Java Head Stout by Troegs Brewing (original logo)

Troegs Brewing is Bringing Back a Fan Favorite – Java Head Stout

A fan favorite is coming back to Troegs Independent Brewing – Java Head Stout! Originally replaced by Grand Cacao back in 2020 as the stout on record at Troegs. One of the most frequent questions at the Troegs General Store has been “when is Java Head coming back” and its safe to say — soon!

No official date on the release or when it will be coming back exactly, but there is details to discuss as it is currently fermenting. First, it will most likely be back end of October / beginning of November, and it will be in 16 oz pounder cans rather than the previous bottles. (Like most beers at Troegs Brewery, they have shifted from being produced in bottles to that of cans.) It will also most likely be a temporary or a once and done release, and not become a seasonal or flagship release, and it will also most likely be a brewery exclusive or near brewery exclusive (perhaps a few local distributors like West Connection Beer Vault and Breski’s Beverages getting it as well).

Java Head Stout

From the original entry at Troegs Brewing’s website:

JavaHead is like a day at Tröegs; it’s hard to tell where the coffee ends and the beer begins. This creamy oatmeal stout is infused with locally roasted, cold steeped coffee to release subtle hints of cocoa, roasted nuts and dark mocha.

Java Head Stout – Troegs Website

Its safe to assume that the beer will be nearly identical to the original brew, but might not be 100% the exact same recipe. However, the original was a 7.5% ABV and had 60 IBUs, and used Chocolate, Crystal, Oats, Pilsner, Roast malts and Cascade, Chinook, Cluster hops.

We will release more information when we have a date and when it will be coming out! So be sure to check back soon!

For More Information on Troegs Independent Craft Brewing

According to Untappd, Troegs Independent Craft Brewing is a regional brewery with 164 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 2.4 Million ratings and a global average rating of 3.79 (as of 9.20.24). 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

Troegs Independent Brewing logo

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
• Troegs Brewing is Releasing Oktoberfest on August 5th
• Troegs Brewing to Release Double Perpetual IPA on August 19th
• Troegs Brewing and Sloop Brewing Collaborate on Sloop John T
• Unearthing the History of Harrisburg Brewing: From Barnitz to Troegs
• Troegs Brewing is Bringing Back a Fan Favorite – Java Head Stout

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 Independent Brewing – Mad Dreams

Its all a Mad Dream….

For the first time ever, Troegs Independent Brewing is canning Mad Dreams – a combination of Mad Elf and DreamWeaver. A fan favorite in the brewery (and at homes and bars willing to make it), Mad Dreams is a blend of Mad Elf and DreamWeaver. (Other similar concoctions are “Chocolate Elf” which is Grand Cacao and Mad Elf, or Pumpkin Elf; which would be Master of Pumpkins and Mad Elf; and some have done various other ideas over the years like Java Head Stout and Mad Elf, Grand Cru Mad Elf and DreamWeaver, etc.)

Served at the bar either as a 50 / 50 (50% of each) or 60 / 40 (60% Mad Elf / 40% DreamWeaver) for those who want it a bit more ‘cherry’ or ‘higher abv’.

This is the first time though that Troegs Brewing has canned it to go!

Troegs Brewing to Release Mad Dreams This Winter

The Top 10 Breweries in Pennsylvania

This is a generated list using Perplexity AI. It is based off of an aggregate of values – mostly rating system based sites like Untappd, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Beer Advocate, and Rate My Beer. It also factors into play certain key blogs – VinePair, our website (The Beer Thrillers), BiPA, and more.

Since its middle of December, I thought it’d be a good time to take a look back at the best breweries of 2023. This list is just breweries in PA, and just for statistical purposes the year of 2023. It was ran through Perplexity AI and put in a few different times to make sure the list was accurate and not just a sequence of things, it was told to use user ratings and check in apps, and it was told to just include 2023 and just to include Breweries in PA. It was also done several times with the same parameters to ensure that the AI was selecting the same breweries and not just throwing out random breweries. The AI also provided its sources.

Top 10 Breweries in Pennsylvania for 2023

The top 10 breweries in Pennsylvania in 2023, according to various sources, are as follows:

1. Other Half Brewing
2. The Referend Bier Blendery
3. Imprint Beer Co
4. Fermentery Form
5. Hidden River Brewing
6. Antifragile Brewing
7. D.G. Yuengling and Son Brewery
8. Troegs Brewing Company
9. Yards Brewing Company
10. Lancaster Brewing

Additionally, the highest-rated beer in Pennsylvania in 2023 is “Le Roar Grrrz” from Bullfrog Brewery, according to VinePair. These rankings are based on various factors such as user ratings, reviews, and check-ins on platforms like Untappd and Yelp.

Perplexity AI

Sources

• Untappd
• Untappd Blog
• Yelp
• Beer Advocate
• TripAdvisor
• The Beer Thrillers
• ABC27 News
• WHTM News
• Rate My Beer
• Community: Beer Advocate
• Community: Rate My Beer
• BiPA
• The Full Pint
• BrewBound
• Google
• Bing
• Perplexity AI Lens

Untappd

Untappd is the most heavily used source and rated source for lists like this. Tomorrow we will be posting the Top 10 Breweries of PA via Untappd, up to and including December 9th. (Statistics were compiled at 11:59:59 PM EST last night.)

Stay tuned for that article tomorrow.

Top Breweries

Some recent lists about top breweries:

• Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies in the United States (2023)
• Pouring Excellence: Pennsylvania’s Top Craft Breweries of 2023 (June 15th, 2023)
• From Philly to Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania’s Top Craft Breweries You Must Visit
• The Best Pennsylvania Breweries for Summer Beers
• Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies (2023)

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.)

