Heady Topper - The Alchemist

beermemyfriend

Massachusetts

4.84/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Heavenly. The stuff you dream about. Like anything else in VT, very, very fresh. I had it at Prohibition Pig in Waterbury on tap. Haven't stopped thinking about it since. I'll be with everyone else, on the road to VT just to get some as it's only available there. It's that good.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2013 20:58:52 | More by beermemyfriend

devilheels

Connecticut

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

There are several things that make me proud to be from Vermont. This is one of them. This is a hoppy beer, but not one that makes you choke. John Kimmich, the brewer, has somehow taken an extremely hoppy beer and made it so palatable that even people who don't typically like IPA's can enjoy it. I miss the Alchemist of old (Wild Child, Holy Cow, Ouroboros, etc) and hope that Kimmich decides to can those in the future. You can't go wrong with the Alchemist.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2013 22:44:51 | More by devilheels

Homebrew35

Connecticut

4.56/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a tulip with a foamy white two finger head. Hazy straw colored body.

Smells like a bag of hops. Citrus, pine, passion fruit and candy.

Taste is fairly complex with notes of citrus, pine, juicy fruit and light earthyness.
I'd like a bit more hop flavor but that's a minor point. Quite bitter, dank and lingering.

Medium bodied and fairly high carbonation keeps this one quite drinkable for an 8% hop bomb.

Overall this is a fantastic beer. I love a touch more hop flavor and nothing more. The beer drinks very easy for such a high hop load and high abv. I'll easily order this again next time I'm in the area.
$6.50 12oz at the Prohibition Pig in Waterbury VT

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2013 15:16:01 | More by Homebrew35

silentdonkey

California

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

On tap in a snifter at the cannery in Vermont.

A: Cloudy golden orange with a small fluffy off white head. Awesome lacing that clings to the side of the glass resembling a spider web by the time you are finished.

S: One of the best smelling things on earth! It might have helped that the tasting room at the cannery was filled with sweet hoppy scents. I verified that the nose was as good as I remembered when I cracked a can later. Lots of herbal pine and resinous hops mixed with fruity tropical citrus.

T: This beer is no joke. I would classify it as the smoothest tasting hop juice you can imagine. Lots of late kettle addition hops. Tons of hop flavor. Crisp with lots of pine, resin, and grapefruit/orange hops up front. Slightly bitter at first that transitions into the best tasting sweet tropical citrus hop flavor that lingers. Slightly sweet malt profile balances the hop bitterness very well.

M: Crisp with a medium-full body. Really smooth with a nice syrupy consistency. Perfectly carbonated. I could drink this every day of my life.

O: Honestly, this beer meets all the hype. There are a lot of rarities out there that are really sought after that do not live up to their hype. This beer absolutely does. Easily the best DIPA out there that I have tried (I haven't had younger).

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2012 23:34:43 | More by silentdonkey

Vermont-the-Trader

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

I've had this beer many, many times..On tap at the PIG is the best place to drink it. Also, had it straight up out of the can. And, even went against the grain and poured the can into a glass pint. This beer is so god i would recommend taking a bath in it. Tons of hop after hop his your noise from the get go. Beautiful gold color, with a creamy head that laces perfectly to the glass and your face! Mild bitter, Erich is explained on the can. 8% abv so clearly, this one can get ahead of you. Very balanced malt to bittering, creating a nice full creamy body. I live about 3hrs away from the Alchemist cannery, and do travel up there often, if, you're looking to trade, drop me you're request.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2012 12:38:51 | More by Vermont-the-Trader

haazer

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had two glasses of this on my birthday. If this even wasn't in the afternoon and I didn't have to drive myself home I'd have had quite a few more.

A - This thing looks like a cider really. Dark orange and copper highlights with what also looks like pulp. Very cloudy and opaque. The head consists of what you would expect on a latte, literally it looks like there is cinnamon in it. Lacing caked all over the glass. Perfect looking DIPA.

