What beer would you compare to Heady Topper?

Inspired by the Zombie Dust thread - what's the best replacement for HT? That stuff is too hard to come by.

I don't really have an answer in mind. Personally, the smell of Laguntias Day Time IPA reminds me of HT, but the flavor is no where close.

EDIT: I'm in NY, so would specifically appreciate suggestions available to me. Though I bet those from strange lands would appreciate other suggestions as well.

My vote would be Pretty Things Meadowlark IPA. The beer is a bit drier in taste compared to HT.

Cant think of anything. Maybe take some candied peaches and drop it into an already tasty ipa lol

I am anxiously awaiting the answer as well. Nothing comes to mind that is in the same galaxy (sorry Double Jack, I still love you...)

I've only had Double Jack once, but HT didn't even cross my mind.

I think columbus IPA is like a smaller version of heady. Its cloudy and has a good hop bite and a little bit of the citrus hop taste/smell. Just my opinion.

The closest I can think of was a Double Simcoe IPA by Haymarket and it was definitely not Heady. Heady probably has a bunch of Simcoe in it along with at least 5 other hop varieties.

Artic Panzer Wolf by 3 Floyds or Lake Erie Monster by Great Lakes. Both are unfiltered monster IPA's like Heady. On the record, nothing compares to Heady, but these two offerings are d*mn close!

It's pretty unique, can't say there is even a "replacement" to speak of.

I had suggested SN Hoptimum in a prior thread like this (HT comparison) but in retrospect it's not comparable (I think I may have had a super fresh one that may have slightly reminded me of HT and I jumped the gun on the comparison). I haven't had anything close though I've read the Hill Farmstead DIPA's might be similar (if even less accessible to NY'ers)

It's like saying you like one of your children better than the other, my kids:

Heady Topper, Double Sunshine & Ephram

Having had both Artic Panzer and Lake Erie Monster and having both those in my top favorites...I really need to try HT now >.<

::touches index finger to nose::

Laganitias hop stoopid

If that's the case, then good news for you (and the rest of us): http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/meadowlark-to-be-year-round.54917/

Double Sunshine is the closest I can think of. Still not sure which of the two is my favorite.

honestly I don't think theres anything thats bottled/canned that comes close to heady, the only beers I have had that have some simalarities to heady are some hill farm beers.

Hm. Y'know, Lake Erie Monster is an interesting suggestion. I also agree that nothing is really a Heady replacement, if that's what you're looking for. But Lake Erie Monster is a) another well-balanced, well-hopped, citrusy-and-a-bunch-of-other-stuff DIPA that is ALSO unfiltered, which I love about it, b) definitely a unique DIPA in terms of flavor profile, in my opinion, and c) also in my opinion, vastly underappreciated, at least on this site.

NONE...PERIOD...however, knowing that HT is hard to obtain, I would say Double Sunshine, Head Hunter, White Rajah, and Deviant Dale's are also good choices if they are fresh.

Fresh HT right from the can will blow your socks off.

someday i hope to have this happen

Ahh...just received a 4-pack of HT canned on Friday. Cheers!!

They are too old at this point! Drain pour!

Nothing is close but I always enjoy Sculpin that is now distributed in NJ/PA, not sure about NY though.

Wegman's even sells for $10 a 6 pack.

Sculpin has come up a few times. I recently bought a six-pack, and was really excited based on the reviews. The "Best BY Date" was 2/13/13, so assuming a 90-day window, this was about 30-days old (right?). Honestly, I was dissappointed - it was a good IPA (some citrus/fruit, and plenty of bitter), but not the fruity/citrusy/tropical fruit-y bomb I was hoping for.

You ain't getting anything like HT then....

Where are you in NY? I make trips to VT every 2 or 3 months..

PS...My homebrew "Jon" is my HT clone and is damn good!! See the WBAYDN #52 later on to see that photo as I got a bomber chillin'.

I love Columbus IPA but....

This is the only thing that is just as good.

No worries man, I had a very similar incident. It was not the dynamic mango juice bottle of hop oils I was expecting. To be fair, I believe they actually have a four month freshness period, so it was probably about a month older than you realized.

Society & Solitude 5 was very close .... hop bite with a proper amount of malt sweetness. I've yet to have anything closer ...

http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/closest-beer-to-heady-topper.31385/#post-389868

Does Beer Talk always have this many repeat threads so close to each other?

I know I've seen other threads on Heady Top clones....And I've only been here a few months.

Two things: yes, there is a tendency for repeat threads, because some people get lazy about searching forums before creating a thread (can't say I'm not guilty), but also "Heady Topper is good" / "Wish I could get more Heady" / "Comparisons to HT" is a very popular theme on this site. And, y'know. Not without reason.

Abrasive

/thread

Might even be better than HT.

It depends on my mood.

When all is said and done. I'm happy as hell to be drinking either one!!!

except HT is $4 less per 4 pack and year round, so yea, HT wins

I could hi five that!

I'm always on the hunt for either.

My goodness. I did it!! HT clone!!

Think it's more than a 90-day window, as there were Sculpin's with a 4/xx/13 'best by date' on the shelf last week (on the east coast).

This, I find some fresh Hop Stoopid to be pretty comparable.