The Alchemist is probably one of the most talked about brewery during the first years of the craft beer revolution in the USA, especially in Vermont. For many, they’re the precursors to the now famous style NEIPA, New England India Pale Ale or North East India Pale Ale, all referring to the juicy, hazy, tropical IPA with the softest of bitterness. They have plenty other delicious offerings but Heady Topper & Focal Banger are probably names you’re familiar with if you’ve mingled a little with the craft beer world.
The History
The Alchemist is a great story about a something that got popular quickly. Nowadays, The Alchemist operates a brewery in Waterbury as well as Stowe, both in Vermont, USA. However, it all began in a small brew pub in Waterbury in 2003. This is where John & Jen Kimmich started their business of brewing delicious craft beers, mostly IPAs. 2011 brought some bad news & some good news. Unfortunately, the Irene storm flooded the brew pub & following some lengthy meetings with the insurance company they decided to definitely close the place to focus solely on crafting beers. On the bright side, earlier that year, they opened their first cannery & tasting room, in other words, a production brewery, allowing these famous IPAs to be distributed throughout state.
The Brewery
The first production brewery to see the light was the one in Waterbury. Without surprise, this allowed the canning of their renown Heady Topper, which is still only made at this location. It supports weekly supplies of fresh IPAs. This brewery is not accessible to public, so if you want to have a taste of a few of their lines, head for the one in Stowe. This last one opened in summer 2016 as a way to serve the community & the tourists, which are increasing each year in Vermont. All of their seasonal beers are brewed at this location as well as the Focal Banger another acclaimed creation of theirs. There are plenty tastings available along with cans, merchandise & educational tours. The couple behind The Alchemist is also a great supporter of artists, minorities & the environment.
The Beers
As mentioned earlier in this post, the brewery has two flagship beers consisting of:
- Heady Topper, a Double IPA made with a blend of six hops designed to decrease the bitterness in order to provide an explosion of tropical & citrusy aromas;
- Focal Banger, an American IPA with Citra & Mosaic.
You should try as much as possible anything coming out from their tanks, but if it's not a viable option, try at least these two.
Even if there are known for their IPAs, they have numerous other fantastic beers that deserve as much attention. They frequently have limited release so every time you visit, there will be different brews available. Keep an eye out for their IPAs obviously, but their Stouts & Wild Ales as well.
The Reference
More information @alchemistbeer.com
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