On the back of the can, Alchemist writes: "Heady Topper is an American Double India Pale Ale. This beer is not intended to be the biggest or most bitter. It is meant to give you wave after wave of hoppy goodness on your palate. Tremendous amounts of American hops will creep up on you, and leave you with a dense hoppy finish in your mouth.
So drinkable, it's scary.
Sometimes I wish I could crawl right into the can. Freshness and control have always been my main concern when it comes to our beer. We are committed to providing you with an unfiltered and unpasteurized hop experience."
Heady Topper is a 9% DIPA produced year-round in Vermont, and it's only really available in that state on a reliable basis. The Alchemist's "mission statement" is that they are currently committed to brewing this beer perfectly, so they don't make any other beer besides this one for the time being. If you're in Vermont state and/or can take trips to the brewery, this is a fairly easy get; for me in California, I rely on friends to try this brew. So again I say: thank you friends!
Appearance: You'll see I don't have a shot of the glass here. You may also notice that the can says "Drink from the can!" Brewer John Kimmich says on this point: “Why do I recommend that you drink it from the can? Quite simply, to ensure a delightful, hop experience. The act of pouring it in a glass smells nice, but it releases the essential hop aromas that we have worked so hard to retain. If you MUST pour it into a glass, you may find that some of the hop resins have settled to the bottom – leave them in the can when pouring.” So, I have left it in the can as requested.
Smell: Massive floral notes and tropical fruit aromas, including pineapple and mango. There is also great earthy pine and a hint of caramel malt sweetness.
Taste: So many different notes in this beer: pine, grass, pepper, citrus (grapefruit and lemon), mango. Hop bitterness is there, but it's balanced exceptionally well, so the hops contribute the aforementioned flavors rather than anything astringent. The alcohol is also masked very well.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low-ish carbonation. The finish is a bit wet, but not sticky or oily. It reminds me of drinking juice, in a way.
Overall: This is an unquestionably stellar DIPA. The aroma is huge, which is such a nice thing -- a lot of times a beer will taste great, but the aroma will be simply average. Here, it contributes in a big way to the overall experience. I have zero complaints about this beer. It's wonderful, and I'm lucky to have people on the east coast to send it my way.
5/5
So drinkable, it's scary.
Sometimes I wish I could crawl right into the can. Freshness and control have always been my main concern when it comes to our beer. We are committed to providing you with an unfiltered and unpasteurized hop experience."
Heady Topper is a 9% DIPA produced year-round in Vermont, and it's only really available in that state on a reliable basis. The Alchemist's "mission statement" is that they are currently committed to brewing this beer perfectly, so they don't make any other beer besides this one for the time being. If you're in Vermont state and/or can take trips to the brewery, this is a fairly easy get; for me in California, I rely on friends to try this brew. So again I say: thank you friends!
Appearance: You'll see I don't have a shot of the glass here. You may also notice that the can says "Drink from the can!" Brewer John Kimmich says on this point: “Why do I recommend that you drink it from the can? Quite simply, to ensure a delightful, hop experience. The act of pouring it in a glass smells nice, but it releases the essential hop aromas that we have worked so hard to retain. If you MUST pour it into a glass, you may find that some of the hop resins have settled to the bottom – leave them in the can when pouring.” So, I have left it in the can as requested.
Smell: Massive floral notes and tropical fruit aromas, including pineapple and mango. There is also great earthy pine and a hint of caramel malt sweetness.
Taste: So many different notes in this beer: pine, grass, pepper, citrus (grapefruit and lemon), mango. Hop bitterness is there, but it's balanced exceptionally well, so the hops contribute the aforementioned flavors rather than anything astringent. The alcohol is also masked very well.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low-ish carbonation. The finish is a bit wet, but not sticky or oily. It reminds me of drinking juice, in a way.
Overall: This is an unquestionably stellar DIPA. The aroma is huge, which is such a nice thing -- a lot of times a beer will taste great, but the aroma will be simply average. Here, it contributes in a big way to the overall experience. I have zero complaints about this beer. It's wonderful, and I'm lucky to have people on the east coast to send it my way.
5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment