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Tröegs Downhill Racer IPA Teams Up With Five Pennsylvania Ski Resorts

Tröegs Downhill Racer IPA Teams Up With Five Pennsylvania Ski Resorts

Tröegs Downhill Racer IPA is on the way this winter. It’s a new collaboration between Tröegs Independent Brewing in Hershey and five Pennsylvania ski resorts: Liberty Mountain, Whitetail, Roundtop, Jack Frost Big Boulder and Seven Springs. The label surfaced this week, and it’s covered in illustrated skiers carving through the pines.

The details come from the can label, which MyBeerBuzz posted on Oct. 31. Tröegs hasn’t yet published a release date, an ABV, pricing or a distribution plan, so this is an early sighting rather than a launch announcement. Our long-range scanners picked up the artwork first. The beer itself is still on the lift.

Tröegs Downhill Racer IPA: what the label says

The 16-ounce can calls it an India Pale Ale and lists five hops: Centennial, El Dorado, Vic Secret, Chinook and Galaxy. That’s a mix of three American hops and two Australian ones.

Tröegs labels usually carry a short “We taste” line, and this one reads “sweet fruit, piney citrus.” That’s the brewery’s own tasting note from the label. We haven’t tried the beer, so we aren’t adding anything to it.

DetailDownhill Racer IPA
BreweryTröegs Independent Brewing (Hershey, Pa.)
StyleIndia Pale Ale
Hops (per label)Centennial, El Dorado, Vic Secret, Chinook, Galaxy
Label tasting note“Sweet fruit, piney citrus”
Package16-oz. cans
PartnersLiberty Mountain, Whitetail, Roundtop, Jack Frost Big Boulder, Seven Springs
TimingThis winter
ABV, price, release dateNot yet announced

Source: can label as published by MyBeerBuzz, Oct. 31, 2026.

The hops behind Tröegs Downhill Racer IPA

MyBeerBuzz offers a quick primer on the hop bill. Centennial brings the citrus and floral character that helped define American craft beer. Chinook is commonly associated with pine and grapefruit. El Dorado can deliver sweet fruit and candy-like notes, and the two Australian varieties, Vic Secret and Galaxy, are known for tropical fruit.

On paper, that lines up neatly with the label’s “sweet fruit, piney citrus.” As MyBeerBuzz points out, though, the finished beer’s aroma, bitterness and balance will depend on the recipe and hopping schedule, and neither has been published.

Five Pennsylvania ski resorts on one can

The side panel lists the partners under “In collaboration”: Liberty Mountain Resort, Whitetail, Jack Frost Big Boulder (shown as JFBB), Roundtop Mountain Resort and Seven Springs Mountain Resort. The front of the can is all skiers, slalom gates and evergreens, so the theme isn’t subtle. Good. Subtle doesn’t sell on a cold slope.

What we don’t know yet is where you’ll be able to buy it. Neither the label nor MyBeerBuzz says whether Downhill Racer will be poured only at the five resorts, sold through Tröegs’ regular distribution or both. We’ll update when Tröegs confirms.

Tröegs has been busy with cold-weather beers this season. Its winter hop bomb is back too, in new cans; read our report on Tröegs Blizzard of Hops for 2026.

FAQ

What is Tröegs Downhill Racer IPA?
A new India Pale Ale from Tröegs Independent Brewing, made in collaboration with five Pennsylvania ski resorts and packaged in 16-oz. cans.
Which ski resorts are involved?
Liberty Mountain, Whitetail, Roundtop, Jack Frost Big Boulder and Seven Springs, according to the can label.
What hops are in Downhill Racer IPA?
The label lists Centennial, El Dorado, Vic Secret, Chinook and Galaxy.
What does it taste like?
The label’s “We taste” line says “sweet fruit, piney citrus.” We haven’t tasted it.
When is Downhill Racer IPA released, and what's the ABV?
It’s expected this winter. Tröegs hasn’t announced a date, ABV, price or where it will be sold.

Waiting at the top of the run

Downhill Racer IPA looks like a natural fit for Pennsylvania’s ski season: a five-hop IPA with a fruit-and-pine label note, five resort partners and a can that belongs in a lodge cooler. The missing pieces are the practical ones, including the date, the strength and the places you can actually buy it.

We’ll keep a sensor pointed at Hershey and update this report when Tröegs drops the official details.

Transmission complete.

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BeerAlien

Beer Alien, an extraterrestrial aficionado of all things hops and barley. Traveling the cosmos to explore craft breweries, sharing intergalactic beer knowledge and promoting interstellar brew culture. Spreading beer love, one sip at a time. Cheers to the infinite universe of great beers!

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