beer Review: Scratch 417 (Orange Lemon Peel) (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Beer Review: Haze Charmer (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Beer Review: Scratch 400 (Pre – Prohibition Lager) (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Multiple Beer Review: Scratch 394, Scratch 395, Scratch 396, and Mad Elf (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Two Beer Review: Fresh Fest and Trail Day Pale Ale (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Multiple Beer Reviews: Fest Lager, Scratch 385 – Krausened Dunkel Lager, and Scratch 386 – Tangerine Passionfruit Guava Tart Ale (Troegs Independent Craft Brewery)
• Beer Review: Fuzzy Nudge (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Multiple Beer Reviews: Scratch 382 – Blackberry Lime Tart Ale, Scratch 383 – Hazy IPA (Citra, Galaxy & Simcoe), Dear Peter, and Naked Elf (Troegs Brewing Company)
• Multiple Beer Review – Brewery Flight (Troegs) – Beers – Scratch #379 – Krausened Keller Pilsner, Scratch #378 – DIPA, Scratch #377 – Oat IPA, and Scratch #376 – Passionfruit & Guava Tart Ale
• Beer Review: Scratch 375: Coco-Nator (Troegs Independent Brewing Company)
• From Philly to Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania’s Top Craft Breweries You Must Visit
• Hershey Bears Celebrate Calder Cup Championship at Troegs Brewery
• Troegs Brewing Company Adds Hopora IPA to Their Seasonal Hop Cycle Series
• Beer Review: Tropical Stout (Troegs Independent Brewing and Windy Bridges Brewing LLC)
• Oktoberfest Lager Returns to Troegs Independent Brewing (Troegs Independent Brewing’s Oktoberfest Lager Has Returned)
• Tröegs Hop Cyclone Releases Today
• Master of Pumpkins Returns for 2023 with Over 3,000 Pounds of Fresh Local Pumpkins
• The Naked Elf Returns for 2023
• Troegs Announces Gingerbread Cookie Stout
• Troegs Brewing Adding Graffiti Highway IPA and DIPA
• Bourbon Barrel Aged Triple Nator Releasing at Troegs Brewery
• Enchilada Stuffed Peppers and Sunshine Pilsner
• Troegs Brewing to Release Second Cut in Spring 2024
• Troegs Brewing Releasing Cyclops Teardrops This Thursday
• Hops and Vines for Hunger Kick-Off Event at Troegs Brewery
• Mad Elf Set to Release on October 9th
• Troegs Independent Brewing is Releasing Scratch 500 and Scratch 501 – Double Perpetual IPA and Triple Perpetual IPA
• Tröegs Independent Brewing Mad Elf Grand Cru Returns In Limited Cork and Cage Bottles
• Tröegs Brewing Releasing the Most Wonderful Beer of the Year Sampler on Monday
• Recipe: Crispy Beer Roast Turkey (using Troegenator)
• Troegs Brewing Releasing Night Gazer Stout
• Nugget Nectar Is Being Released the Day After Christmas
• Troegs Brewing to Release Sunshine Salt and Lime Lager in 2024
• Troegs and Patagonia Collaborate for Kernza Lager Release
• Troegs Brewing and Dewey Beer Releasing a Collaboration – Adventure Was Promised
• Troegs Brewing Releases Field Study Summer IPA
• First Cut – Mango IPA – Is Coming Out on Thursday February 22nd
• Troegs Brewing Releasing Leisure Cruise
• Troegs Brewing Teaming Up with Warwick Farm and Free Will For Releases
• Troegs Brewing, AntiFragile Brewing, Sworn Brewing, and Warwick Brewing Team Up for Storm the Field IPA
• Troegs Brewing and Tonewood Brewing Collaborate for Brothers Gotta Hug
• Troegs Brewing Creating Super Duper Juicer
• Troegs Brewing Releasing Second Cut Mango Double IPA
• Bikes and Brews Returns April 27th
• Troegs Brewing Releases 15 – Can Summer Variety Pack
• Hopora Returns for July 2024

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

I was feeling in the mood to split a beer or two, maybe three with Grandma SueAnn.  Yesterday she kicked butt. Cumulative fundraising of $800 for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on City Island and also volunteering at the walk event.  It was definitely some time to celebrate.

