Sweet!

Day #534 Troegs Pale Ale / Troegs Brewing Company, Hershey, PA
Previously from this brewery: the delightful Nugget Nectar, Sunshine Pils, and Scratch 57 (starring Darryl Dawkins!)

Happy Memorial Day to you all!  Hopefully you have fun plans for the day, or at least get to spend it with loved ones.  And I do hope you'll pause in some way to honor those who died while defending our country (friendly reminder: Memorial Day honors the deceased, while Veteran's Day celebrates the service of all veterans).

I'll be spending a portion of this holiday in the yard, trying to tame the jungle that seems to have sprung up recently.  Long time readers of this blog may recall that I would sooner cut off a limb than work in the yard, so you know this is a task I'm dreading.  My allergies started to flare up this weekend, and when you combine that with the approximately 100 bug bites I'll receive while I'm out there, you get a recipe for me being really miserable today.  Sorry to go all Debbie Downer on you there.  Just saying.  And I still didn't receive that invite for a BBQ, by the way..... must have gotten lost in the mail.

Part of Sunday afternoon was spent meandering through Central Pennsylvania, which included a stop at Troegs to get a beer fix.  Found a seat at the bar in their large tasting room, and ordered up a Troegs Pale Ale, which arrived sporting a bright copper color and persistent white head.  This might sound strange to non-craft beer believers, but then again maybe not: this is a very attractive beer, with a bright, clear quality (pic below doesn't do it justice, sadly).  You find a mild aroma of citrus and malt on the nose, and flavors of pine, lemon and orange, and caramel malts.  There's a dryness to this beer, and a very manageable 5.4% ABV.  Not the most complex or unusual beer Troegs produces, but definitely an enjoyable pour to sip on a sunny afternoon.

Trust me, prettier in real life.

Troegs' new brewery location is located right on Hersheypark Drive, around the corner from Hershey's famous amusement park.  I envision tons of dads dropping their kids off at the park to ride the rides, then jetting over to Troegs to relax and enjoy some beers.  Regardless, a trip to Hershey definitely shouldn't be considered complete without a stop at Troegs and their great tasting room.

Thing to Think About Today:
Troegs is located in a town affectionately known as "The Sweetest Place on Earth" thanks to the world famous headquarters of Hershey.  So let's get real relevant and let the Carolina Chocolate Drops (chocolate!) close out the weekend with Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine (sweet!).  See what I did there?  Anyway, I hope this fun song helps you kick off a sunny Memorial Day.  See you all soon...

(music starts at the 1 min mark)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjyw-nW0D90

"And when I'm feeling lonesome and blue / my baby knows just what to do!"