Stout Season

It is stout season all year long for me.  I would have tried Troeg’s new tropical stout anyway though.  This stout was brewed for the Barrel and Flow Festival in Pittsburgh and is a collaboration with the Windy Bridges Brew LLC.  Barrel and Flow Festival is a three-day festival held at the Stacks at 3 Crossings in Pittsburgh’s Strip district neighborhood.  It is noted at America’s first Black arts and craft brew festival. 

Barrel and Flow

Barrel and Flow is a three day festival in Pittsburgh, and is one of the premier events of the year. It has been voted the # 1 Brewfest by USA Today readers and fans. The Barrel and Flow Festival is aimed at helping and supporting African Americans. All of the breweries involved are either working in collaboration with an African American owned brewery – or are one themselves.

Can Art

The can art is noteworthy as well.  It sets you up for the mood of this beer.  I think my question to Social Living, as I should have asked other artists before: Did you taste this beer prior to creating the can art?  Artist credit to Social Living.  According to Social Living – “Social Living is a one-person artist-owned brand based in Pittsburgh that provides high-quality, empowering, “counter-culture” style wall art in various forms and artistic clothing with lifestyle goods. Each of the Social Living art pieces is my original design and are printed/produced by me in my studio.”

Beer Review: Tropical Stout

Beer: Tropical Stout
Breweries: Tröegs Independent Brewing
Collaboration with Windy Bridges Brew
Style: Stout – American
ABV: 5.9%
IBU: N / A
Untappd Description: Our collaboration with Pittsburgh-based @windybridgesbrew is now available! Tropical Stout starts with dark grains and flaked oats, then the island vibes kick in with Sultana and Sabro hops in the kettle. Dry-hopping with Mosaic, El Dorado and Azacca adds aromas of sweet pineapple and stone fruit. Sweet and roasty, this easy-drinking 5.9% ABV stout is destined for tomorrow’s @barrelandflow festival – a celebration of Black breweries, artists and small businesses. We’re loving the artwork by Darrin Jamal of @social.living! Find limited 16-oz. cans here at the brewery now and during the event in the 412, Pittsburghers. troegs.com/visit #Troegs #BarrelAndFlow #Pittsburgh.

According to the Windy Bridges Brew LLC Facebook “Get ready for a tropical experience in a can.” And as noted on the can they are bringing “fruity dimensions to flaked oats and roasted barley for notes of sweet coffee” And somehow these flavors spring out and mesh so well together. 

It comes in on Untapped at a 5.9% ABV with a 3.74 average rating.  It comes at you with a tropical nose but a malty taste.  This is where you start out in the malty and subtle sweet coffee flavor.  It ends with hints of pineapple and coconut.  This stout isn’t the usual stout you drink during stout season.  It is nice and light. 

We just happen to be drinking it as dinner was about finishing up cooking.  So yes, half of it disappeared before the food was plated. The menu for dinner tonight was grilled pork loin, mashed potatoes and broccoli.  It seemed to pair nicely and you could still taste all the layers of this amazing tropical stout. 

Get it Fast

This one is only sold in 16 ounce cans in the taproom and general store at Troeg’s.  I highly doubt this will last very long. (As of 8 PM tonight they were down to less than 12 cases in the general store.)

Dinner

Dinner was grilled pork loin, broccoli from the air fryer, and mashed potatoes. We used some of the Tropical Stout to marinate / grill the pork loin. The stout really helped to bring out the flavors of the pork loin, and really made the meal pop.

Thanks for reading!

Drink More Beer!

• Amy

Windy Bridges LLC

According to Untappd, Windy Bridges Brew LLC is listed as a home brewer / non – commercial brewery. They have 3 unique beers with 7 ratings as of 8.13.23. Their Untappd description reads: Homebrewing at its finest!! Follow on insta & twitter to see the progress!

You can find them on the following social media pages:

• Windy Bridges Brewing LLC – Facebook
• Windy Bridges Brewing LLC – Twitter
• Windy Bridges Brewing LLC – Instagram
• Windy Bridges Brewing LLC – 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
• 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
• 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 8.13.23 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.“

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)
• 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.)

Introduction

The early 2000s were a time of profound transformation in the world of craft beer. Against the backdrop of a beer industry dominated by mass-produced, lackluster offerings, a rebellion was brewing among small, passionate brewers. The craft beer movement, which had been simmering for decades, reached a boiling point, giving rise to a revolution that celebrated the artistry, flavors, and individuality of beer.

Craft brewers emerged as modern-day alchemists, transforming simple ingredients into liquid gold. Each pint became a canvas for innovation, and every sip revealed a tapestry of flavors that captivated the palates of discerning beer enthusiasts. This was an era when every beer told a story, and every brewery carried the spirit of its community.

As the craft beer movement gained traction, microbreweries dotted the American landscape, signaling a shift in beer culture. These small, independent breweries were not merely businesses; they were passionate ventures led by individuals dedicated to their craft. They breathed life into beer styles long forgotten and experimented with new ingredients, pushing the boundaries of what beer could be.

With each passing year, the craft beer landscape expanded exponentially, like yeast multiplying in a fermenting batch. Local breweries became regional favorites, and regional favorites grew into national sensations. A camaraderie united brewers, and a collective spirit propelled the movement forward. Craft beer festivals served as grand celebrations of this newfound culture, offering a space for brewers and beer enthusiasts to mingle, share stories, and toast to the shared love of all things craft beer.

Amidst the fervor of hops and creativity, the early 2000s also witnessed challenges. Craft brewers found themselves David in a battle against beer industry Goliaths. Limited access to distribution channels and the dominance of mass-produced beer posed obstacles to growth. Yet, the movement proved resilient. Craft brewers banded together, forming alliances that fortified their collective voice and purpose. Legislative battles ensued, prompting lawmakers to recognize the economic and cultural impact of craft beer, leading to progressive changes that favored the growth of independent breweries.