Zoktoberfest by KCBC – Kings County Brewers Collective

We started off with the Zoktoberfest by KCBC.  I am going to be honest, it is because of my driving.  When I showed up to Grandma SueAnn’s house, the Devious Imperial Pumpkin  had escaped the bag I was totting along.  I was still scared enough that I held it over the sink when I opened it!

The Zoktoberfest comes in with a 5.4% ABV and it has an overall untapped rating of 3.75.  It is described as “Smooth, bready malt character, with Clean earthy bitterness. Finishes crisp and dry. Crushable.  Brewed with 100% German malt and hops.  Worthy of your best lederhosen and your finest stein.”

This doesn’t feel like our typical marzen.  Grandma SueAnn and I tasted more of the bready malty flavors but then very crisp and light caramel.  Untapped has a few confused check ins too. 

(A hodge – podge of Untappd reviews of Zoktoberfest by KC BC – Kings County Brewers Collective)

And that is exactly how I’d describe it “Bit thin flavored” The flavors are all there but they are subtle and do nothing to excite me.  Grandma SueAnn concluded “It was just ok.” 

Devious Imperial Pumpkin by Fegley Brew Works

After some laundry checks and dogs walked it was time for the next beer.  I think I was scared of the Devious Imperial Pumpkin by Fegley’s Brew Works. 

Devious Imperial Pumpkin (DIP) comes in at a 9% ABV and an overall untapped rating of 3.77.  It is described as “Amber-hued and expertly brewed with real pumpkin, pale, Munich and caramel malts, this ale pours a frothy dark ruby color with enchanting aromas of pumpkin pie, spiced cookies and nutmeg.  A harmonious blend of ginger, cinnamon, clove and allspice balances natural pumpkin sweetness, revealing rich undertones of toffee, squash and clove.  Finished with unique notes of spiced pumping seeds and blood orange marmalade, this full bodied ale offers a sophisticated and delightful taste of the season, crafted with unmated passion and quality.”

Ah yes, we love a good pumpkin beer.  Not sweet and not too spicy.  Grandma SueAnn describes it as a beer you don’t even have to think about.  You just drink it and enjoy it.  You know what?  She is right.  It was so easy to just enjoy this well balanced pumpkin beer on a chilly fall day. 

• Drink More Beer!
• Amy

Post – Script

Ben jumping on here. Just want to say that Amy did an absolutely amazing job this weekend of helping Francis organize, run, and execute the Walk to End ALZ event on City Island at FNB Field in Harrisburg, PA yesterday. She absolutely puts her everything into it and always does such an amazing job. You can tell that she really cares hard about the quality and work that she does, and that she really cares about the cause.

Grandma SueAnn is no exception to that as well. She helped raise a lot of money for “Team Grandma Squared” and in honor of her mother.

It was also Grandma SueAnne’s 69th birthday on Friday night. After I got off work, we went over to Official BBQ and Brewpub in back of Rutherford (on Lyter Lane). Absolutely fantastic BBQ, and good brews as well. Micah and Aaron Delp do an amazing job there. If you check out our Instagram page you’ll soon see pics of our dinner at Official BBQ as well as pics from the Walk to End ALZ event.

Thank you for reading.

Amy’s Column Series

Since getting back to writing for the blog after a short hiatus, Amy has started up a weekly column style writing for the blog. You can find these articles here:

• Brewfests with Anxiety (Amy’s original weekly column start)
• I’ve Missed Drinking (A Look at Non Alcoholic Beers)
• Beer and Pretzel Review: Legends and Lore (St. Boniface Brewing Company) and Garlic Parm Pretzels (Pretzels.com)
• Peanut Butter Eggs, Easter, Beer, and YAH Brew’s Shimmy Shake (Beer Review)
• Cox Brewing Company: Back to Their Roots
• Amy’s Day Off
• It Was All A Dream (A Visit to YAH Brewing)
• Just Another Weekend (A Hike at Saint Pete’s Trail and Hares Hill Brewing)
• I’m Pretty Darn Lucky (Happy Mother’s Day)
• Ready to Kick of the Summer
• Beer Review: Beer Devil IPA (Niagara Brewing Company)
• World MS Day
• Have you ever picked a beer based on the can art?
• Happy Father’s Day
• What is Your Summer Time Go To Beer?
• Holiday Weekend and Bomber Bottles
• Baby’s First Ffej
• We Can’t Always Be a Glutton Right? – Perfect Portions and Allusion Brewing Company
• Beer Review: Pocono Punch (Barley Creek Brewing Company)
• Getting Sworn In: A Sneak Preview of Sworn Brewing
• Beer Review: Tropical Stout (Troegs Independent Brewing and Windy Bridges Brewing LLC)
• RAR Brewing Brings the Nostalgia with Muppets Out of Order Series
• Happy Birthday to Ben
• Brewery Review: Cold Spring Inn and Brewery
• Hummelstown Doesn’t Deserve Maritza
• Enchilada Stuffed Peppers and Sunshine Pilsner
• Master of Pumpkins, Cupcakes, Cookies, and Bacon Cheeseburgers
• A Beer Review by Grandma SueAnn (Beer Review: Braaaiins! by Spring House Brewing Company)
• Grandma SueAnn and More Beer: Beer Reviews of: Zaktoberfest (KCBC – Kings County Brewers Collective) and Devious Imperial Pumpkin (Fegley Brew Works)
• You can find all of Amy’s articles here: Amy’s Archive of Articles.

