The Beer Thread

[sweetcell]

fine, since you seem to lack a decent internet connection:

Updates
Posted on November 12, 2013

Thank you, thank you, Thank You to all of our loyal supporters, friends and family as we face our newest challenge. We would also like to give a heartfelt thanks to our incredible staff?you have all done an amazing job rising above the nonsense and keeping your chins up.

Last week we made the decision to close our retail shop beginning November 16th.  This decision was unplanned and prompted quickly to mitigate ongoing traffic issues and public access concerns. Each week our retail shop has become busier and more chaotic?too much for our physical location?and demand continues to grow.

We decided to post the closing as soon as we were aware of the situation. Although we did not have a lot of information to share, we understand that consumers and local businesses depend on our retail shop being open and we needed to get the word out.

Since closing last week, we believe we have found a new, larger space for our retail shop in Waterbury Center. The parking is adequate, traffic flow will be better and there is greater visibility for turning onto and off of Route 100. As soon as we confirm all zoning and public access regulations, we will begin working around the clock to get our new shop open as soon as possible.

In the meantime, while we are temporarily closed, we will be sending extra Heady Topper? to our current accounts. Several large retailers will be selling full cases for $75.  We have added two extra delivery trucks for the month. We will replenish accounts to the best of our ability until we sell out of Heady Topper?.  We will have an updated ?Where to Buy? page on our website this week (hopefully by Wednesday). This page will include delivery days for both retailers and restaurants. We will also try to indicate which retailers will be selling full cases.

We hope to open our new shop before the holidays, but have a bit of work to do. Please keep in mind, we have never had a project NOT throw some curves. We will make every effort to open our new location as soon as possible. Until then, we will continue to produce the same amount of Heady Topper? and we will work hard to make it available.
 

Q:  When do you expect your new retail location to open?
A:  Hopefully before Christmas.
 

Q:  Where will I buy Heady Topper? while your retail shop is closed?
A:  At any one of our current authorized retail accounts. All distribution information will be updated this week. We will include delivery days and case price if available. We will also differentiate between retailers and restaurant/bars.
 

Q:  Are you going to increase the price of Heady Topper??
A:  As always, our suggested retail price is $12.99?$14.99/4-pack. We have not increased our wholesale price since we started distributing over two years ago. If it?s overpriced, don?t buy it.
 

Q:  Is my Heady Topper? going to sit in a warehouse for a month before I get it?
A:  Hell no! We will continue to sell and distribute everything we make. Heady goes into our refrigerated truck on the day it is canned. It is delivered that day. Our driver keeps a close and caring eye on Heady Topper? inventory, ensuring it is always sold fresh at our authorized retail locations.


Q: Will you be sending beer to southern Vermont?
A: Sorry, no. We don?t want to expand distribution and then pull back in four weeks. We have been down this road before and it is confusing for our customers.


Q:  What do I do with my new growler?
A:  Hang onto it?we will figure something out. If you don?t want to wait and have no use for it, please return it to us. We will give you your money back. Please keep in mind, we sold those beautiful, stainless steel growlers at our cost of $15.

Q: What are you going to do with the upcoming seasonal beers that were slated for growlers?
A: Our next two seasonals will be available on draft at Waterbury bars/restaurants. We will give more information on these beers when they are ready to be released in the coming weeks.

Q:  Were you bought out by [insert Brewery Name here]?
A:  No.

Q:  Has this all been some kind of sick marketing ploy?
A: Huh?

Thanks again to all of our supporters, friends, family and staff. We will keep you updated as we move along.

Jen & John

so individuals were complaining about the traffic, on the other hand businesses have become dependent on the traffic.  and beer drinkers are going to complain no matter what because there isn't enough beer at the right place at the right time.  poor bastards can't please anyone...

[Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI]

Pardon my complete ignorance on the topic, but what exactly is the big deal about this Heady Topper beer? Is it basically just another company's Hopslam (in both hoppy-ness and low availability)?

[James Ford]

Heady Topper is the one and only beer produced by the Alchemist Cannery in Waterbury, VT. I can honestly say that Heady Topper is the best tasting beer I've ever had. And I've had many beers. I've actually had many Heady Toppers, so it's not like I tried it once and am glorifying the experience.

Many other beer lovers have reached the same conclusion, as it stands at #1 on top beers list as rated by beer advocate users.

http://beeradvocate.com/lists/top

Heady is only available at the brewery in Waterbury and nearby (like within 30 miles) stores and restaurants. Numerous beer geeks drive to Vermont, buy it by the case, bring it home and share with their friends and/or trade with other beer lovers around the world.

Because of it's lack of distribution, Heady is a much tougher find than Hopslam. Hopslam comes out once a year, and you can usually get plenty of it for a week or two in January, as long as you reside in a state where Bell's distributes. Heady IS produced year round, but again, you have to drive to  the source, trade, or have a good friend in order to acquire it.