This article delves into the captivating narrative of craft beer in the early 2000s, examining the trends, challenges, and triumphs that defined the era. It celebrates the visionaries who transformed the world of beer, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire brewers and enthusiasts alike. So, grab a cold one, and join us on this journey back to a golden era when craft beer forever changed the way the world appreciates and sips its favorite brews.

A Craft Beer Revolution Emerges

The Rise of Microbreweries

In the early 2000s, the craft beer revolution ignited a spark that would forever change the beer landscape. At the forefront of this movement were the rising microbreweries, each a beacon of creativity and independence. These small-scale breweries weren’t just businesses; they were extensions of the brewmaster’s passion, artistry, and love for beer. They embraced a hands-on approach to brewing, crafting each batch with meticulous attention to detail, and a genuine desire to share their unique concoctions with the world.

The allure of microbreweries lay not only in their craft but also in their connection to the local community. They were the neighborhood gathering places where friends and family could raise a glass and savor not just a drink, but a sense of belonging. In an age of homogenized products, microbreweries represented a return to authenticity, craftsmanship, and the stories behind every pint poured.

The Pioneer Breweries

As the craft beer movement gained traction, several breweries stood out as pioneers, championing the cause and inspiring a generation of brewers. One such trailblazer was the historic Anchor Brewing Company, hailing from the hills of San Francisco. With roots dating back to the late 1800s, this brewery experienced a revival, becoming a symbol of resilience and tradition. Under the guidance of Fritz Maytag, Anchor Brewing Company played a pivotal role in resurrecting once-lost beer styles, such as the California Common, laying the foundation for the craft beer resurgence.

Another formidable pioneer was the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes of Northern California. Founded in 1979 by Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi, Sierra Nevada garnered fame for its groundbreaking Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. This hop-forward American Pale Ale tantalized taste buds with its bold citrusy aroma and balanced bitterness, setting the stage for a newfound love affair with hops.

Across the nation, other trailblazers followed suit. From the Great Lakes to the Rocky Mountains and beyond, visionary brewers embraced the craft beer ethos. Their dedication to elevating the beer experience was contagious, inspiring a surge of new breweries and paving the way for the diverse beer culture we enjoy today.

Unfortunately in recent news Anchor Brewing Company has announced they are ceasing operations. Anchor Brewing Company Ceasing Operations and Liquidating Business.

A Tipping Point in Beer Diversity

The early 2000s marked a tipping point in beer diversity, as microbreweries dared to be different and defy convention. New and exciting beer styles emerged, challenging the traditional notion of beer and elevating it to an art form. Brewers experimented with innovative ingredients and brewing techniques, resulting in a kaleidoscope of flavors and aromas.

IPAs, in particular, gained cult-like status during this time. American craft brewers unleashed a hop frenzy, crafting IPAs with an unprecedented intensity of flavors, aroma, and bitterness. From West Coast IPAs, celebrated for their resinous and piney notes, to East Coast IPAs, known for their juicy and tropical fruit characteristics, beer enthusiasts were treated to an array of hop-forward delights.

Beyond IPAs, the creativity knew no bounds. Sour ales, barrel-aged wonders, and experimental hybrids graced taproom menus, captivating adventurous palates seeking something beyond the ordinary. Each brew became an exploration, an invitation to savor complexity, and a chance to challenge one’s taste preferences.

The early 2000s signaled a sea change in beer culture, as a growing community of craft brewers and enthusiasts sought to elevate the appreciation of beer from a mere beverage to an artful expression. The craft beer revolution was in full swing, and its momentum showed no signs of slowing down.

Key Trends in Craft Beer during the Early 2000s

Hops Take Center Stage

The early 2000s ushered in an era where hops reigned supreme, transforming the way brewers approached their craft. Hops, the aromatic flowers that lend bitterness, flavor, and aroma to beer, became the stars of the show. Craft brewers embraced the hop-forward movement, infusing their creations with a kaleidoscope of hop varieties from around the globe.

India Pale Ales (IPAs) emerged as the crown jewel of the hop revolution. From the tongue-tingling bitterness of West Coast IPAs to the juicy, fruit-laden flavors of New England-style IPAs, each rendition showcased the versatility of hops. Hop experimentation was at its peak, leading to creative hybrids like Black IPAs, Double IPAs, and Session IPAs, catering to different palates and preferences.

Brewers sought to harness the full potential of hops by experimenting with innovative hopping techniques. Dry-hopping, for instance, became a hallmark of craft IPAs, allowing brewers to intensify the aromatic profile without adding additional bitterness. The result was a bouquet of hop aromas that tantalized the senses, inviting beer enthusiasts into a world of flavors previously unexplored.

Embracing Local Ingredients

In the early 2000s, craft brewers embraced the “farm-to-glass” philosophy, celebrating the use of locally-sourced ingredients to craft their beers. The movement sought to honor regional terroir and connect beer enthusiasts with the landscapes and flavors unique to their area.

Brewers scoured nearby farms for locally-grown hops, malted barley, and even fruits and herbs to infuse into their brews. This not only supported local agriculture but also gave craft beers a distinct sense of place. From the lush hop fields of the Pacific Northwest to the sun-kissed vineyards of California, each brewery’s offering was a reflection of its geographical roots.

This emphasis on local ingredients was not limited to just the primary components of beer; it extended to creative adjuncts used in brewing. Brewmasters drew inspiration from their communities, experimenting with additions like wildflowers, spices, and fruits found in their surroundings. As a result, craft beers became a cultural tapestry, telling stories of their origins through every sip.