(And please take a moment to fill out Amy’s survey on her ‘Holiday Weekend and Bomber Bottles‘ column.)

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

If you would like to help keep the blog running soundly and smoothly, you may donate to us to help us keep the costs of the blog to a minimum. We greatly appreciate it. Thank you. (Clicking this link will take you to the page to make a donation. Thank you very much for helping us stay afloat!)

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

Its August 1st…

Its August 1st…. and so you know what that means…. its time for Oktoberfest! Yes, it doesn’t seem as ridiculous as it sounds. Firstly – Germany celebrates Oktoberfest in September, and secondly, distribution and sales and marketing dictates release dates – not the Pennsylvanian weather.

The Mad Elf has been put away, Christmas in July is over, and now its time to bring out the Oktoberfest. The next great season of the calendar year is upon us.

The general store at Tröegs is cleared out of the Mad Elf, the Mad Elf Grand Cru, and all of the other Christmas in July items and drinks, and now in comes the Oktoberfest, soon will come in Hop Cyclone, and the fall season starts to begin to get underway at Tröegs Brewery.

Tröegs Oktoberfest

By boiling a portion of the mash, we create a bright, dry maltiness.

John Trogner – Tröegs brewmaster and co-founder

Tröegs Oktoberfest is 6.1% ABV – not too high and not too low either. The lager is true to its origins, a good toasty lager that would make any Bavarian happy. Brewer tasting notes for the Oktoberfest are caramel, toasted oats, sweet caramel, fresh baked bread, and flowering herbs.

Troegs Independent Craft Brewing collaborated with German artist David Leutert to make the can label and some of the artwork on merchandise. They have also collaborated with another artist for the tee shirts that will be released to celebrate the Oktoberfest season. Leutert took inspiration from the Bavarian flag and the traditional bier halls of Bavaria to create the design. Festzelte is the Bavarian bier gardens that you see traditionally in pop culture with the tents and the white and blue everywhere.

Lagers

Troegs Brewing has several lagers to scratch any lager fan’s itch. They have the year round Troegenator Double Bock, they have the Sunshine Pilsner, they also currently have When in Doubt (a helles lager) and they’ve had some recent scratch lagers – Scratch 491 and 496 in particular. The Oktoberfest Lager joins their Long Live Lagers celebration series.

Oktoberfest Lager can be found in 12-oz bottles and 12-oz cans. You can use their Tröegs Brew Finder to find it.

Oktoberfest Celebration

Troegs Independent Craft Brewing has announced that their yearly Oktoberfest will be ten days this year. Running from September 14th to September 24th. They will have beer releases, as well as new merchandise for the event, and of course German authentic food and steins as well.

More Troegs Independent Craft Brewing Related Articles

Looking for more Troegs in your diet? Here’s some other Troegs Independent Craft Brewing related articles we’ve written:

