Following last year’s successful launch of Troegenator Beer Cheese, The GIANT Company, Caputo Brothers Creamery of Spring Grove, Pa. and Tröegs Independent Brewing are once again teaming up to bring beer and cheese lovers alike their latest creation: Perpetual Beer Cheese. Uniquely, all of the milk used to make the Perpetual Beer Cheese comes from Pennsylvania dairy farms.
The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded problems for dairy farmers in Pennsylvania. One of the most important parts of the Commonwealth’s agriculture economy, dairy farming supports 52,000 jobs and generates $14.7 billion a year. However, challenging market conditions have created a serious threat to the livelihood of many dairy farmers. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania lost 370 dairy farms in 2018. Now, with schools and restaurants closed statewide, demand is down and many farmers have been forced to dump excess milk.
“In a time when a lot of us are feeling helpless, we asked ourselves what we can do to make a difference,” says Rynn Caputo, president of Caputo Brothers Creamery. “This partnership with GIANT and Tröegs has already helped keep two dairy farms running, and as it grows, we have the potential to save even more farms. This is our opportunity to make a small but important difference in the world, to keep more Pennsylvania farms sustainably operating. If enough people focus on one thing they can do to make this situation better, we can come back even stronger.”
The sweet and creamy beer cheese has lively notes of citrus thanks to the addition of Citra hops, an aromatic American-grown flower that is a key flavor component in the best-selling Tröegs beer Perpetual IPA. At the York County creamery, cheesemakers run warm milk through sacks full of whole-flower Citra hops before pressing it into forms. The cheese then bathes in a brine of saltwater and Perpetual IPA. In Caputo’s aging cave, the cheese gets a daily misting of Perpetual, bringing the beer’s aroma to the rind and giving it a golden hue.
“Perpetual is the best-selling IPA in Pennsylvania and is a favorite of many beer drinkers,” says John Trogner, brewmaster and founding brother of Tröegs. “What the team at Caputo did with this cheese is just amazing. It is unapologetically a beer cheese and biting into it and tasting the unmistakable citrus notes of Perpetual makes us as brewers really happy. Local dairies, local beer, local good says it all.”
The new variety of beer cheese is now available at all 186 GIANT, MARTIN’S and GIANT Heirloom Market locations. New this year, the product also will be available for purchase through GIANT Direct and MARTIN’S Direct, the company’s online grocery service. The cheese also will be available at Caputo Brothers and through the new Tröegs To-Go Curbside service.
“The GIANT Company is passionate when it comes to sourcing locally grown and produced products and we’re incredibly proud of our ongoing Caputo Brothers and Tröegs collaboration and the positive impact it is having on our local agriculture industry,” said John Ruane, chief merchandising officer of GIANT. “Our customers loved the first variety we launched last year, and we’re thrilled to introduce this latest flavor that does good in driving more business for our local small food companies and to our dairy farmers.”
At 5 p.m. Fri/May 15, Tröegs, Caputo and GIANT will be conducting a “virtual tasting” of Perpetual Beer Cheese.
Rynn Caputo and Wade Smith of Caputo Brothers Creamery and Tröegs brewmaster and co-founding brother John Trogner will gather to show how Caputo’s cheesemakers got Perpetual’s signature citrus notes into the cheese and how this fruitful marriage of Pennsylvania makers is benefiting the local dairy industry. GIANT CEO Nicholas Bertram is also planning to attend.
To participate in the virtual tasting, simply pick up some Perpetual Beer Cheese at any local GIANT location or Tröegs To-Go Curbside service and join at 5 p.m. on May 15 at troegs.com/beercheese using the password “Perpetual.” The tasting is limited to 1,000 virtual seats.
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About Tröegs Independent Brewing
Founded in Pennsylvania in 1996 by brothers John and Chris Trogner, Tröegs Independent Brewing is driven by a sense of adventure and curiosity. From the beginning, Tröegs has been built by family, friends and kindred spirits who share a love of great beer. “We’re not an English ale brewery,” says co-founder Chris Trogner. “And we’re not a German lager brewery. We take bits and pieces from each one of those traditions and try to come up with what we think is a very creative and great-tasting beer.” Tröegs is widely known for award-winning beers like Perpetual IPA, Troegenator, Nugget Nectar and Mad Elf, as well as its experimental Scratch Series, wood-aged Splinter Series and Hop Cycle Seasonals. Tröegs started working in earnest with local ingredients back in 2002 with the debut of holiday favorite Mad Elf. Today, the brewery buys about 25,000 pounds of local honey and 100,000 pounds of Pennsylvania-grown barley every year. Tröegs also sources local produce including pumpkins, cherries, peaches, nectarines and strawberries from the fertile Fruit Belt of Pennsylvania. Through rotating seasonal menus, Tröegs Scratch Kitchen is a showcase for new tastes and flavors, and its Guided Production Tour was named best brewery tour in America by readers of USA Today. The annual Art of Tröegs contest showcases the brewery’s love of art by challenging fans to create original artwork inspired by its beers. “We’re drawn to people with a sense of adventure,” says co-founder John Trogner. “And we think they’re drawn to Tröegs.”
About Caputo Brothers Creamery
Founded in Pennsylvania in 2011 by husband and wife duo David and Rynn Caputo, Caputo Brothers Creamery is focused on revolutionizing the mozzarella industry while providing a sustainable partnership for local dairy farms. Named for their sons, Giovanni and Matteo, the creamery is a true family business. Primarily known throughout the country and chef community for being the exclusive producer of naturally fermented cheese curds that can be stretched into fresh mozzarella, the Caputos have built their reputation of quality cheesemaking by sourcing the highest quality milk possible from local, family-owned dairy farms. To date, Caputo Brothers Creamery has saved two dairy farms with the goal of saving additional farms as they grow. Since 2018, Caputo Brothers Creamery has worked with Giant Food Stores to develop in-store mozzarella and cannoli bars as well as the creation of two new beer cheese with Tröegs Brewery. The creamery currently produces about 250,000 lbs of artisan cheese annually. Additionally, the creamery operates a small restaurant and retail shop and leads culinary tours to Italy. For more information, visit caputobrotherscreamery.com.
About The GIANT Company
Founded in 1923 in Carlisle, Pa., The GIANT Company is passionate about connecting families and creating healthier communities. As an omni-channel retailer, GIANT proudly serves millions of neighbors across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. With more than 33,000 talented team members supporting nearly 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, 105 fuel stations, and over 125 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of zip codes, The GIANT Company is changing the customer experience and creating an impact in local communities for a better future. The GIANT Company family of brands includes GIANT, MARTIN’S, GIANT Heirloom Market, GIANT DIRECT and MARTIN’S DIRECT. The GIANT Company is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA. For more information, visit the GIANT or MARTIN’S websites.