Craft Beer Festivals and Events

The early 2000s marked a renaissance in craft beer festivals and events, becoming a cornerstone of the craft beer experience. These gatherings offered a festive platform for brewers to showcase their creations and for beer enthusiasts to explore a vast array of flavors under one roof.

Events like the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver, Colorado, became iconic celebrations of craft beer culture. Brewers from across the nation came together to share their passion, serving up their latest and greatest brews to a thirsty audience. The GABF, in particular, grew exponentially in attendance, symbolizing the surging popularity of craft beer.

Beyond the GABF, local and regional craft beer festivals flourished, drawing enthusiasts from neighboring towns and states. These events fostered a sense of camaraderie among beer lovers, who reveled in the opportunity to meet the minds behind their favorite brews and discover hidden gems from far-flung breweries.

The early 2000s was an era of unbridled creativity, where craft brewers embraced hops, local ingredients, and community-driven events. These trends shaped the trajectory of craft beer, paving the way for the diverse and exciting landscape we cherish today. As we raise our glasses to the pioneers of the movement, let us celebrate the legacy of the early 2000s, where craft beer truly came of age.

Challenges and Triumphs in the Early 2000s

The Fight for Market Share

As the craft beer movement gained traction in the early 2000s, small independent breweries faced a formidable challenge: the competition from established beer giants. Mass-produced, commercially-driven beer conglomerates held a dominant position in the market, making it difficult for craft brewers to secure prime shelf space and distribution.

Craft breweries often struggled to access the same distribution networks as their larger counterparts, limiting their reach to local markets. This lack of widespread distribution posed a significant hurdle for small breweries hoping to expand their customer base beyond their immediate communities. Additionally, with limited access to advertising and marketing budgets, craft brewers found it challenging to compete with the massive marketing campaigns of big beer brands.

Collaborations and Unity

Despite the challenges, craft brewers displayed a remarkable spirit of unity and collaboration during the early 2000s. Recognizing that their collective success depended on supporting one another, breweries embraced collaboration as a way to strengthen the craft beer community.

Collaborative brews between different breweries became a trend, resulting in exciting and innovative beers that combined the expertise and creativity of multiple brewmasters. These collaborations fostered a sense of camaraderie and created opportunities for cross-promotion, benefiting both breweries involved.

Moreover, craft beer enthusiasts wholeheartedly supported this sense of unity. Beer enthusiasts attended events and festivals, not only to savor craft beer but also to connect with fellow enthusiasts and brewers. The sense of community and shared passion transcended competition, cementing the craft beer movement as a close-knit fraternity.

Legislative Battles

In the face of industry challenges, craft brewers embarked on a journey to secure a level playing field. Legislative battles became a vital aspect of the early 2000s craft beer story, as brewers fought for fair and supportive regulations.

Many states had archaic laws that restricted the growth of craft breweries, imposing strict distribution rules, high excise taxes, and limiting the sale of beer on-site. These outdated laws stifled innovation and hindered the growth of the craft beer industry.

Craft brewers, along with their loyal consumers, rallied for change. They engaged with lawmakers, advocating for the modernization of beer regulations to allow for growth and prosperity. Over time, the efforts bore fruit, as states began to update their laws, reducing barriers for craft breweries to thrive.

Legislative victories meant that craft brewers could sell beer directly to consumers on-site, participate in beer festivals, and engage in a broader range of distribution practices. These changes laid the groundwork for a more favorable environment for independent breweries to flourish.

The early 2000s showcased both challenges and triumphs for the craft beer movement. As craft brewers battled for market share and navigated industry hurdles, they found strength in collaboration and community. Legislative changes, won through persistence and advocacy, fostered an environment in which craft breweries could grow and thrive. The combined efforts of craft brewers and their devoted fans paved the way for the vibrant craft beer culture we celebrate today.

The Legacy of Craft Beer in the Early 2000s

Shaping Modern Craft Beer Culture

The early 2000s marked a transformative period that left an indelible mark on the craft beer landscape. The pioneering spirit and dedication to craftsmanship set the foundation for what would become a vibrant and diverse craft beer culture. The movement’s emphasis on quality, innovation, and community laid the groundwork for the craft beer renaissance that continues to flourish today.

Craft brewers’ commitment to pushing the boundaries of brewing inspired a new generation of brewers to think creatively and fearlessly. The legacy of the early 2000s can be seen in the countless breweries that have since emerged, each adding their unique voice to the craft beer symphony. From nanobreweries experimenting in garages to large-scale craft beer institutions, the spirit of innovation continues to thrive across the industry.

Moreover, the early 2000s cultivated an appreciation for beer as an art form. Craft beer enthusiasts learned to savor each pint, exploring the nuances of flavors, aromas, and styles with the same passion as wine connoisseurs. This cultural shift elevated the status of beer from a simple beverage to an experience to be savored, shared, and celebrated.

Craft Beer’s Global Reach

The momentum of the early 2000s craft beer movement transcended borders, spreading far beyond the United States. The impact of American craft brewers’ creativity and entrepreneurship resonated worldwide, inspiring a global craft beer revolution.

Craft breweries sprouted in regions with rich beer traditions, such as Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom, offering new twists on classic styles and sparking a renewed interest in local and artisanal brewing. Across continents, craft brewers embraced the spirit of experimentation and community, creating a shared language that connected enthusiasts worldwide.

Furthermore, craft beer festivals, once predominantly an American phenomenon, proliferated globally. From the Brussels Beer Weekend in Belgium to the Great British Beer Festival in London, these events celebrated the art of brewing and became iconic gatherings for beer enthusiasts across the world.