• Troegs Brewing and Wigle Whiskey Team Up to Bring Peach Whiskey Back
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing Adds 1,628 Solar Panels To Their Brewery
• Beer Review: Double Blizzard (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• The Mad Elf Gets a Face Lift – Troegs Independent Craft Brewing Changes The Mad Elf’s Look
• Beer Review: Double Nugget Nectar (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Beer Review: Grand Cacao (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Beer Review: Scratch 417 (Orange Lemon Peel) (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Beer Review: Haze Charmer (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Beer Review: Scratch 400 (Pre – Prohibition Lager) (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Multiple Beer Review: Scratch 394, Scratch 395, Scratch 396, and Mad Elf (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Two Beer Review: Fresh Fest and Trail Day Pale Ale (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Multiple Beer Reviews: Fest Lager, Scratch 385 – Krausened Dunkel Lager, and Scratch 386 – Tangerine Passionfruit Guava Tart Ale (Troegs Independent Craft Brewery)
• Beer Review: Fuzzy Nudge (Troegs Independent Craft Brewing)
• Multiple Beer Reviews: Scratch 382 – Blackberry Lime Tart Ale, Scratch 383 – Hazy IPA (Citra, Galaxy & Simcoe), Dear Peter, and Naked Elf (Troegs Brewing Company)
• Multiple Beer Review – Brewery Flight (Troegs) – Beers – Scratch #379 – Krausened Keller Pilsner, Scratch #378 – DIPA, Scratch #377 – Oat IPA, and Scratch #376 – Passionfruit & Guava Tart Ale
• Beer Review: Scratch 375: Coco-Nator (Troegs Independent Brewing Company)
• From Philly to Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania’s Top Craft Breweries You Must Visit
• Hershey Bears Celebrate Calder Cup Championship at Troegs Brewery
• Troegs Brewing Company Adds Hopora IPA to Their Seasonal Hop Cycle Series
• Beer Review: Tropical Stout (Troegs Independent Brewing and Windy Bridges Brewing LLC)
• Oktoberfest Lager Returns to Troegs Independent Brewing (Troegs Independent Brewing’s Oktoberfest Lager Has Returned)

For More Information on Troegs Independent Craft Brewing

• Troegs.com (Official Website)
• Double Blizzard of Hops – Troegs Official Merchandise Page
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing (Facebook)
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing (Instagram)
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing @ Twitter
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing (Untappd)

According to Untappd, Troegs Independent Craft Brewing is a regional brewery with 148 unique beers listed (despite them nearing scratch 500). They have nearly 2.3 Million ratings and as of 8.1.23 have a global average rating of 3.79. Their Untappd bio reads:

“Founded in Pennsylvania in 1997 by brothers John and Chris Trogner, Tröegs Independent Brewing is driven by a sense of adventure and curiosity. Our brewery has been built by family, friends and kindred spirits who share a love of great beer. Together, we all make Tröegs. You might know our Perpetual IPA, the best-selling IPA in Pennsylvania. Or the dark, malty and crisp Troegenator. You may have come across such iconic beers as Nugget Nectar or Mad Elf in your beer travels. Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to try one or two of the hundreds of experimental Scratch Series beers we’ve brewed over the years. Whether you’re already a member of our extended family or you’re just getting to know our brewery, there’s always something new to discover with Tröegs.“

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

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(Editorial Note: This article was originally written and submitted to Breweries in PA. They will be publishing it in roughly one weeks time on their page and FaceBook page. It was written by lead writer here at The Beer Thrillers – B. Kline, and is being posted here as well. This was a guest-article written by B. Kline for Breweries in PA. Since there is some pertinent and timely information included in the article [namely Tattered Flag & Levante’s Tap Takeovers and Can Releases for 9.7.19] this article is being posted here and now. When it is posted on the Breweries in PA website and FaceBook page, links will be provided to the article’s locations there. Likewise, since this was created for their site and blog, as well as written in Microsoft Online Word DOC the formatting may be off in some places. When the mistakes are noticed, we will try and correct them. -The Beer Thrillers staff.)

Breweries Around the Outskirts of Harrisburg 
By: B. Kline 

In the area surrounding Hummelstown (17036), there is several breweries. In all directions, roughly within 5 miles, there is some fantastic breweries in Hershey, Middletown, and the outskirts of Harrisburg like Rutherford and Union Station. I’m going to take a look at a few of these and suggest a nice weekend trip to these locations that won’t take a lot of your time up, and what all events and plans they currently have going on. In this article, we will be taking a look at Troegs Brewery, Boneshire Brew Works, Newfangled Brew Works, and Tattered Flag Brewery and Distillery.  

