“If I had to drink one beer for the rest of my life, it would be Troegenator. To me, it’s really the heart and soul of Tröegs.”
That’s a direct quote from John Trogner, our co-founding brother and brewmaster.
Bold words, indeed.
If you’ve followed us since the beginning, then you might know that Troegenator was our first beer to achieve cult status. In the early days, it quickly became synonymous with Tröegs. Today, it’s not only a mainstay of our year-round lineup but also a widely recognized character of our brewery.
The evolution of Troegenator
But despite its popularity, Troegenator has always been a beer steeped in mystery.
For example, did you know the seed for our beloved double bock was planted 4,000 miles away across the Atlantic at a mountaintop monastery in Bavaria?
The spark for Troegenator ignited during a fateful trip to Germany in the late 1990s. That’s when our other co-founding brother, Chris, became smitten with an age-old German beer style known as doppelbock. When he returned from the trip with tales of his discovery, John decided he too must pay a visit to the very same monks to see what all the fuss was about. That’s the moment when Troegenator started taking shape.
Early sketches from Josh Noom
These days, it’s hard to think of Tröegs without our beloved Troegenator. And now in 2026, the deliciously dark beer everyone knows and loves has received a fresh makeover.
The new label art takes elements from designs from two longtime collaborators – Josh Noom and Devin Watson. Combining Noom’s iconic wordmark with Watson’s interpretation of the mysterious horned beast that’s synonymous with ‘Nator, the new look leans into the mythology of the mysterious horned beast we like to call ‘Nator. It’s as alluring and mysterious as the beer inside each bottle and can.
Alternate unused concepts from Devin Watson
“In a way, it’s the beer that built our brewery,” says John.
With its captivating new packaging, we’re confident that Troegenator will continue to stand the test of time.