The early 2000s transformed craft beer into a cultural movement with a universal appeal. Today, craft beer is embraced in all corners of the globe, with breweries exploring indigenous ingredients and brewing traditions to craft beers that are deeply rooted in local heritage.

A Revolution of Taste

Perhaps the most significant impact of the early 2000s craft beer movement lies in the transformation of taste preferences. Beer enthusiasts have developed a more discerning palate, seeking beers that challenge and excite their taste buds. The era cultivated a growing interest in craft beer education, with consumers eager to learn about different beer styles, the brewing process, and food pairings.

Craft brewers’ relentless pursuit of quality also influenced the larger beer industry. As craft beer gained popularity, larger breweries took notice and began adapting their practices to meet changing consumer demands. Many established beer brands introduced their own craft-like offerings, acknowledging the consumer shift toward more diverse and flavorful beers.

The early 2000s was a turning point in the history of craft beer, sparking a revolution of taste and challenging the status quo. As a result, beer drinkers today have a more extensive selection of flavorful and unique brews to choose from, making every beer-drinking experience an adventure.

Conclusion

The legacy of the early 2000s craft beer movement is etched into the heart of the industry. The era’s spirit of innovation, community, and determination continues to inspire craft brewers worldwide. Craft beer’s global reach is a testament to the impact of the pioneers who dared to dream big and elevate beer from a commodity to an artful expression.

As we raise our glasses in homage to the early 2000s craft beer revolution, let us celebrate the diverse, vibrant, and ever-evolving craft beer culture we enjoy today. The legacy of this golden era serves as a reminder that the heart and soul of craft beer lie not just in the liquid itself, but in the dedicated individuals who breathe life into every pint and the communities that raise their glasses in unison, united by their love for this beloved libation.

The early 2000s marked a transformative and exhilarating era for craft beer, leaving an enduring legacy that resonates throughout the industry today. What began as a grassroots movement of passionate brewers and beer enthusiasts blossomed into a full-fledged revolution that redefined beer culture across the globe.

Craft beer’s emergence as a cultural phenomenon can be attributed to the unwavering dedication of small, independent breweries. These visionary brewers dared to challenge the norms, infusing their craft with creativity, authenticity, and a genuine love for beer. Their commitment to quality, innovation, and community laid the foundation for the vibrant and diverse craft beer culture we cherish in the present.

Beyond the confines of the United States, the craft beer movement’s influence transcended borders, sparking a global revolution. The spirit of the early 2000s inspired craft brewers worldwide to craft beers that celebrated their own cultural heritage and regional flavors. From the traditional breweries of Europe to the emerging craft scenes in Asia and Latin America, the craft beer movement continues to weave a rich tapestry of tastes and traditions.

Moreover, the early 2000s instilled a newfound appreciation for beer as an art form. Beer enthusiasts transformed into connoisseurs, savoring each pint with curiosity and discernment. The movement sparked a demand for beer education, with consumers eager to learn about brewing techniques, beer styles, and the intricate nuances that make each brew unique.

As the craft beer legacy unfolds, it is evident that the pioneers of the early 2000s achieved more than just building a flourishing industry. They created a community united by a shared passion, an appreciation for craftsmanship, and a love for exploration. The camaraderie and sense of belonging that emanated from taprooms and festivals are still present in the craft beer culture of today, fostering connections that span continents.

The impact of the early 2000s is evident in the diverse array of flavors, styles, and innovations that define modern craft beer. Breweries, both large and small, have embraced the ethos of creativity, producing beers that push the boundaries and challenge the notion of what beer can be.

As we raise our glasses in celebration of the early 2000s craft beer revolution, let us toast to the visionaries who paved the way for a golden era of beer. Let us honor the craft brewers who continue to nurture the movement and champion the spirit of exploration. With each sip, we pay tribute to a legacy that celebrates not only the beverage in our glass but also the journey of camaraderie, passion, and inspiration that began in the early 2000s and continues to evolve with every new brew. Here’s to the past, present, and future of craft beer – a libation that embodies the art of brewing and the heart of a community. Cheers to the past, present, and future of craft beer! Cheers!

A Series of Craft Beer Articles

This is just one of several in a series of over arching ‘craft beer’ related articles. Several alone in a ‘flagship’ series. In the next few weeks there will be some more that come out as well. I would like to have this general level of different ‘craft beer articles’ that everyone can kind of jump to and read and use for informative purposes, and give a better understanding for the other articles on the site.

Some of these articles are about definitions (like “What is Craft Beer?“) and others are about Craft Breweries in general like the Top 50 Producing Craft Breweries, etc.

• The Battle of the Breweries (2023) Winner Is
• Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies in the United States (2023)
• Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies in the United States (2023)
• What is Craft Beer?
• I’ve Missed Drinking (A Look at Non Alcoholic Beers)
• The Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beer: A Guide to the Best Non Alcoholic Brews
• Best Non-Alcoholic Beers For 2021
• Craft Beer 101: Your Guide to the World of Small – Batch Brewing
• How to Build Your Own Homebrew: A Comprehensive Guide for Craft Beer Enthusiasts
• Brewing a Traditional Lithuanian Farmhouse Beer – Keptinis
• Human Robot – Milko Pour – A Look at Milk Pours
• Hemp and Beer – Happy 4:20 Day
• Map of Maine Breweries
• Map of New Hampshire Breweries
• Map of Vermont Breweries
• Sipping on Tradition: A Guide to Craft Beer Flagship Beers
• Discovering the Best Independent Breweries with Beer Drop Craft Beer Subscription Service
• Breaking Down the Buzz: The Health Benefits of Craft Beer
• Craft Beer Styles: Exploring the Wide World of Flavor
• May the Fourth Be With You (2023) – Star Wars and Craft Beer
• Zelda and Craft Beer
• From Philly to Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania’s Top Craft Breweries You Must Visit
• Craft Beer in the Early 2000s: A Golden Era of Innovation and Growth

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.

