To welcome the arrival of fall flavors, the team at Tröegs Independent Brewing has once again partnered with The GIANT Company and Caputo Brothers Creamery of Spring Grove, Pa., to debut a fourth limited-edition beer cheese – this time using their new Grand Cacao Chocolate Stout.
Like the other three cheeses, Grand Cacao Beer Cheese is made with milk from Pennsylvania dairy farms.
“These beer cheeses are literally saving local dairy farms,” says Caputo Brothers President Rynn Caputo. “We pride ourselves not only on making cheese that tastes good, but also does good. And so far, these beer cheeses have helped two Pennsylvania dairies stay in business.”
Grand Cacao Beer Cheese starts with 100% Pennsylvania cow’s milk. At Caputo’s York County creamery, cheesemakers bathe the curds in Grand Cacao, a new year-round chocolate stout with notes of milk chocolate, roasty grain and hints of sweet cream. The addition of Calabrian peperoncini adds flecks of color and what Rynn calls an “elevated spiciness.”
The result is a sweet and creamy cheese with bright pops of heat and subtle chocolate notes.
“The addition of peperoncini really sets this cheese apart,” says Chris Trogner, founding brother of Tröegs. “I love the blend of sweet and creamy cheese with the subtle chocolate notes and heat of the pepper. And whether it’s for our beers, the Snack Bar at our Hershey brewery, or in collaborations like this, we like to use local ingredients whenever we can. These cheeses deepen our connection to Pennsylvania agriculture in a big way.”
Mad Elf Beer Cheese returns
And with the holidays on the horizon, don’t miss the return of Mad Elf Beer Cheese, which debuted last October and quickly became a fan favorite. Also made with 100% Pennsylvania cow’s milk, Mad Elf Beer Cheese gets a spice rub of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove from Calicutts Spice Co. in Mechanicsburg.
Hershey’s Natural Cocoa was also added, along with freshly ground espresso from Little Amps Coffee Roasters in Harrisburg. Finally, more Mad Elf was added to the mix, then it was rubbed onto the rind of the wheels and left to dry for two days in Caputo’s cheese cave.
The result is a creamy, savory, and sweet cheese with notes of cinnamon, chocolate, coffee, and honey.
Grand Cacao Beer Cheese and Mad Elf Beer Cheese are available while supplies last at GIANT, MARTIN’S and GIANT Heirloom Market locations. Select beer cheeses are also available for delivery via caputobrotherscreamery.com or in person at Tröegs.
“The GIANT Company has a long history of supporting local food businesses and our customers have really loved our ongoing collaboration with Caputo Brothers and Tröegs,” said Brian Lorenz, director of deli and bakery, The GIANT Company. “Customers are not only supporting local companies like Caputo Brothers and Tröegs, but also Pennsylvania dairy farmers too.”