There is a lot of great choices of breweries in Pennsylvania, and even in just Harrisburg itself, there is several fantastic choices. Coming from the small town of Hummelstown itself (where I’m located – B. Kline – writer for the blog The Beer Thrillers). In Harrisburg central there is ZeroDay Brewing, The Millworks, and The Vegetable Hunter. Along the outskirts of Harrisburg in Rutherford you will find Boneshire Brew Works and in a small development off of Union Deposit in Union Station you’ll find Newfangled Brew Works. In Hershey you’ll find Troegs Independent Craft Brewing and Iron Hill Brewery. In Middletown you will find Tattered Flag Brewery and Distillery. And soon, in the future in Hummelstown you’ll be able to enjoy some beverages at the old police station by Rubber Soul Brewing.  

I’ve decided to write this in the best route method for driving and convenience. I debated exactly how I wanted to write-up the breweries of Boneshire Brew Works, Newfangled Brew Works, Tattered Flag, and Troegs, and decided this might be the best and most logical way. The times I’ve done this ‘brewery trail’ this is always the way I’ve done it, and it also stops the ‘why was X first and Y last’ arguments. So lets take a look at these four breweries, what they got to offer on tap, what they got going on, and why their worth a stop in and check out. 

Newfangled Brew Works 

Located At: 8001 Union Station Blvd, Harrisburg, PA 17111 
Untappd Link: https://untappd.com/NewfangledBrewWorks 
 

Newfangled Brew Works is located inside Union Station, a recent development built off of Union Deposit Road (a long road that connects Harrisburg to several of the smaller towns in the area like South Hanover Township, Union Deposit, Hoernerstown, and even to Hershey). It is right as you enter into the development in a large building conjoined with its restaurant pairing – Koda. Koda is a high scale restaurant located to the right of the main entrance into Newfangled. Newfangled also has its own built-in Taco Truck tucked away in the back lefthand corner. 

Lets discuss the food first, the taco truck has fabulous tacos, quesadillas, and other taco and Mexican related foods. Artisanal tacos is the best way to describe these, as this is definitely no Taco Bell menu (and a whole heck of a lot better tasting too). Their food menu can be found here: Food, their hours of operation are: Sunday  11AM-9PM, Monday-Friday 4PM-9PM, and Saturday 12PM-10PM.  

Pictured here is the quesadilla taco from the taco truck, with the added beef meat it came to be 7.42$ (pre-tip). Beer picture is the Guava Lemonade Kettle Sour. The taco was extremely delicious and the kettle sour washed it down perfectly. This is the side-porch and patio area to the left of the building (when facing the entrance).  

The brewery itself currently has 16 beers on tap for consumption. Some of their own, and a few others. Of their own currently on tap they have: 

• Passionfruit Blonde Ale – Blonde Ale – 5% 

• Ariana Flockhart – Blonde Ale – 4.9% 
• Blood Orange Blonde Ale – Blonde Ale – 5% 
• Guava Lemonade Kettle Sour – Sour – 5.6% 
• Kettle Sour – Sour – 5.6% 
• Brut IPA – IPA – Brut – 7.7% 

• Double IPA – IPA – Imperial – 8.2% 
• Irish Red Ale – Red Ale – Irish – 6% 
• Saison – Farmhouse Ale – Saison – 6.8% 
• Newfangled American Wheat – Wheat Beer – 5.2% 
• Lager – Lager – 5.2% 

• IPA – IPA – American – 5.8% 
• Stout – Stout – American – 6.5% 

The non-Newfangled Beers on tap are: 

• Yuengling Lager – Lager – 4.5% (Yuengling Brewery) 
• Standard – Cider – 5.5% (Big Hill Ciderworks) 

I have currently had all but their lager, double IPA, Brut IPA, and the blood orange blonde ale. I have enjoyed everything I’ve had so far. Found nothing to be horrible or terrible and no off flavors or infected beers.  

They offer their beers right now in pints or traditional pours, dependent on the style, as well as half pours and flights. Pricing is your normal fair for a craft brewery (5$-7/8$ depending on style and costs to make the beer).  

Currently, Newfangled Brew Works has produced 22 unique beers, and has a global average rating of 3.73. 

Upcoming events for Newfangled are:  

• Live Music – Fridays and Saturdays 7PM – 10PM 
• Trivia – Wednesdays 630PM – 830PM   

Boneshire Brew Works 
Located At: 7462 Derry St, Harrisburg, PA 17111 
Untappd Link: https://untappd.com/BoneshireBrewWorks 

Coming down the road from Newfangled and getting onto Nyes Road it will lead you to Derry Street. From there you take a right hand turn and find yourself after a few blocks at Boneshire Brew Works. Boneshire was started by Alan Miller, Carson Brooks, and Alex Govelovich.  