S - Suprisingly I actually picked up pale malts on the first whiff. But really this thing is hopped to the hilt. Grapefruit, flower petals, and a bit of honey.

T - Mango and grapefruit overload. Orange peel, honey, and some subdued pine flavor. There's a wave of bitterness on the end of flavor with no drying effect that some hop bombs can do. No booze tasted at all.

M - Saturating. Mouth coated with the amazing fruit flavor and stickyness of the hop. High carbonation and low to medium bodied. Could easily drink 4 or more of these until the booze would start to kick in.

O - This is a heady DIPA for sure. Incredible fruit profile and bitterness. Taste more fruit than hops but nonetheless it was a pleasure to consume. Cant think of a much better beer to have on my birthday.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2012 23:59:10 | More by haazer

gonzowestwood

Connecticut

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

Had on Tap at the Blind Tiger some months back... from notes

A- a cloudy pale straw unfiltered delight

S- juicy, fruity, hops, hops and more hops. Pine, some grapefruit and a little orange peel. Also a touch of malt

T- just simply unbelievable. a hop head's wet dream

M- This is were this beer shines. Its so unbelievably smooth and well balanced

O- This is a perfect beer. Nothing else comes close. Was lucky enough to have side by side with Lawson's 'Double Sunshine', Hill Farmstead 'Galaxy' and 'Society #3' and Heady is better hands down.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2012 02:37:49 | More by gonzowestwood

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've had this enough in a can to be able to appreciate it, but it was nice to have had the opportunity to get it straight from the source and as fresh as possible.

Poured a very cloudy, gold-peach-yellow color with a healthy puff of white head; nice retention and lacing. No worries about floaters on tap. As in the can, big aroma of hops, lemons, and an afterthought of pine needles. Taste is equally laden with juicy hop goodness, lemon, grapefruit, more lemon, pith and pleasant bitterness, light notes of pine and pineapple. Medium body, juicy and fresh up front, crisp and drying in the finish; excellent beer as always.

The Cannery makes for a nice easy diversion and is a quick jaunt from Burlington. Since we can't review breweries here for whatever reason, I'll just quickly note that they have a nice simple set-up, plenty of cans for purchase, sample-sized pours on tap, and lots of neat merch, as well as a self-guided tour. Worth checking out.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2012 02:30:25 | More by Rifugium

brystmar

New York

4.2/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On draft at Blind Tiger.

Beautiful pour, plenty of head with solid retention. Aroma holds fresh hops, pine, malt, citrus. Great balance of malts and hops in the flavor profile. Many Vermont IPAs fall into the West Coast style while Heady sits somewhere between East and West.

My biggest criticism of Heady Topper is its relatively thin body compared to other DIPAs. It's much improved on draft (vs the cans I've had), yet still lacking. But this is just splitting hairs -- HT is easily one of the best DIPAs brewed today.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2012 04:27:30 | More by brystmar

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.7/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Heady on tap pours hazy dark gold with an enormous fluffy white head. The retention is excellent and the lacing very sticky and attractive. Huge aroma of hoppy complexity; so much going on in the nose, from citrus (mostly grapefruit and pineapple) to pine to floral notes and traces of very slightly onion-like notes as well.

This is one of the best tasting IPA’s/DIPA’s you’ll encounter. Just as complex as the aroma, with a restrained maltiness that’s only very slightly sweet. Grass, citrus, pine, onion. Drinks more like an IPA than a double, with alcohol nowhere in sight…goes down very easy. It’s bitter but not dominated by bitterness or any other single flavor aspect. You can taste everything.

Good carbonation and a medium finish with a lingering aftertaste full of complex notes, not just overwhelming bitterness. Everything is very balanced and totally delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2011 13:01:35 | More by tobelerone

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.78/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at the Alchemist in Waterbury, VT. $4 for a 12 oz. pour. Can't beat that.

A - Hazy orange body with a delicious white head. The beer sticks and leaves lacing all down the side of the glass. This looks delicious.

