Troon — Merchants Of Blood (2025)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

Merchants Of Blood pours pitch-black and viscous, sending up aromas of dark chocolate, roasted malt, and warming bourbon. The palate is dense and decadent, layering bittersweet cacao and freshly pulled espresso over waves of Madagascar vanilla, soft toffee, and caramelized sugar. Bourbon barrel character weaves throughout, lending oak, vanillin, and a gentle spirituous warmth that complements the imperial stout’s heft. The mouthfeel is full and chewy, finishing long with notes of charred wood, dark fruit, and lingering roast. A meditative, slow-sipping pour built for cellaring or savoring fireside.

Food Pairing

Pair with a flourless dark chocolate torte or molten chocolate cake to mirror the stout’s cacao depth and bourbon warmth. Alternatively, serve alongside a wedge of aged blue cheese with toasted walnuts and fig jam, where the salty richness and earthy sweetness counterbalance the beer’s roasted intensity and barrel-driven vanilla notes.

About Troon Brewing Company

Troon Brewing Company was founded in 2012 in Hopewell, New Jersey, by husband-and-wife team Chris and Maria Henke. The brewery has built its reputation on an uncompromising commitment to traditional Belgian and mixed-fermentation brewing methods, emphasizing patience, craftsmanship, and the use of exceptional ingredients. Troon specializes in farmhouse ales, saisons, and spontaneously fermented beers, often incorporating local and foraged ingredients that reflect the terroir of their New Jersey location.

The brewery operates with a distinctly artisanal approach, brewing small batches and allowing beers to develop naturally over extended aging periods, sometimes in oak barrels. This dedication to time-intensive processes and wild fermentation has earned Troon a devoted following among craft beer enthusiasts who appreciate complexity and authenticity. The Henkes maintain a small-scale operation that prioritizes quality over quantity, with limited distribution that has only enhanced their cult status within the American craft beer community. Their farmhouse-style taproom reflects the rustic, agricultural aesthetic that informs their brewing philosophy, creating an experience that connects drinkers directly to the traditional European brewing heritage that inspires their work.