Boneshire’s brewery is a small little ‘pub’ style brewery. As soon as you enter you feel already a member of a club where everybody knows your name. If you’ve been there once, your second time there, you are a ‘regular’ and quickly become on a first name basis with all of the staff.  

Currently food is limited to a few behind the bar items like pickle flights and bologna, but it is a BYOB environment with a pizzeria just two doors down (to the left of the building is a Crossfit and after that is the pizza shop, how lucky are those crossfit hard-workers being “stuck” between a pizza shop and a brewery?).  

Boneshire currently offers a taplist of their own, as well as a taplist of several breweries from Pennsylvania. Their current taplist is: 

Their own: 

• Dillston – Red Ale – Irish – 5.5% (made with Greystone Public House) 
• Caucus-Race (6.0 Zappa Hops) – IPA – American – 7.5% 

• Harrishire – Smoked – 7.3% (made in collaboration with Harris Family Brewery) 
• AuZealand 2.0 – IPA – American – 6.3% 
• Dark of the Forest (barrel aged) – Stout – Coffee – 10% 
• Derry St. Wheat – Hefeweizen – 5% 
• Good Walk Spoiled – Sour – 4.5%       

Guest tap lists: 

• Jelsa – Mead – Melomel – 12% (Larsen Meadworks) 
• Magic… Under Where? – Pale Ale – 5.5% (Pizza Boy Brewing) 
• Kriek Nouveau – Sour – 6.9% (Free Will Brewing Co.) 
• Brawler – English Mild – 4.2% (Yards Brewing Co.) 

• Pils – Pilsner – German – 4.7% (Stoudts Brewing) 
• Summer Scrumpy – Cider – 5.5% (Big Hill Ciderworks) 
• Fruit Wagon – Sour – 6.3% (Saucony Brewing Company) 
• Java Cask – Stout – Imperial Double – 14.3% (Victory Brewing) 
• Pikeland Pils – Pilsner – German – 4.9% (Slyfox Brewing) 

Boneshire Brewery has a steady string of events going on.  Mondays are D&D nights, Tuesdays alternate between Open Mic Nights and Bar Bingo nights, Wednesdays are trivia nights, Thursdays are live music nights. Their Facebook page has a full list of events with the band names already signed on for each Thursday through October. They also occasionally have live music on Saturday nights. 

Boneshire also does cans to go, in 4-packs of most of their in-house made beers. A few exceptions based on styles and things, but nearly all of their brewery beers are set to go. And typically at much better prices than a pint at the bar. They also do growler fills. 

They currently have 126 uniquely produced beers with a global average rating of 3.82 on Untappd. 

Tattered Flag Brewery and Distillery 

Located At: 1 S Union St Middletown, PA 
Untappd Link: https://untappd.com/TatteredFlagBrewery 

Leaving Boneshire we can get right up onto 322 from Derry Street. There we can then turn right and get off at the Hummelstown / Middletown exit and go along Middletown Road (which becomes Vine Street), not much further we’ll turn right onto Main Street and then turn left to get onto Union and we are at our next destination. Middletown’s first (and so far only) brewery and distillery – Tattered Flag. 

Veteran owned and having just hit their third anniversary they have really been pumping out some outstanding beers in recent history. With new brewing crew of Dave Marrow, Justin Hoak, and Cliff Plank, they have been putting out exceptional IPAs (NE IPAS specifically) and sours. They were just voted Harrisburg best Brewery and Distillery.  

They have been doing some excellent collaborations with numerous breweries in the last few months as well. Beers with Wolf Brewing Co. , Levante Brewing, Abomination Brewing, and up and comer Pilger Ruh Brewing.  

They have a downstairs bar that is also their coffee shop as well as the distillery area. It was called the Nuclear Bean but on Untappd they refer to the bar as the Distillery Bar now. They also have their main restaurant and bar upstairs, though you can order food at either location.  

