Heady Topper - The Alchemist

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: The beer pours a yellowed brown, like cloudy dehydrated piss. With a thick bubbly eggshell white head with good retention. Lacing is light and droopy, only lasting for a short while above the head.

Smell: Smell is super strong in piney hops with a slight citrusy tinge. A mellower light malty tinge seems to hide itself in the edges of the smell, but for the most part the smell is dominated with floral hops.

Taste: Super bitter with hops, this beer is achingly crisp on the tongue with just an overwhelming sense of bitter from start to finish. Slight citrusy notes can still be felt if you swish the beer around in the mouth, but overall it is just an overwhelming pine based bitter. I also took a couple pulls from the can, since that is what the can demanded, and was surprised to find more fruity notes being accentuated by the can. While still crisp and bitter I detect better note of citrusy flavor. Overall this beer is very heavy in its hops.

Mouthfeel: My initial sip from the cup was harshly bitter on the tongue. The beer is quite watery and smooth on the mouth. It definitely fizzles with bitterness as is peaks over the back of your tongue. The beer is less harsh when drank from the can, with the fruitier notes causing nice freshness on the tongue.

Overall: Great IPA. Fantastic floral hopping with a great hop-filled taste. This is a beer I would have again. The 8% alcohol content, and high drinkability also make this beer phenomenal.

Serving type: can

05-09-2012 00:27:13 | More by Maxwell

NightINgale

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev -4.9%

06-20-2013 02:20:27 | More by NightINgale

adkrogue

New York

4.5/5  rDev -4.9%

06-20-2013 01:05:19 | More by adkrogue

MattPfeifer

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +0.4%

06-20-2013 00:05:58 | More by MattPfeifer

Shmuffalo

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +0.4%

06-19-2013 23:41:38 | More by Shmuffalo

ironchefmiyagi13

New York

5/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Ok, so I never give out 5s, but I had such an amazing experience with this beer I felt I had to. I have been craving this beer ever since I heard about and through the generosity of fellow BAs, I am able to enjoy it multiple times.

Yes, I gave it a 5 for appearance, because I don't see anything wrong with the hazy, sediment filled brew. I would rather that than have them filter it and alter it to make it more 'aesthetically appealing'. The aroma is pungent hops, juicy grapefruit and light toasty malts that all work together in total harmony and synchronization. Flavor is smooth and glides gracefully along the palates. It's so mouth filling and soft on the palate, giving it dangerous drinkability.

I can honestly say this was a perfect beer for me. Everything worked together and nothing was over or underpowered. Simply amazing.

Serving type: can

06-19-2013 23:01:15 | More by ironchefmiyagi13

Jackals

California

4.63/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I have to say that I was impressed by this beer. I only managed to have a couple of sips since i was sharing the one can we found we a couple of friends but i found this beer to be very,. very enjoyable.
The can has some pretty cool artwork
The smell was nice and hoppy, with a fantastic aroma of tropical fruits and grasses
The flavor was what sealed the deal for me, really crisp, clean, with a slow rolling bitterness that led to a lightly sweet finish the hangs with you for a while.
All in all it is a great beer, too bad they dont distribute more of it, because i would buy a case

Serving type: can

06-19-2013 21:43:41 | More by Jackals

tnewmark

Kansas

5/5  rDev +5.7%

06-19-2013 13:45:14 | More by tnewmark

taylor714914

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -4.9%

06-18-2013 23:01:24 | More by taylor714914

bclemens

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +0.4%

06-18-2013 17:16:29 | More by bclemens

mdg80

Maine

5/5  rDev +5.7%

06-18-2013 16:34:18 | More by mdg80

JOSHMAN

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +5.7%

06-18-2013 14:41:32 | More by JOSHMAN

TychoNDC

New York

4.75/5  rDev +0.4%

06-18-2013 01:36:25 | More by TychoNDC

vbiliyar

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -15.4%

06-17-2013 14:13:08 | More by vbiliyar

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

4.64/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: Golden honey brown colored body with a bubbly, rocky and creamy looking head. A nice retention ring is left behind, along with sticky lace on the walls. Unfiltered floaties are unmistakable in the body, as mentioned there might be should you pour this out. Really, they're just ugly and kill the looks of the beer. I can't help but think this is part of the reason they recommend drinking from the can (other than the hop aroma retention).

S: Piney and earthy hop notes rocket from the glass. Hop resin and oils, orange and lemon bitter peels are next. Towards the end is a crisp bready element and caramel & pale malts. Touches of bitterness dance around the entire nose.

T: Bitter hop resin and oils wrestle the palate with a gentle nature. Pine and earthy hop notes again come through. Mid-palate are sweet orange and pink grapefruit oils, a generic citrus and rich sweet caramel malts. Finishes sticky and bitter.

M: Bubbly and creamy, perhaps a bit thin for a medium-bodied beer, though. Sticky bitter pine and sap on the palate in the linger.

This is easily in the top five Imperial IPAs I've ever had to date. It's extremely balanced, flavorful and never lets up on the delicious hop abuse.

Serving type: can

06-17-2013 12:10:05 | More by ShanePB

spw109

New York

5/5  rDev +5.7%

06-17-2013 07:24:59 | More by spw109

Hophunter18

Delaware

5/5  rDev +5.7%

06-17-2013 03:53:04 | More by Hophunter18

colsandurz

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +5.7%

06-17-2013 00:50:22 | More by colsandurz

kjfinnerty

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +0.4%

06-16-2013 22:59:33 | More by kjfinnerty

Barley76

Maine

4.75/5  rDev +0.4%

06-16-2013 22:07:06 | More by Barley76

Rocklobsterbrew

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +0.4%

06-16-2013 18:18:06 | More by Rocklobsterbrew

barflybastard

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +5.7%

06-16-2013 15:53:11 | More by barflybastard

swinyeju

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -15.4%

06-16-2013 15:07:29 | More by swinyeju

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

473ml can served in a tulip (to take a look in the appearance) and also drunk from the can as suggested by the brewer.

A: Pours a hazy yellow to orange to beige color forming a small think bubbled creamy head. Low retention and only few lingering lacings left in the glass

S: Hops bomb, of course. Refreshing and delicious. Strongly tropical fruity profile with strong notes of green mango (I've grown up in Brazil and we've had some mango trees in our backyard. So, believe me, green mango smells pretty much like this). A bit lemony. Malts and some sweetness

T: Excellent taste. Again, of course, giving emphasis to the hops. But the malts profile is also very good. Pale malts, mainly, something between Maris Otter and Perl, Slightly sweet upfront but with an overall, dry and crispy malt profile. Intensive hops bitterness, however, very well harmonized. Notes of citrus lemony hops. Green mango, tropical fruits. Light notes of brown sugar

M: Medium body and carbonation. Strong citrus hoppy aftertaste

O: Very drinkable. Excellent experience. I was expecting an excellent IIPA and that's exactly what I've got

Serving type: can

06-16-2013 10:37:53 | More by eduardolinhalis

messemcb

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +0.4%

06-16-2013 09:19:11 | More by messemcb