-B. Kline

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.

Going Solar

Troegs Independent Craft Brewing made a special post on their Facebook page today – highlighting their continued attempt to go more green. Troegs had announced earlier in the year and more recently about adding solar panels to the top of their brewery located in Hershey (right next to the Hershey Outlets, past Hershey Park on Hershey Park Drive). As it seems from their announcement today that project is complete.

15-20% of Annual Needs

If you follow this link you’ll see the Facbook post with the video (which is where the screenshot above comes from) here: Troegs Independent Craft Brewing – Solar Panels. The video is a sort 25 second clip that loops on their Facebook page. It is accompanied by a quote by Chris Trogner. Their post reads:

We now have 1,628 solar panels up and running on our roof here at Tröegs. “They’ll cover about 15-20% of our annual needs,” says founding brother Chris Trogner. “We’re making incremental changes to decrease our environmental impact. It all adds up.” #WeMakeTroegs #Hershey #Troegs #PAbeer

Troegs Independent Craft Brewing – Facebook Page

Additions

In recent years, the Troegs Brewery has gone through a myriad list of improvements and changes. Recently including a large mural on the side of the building, as well as an enlarged parking lot, a new loft drinking lounge area, an enlarged biergarten out front, and numerous brewhouse changes. One of the most notable updates and add-ons to the brewery was their Foeder barrels as well as their art gallery.

Troegs Independent Craft Brewing is known for their tour guides and is one of the largest breweries in Pennsylvania. As anyone who has seen the facility knows, it uses quite a fair bit of power. (As do all breweries, especially ones the size of Troegs.) So reducing the usage of outside power by 15-20% is a huge addition to the ever evolving and growing brewery. Troegs Brewing also has their own blog which details many of these changes, which can be found here: Troegs Blog.

Thanks For Reading

As always everyone, thanks for reading. December has certainly been a chaotic month here for us at The Beer Thrillers. Including many travels and trips, hikes, and brewery visits. It has certainly been a packed full month. Be sure to be checking in with us to read all about it!

Cheers All!

-B. Kline

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.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. 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!

The Mad Elf Gets a Facelift

As the above picture shows, there’s been a change to our little festive mischievous elf friend over the years. Working from left to right, Tröegs Mad Elf first hit the scene in 2002, and has been the beverage of choice at Christmas (and Thanksgiving) ever since in the greater Central PA area. This marks the second update to the artwork for the Mad Elf, the last time being 2015.

PennLive article originally published in November 2015: Troegs Company Unveils New Label Designs.

Troegs and Art Work

Troegs has a long history of being very interested and engaged in artwork and artists. As is evidenced by the addition of the mural to the outside of their brewery this year. As well as their art gallery inside by the foeders. They’ve done a lot of work with local artists as well as pulling in artists from different neighborhoods and backgrounds over the years, including their work for the Fresh Fest and help with the Harris Brewery and their Imperial Pilsner.

Mad Elf Over the Years

If you go into their brewery (on HersheyPark Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania), near where you pick up your food, you’ll see a chart giving a bit of a history of the Troegs brewery, and you will see the evolution of the brewery and their progress. On this timeline, you can see the progression and changes to the brewery, from moving to Harrisburg to Hershey, from growing in size, etc. You can see moments like when Mad Elf was mentioned by name in Playboy magazine – which at the time was a very big deal.

Likewise the Mad Elf himself has changed over the years. From a crazy skinny looking drunkard, to a weird, stout, looking drunk elf, almost with cartoon like ‘suds bubbles’ floating above him, like you’d expect to see in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, and now, back to an elf reminiscent of the old (original) elf.

For the 19 some years of its production, its interesting to see the progression and growth of the artwork and character, as well as the beer’s production, recipe, and changes. And it has certainly changed over the years. From the can and bottle labels, to the recipe, to the production, and to the size.

The Mad Elf Gets a Festive New Look

It was time for the Mad Elf to get a new, more festive look. …Partly due to how most people did not like the newest iteration of the elf. Many in the local beer community preferred the old Mad Elf design rather than the newest incarnation. So it seemed like it was long overdue for a new change to our beloved little drunk elf friend.

“When it came to reimagining Mad Elf, there was definitely some pressure,” says illustrator Joshua Noom, who also helped us create the new Troegenator. “But working with the Tröegs team again was great. We wanted an Elf that was friendly, fun and welcoming. I like to picture him walking around the brewery, and he knows everybody’s name. I’m really happy with how it turned out, and I hope Mad Elf fans love it, too.” Read more at blog.troegs.com. #Troegs #MadElf #PAbeer

Troegs Facebook announcement of the art change.

From the Troeg’s blog, on the Art of Mad Elf:

Mad Elf is here, and this year he has a festive new look.

Mad Elf’s new art – created in collaboration with Florida illustrator Joshua Noom – is the fourth iteration since 2002. The art takes cues from the past while moving him mischievously into the future.

“We have a history of reimagining the Elf,” says Tröegs brother Chris Trogner. “Mad Elf is a beer that really captures the holidays for so many people. And not just beer lovers. A lot of people who don’t regularly drink beer have a special connection with Mad Elf. This new art really captures what people love about it – it’s festive, nostalgic, and a whole lot of fun.”

Troegs Beer Blog – Art of Mad Elf

Mad Elf – The Beer

If you are in the greater Central PA area, or even just in Pennsylvania, or Ohio, or New York, or New Jersey…. or anywhere in the area really…. you already know all about Mad Elf, and its release every year. Probably with the date circled already on your calendar.

