I can’t say for sure where this yeast was isolated from, I’m not sure anyone but Nick is privy to that information, but it sure sounds like it could be from Heady Topper. Isolated from a uniquely crafted double IPA out of the Northeastern United States, this yeast produces a balanced fruity ester profile of peaches and light citrus that compliments any aggressively hopped beer. As the buzz over this yeast grew louder, a budding boutique yeast company released a new strain with a presumably revealing name and strikingly familiar description: We learned a few things as a result of all this experimentation with Conan, particularly that it seemed to massively amplify hop character and it was a very poor flocculator– it produced delicious and very hazy beer. The result of these experiments were so remarkable that these hand harvested samples began to be shipped all over the world, everybody wanted to get their paws on some. Discontent with the commercial unavailability at the time, homebrewers began propagating the fine layer that lined the bottom of Heady Topper cans and using it in their hoppy concoctions. I won’t rehash what’s already been said elsewhere ( TMF, B-F1, B-F2), but suffice it to say John loves this particular strain. John Kimmich is said to have been using the yeast he calls Conan for a couple decades. It could be the water, I guess, but that’s doubtful.Īnd then there’s that maltose munching fungi we’ve all come to love so much for the impact it has on beer flavor: yeast. What about hops? Oh yeah, there are some hops in there, lots of hops, lots of great and sometimes hard to find (expensive) hops… the same hops used in many other beers that don’t compare to Heady. Grains certainly impact flavor, but this was a DIPA, chances are that isn’t the defining factor. Following the league of curious homebrewers, I began researching just what made this beer so dramatically delicious. Not being the biggest IPA-guy, this beer won me over. I’ve had Pliny the Elder fresh from the tap, another great example of the style, but there was something different about Heady. Intense juicy peach, waves of resinous pine, balancing citrus, soft yet noticeable malt character, dryness with a beautiful creamy mouthfeel, even more juicy fruitiness. As hard as this beer is to get, it’s even more difficult for those of us living on the opposite coast, so I feel fortunate that I’ve had the opportunity to try this beer in a relatively fresh state (8 days) thanks to my badass brother who lives in NY. This 8% Double IPA made by The Alchemist Brewery usually sells out within hours of being packaged in its very recognizable silver can. ![]() Today when I think of Vermont, my mind goes directly to the one-and-only Heady Topper. At some point in 2011, a new beer was introduced to the market, a beer that would quickly take the world by storm, convincing hop-heads everywhere to spend up to 6x the normal retail price for a single serving, a beer that butted it’s way to the top of myriad best beers lists, becoming one of the most sought by beer traders the world over. This is what used to come to mind when I’d think of Vermont. Hippies, maple syrup, cheddar cheese, Ben & Jerry’s, Bernie Sanders. Mosaic Of Change IPA by House Of Pendragon.
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