Beer-tasting attracts SRO crowd at Roasters

The Troegs beer tasting event Thursday evening at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house was a big hit – actually, it was too big of a hit.

The small coffee house was packed to the gills with thirsty patrons. It was controlled bedlam as Java Geoff and the Troegs guys passed out samples of beer, and supplies ran out before the advertised 8 pm ending time.

Keep in mind that this was the first beer-tasting event at Roasters, so I urge everyone who missed out to give Geof a break on this one. I'd say future beer tastings should require reservations for a limited number of seats, and it probably would make sense to hold two tasting sessions during the event.

The scratch beer that Troegs brewed with coffee beans from the coffee house – Double Espresso Oatmeal Stout – is only available in draft at the brewery on Paxton Street in Harrisburg.

If you want to get a taste, there were a few openings for a 12:30 pm tour of the Troegs brewery on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the time this post was published. Or, you can stop by the brewery Saturday afternoon to just sample Double Espresso Oatmeal Stout.

Pictured below are John Trogner, III (on left), brewmaster and president of Troegs Brewing Co., and "Java Geof" Smith, co-owner and chief coffee bean roaster of St. Thomas Roasters.