The essence of this once-a-year holiday ale, along with its ruby red glow, is born from five varieties of tree-ripened cherries. Bing, Lambert, Van and Royal contribute a bright and juicy sweetness, and Montmorency adds a touch of tartness.

Local wildflower honey sweetens the celebration. Every year, when it’s time to brew Mad Elf, we source 25,000 pounds of honey from a neighbor in Carlisle, PA, called The Happy Beekeeper.

“When you taste honey, you’re getting a slice of nature,” says the beekeeper’s daughter. “And it’s best to get that pure, local source.”

Troegs Beer Blog

Today marks the annual release of Mad Elf in the brewhouse at Troegs Brewery (October 18th, 2021). It will soon be finding its way to bars and other breweries in the next few days (if not today itself), and then on to distributors large and small starting the end of the week. Troegs has a brewfinder on their site to help you find where Mad Elf might be located, you can check that out here: troegs.com/brewfinder.

Beer Thrillers Troegs Links

For other Troegs related links here on our blog, you can check out the following list. After that, will be a list of various other news articles to get more information as well.

• Beer Review: Mad Elf (and other Scratches) (Troegs Brewing)
• Beer Review: Naked Elf (and other Scratches) (Troegs Brewing)
• Beer Review: Double Nugget Nectar (Troegs Brewing)
• Beer Review: Grand Cacao (Troegs Brewing)
• Beer Review: Haze Charmer (Troegs Brewing)
• Beer Review: Fuzzy Nudge (Troegs Brewing)
• 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 Brewing)
• Mad Elf on the Shelf Fundraiser
• Support Small and Local Businesses
• What Makes a Good Quarantine Brewery?
• Hoppy Easter IPAs
• Breweries From Around the Outskirts of Harrisburg (9.6.19)
• Beer Review: Scratch 417 (Troegs Brewing)
• Beer Review: Scratch 400 (Pre Prohibition Beer) (Troegs Brewing)
• Beer Review: Fresh Fest (Troegs Brewing)
• Beer Review: Trail Day Pale Ale (Troegs Brewing)
• Multiple Beer Reviews: Fest Lager, Scratch 385 – Krausened Dunkel Lager, and Scratch 386 – Tangerine Passionfruit Guava Tart Ale (Troegs Independent Craft Brewery)

Other Links and More Information

• Billy Penn: Holidays in Philly: Pennsylvania’s crazy popular Mad Elf beer literally started with a boom (December 16th, 2005)
• Penn Live: Troegs Brewing Company unveils new label designs for its beers, merchandise (Published – November 9th, 2015 and updated January 5th, 2019)
• Troegs – Beer Blog – Art of Mad Elf
• Troeg’s Wikipedia

The Beer Thrillers Social Media

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.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. 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!

(Post note: All photos presented here are courtesy of Troegs’ Social Media pages.)

Round Three is done and over with, and now we are getting down to the nitty gritty. We’re down to the final six breweries / competitors in the most arbitrary March Madness tournament possibly in beer (and maybe even writing) history. Like the previous Round (Round Three) the first segment will be going over the results of the previous round, and then we’ll be getting into the actual voting. Make sure to like, share, and pass this page around so everyone can vote for your favorite brewery!

Round Three Statistics

The amount of votes and enthusiasm for this March Madness breweries bracket has been incredible, so let me once again say thank you to all the voters, fans, readers, and breweries posting and sharing.

Statistics:

• Total Votes: 1,447 (six questions)
• There was four upsets (out of six match-ups)

Upsets:

• Isle of Que Brewing (12) defeated Fourscore Beer Company (1) – 149 to 115
• Rubber Soul Brewing Company (11) defeated Dewey Beer Company (2) – 182 to 65
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing (8) defeated Urban Artifact (5) – 145 to 96
• Boneshire Brew Works (7) defeated Funk Brewing Company (6) – 118 to 115

Results of Round Three:

• Isle of Que Brewing (12 seed) (149 votes) defeated Fourscore Beer Company (1 seed) (115 votes)
• Rubber Soul Brewing Company (11) (182 votes) defeated Dewey Beer Company (2 seed) (65 votes)
• Rotunda Brewing Company (3 seed) (127 votes) defeated Mad Chef Brewing Company (10 seed) (101 votes)
• Ever Grain Brewing Company (4 seed) (129 votes) defeated Tattered Flag Brewery (9 seed) (108 votes)
• Troegs Brewing Company (8 seed) (145 votes) defeated Urban Artifact (5 seed) (96 votes)
• Boneshire Brew Works (7 seed) (118 votes) defeated Funk Brewing Company (6 seed) (115 votes)

Round Four Now Begins

And unleash the competitors into the final round of one on one competition! There is six breweries / competitors left, and they are facing off to see who goes on to the final match – a triple threat to decide who is the best brewery in this arbitrary and random tournament! So lets go! Its time to vote everyone! Voting will last until Sunday, March 28th, ending at 11:59 PM / Midnight.

Round Four Match-Ups

Round four sees some interesting match-ups. Will Isle of Que Brewing continue is Cinderella run? Which of the Harrisburg – Hershey – Hummelstown breweries will move on?

• Rotunda Brewing Company (1) vs. Isle of Que Brewing (6)
• Ever Grain Brewing Company (2) vs. Rubber Soul Brewing Company (5)
• Boneshire Brew Works (3) vs. Troegs Brewing Company (4)

Who will advance on to the triple threat match?

Round Four Voting

Past Articles and Results

For more information on The Battle of the Breweries (2021) – The Beer Thrillers version of March Madness; you can scroll through the previous articles and voting results.