S - Waves of hops. Unbelievably delicious citrus and floral hops. It has the strongest citrus hop aroma I've ever smelled. It's wonderful.

T - Great hop flavor up front that just lasts and lasts. Somewhere in the distance is a slight sweetness to balance it out. There is hardly any bitterness, so it only takes the slightest bit of malt to keep this guy balanced.

M - Slick and easy to drink. A gulpable IPA. I put back 3 of these easily. The low bitterness with such a strong hop character is remarkable and allows this beer to be quaffed with ease.

O - The best IPA I have had and a great endnote for my east coast beer trek. Worth the drive and something I hope to get once it is canned!

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2011 17:28:12 | More by Alieniloquium

ElGallo

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Alchemist, 8/1/11. Several 12 oz. pours were enjoyed at a bargain of $4 each. This goes down so easy.

Once upon a time, somewhere in a BA post, I said Heady Topper was good but not as great as all the hype. Well, that was clearly me writing with a hangover or a head injury, because this is a fabulous beer.

Color is a subtle amber, with a nice firm head and solid lacing that sticks. Nose is hoppy and floral with mild bitterness. Good carbonation, easy on the mouth and doesn't burn out the tastebuds. Flavors are hoppy, floral, mildly bitter, and maybe some muted citrus notes. Not as bold as or captivating as Pliny but clearly a well-balanced, top-shelf IPA. I enjoyed a couple glasses with dinner while munching on a chevre salad and a nice cuban panini, ironically while chatting with a man who is trying to bring a craft brewery to Cuba. Cool.

John's plan to can this beautiful beer for wider distribution is by far the best move by a small brewery in recent memory. Well played sir. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2011 03:00:43 | More by ElGallo

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

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

A-As the bartender passes me my first glass I am amazed at the beautiful orange hue of the beer. The creamy head retains incredibly well and laces the whole glass. Just a perfect look.

S-Wow this is disturbingly hoppy. Wreaks of dry-hopping. Luscious, ripe, juicy tropical fruits. Literally smells like perfume. A wonderful fragrance. The hops waft into my nostrils. Very excited to sip.

T-Blew me away. Unbelievably long lasting taste of grapefruits, apricots, mango, oranges, clementines and pineapples. Just purely juicy and fresh. Excellent bitterness, it does not over exceed its bounds and make you forget about the hop bouquet. Resinous and dripping of hop oils. Packs a plethora of fresh cut grass and crushed pine needles too. Quite possibly the best tasting thing that has entered my mouth. A divine amalgamation of tropical fruit fit for the gods.

M-Perfect carbonation. Slick, resinous feel. Big bodied and excellent. Begs to be gulped, not sipped.

O/D-Pliny the Elder has met its match in my opinion. Just amazingly delicious and perfectly crafted. There is absolutely nothing about Heady Topper that is not excellent. Well worth the long drive to drink this all night. And the cherry on top...$4 for a twelve oz. pour of week old Heady Topper. Perfect.

----
7/21/12

Finally tried it from the can and the quality is still the best in the entire world. Heady is my perfect beer, regardless of its pouring median.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2011 20:54:05 | More by VelvetExtract

ChrisPro

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tap at The Alchemist (mutliple times over two days)

A - hazy golden with nice white pillow of foam.

S - lots of lemon and grapefuruit with a huge biscuit nose

T - very nice vanilla sweetness and a huge hop bitterness

M - quite thick with a lot of residual sugar. Feels like oats or maybe lactose even. Great carbonation.

O - for the high ABV, body and sweetness, thus is super drinkable. The hop flavor is incredible on the finish and I absolutely loved this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2011 01:20:43 | More by ChrisPro

Lillie1128

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tasted on 7/18

A - Pours a cloudy amber with a big white fluffy head and some ridiculous lacing

S - Yeast, hops, a little citrus

T - Orange notes, BIG hop bite that actually isn't overwhelming

M - medium, lightly carbonated

D - medium

This beer is very complex, but surprisingly light and refreshing for its hoppiness

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2011 02:14:02 | More by Lillie1128

FrankLloydMike

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After hearing so much about it and enjoying a visit to the Alchemist last fall when it was not on-tap, I finally got to try Heady Topper the evening before the Vermont Brewers Festival.