At the downstairs Nuclear Bean / coffee shop / distillery bar, you can order drinks. Their taplist there currently is:  

• NP Project – Kombucha (Renewal Kombucha) 
• Nuclear Bean Nitro Cold Brew – Coffee 

• Blue Raider Kolsch – Kolsch – 5.2% 
• Teutonic Knight Hefeweizen – Hefeweizen – 5.4% 
• Fatum Series Ale – Strawberry – Sour – 6% 
• Because I Was Inverted (Mango) – IPA – Milkshake – 6.6% 
• Makin’ Love at Midnight (2019) – IPA – Milkshake – 7.8%  

• Silent Professional Foxtrot – Farmhouse Ale – Saison – 7.8% 
• New Zealand Hop Test – IPA – Imperial Double – 8% 
• Don’t Cryo’ver Spilled Milk – IPA – Milkshake – 8% 
• TMI IPA – IPA – American – 6.5% 

They also have cans to go, which you can pick up upstairs or downstairs, there list of cans to go currently are: 

• Tattered Abomination – IPA – New England – 7.8% (made with Abomination Brewing) 
• Prepare to be Flabbergasted – Sour – 7% 
• Teutonic Knight Hefeweizen 
• Blue Raider Kolsch 
• O’Dusseldorf Rules – Altbier – 5% 

• Honey I Added More Hops – IPA – New England – 7% 
• Double Knife Fight in Space – IPA – New England – 8% 
• Makin’ Love at Midnight 2.0 – IPA – American – 7.5% 
• Step 1 Brew Beer Step 2 ? Step 3 Profit – IPA – New England – 8% 
• Makin’ Love at Midnight (Sour) – Sour – 7.8% 

• TMI IPA 

Their taplist upstairs currently is: 

• Silent Professional Foxtrot 
• Blue Raider Kolsch 

• Teutonic Knight Hefeweizen 
• DDH Double IPA – IPA – Imperial / Double – New England – 8.4% 
• Swattier Divide (2018) – IPA – New England – 8.2% 
• Step 1 Brew Beer Step 2 ? Step 3 Profit 
• TMI IPA 

• Don’t Cryo’ver Spilled Milk 
• Should’ve Got a Warrant – Sour – 7.6% 
• Stars and Stripes 20.19 – IPA – New England – 7.8% 
• Sparklerz (Meyer Lemon) – Hard Seltzer – 5% 
• Five Sided Puzzle Palace – Stout – Imperial / Double – 12% (Levante Brewing colab) 

• Because I Was Inverted (Mango) 
• Double Knife Fight in Space 
• Groundhops Day – IPA – New England – 6% 
• Honey I Added More Hops 
• Makin’ Love at Midnight (sour) 

• Prepare to be Flabbergasted 
• Tattered Abomination 

Make sure to check out my blog (The Beer Thrillers) for reviews on Prepare to be Flabbergasted, Tattered Abomination, and Makin’ Love at Midnight (Sour) all due to being posted within the next several days.  

I’m not much of a foody, but I do love going to Tattered Flag or helping with their canning run, just to get to eat there. It is top notch gourmet style food. All bases covered, from hot dogs and hamburgers, to salads, to tacos and quesadillas, to steaks, and seafood. Everything is covered and everything is absolutely phenomenal.  

This weekend, Tattered Flag and Levante Brewing are doing their big release. Saturday, September 7^th, starting at 11AM, they will be selling cans of their collaboration with Levante Brewing – Wasted Away Again, a key-lime pie sour. They will also be selling cans of their collaboration with Levante Brewing – Five Sided Puzzle Palace. As well as having several of Levante’s beers on tap in the brewery. Ontop of this, from 1PM to 4PM the Hershey Biergarten in downtown Hershey will be selling their cans and having the beers on tap as well. Tattered Flag and Levante will also be featured at sip of Soma.

Of course I have to mention that you should check out the distillery if you have any inclination in liquors. Dan, the distiller for Tattered Flag is amazing and provides exceptional spirits. (He also does ghost tours in Gettysburg.) 

Tattered Flag Brewery has 351 uniquely produced beers with a global average rating on Untappd of 3.77. 

Troegs Independent Craft Brewing 
Located At: 200 Hersheypark Dr, Hershey, PA 17033 
Untappd Link: https://untappd.com/troegsbrewingcompany 

And last but not least of our little tour is Troegs Brewery. Which at this point, really needs no introduction. They are always some of the top rated beers in the state, and is generally considered “the top” of the craft industry in the state (behind Yuengling). The brewery itself is always jam packed, weekday, weeknight, afternoon, or evening. Some of which is due to its fantastic location next door to HersheyPark, and some of that due to the excellent beers in production, as well as a top of the line brewery tour.  

 They have certainly been expanding too. Adding the foeders and making a larger cellar room. They’ve added a beer garden outfront. And lots and lots more parking. Which somehow still doesn’t feel like its enough! 