Information Articles:

• March Madness (2021) – The Battle of the Breweries – The Beer Thrillers Way
• Round One Results and Round Two Set-Up

Voting Pages:

• Round Three: The Terrific Twelve Voting (and Round Two Results)
• Round Two: HEELs Conference
• Round Two: FACEs Conference
• Round One: HEELs Conference: Triple H Division
• Round One: HEELs Conference: Ric Flair Division
• Round One: FACEs Conference: Stone Cold Steve Austin Division
• Round One: FACEs Conference: The Rock Division

Share, Share, Share, Share

To help your favorite breweries win, be sure to share this page as much as you would like. Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Myspace, your own sites, your local newspaper…. whatever you like. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts to stay up to date on the tournament and our other articles, which include brewery reviews, beer reviews, travelogues, hiking trips, brewery news, events, and much much more!

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. 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.

Round Two of The Battle of the Breweries (2021) is officially in the books. And we move on from having two conferences to being down to just the final twelve! The terrific twelve! After this round it will be six remaining breweries, and after that a triple threat to decide who is the most liked – or best – or voted on the most – or whatever term you want to pick – in this arbitrary list of breweries battle that we made here on The Beer Thrillers. Unlike previous rounds this post will be both results of Round Two and the voting page for Round Three. So if you want to just vote, scroll down to the Voting heading. If you want to see the statistics for Round Two keep reading.

Round Two Statistics

Once again thank you everyone who voted, shared, or commented on the previous two rounds. A great idea to help your brewery out is to share this page on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

Statistics:

• Total Votes: 2659
• Total votes in the HEELs Conference: 872
• Total Votes in the FACEs Conference: 1787
• There was no upsets in the HEELs conference.
• There was three upsets in the FACEs conference.

Upsets:

• The Isle of Que Brewing (11) defeated Pizza Boy Brewing Company (Al’s of Hampden) (2) by 52 votes.
• Rubber Soul Brewing Company (9) defeated Moo-Duck Brewing (4) by 52 votes.
• Tattered Flag Brewery and Distillery (7) defeated Rough Edges Brewing (6) by 46 votes.

Results of Round Two:

HEELs Conference:

• Fourscore Beer Company (1 seed) (71 votes) defeated GearHouse Brewing Company (12 seed) (61 votes).
• Dewey Beer Company (2 seed) (70 votes) defeated Desperate Times Brewing Company (11 seed) (67 votes).
• Rotunda Brewing Company (3 seed) (96 votes) defeated Chatty Monks Brewing (10 seed) (51 votes).
• Urban Artifact (4 seed) (79 votes) defeated Sun King Brewery (9 seed) (48 votes).
• Troegs Independent Craft Brewing Company (5 seed) (126 votes) defeated Swiftwater Brewing Company (8 seed) (32 votes).
• Mad Chef Brewing Company (6 seed) (117 votes) defeated Twisted Bine Brewing Company (7 seed) (54 votes).

FACEs Conference:

• Ever Grain Brewing Company (1 seed) (170 votes) defeated The Church Brew Works (12 seed) (119 votes).
• The Isle of Que Brewing (11 seed) (193 votes) defeated Pizza Boy Brewing Company (Al’s of Hampden) (2 seed) (141 votes).
• Funk Brewing Company (3 seed) (178 votes) defeated Three Heads Brewing (10 seed) (103 votes).
• Rubber Soul Brewing Company (9 seed) (168 votes) defeated Moo-Duck Brewing (4 seed) (116 votes).
• Boneshire Brew Works (5 seed) (155 votes) defeated Molly Pitcher Brewing Company (8 seed) (134 votes).
• Tattered Flag Brewery and Distillery (7 seed) (178 votes) defeated Rough Edges Brewing (6 seed) (132 votes).

Round Three Now Begins

And the great cage fight dwindles in competitors and continues on into Round Three. Round Three sees us do away with the conferences and just have twelve terrific competitors left standing and tapping their beers. The surviving twelve breweries have been reseeded based on Untappd scores. Voting begins now and will continue until Sunday, March 21st at 11:59 PM – Midnight (EST).

Round Three Match-Ups:

Round Three sees some very interesting fights, especially with the few upsets we had last round and some close voting results. The match ups are as follows:

• Fourscore Beer Company (1) vs. The Isle of Que Brewing (12)
• Dewey Beer Company (2) vs. Rubber Soul Brewing Company (11)
• Rotunda Brewing Company (3) vs. Mad Chef Brewing (10)
• Ever Grain Brewing Company (4) vs. Tattered Flag Brewery and Distillery (9)
• Urban Artifact (5) vs. Troegs Independent Craft Brewing Company (8)
• Funk Brewing Company (6) vs. Boneshire Brew Works (7)

VOTING

Click through the survey below to vote, and may the best (or at least your favorite) breweries win!

Past Articles and Results

For more information on The Battle of the Breweries (2021) – The Beer Thrillers version of March Madness; you can scroll through the previous articles and voting results.

Information Articles:

• March Madness (2021) – The Battle of the Breweries – The Beer Thrillers Way
• Round One Results and Round Two Set-Up

Voting Pages:

• Round Two: HEELs Conference
• Round Two: FACEs Conference
• Round One: HEELs Conference: Triple H Division
• Round One: HEELs Conference: Ric Flair Division
• Round One: FACEs Conference: Stone Cold Steve Austin Division
• Round One: FACEs Conference: The Rock Division

Share, Share, Share, Share

To help your favorite breweries win, be sure to share this page as much as you would like. Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Myspace, your own sites, your local newspaper…. whatever you like. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts to stay up to date on the tournament and our other articles, which include brewery reviews, beer reviews, travelogues, hiking trips, brewery news, events, and much much more!

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. 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.