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Tröeg's doesn't provide table service. So, we elbowed
up to the bar and then walked over to the "Snack Bar"
to order, carrying our food and drinks back to our
newly clean table.
My friends each ordered a beer, while I ordered a
three-beer sampler—a French-style saison, an amber
ale and a bock. at let us try five different beers among
the three of us. We finished our lunch just in time for
the 45-minute guided tour that included another four
tastings—"three nice and packaged and one of them
right out of the tank," our guide Mike said.
e tour was packed with information about making
beer, and we peeked into the machinery, passed around
jars of hops so we could smell different types and
learned fun facts such as that 30 percent of Tröeg's beer
is kegged.
Every week, Tröeg's also produces at least one "scratch
beer series" beer for customers to taste and has now
produced more than 240 of them. e company uses
these small batches as a way to try out new ingredients
and brewing techniques. Although the scratch beers I
tried had names, they also were numbered—220, 222
and 227. In the gift store on the premises, I had fun
creating a six-pack of scratch beer varieties to take
with me.
Later on, driving home, I reflected on my adventure
and realized that it may be impossible in a kiddie-ruled
town like Hershey to have a true grown-up weekend.
I couldn't even escape the little guys in a brewery! But
that's OK. It was enough to learn that Hershey has
plenty to do for the over-21 set, even if you first have to
push aside a few old Cheerios to put down your beer.
goINg there
In recent years, more places have popped up
in and around Hershey that appeal to adults.
Here are a few places where you can start
your own grown-up journey.
e Spa at e Hotel Hershey
100 Hotel Rd., Hershey
844-330-1797, www.chocolatespa.com
CrossWinds Winery
621 Hershey Rd., Hummelstown
717-566-3050, www.crosswindswinery.com
e Mill in Hershey
810 Old W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-256-9965, www.themillinhershey.com
Antique Automobile
Club Museum of America
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100, www.aacamuseum.org
Tröeg's Independent Brewing
200 E. Hershey Park Dr., Hershey
717-534-1297 www.troegs.com
antique automobile Club museum of america (top) and tröeg's independent Brewing (middle and bottom).
