Simcoe, Centennial, Amarillo, Apollo & CTZ Alchemist is always a must stop at when I am anywhere near Stowe (I am in Canada). Have planned routes on vacation to include a stop at Alchemist. They opened in 2003 as a pub in Waterbury VT, after 8yrs they decided to open a small production brewery. Not long after a Hurricane rolled through and pretty much destroyed the pub due to flood waters. I can remember watching an interview with John, said he went in to check on the pub after the bulk of the storm had passed, pub itself was fine, but could hear clanking in the basement (brewery at the time was in the basement) opens the cellar door, and water was pretty much even with the main floor. The clanking noises were all the tanks and such they brewed with. Pretty much closed the door, and went back home. Heady wasn't even a beer that sold that much at the pub (well before the whole NEIPA craze), but after the storm that was the one beer they focused on at the new production facility. They only beer they made there (and still use it to make Heady there). The lust for Heady exploded, and long lines were seen, much to the chagrin of the locals. I had been to the old brewing facility twice, but never experienced the long lines. Canning line you could view from where you picked up your Heady. Many times what you took out the door with you, they had just canned 5 mins prior. Fast Foward to 2016 and the new state of the art facility in Stowe opened, and the rest is history. Great place to go a waste away a day.
Thanks so much for the background! Great bit of insight there. I’d say it’s a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ we make it over there. And when we do, Alchemist will be on the list of must see places 🍻
@@planetbeertv Vermont is a bevy of superb beer. Stowe area you have Alchemist. Von Trapp for traditional German beer. Just up the road in Morristown you have Lost Nation, Rock Art and Soulmate. Little farther up you will find Hill Farmstead which is a must see. South of Stowe in Waterbury, you have the Prohibition Pig which has a huge draft list from all over VT, NH, & Mass, and used to be the home of Alchemist when they got started. Little bit south of there, you have Lawson's Finest. IMHO, if you only had time to hit 3 in the area. Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, Lawson's. On top of all of that, are all the great ones in and around Burlington, Frost, Burlington Beer Company, Foam, Fiddlehead, etc, etc.
Yes worth it. You guys made the comment, we can get them cheap. They distributed out and we can get them 7 hours south for 16-18 dollars a 4 back. About 12-15 up in VT. Glad you all got to try it!
Great vid! Please do a video about the new Fresh Ale category (created originally by Otter Brewery in Devon)… I need to learn more. More cask videos would be great too.
Cheers Arran! That’s a great shout about Fresh Ale. We’ll look into that one as it looks like an interesting little innovation. Not to mention a good excuse for a trip to Devon! We’ve got a cask beer vid going in to production too in the next few weeks, so we’ll keep you posted on that! 🍻
Was lucky to bag 4 free bottles of Pliny last year. This has also been on my hit list for quite sometime. Hard to get hold of. Fair enough. But how many residents of Vermont have bagged a bottle of Bathams? Any Americans want to trade?
That’s a great point! We are spoilt with a good pint of Bathams. Maybe we should take a suitcase full and go over to the US as missionaries and trade hype beers. We’re hoping to get Pliny at some point, another bucket list beer. What did you think?
@@planetbeertv I’m in for that. Where do I sign. I loved the Pliny but I’m a sucker for westies anyway. It was very good but not mind blowingly so. Nice to scratch that particular itch.
Simcoe, Centennial, Amarillo, Apollo & CTZ
Alchemist is always a must stop at when I am anywhere near Stowe (I am in Canada). Have planned routes on vacation to include a stop at Alchemist.
They opened in 2003 as a pub in Waterbury VT, after 8yrs they decided to open a small production brewery. Not long after a Hurricane rolled through and pretty much destroyed the pub due to flood waters. I can remember watching an interview with John, said he went in to check on the pub after the bulk of the storm had passed, pub itself was fine, but could hear clanking in the basement (brewery at the time was in the basement) opens the cellar door, and water was pretty much even with the main floor. The clanking noises were all the tanks and such they brewed with. Pretty much closed the door, and went back home.
Heady wasn't even a beer that sold that much at the pub (well before the whole NEIPA craze), but after the storm that was the one beer they focused on at the new production facility. They only beer they made there (and still use it to make Heady there). The lust for Heady exploded, and long lines were seen, much to the chagrin of the locals. I had been to the old brewing facility twice, but never experienced the long lines. Canning line you could view from where you picked up your Heady. Many times what you took out the door with you, they had just canned 5 mins prior.
Fast Foward to 2016 and the new state of the art facility in Stowe opened, and the rest is history. Great place to go a waste away a day.
Thanks so much for the background! Great bit of insight there. I’d say it’s a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ we make it over there. And when we do, Alchemist will be on the list of must see places 🍻
@@planetbeertv Vermont is a bevy of superb beer. Stowe area you have Alchemist. Von Trapp for traditional German beer. Just up the road in Morristown you have Lost Nation, Rock Art and Soulmate. Little farther up you will find Hill Farmstead which is a must see.
South of Stowe in Waterbury, you have the Prohibition Pig which has a huge draft list from all over VT, NH, & Mass, and used to be the home of Alchemist when they got started. Little bit south of there, you have Lawson's Finest. IMHO, if you only had time to hit 3 in the area. Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, Lawson's.
On top of all of that, are all the great ones in and around Burlington, Frost, Burlington Beer Company, Foam, Fiddlehead, etc, etc.
Yes worth it. You guys made the comment, we can get them cheap. They distributed out and we can get them 7 hours south for 16-18 dollars a 4 back. About 12-15 up in VT. Glad you all got to try it!
Cheers Connor! We’re committed to trying it at the source… one day. 🤞🏻
@@planetbeertv let me know when you go, I’ll meet you there! Gotta try Focal Banger next. Imo it is better.
Great vid!
Please do a video about the new Fresh Ale category (created originally by Otter Brewery in Devon)… I need to learn more. More cask videos would be great too.
Cheers Arran! That’s a great shout about Fresh Ale. We’ll look into that one as it looks like an interesting little innovation. Not to mention a good excuse for a trip to Devon! We’ve got a cask beer vid going in to production too in the next few weeks, so we’ll keep you posted on that! 🍻
That beer sounds beautiful ( never had it ) but sounds like I definitely should. I love you guys fantastic vid again cheers 👍🍻
Cheers Rick! Yes, if hoppy DIPAs are your jam, Heady is well worth the purchase 🍻
Beauty! I’m team drink from the glass! If you do make it to Stowe, you may be able to get a pint of Heady on cask at the brewery.
Sir, you just blew our mind. Heady on Cask!? That would be quite something.
Was lucky to bag 4 free bottles of Pliny last year. This has also been on my hit list for quite sometime.
Hard to get hold of. Fair enough. But how many residents of Vermont have bagged a bottle of Bathams? Any Americans want to trade?
That’s a great point! We are spoilt with a good pint of Bathams. Maybe we should take a suitcase full and go over to the US as missionaries and trade hype beers.
We’re hoping to get Pliny at some point, another bucket list beer. What did you think?
@@planetbeertv I’m in for that. Where do I sign.
I loved the Pliny but I’m a sucker for westies anyway. It was very good but not mind blowingly so. Nice to scratch that particular itch.
Nope - no beer is worth that in my book, sorry guys.
Good video though 😊
Just wait until you see what we’ve got planned for a future video 😱
Cheers Lee, appreciate it 🍻