The Alchemist to double production of Heady Topper, plans to ship to Boston

The Alchemist brewery, a Waterbury, Vt. brewer which makes the hard-to-find beer Heady Topper, has announced plans to double production of the beer, possibly by the fall.

In a blog post on the brewery's website, owner Jen Kimmich says the Alchemist has been a bit overwhelmed by the popularity of the beer and wants to make it more widely available. At this time, the beer is only available at the brewery in Waterbury and in select retail outlets in Vermont. You can also drink it in Waterbury bars.

Heady Topper is a double IPA that has taken on mystical qualities for it's flavor, drinkablity, and scant availability. One shipment of the beer was sent to Boston earlier this year, but at that time it was a one-time shipment. With doubled production, Kimmich says Boston will be the only area outside Vermont where Heady Topper is expected to be regularly available.

I talked to Kimmich last week and took the trip to Waterbury myself for the first time. My first advice: go to Waterbury. In addition to Heady Topper, beers from Hill Farmstead and Lawson's Finest Liquids are available there on tap. Kimmich told me about the expansion plans but also cautioned against Heady Topper being available too far afield. She's concerned about the freshness of the beer; the hops in Heady Topper taste better fresh, and the nose of the beer is more floral that way as well. I can't envision Heady Topper sitting on store shelves in less than stellar Boston area liquor stores, so it's likely to go to stores and bars that do a brisk business in craft.

Doubled production is great news for fans of the beer, or for those who have yet to try it. As of Saturday, construction had not started at the brewery to expand production. There's no room to expand inside the building, so the plans will need to involve an addition.

Have you tried Heady Topper? Where? Curious to get a little informal poll here going from my readers. You can vote below.