In terms of taste Hopslam vs. Heady, Heady wins by a mile imo. Also, Heady retails at $3 for a 16 oz can whereas Hopslam works out to something slightly higher than that per 12 oz bottle.

The only downside about drinking  Heady is that when you run out, anything other hoppy beer is going to be disappointing by comparison.

Pardon my complete ignorance on the topic, but what exactly is the big deal about this Heady Topper beer? Is it basically just another company's Hopslam (in both hoppy-ness and low availability)?

[i am gay and i like cats]

is this beer another future example, those are the best kind, of becoming mass produced . . . and then sucking?

[sweetcell]

heady topper: what ford said.

is this beer another future example, those are the best kind, of becoming mass produced . . . and then sucking?

nope, because it won't be massed produced.  the brewer, john kimmich, is a total vermont hippie/locavore/community activist/small is beautiful/etc.  he's had many offers to make mad bank by going big and he has consistently said no.  he likes his current size, he has no ambition of going national.  in fact he dreads it and isn't entirely comfortable with the fame he and his beer have. 

[sweetcell]

foggy bottom WF has The Truth for $8.99.

[stevewizzle]

The only downside about drinking  Heady is that when you run out, anything other hoppy beer is going to be disappointing by comparison.

while i agree that there seems to be a disappointment from other IPAs after drinking heady, there are some notable replacements that are near heady level and readily available. 

i've found sculpin, elevated IPA, and OTWOA very suitable replacements. 

[Yada]

The only downside about drinking  Heady is that when you run out, anything other hoppy beer is going to be disappointing by comparison.

while i agree that there seems to be a disappointment from other IPAs after drinking heady, there are some notable replacements that are near heady level and readily available. 

i've found sculpin, elevated IPA, and OTWOA very suitable replacements. 

I've found OTWOA, Abrasive (maybe just as good as Heady, MAYBE), and Pliny (pain in the ass to get) to be good replacements... that's about it.

[James Ford]

I prefer Dr. Dog's the Truth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUnpNq7U2Qk

But thanks for the notice, my wife may pick some up after work today.

foggy bottom WF has The Truth for $8.99.

[James Ford]

Surly is reentering the Chicago market just in time for me to pick some up at Xmas when I'm in Chicago. No word on whether Abrasive will be available. Any other must haves from Surly?

The only downside about drinking  Heady is that when you run out, anything other hoppy beer is going to be disappointing by comparison.

while i agree that there seems to be a disappointment from other IPAs after drinking heady, there are some notable replacements that are near heady level and readily available. 

i've found sculpin, elevated IPA, and OTWOA very suitable replacements. 

I've found OTWOA, Abrasive (maybe just as good as Heady, MAYBE), and Pliny (pain in the ass to get) to be good replacements... that's about it.

[stevewizzle]

Surly is reentering the Chicago market just in time for me to pick some up at Xmas when I'm in Chicago. No word on whether Abrasive will be available. Any other must haves from Surly?

The only downside about drinking  Heady is that when you run out, anything other hoppy beer is going to be disappointing by comparison.

while i agree that there seems to be a disappointment from other IPAs after drinking heady, there are some notable replacements that are near heady level and readily available. 

i've found sculpin, elevated IPA, and OTWOA very suitable replacements. 

I've found OTWOA, Abrasive (maybe just as good as Heady, MAYBE), and Pliny (pain in the ass to get) to be good replacements... that's about it.

i thought furious was great.

also, darkness (RIS) is highly sought after

[stevewizzle]

picked up a bottle of stone southern charred (barrel-aged 2012 double bastard) last night.

can't wait to drink this.

From Stone...

Southern Charred was unfiltered and aged in the following combination of barrels:

51% Kentucky Bourbon Barrels (10 months)
8% Charred American Oak Barrels (10 months)
41% Second-Use* Kentucky Bourbon Barrels (13 months)

[Yada]

I've had the following:

Abrasive - I'd put it neck and neck with HT, on a good day, maybe as good?
Furious - Great beer, however, I was getting shipments of it with Abrasive which made it pale in comparison
Coffee Bender - Pretty awful to be honest, not even worth trying.
Overrated West Coast IPA - I wanted to love it, but it was lacking....something. Once again, the bar was probably set way too high with Abrasive and everything else was just meh.

[James Ford]

Coffee Bender is actually the one Surly beer I've had. At the airport in Minneapolis where we were changing planes. Indeed it pretty much did suck, despite its high BA rating.

edit: I think it was plain old Bender that we had. Brown ales are good with the right food, but they're not much fun on their own, imo.

I've had the following:

Abrasive - I'd put it neck and neck with HT, on a good day, maybe as good?
Furious - Great beer, however, I was getting shipments of it with Abrasive which made it pale in comparison
Coffee Bender - Pretty awful to be honest, not even worth trying.
Overrated West Coast IPA - I wanted to love it, but it was lacking....something. Once again, the bar was probably set way too high with Abrasive and everything else was just meh.

[James Ford]

Cigar City coming to NoVA. Jai Alai IPA next week, and others to follow.