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Tröegs Mix Pack 2020

                        M’m…Tröegs mix-packs are back! An annual event I have come to anticipate over the past several years, this is one of the few domestic craft breweries that I endorse whole-heartedly (not professionally mind you; but if they wanna give me some free beer or even tee-shirts, my praise still couldn’t be any more profusive) as I am definitely European, and specifically German in my beer taste but now, although I am a little disappointed at the make-up compared to previous years (as I will describe shortly) let me tell you about the four beers (three bottles each) that you will get for about the same price those other craft beer guys will charge you for four cans.
            Variety is the spice (er, hops) of life!

            Perpetual IPA
            Taste of hops & summer. Far more bitterly satisfying than most American IPA’s. At 7.5% ABV this could get you drunk quick, or sip slow lying in a hammock on an August morning (err, I mean afternoon.) What I liked about the mixpacks in previous years was they had two strong beers and two weak ones, so you could regulate your cumulative inebriation throughout the day (or offer the Pilsners to a wife or skinny friend.) Of course my tolerance has gone up over the years.

            Tröegenator
            Excellent Bock flavor. I think I first tried this out to dinner at the Jewish diner; in recreation of that memory I’m having it in a glass [on further drinking we have decided that, yes, it is definitely better out of a glass, while the other beers in this collection are all suited for sipping out the bottle—Ed.] Sure to get you drunk but you could drink it like it’s just a reg’lar ole beer—I think the kids deez daze say ‘crushable’ [Krüschäbble auf Deutsch]. Anyhow if you want spicy, sour notes without the bitterness of stout or full-on Trappist intensity this is a great beer; on its own or, starting out w/ this and the Perpetual, moving on to the Pilsner as you get “drunk enough” (is there such a thing?)

            First Cut IPA
            First cut is a good, clean IPA; a straight beer for a simple man. Nonetheless, even though I usually don’t go for super-hoppy beers, I actually prefer the Perpetual. Maybe it’s the higher alcohol content; still, this is more than sufficient at a solid 6.2%. Nontheless this is a crisp, refreshing beer for any season.

            Keller Pilsner
            Crisp, authentic Pilsner flavor. Not bland or overly heady. This is your beer for sitting in front of the TV and eating chips.

           

                        In summation this is a great mix-pack I highly recommend. Compared to previous years, the addition of the Tröegenator is welcome except that is comes at the expense of the annually rotating fruity Gose; my suggestion would be that they keep the Tröegenator but bring back the Gose in exchange for one of the IPA’s.   

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