New England Travel

How to Get Your Hands on Heady Topper Beer

By Kristi Palma

September 16, 2014

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The insanely popular Heady Topper beer, a double India pale ale sold in a can, is damn hard to get your hands on. It takes a road trip to Vermont. And even then you may have your work cut out for you. After all, the intensely hoppy beer made by The Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury has been rated the No. 1 beer in the world by BeerAdvocate, a global network of beer professionals and enthusiasts. And it is famously hard to get.
How can I get my hands on some?

The brewery is not open to the public. And, according to the Associated Press, only a handful of shops and restaurants in Vermont sell the beer. You can snag some at Arvad’s Grill & Pub in Waterbury, Cheese Trader in Burlington, Crop Bistro & Brewery in Stowe, and Beverage Baron in Barre (where cases can be purchased for $75). Look up more locations where it is sold. Folks are willing to stand in line at some of those establishments for hours just to get some. But if you go to the brewery’s website, you can formulate a plan.
‘The ultimate cult beer’

Heady Topper is being called “the ultimate cult beer.’’ In this photo, cans of Heady Topper roll off the line at the Alchemist Brewery on Sept. 4 in Waterbury.
Get your Heady Topper here

Craft Beer Cellar in Waterbury (pictured) sells it. But you are limited to one four-pack. The brewery’s website lists delivery dates at the locations where the beer is sold. Pay attention to those! Your best chance of getting your hands on the beer is to show up early on delivery day, before it sells out. And most places have a limit to how many four-packs you can purchase (usually two).
Sweet success

Tom Owens, of Marion, Mass. took a road trip to Waterbury to buy Heady Topper. We’re glad to see that Owens didn’t have to resort to buying an empty four-pack of the coveted beer on eBay (yeah, that’s happening).
Beer and cheese? Yes, please!

AP Food Editor J.M. Hirsch suggests adding cheese stops to your Heady Topper hunt to make the most of your drive. Use the Vermont Cheese Trail Map to hit up places such as the Cabot Creamery Cooperative.
Heady Topper haul

Hirsch rested this Heady Topper haul on top of his car in Concord, N.H. after a successful beer run in Vermont. Will you take a road trip to get some Heady Topper too?