Tröegs
is an American brewery in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. John and Chris Trogner
founded the company in 1996. The name Tröegs is a combination of a nickname
derived from the surname Trogner and the Dutch word kroeg ("pub"). Tröegs is
a craft-brewery, or microbrewery focusing their production on specialty and
seasonal beers. Tröegs also is a limited distribution brewery, only
distributing beer to states within proximity to maintain beer freshness.
THE TRÖEGS BROTHERS’ BIOGRAPHY
Chris and John Trogner have been working hard to get Central Pennsylvania on
the brewing map. Since 1997, these Mechanicsburg natives have been
handcrafting world-class beers that combine traditional English brewing
techniques with the eclecticism of new American brewing. But how they
reached this point is as compelling as where they are headed.
Chris and John, 18 months apart in age, were simultaneously intrigued by the
art of handcrafting beer while living some 1,750 miles apart—Chris in
Boulder, Colorado and John in Philadelphia.
John, the older brother, often found relief from his not-so-satisfying work
in the Philadelphia real estate market at the nearby Dock Street Brewpub. At
the same time, Philadelphia was proving to be a booming beer city with
dozens of neighborhood bars that cared as much about beer as they did about
food.
Chris was drawn to Colorado for the skiing opportunities, as well as
educational ones. In between the two, he found himself in the midst of
craft-brewing nirvana as more than 100 breweries appeared throughout the
state.
As Chris and John would talk, a flicker of an idea gradually turned into a
full-blown business plan. The brothers had always dreamed about starting a
business together, and now they had brewed the perfect idea.
John moved to Boulder, and within days secured a job cleaning tanks at the
Oasis Brewpub. Over the next three years he would learn the brewing business
from the inside out. Along the way, he took brewing classes at the
University of California at Davis and Chicago’s Siebel Institute of
Technology.
With John knee-deep in yeast, hops and barley, Chris focused on marketing,
sales and management classes. He also managed a restaurant to determine
whether a brewpub or a brewery would be a better business model. The
brothers decided to leave the food to someone else and focus on beer. After
graduating, Chris went to England to take an intensive brewing class at the
University of Sunderland.
The brothers needed to decide where to build the brewery; and while Colorado
offered the right audience, it also meant a lot of competition. After a lot
of thought, Chris and John decided to return to their roots and use their
brewing skills in the Mid-Atlantic States.
Tröegs Brewing Company was established in 1997. Today, the brewery produces
nine different beers including Hopback Amber Ale, Troegenator Doublebock,
Rugged Trail Ale, Tröegs Pale Ale, Nugget Nectar (seasonal) Dead Reckoning
Porter (seasonal), Sunshine Pils (seasonal), The Mad Elf (seasonal), and
distributes its product in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and
Virginia.
Year Round Beers
Tröegs Pale Ale
Tröegs HopBack Amber Ale
Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale
Troegenator DoubleBock
DreamWeaver Wheat
Seasonal availability
Sunshine Pils (spring/summer)
Oatmeal Stout (fall/winter)
The Mad Elf Holiday Ale (winter holidays)
Nugget Nectar Imperial Amber Ale (spring)
Dead Reckoning (fall)
