One taste of Troegenator tells you this is no ordinary beer. Malty and crisp. Traditional yet timeless. A rebel with a sweet side. This deliciously dark doublebock calls for so much grain we had to custom-build our brewhouse around it. Layered with notes of smooth caramel, stone fruit and fresh toasted grains, ’Nator is a beer for people who love beer.

Troegenator, the legendary doublebock that in many ways defines our approach to brewing, has a new look that’s rolling out everywhere Tröegs is sold. The art was done by illustrator Joshua Noom in collaboration with our team here at the brewery.

“We moved the Troegeantor name higher to make that a focal point,” says Noom. “The bold and detailed illustration gives this icon a fresh look and supports the typography.”

Troegenator’s origins

The seed for Troegenator was planted on a 2-week camping trip that Chris Trogner and a friend took to Germany in the late ‘90s. The goal of the trip was to do a loop around the country, hitting small breweries and bars in each region known for a distinct beer style.

“It rained the whole two weeks,” says Chris. “But the experience itself was pretty amazing. Camping in a foreign country where we didn’t really speak the language, carrying everything on our backs. If we found a brewery, we’d go. Otherwise, we’d end up at a bar and talk to people. They were all super-curious about who we were and what we were doing. They’d tell us which other bars to go to in town and which beers to try.”

They drank altbiers in Dusseldorf, kolsch in Cologne, weissbier in Bavaria, dunkels in Munich. And at a mountaintop monastery in Bavaria, they were captivated by a doppelbock.

“For a beer that strong, it was very soft,” says Chris. “The head was super light and fluffy. It was a complex and delicate beer for its strength.”

When John Trogner traveled to Germany a few months later to inspect a new brewhouse, he too visited the Bavarian monks and tried their doppelbock.

Soon after, Troegenator started taking shape.

Spirit of exploration

“The way Troegenator came about is how we do everything,” says John. “If you hear about something or read about something, it’s tough to get the full picture. We like to go out, experience things in their native environment, then filter them through our own lens.

“We were inspired by the whole experience,” says John. “We discovered that German beers in general were very soft, very complex, very simple. They take a few ingredients – 3 or 4 types of malts, yeast and water – and create these complex and super-interesting beers. We were inspired by that and brought it back. Artistic expression often comes from experience. Couple that with our geeky science side, that need to understand why things taste the way they do. That to me is Tröegs, and Troegenator was really the first example of that process.”

Balancing act

Designing a brewhouse that can handle a big beer like Troegenator and a delicate beer like Sunshine Pilsner is a balancing act.

“Sunshine uses a small amount of grain, and it’s very delicate,” says John. “You don’t want to scorch the wort. But you also need to be able to handle more than twice that amount of grain for beers like Troegenator and Mad Elf. It’s not crazy hard, but you have to go into it thinking that way or you’ll get it wrong.”

Locally grown and malted grain

One of the most interesting aspects of Troegenator is a recent development. As of 2021, we’ll be using 50,000 pounds a year of Pennsylvania-grown and malted two-row barley to brew ‘Nator.

“When people think of local ingredients, they often think of hops,” says John. “But the quality and quantity of the grain in Pennsylvania really lends itself to brewing. I’m super excited to incorporate grains from our backyard in Troegenator. We’re finally at the point where we can make an impact from an agricultural standpoint. We can give back to the community that has helped us grow.”

Availability

Troegenator is available on draft and in 12-oz cans and bottles wherever Troegs is sold. Find it near you at troegs.com/brewfinder.