A: The beer arrived in a 12 oz. glass, a luscious, deep, hazy orange-amber with a big foamy head as implied, which dissipated slowly leaving sticky rings along the edges. Certainly a looker.

S: Grassiness, maybe even a hint of floral, lead the nose followed by tropical fruitiness--I wouldn't quite call this grapefruit, but I'm not sure what it is. Very pleasant and inviting.

T: Malts are much more predominant than I had expected with the hops tending more toward citrus and pine than the grass the nose had suggested. Much sweeter and less bitter than I had imagined or would prefer, the hops and malts seem well-balanced but neither seem to take a lead. It's a matter of personal preference, but I definitely prefer IIPAs that tend toward drier, less sticky-sweet. That said, this was quite tasty.

M: The taste is dry, but the mouthfeel is quite sticky and oily. The beer is medium-bodied and pleasant to drink, but really begs a glass of water to replenish following the glass.

O: I'm glad I finally tried this beer, but for me it didn't really live up to the hype. It was good and I wish I'd noticed that it was on cask as I'd love to try that, but personally I think the Alchemist IPAs I've had--Rapture and Holy Cow--are better than Heady Topper. That said, I'd gladly order this again (especially for the bargain $4, which probably makes this the best IIPA I've had per dollar) and am looking forward to trying it from the can.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2011 23:37:27 | More by FrankLloydMike

tdawgydog

New York

4.97/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

First had a taste of this at the VBF 2011. Liked it so much we made our way out to Waterbury for dinner @ The Alchemist Pub on Sunday night. Had four of these with dinner (including one on Cask) along with some other really excellent beers.

I thought I'd had some really good DIPA's, but this one is def at the top of the list. I also tasted Lawson's @ VBF and this one is easily on par if not slightly above Lawsons.

A - They pour 12oz glasses at the brew pub. Comes out looking nice and unfiltered, a nice cloudy bronze reminiscent of unfiltered apple cider.

S - A thing of beauty. Hoppy, sweet, tangy, piney. Didn't know what to think after the first sniff, only that it had to be something special.

T - Huge fan of this style, I've had some of the better ones that his country has to offer. I would make the trip to VT just to go to Alchemist. Wish they did growler fills so that I could bring some home with me. One of the best beers I've enjoyed this year.

M - Great body and thickness. Excellent carbonation, there really isn't much missing from this beer.

Will def be going back for VBF next year and this is easily one of the reasons why.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2011 01:51:30 | More by tdawgydog

Neffbeer

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review from multiple pours at VBF.

A: It pours a amber to golden color with some orange hues and very low clarity (hop haze!). There is a good size two finger head that appears to be seriously thick. It hangs around for a minute and slowly fades leaving behind a good amount of sticky lacing.

S: This beer just smells like a tropical/citrus fruit explosion. The hops are smashing my nostrils with heaps of mangos, papayas, grapefruit, and some skunk funk. The malt is buried under the lupulin haze, but I am not complaining.

T: The taste doesn't let down. The hops are way upfront with a load of citrus and tropical fruit. Mid-palate there is a twinge of caramel sweetness from the malt with a hint of dough. That is short lived as the backside culminates in another huge wave of hops with a good dry finish.

M: Medium bodied with a lush, full carbonation.

O: I would say this is the best DIPA I have had to date. I can't wait until the start canning this brew!

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2011 12:52:28 | More by Neffbeer

Barlow

New Hampshire

4.97/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at The Alchemist
Nice cloudy, hazy appearance. Sticky lacing as it slides down the glass.

