The Alchemist Heady Topper American DIPA
The Alchemist Heady Topper American DIPA is the 8% ABV double IPA that started it all — brewed in Stowe, Vermont since 2003, unfiltered and unpasteurized, and sold in 16oz cans the brewery insists you drink straight from the can. Before hazy IPAs were a category, Heady Topper was the beer traders drove hundreds of miles for: a proprietary blend of six hops over a balanced malt base, delivering intense tropical and pine hop character without the harsh bitterness of old-school doubles. This is the benchmark New England DIPA — every hazy IPA since is measured against it. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 8% — double IPA
- Size: 16oz cans
- Hops: Proprietary six-hop blend, American varieties
- Origin: The Alchemist, Stowe, Vermont — brewing Heady Topper since 2003
- Style: Unfiltered, unpasteurized — brewery's instruction: drink from the can
The Beer That Defined the Hazy IPA
Heady Topper predates the haze craze by more than a decade. The Alchemist brews it with a proprietary blend of six hops, dry-hopped aggressively and left unfiltered and unpasteurized, so the hop aroma hits at full strength the moment the can opens. The brewery's famous "drink from the can" guidance isn't a gimmick — pouring it into a glass lets the volatile hop compounds escape before you taste them. Shop more Vermont legends in our craft beer collection or see everything from the Alchemist range.
Tasting Notes
Explosive grapefruit, pine, and tropical fruit — mango, passionfruit — over a soft, bready malt body. Bitter enough to balance the 8% ABV but remarkably smooth for a double IPA, with a resinous, lingering hop finish.
How to Enjoy
Straight from the can, per the brewer. Serve cold but not ice-cold — let it warm a few degrees to open up the hop aromatics. Fresh is everything with this beer; check the canning date and drink it young.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should you drink Heady Topper from the can?
The brewery says pouring it into a glass lets the delicate hop aromatics escape. Drinking from the can preserves the full aroma with every sip.
What hops are in Heady Topper?
A proprietary blend of six American hop varieties — the exact recipe is a closely guarded brewery secret.
What is the ABV of Heady Topper?
8% — it's a true double IPA, so pace yourself.
Hop heads in San Diego can order The Alchemist Heady Topper online from Del Mesa Liquor — fresh 16oz cans of the original hazy DIPA, ready for pickup or delivery.
