Troegs, Pizza Boy & Appalachian Brewing Company team up to brew new ale: Out with Sara

Disclaimer: I'm one of the co-founders and organizers of the first-ever Harrisburg Beer Week

Quickly: Harrisburg Beer Week celebrates our local craft beer community, highlighting our impressive array of brewers and businesses while giving back. Harrisburg Beer Week, or #HBGBeerWeek as we affectionately tag it, benefits Harrisburg River Rescue & Emergency Services. It runs April 24 through May 2 and is loaded with more 100 events throughout the greater Harrisburg area.

Craft Beer 'Bro-dom'

One of the coolest facets of the craft beer industry at large -- despite recent stories about trademark-related legal suits -- is its good-natured and strong sense of community.

Sharing a love and passion for craft beer seems to be enough, in most cases, to forge a relationship between brewers, suppliers and aficionados alike.

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Collaboration beers aren't new; but this specially crafted concoction made specifically for our region by our area's top brewers is the first of its kind.

The Beer

Appalachian Brewing Company and Troegs Brewing Company, who essentially "grew up together" brewing craft beer in Harrisburg, partnered with Pizza Boy Brewing Company -- the in-house brewery at Al's of Hampden -- to create a one-of-a-kind beer.

The result, named (717) Collaboration Ale, will serve as the official beer of Harrisburg Beer Week.

At 7.17% ABV, this slightly tart IPA-style made with saison yeast, local malts and honey, is representative of all three breweries.

How it started

In January, these local craft beer rockstars -- John and Chris Trogner, Artie Tafoya and Al Kominski -- met one otherwise quiet afternoon at Al's of Hampden, grabbing a slice and a West Shore IPA to wash it down. After pleasantries and some catching up with one another, they started breaking down the idea of what the collaboration beer could be: what did each have to offer to the mix, how and where would they brew it, how would it be distributed. At one point, the group contemplated cork and caged packaging; at another, they discussed slapping Harrisburg Beer Week's "I [hop] HBG" stickers on crowlers.

"It takes just a spark of an idea," John Trogner said to me this week on the official brew day as the crew discussed what next year's beer may entail. "Then it snowballs into craziness."

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The parts

Fans of Pizza Boy Brewing Co. and Intangible Ales head brewer Terry Hawbaker are familiar with his passion for farmhouse-style and wild ales.

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The beer features an 80/20 blend, incorporating a sour wort into the main brew. A French saison yeast adds a peppery spice and dry finish.

Hawbaker said, "I really like the old school tart, sort of sour, component to a traditional saison. It adds to the overall refreshing quality of the beer."

The beer is dry-hopped with a special variety Troegs has nicknamed "Nugget-Zilla," that John Trogner found while walking the fields of Yakima Valley, WA. John says he loves the piney-ness of the Nugget hop -- and this particular cultivar has almost a strawberry aroma. It's a Troegs favorite and will be a noticeable component to the final product.

Tafoya brought over local wildflower honey -- 360 lbs worth -- which will bring some balance to the hoppy and sour aspects of the ale. The honey will ferment out, leaving a nice dry finish and boosting the potency, along with adding a round sweetness on the end.

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(717) Collaboration Ale also is made with local Deer Creek Malts, which imparted a darker than expected color on the beer so far.

This culmination of styles will net a distinctive beer -- and while it may not be entirely definable, it certainly will be delicious.

Where to get it

(717) Collaboration Ale will be released at the Official Harrisburg Beer Week Kick-off Event at 7 p.m. on April 24 at the Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Co. A $5 cover charge will benefit Harrisburg River Rescue. The beer also will be available on draft at Al's of Hampden, Troegs and all ABC locations at that time.

Troegs also will package (717) Collaboration Ale in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans, which will be available at all three participating breweries as well as throughout the 717 area code beginning Monday, April 27. A portion of all proceeds from sales will benefit Harrisburg River Rescue.

SARA BOZICH: about.me/sarabozich Celebrate responsibly.

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