Best smelling Beer I've ever had. Just great. Tropical and dank at the same time. I love a pure citrus/tropical DIPA, but this type is my favorite. It adds that little extra dank grass to push it over the top.

Taste follows the aroma. Hops everywhere. Tropical fruit and some of that stinky pine. The malts are beat down as they should be here. Delicious.

Creamy, sticky mouthfeel. Perfect for this beer. I can't wait til this comes out in cans. It will be a staple my house. Another amazing VT DIPA.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2011 00:33:29 | More by Barlow

meeps2002

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Heady Topper is a treat in and of itself. The Alchemist in Waterbury, VT has been producing wonderful elixers for years, but I personally believe brewed perfection with this IPA. The hoppy aroma just wafts itself in your direction, giving you goosebumps as you anticipate your first sip.

This incredibly hoppy brew will stick to your tongue, making any other IPA compete for 2nd Place.

Rumor has it they may start selling cans, but if you can't wait until then... head Northeast and enjoy!

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2011 16:46:44 | More by meeps2002

mavbrew

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the Alchemist.

A: Very hazy, light caramel in color with a frothy off white head that very slowly dissipated leaving nice lacing.

S: The smell is mainly a piney hop scent with some citrus breaking through as well.

T: The taste is just like the smell, very piney hoppy flavor with the bitters sticking around through the finish and there is some citrus coming through towards the middle. This is followed by a slight malty flavor that then finishes with the bitters.

M: Medium in body with average carbonation. The feel is bitter throughout.

D: Made it a point to go to the Alchemist just for this beer, it was well worth the trip. A very solid, top tier east coast IIPA that was well balanced and the 8% ABV is hardly noticeable.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2011 20:14:47 | More by mavbrew

mechamifune

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass at the Alchemist

Poured with a healthy .5 in head, cloudy appearance with an orange/golden color. Much "murkier" looking than most DIPA's, but still inviting.

Smell is a whole lot of pine to me... hints of citrus obvious, but the pine really dominates. All in all though not an overly floral DIPA, but still a decent amount to work with.

Taste is lots of pine up front.... finishes bitter but not overly so. Citrues notes throughout, but not overwhelming as with some DIPA's.

Mouthfeel is very smooth, and in turn very easy to drink. Not particularly crisp per se, but certainly pleasant. A very good DIPA.... not in my absolute upper echelon (double trouble, PTE, PTY, and Pure Hoppiness) but just a slight step below it. Certainly seek it out if you're in the area.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2011 02:36:27 | More by mechamifune

Cmack15

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The Heady Topper from Alchemist. I had this on tap at the brewpub and was very eager to finally have gotten a chance to experience this beer. This beer is awesome in so many ways. First its great to see an east coast brewery making a super hoppy beer. The aroma is piney/citrusy hops that blast your face(but in a good way). The taste has a nice malt backbone to help let the hops shine but not destroy you. A really excellent beer from a great brewpub.
Cheers

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2011 21:14:20 | More by Cmack15

ATCBTV

Vermont

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

Had on tap at the brewpub in Waterbury. I made the half hour trip to try this well reviewed beer and it mostly lived up to the hype. Nose was almost overwhelmingly floral, taste was well balanced between the hop and malt flavors compared to most IIPAs that I've sampled. Am looking forward to the cans to come later this year.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2011 00:27:03 | More by ATCBTV

TangTKE402

New York

4.6/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden straw colored with an unfiltered haze. 2-finger head and great lacing. Poured on-tap into a 12oz. glass.

S: Big smooth hop aromas: flowers, pine, a hint of raspberry. I could crawl inside this aroma and never leave!

T: Full-bodied and well-rounded. Hop-forward with an herbal, floral-pine flavor. Finishes with a bready bitterness. Clean, crisp, and delicious!

M: Even-keeled and well-balanced. A touch sticky with a dry aftertaste.

D: For a beer of its abv, it's amazingly sessionable.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2011 23:47:37 | More by TangTKE402