They have also branched out and done a lot more of their Splinter Series beers, done more and more regular scratches, and even begun to can some of the scratch beers, and upped the number of rotational/seasonal beers. Releasing some big hits like Lollihop, Golden Thing, and various Scratches in beer can that have all gotten great reviews. 

They have also added an upstairs loft with its own food menu and its own bar (though the taplist is the same as it is in the side-room by the foeders and at the main bar, just slightly more limited). The pizza upstairs is the best new feature total though, hop on that immediately! 

Their current taplist at the main bar is: 

• Perpetual IPA – IPA – American – 7.5% 
• Troegennator Double Bock – Bock – Imperial – 8.2% 
• Sunshine Pils – Pilsner – 4.5% 
• HopBack Amber Ale – Red Ale – Amber Ale – 6% 

• DreamWeaver – Wheat Beer – 4.8% 
• JavaHead – Stout – Coffee – 7.5% 
• Hop Knife – IPA – American – 6.2% 
• Nimble Giant – IPA – Imperial / Double – 9% 
• Naked Elf – English Ale – 6.9% 

• Golden Thing – DDH – IPA – Double – 8.2% 
• Boysenberry Tart Ale – Sour – 4.5% 
• Raspberry Tart Ale – Sour – 4.5% 
• Fest Lager – Lager – Marzen – 6.1% 
• Dear Peter – Farmhouse Saison – 7.6% 

• Hazy IPA (Scratch 387) – IPA – New England – 5.2%  (same as Trail Day Pale Ale)
• Tangerine Passionfruit Guava Tart (Scratch 386) – Sour – 4.6% 
• Krausened Dunkel Lager (Scratch 385) – Dunkel – 5.4% 
• Tangerine Blackberry Guava Tart Ale (Scratch 384) – Sour – 5% 

In Bottles Only: 

• LaGrave Triple Golden Ale – Belgian – 8% 
• Jovial Dubbel Ale – Belgian – 7% 
• Mad Elf Grand Cru (2018) – Belgian Strong Dark – 11% 
• Wild Elf – Farmhouse Wild Ale – 11% 
• Bourbon Barrel-Aged Impending Descent – Russian Stout – 12% 

• Bourbon Barrel-Aged Troegenator – Double Bock – 9.8% 
• Bourbon Barrel-Aged Flying Mouflan – Belgian – 11.5% 
• Dear Peter  
• Farmette – Farmhouse Saison – 6.5% 
• Blackberry Tizzy – Sour – 7.8% 

• Mortal Cherry – Farmhouse Wild Ale – 6.6% 
• Apricot Farmette – Farmhouse Saison – 7.4% 

Troeg also has cider from Big Hill Ciderworks as well as numerous non-alcoholic sodas in bottle (for children and non-drinking drivers).  

Troegs currently has no events listed for this weekend in their brewery. It has seemed they do less and less events in house at the brewery, and more and more out at various places. Most likely due to how full the brewery already is getting plus it expands the brand more to do these events at a wider range of places. 

They do however have a big event coming up on October 4^th weekend – their annual Hop Harvest Fest. Which since putting in the beer garden they’ve been putting to good use with this. Look for more information to come out soon on bands performing and beers they will be releasing. 

If you’ve never been to Troegs Brewery before, make sure you take the walking tour. It’s a quick 5-10 minute self guided tour but you get to see some neat things along the way (like the krausen for DreamWeaver as well as their bottling and canning lines). 

Troegs currently has 385 uniquely produced beers (according to Untappd, which is a bit dated on this, since a lot of their scratches were released before Untappd was created, and they are currently up to Scratch 387) with a global average rating on Untappd of 3.79. 

Thank you for checking out this brief brewery hopping tour around the outskirts of Harrisburg and centralized around Hummelstown. I hope you all found it informative and helpful and will give these four great breweries a look over. They all definitely deserve your time and attention as they are all pumping out some wonderful beers and have great stuff going on at their breweries all the time.  

And lastly, make sure you hop on over to my beer blog – The Beer Thrillers, where me and beer buddy J. Doncevic have been writing some wonderful beer reviews, brewery reviews, trip recaps, beer event reviews, and all kinds of other beer related things in the Central PA area since May. Make sure to stop and check us out and let us know in the comments that you came from here, we’d greatly appreciate seeing you there!  

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