Heady Topper - The Alchemist

ediaz

Florida

5/5  rDev +5.9%

06-29-2012 03:53:24 | More by ediaz

TychoNDC

New York

4.75/5  rDev +0.6%

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

vbiliyar

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -15.3%

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

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

4.64/5  rDev -1.7%
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 +5.9%

06-17-2013 07:24:59 | More by spw109

Hophunter18

Delaware

5/5  rDev +5.9%

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

colsandurz

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +5.9%

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

kjfinnerty

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +0.6%

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

Barley76

Maine

4.75/5  rDev +0.6%

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

Rocklobsterbrew

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +0.6%

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

barflybastard

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +5.9%

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

swinyeju

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -15.3%

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

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.98/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

500ml 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 beer experience. Equivalent to the expectations

Serving type: can

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

messemcb

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +0.6%

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

errantnight

California

4.25/5  rDev -10%

06-16-2013 07:15:02 | More by errantnight

Oxymoron

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.75

An east coast DIPA trying to be an west coast DIPA. Pours a very cloudy light amber to dark golden color. A good carbonation with good retention through the tasting.

The nose offers a lot of complexity and very malt forward. A nice citrus forward aroma with notes of orange mango and lemon. Some minor grapefruit, more comes out as you taste it. Some piney and hint of herbal undertones as well but more citrus forward. A hint of bready malts but no off yeast notes.

The taste is a bit one dimensional. Hoppy flavors up front with good citrus and orangy flavors. The grapefruit comes out a bit more versus the nose. But the bitterness is a bit lacking and the malt/body is hidden. Some piney and over resiny notes come out as well into the finish. But I would have liked a bit more complexity in the taste.

The body is moderately light. Has more of a single IPA character instead of the DIPA complexity. Carbonation is good.

I do feel like Im nit picking this beer, and there are some fantastic hop notes that really come out, but I am really looking for a bit more character here. Well it's a good thing no one really reads these reviews anyways.

Serving type: can

06-16-2013 07:13:25 | More by Oxymoron

AJ01923

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +5.9%

06-16-2013 02:52:28 | More by AJ01923

nollie77

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +0.6%

06-16-2013 02:35:01 | More by nollie77

TomTown

Texas

4.5/5  rDev -4.7%

06-16-2013 02:30:58 | More by TomTown

RiseAbove

California

4.75/5  rDev +0.6%

06-15-2013 20:37:14 | More by RiseAbove

chrishiker1409

New York

5/5  rDev +5.9%

06-15-2013 19:13:15 | More by chrishiker1409

LostHighway

Maine

4.5/5  rDev -4.7%

06-15-2013 18:16:09 | More by LostHighway

RyanLigeia

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The artwork ok the can itself is killer. Although it clearly states to drink straight from the can I opted instead to pour this one into a tulip to scope it out. Very hazy burnt orange in color, minimal head and lots of "floaties" that anyone whos done any research has been warned about.

The smell is everything I would ever want out of a beer in this category. It smells so incredibly juicy. Mango/pineapple/tropical hop notes, some orange/grapefruit/citrusy notes, touch of resiny pine, touch of malt. You can tell its got a little touch of alcohol but I wouldnt guess it clocks in at 8%.

Here the alcohol is a little more present but blends SO WELL with the juicy hop explosion it delivers right off the first sip. From the second it touches your taste buds all the way through the finish this ones an A+. Im getting all those mango/tropical hop notes with a slight bitterness as well. The flavor seems to saturate your entire palate but not in an immediate/ assaulting way, its like a soft blanket of perfect IPA flavor that covers your palate completely. So good. And SO DRINKABLE. Very flavorful yet very smooth, super addicting from the first sip and very easy to put back. I'd definitely suggest against buying a single can unless thats your only option.

Mothfeel....hmmm....some noteable carbonation but not crackling or stinging if that makes any sense. Goes down super smooth. Medium to full body. Almost an oxymoron because right as I start to notice that almost drying grapefruit bitterness most IPAs have the juicy tropical notes come through and wash that away. Very slight alcohol warmth is noteworthy too but its just the right amount and fits in perfectly with the rest of what this beer has to offer.

Worth the Hype? Idk, it depends on what you have to go through to get it. After all, it IS still a beer...but in my opinion, if you've been questing for this one, keeep at it. I lived in MA for most of my life and spent the last couple years trying to track this one down to no avail. Moved all the way down to NC and within the first 2 months got it as a random gift from a boss at a new job. The irony. Easily one of, if not definitely my favorite of all the IPAs/ DIPAs I've EVER had. Its just got the total package. The drinkability on this one is UNREAL despite being so incredibly flavorful and semi high in alcohol. IPAs arent normally "my thing" these days but if I had regular access to this beer theres no doubt id be buyin the shit out of it each and every chance I had.

Serving type: can

06-15-2013 08:32:42 | More by RyanLigeia

ACB

California

4.5/5  rDev -4.7%

06-14-2013 21:38:44 | More by ACB

blt2646

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +5.9%

06-14-2013 21:28:28 | More by blt2646