• Recent
  • Towns
  • Topics
    • Arts
      • Language
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Public Art
    • Civic Life
      • Citizen Engagement
      • Governance
      • Health & Well-Being
      • Refugees
    • Community Heart & Soul
    • Economic Development
      • Breweries & Distilleries
      • Entrepreneurs
      • Transportation
    • Education
      • K-12
      • Community Colleges & Technical Training
      • Colleges & Universities
    • Environment & Sustainability
      • Parks & Recreation
      • Trees
    • Local Institutions
      • Libraries
    • Local Journalism
    • Travel
      • Aviation
  • Homepage
  • About
  • Donate
  • Newsletter
  • Recent
  • Towns
  • Topics
    • Arts
      • Language
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Public Art
    • Civic Life
      • Citizen Engagement
      • Governance
      • Health & Well-Being
      • Refugees
    • Community Heart & Soul
    • Economic Development
      • Breweries & Distilleries
      • Entrepreneurs
      • Transportation
    • Education
      • K-12
      • Community Colleges & Technical Training
      • Colleges & Universities
    • Environment & Sustainability
      • Parks & Recreation
      • Trees
    • Local Institutions
      • Libraries
    • Local Journalism
    • Travel
      • Aviation
  • Homepage
  • About
  • Donate
  • Newsletter
  • Breweries & Distilleries

America-Going-to-Hell Watch, Heady Topper Dept.

  • James Fallows
  • November 6, 2013

Ever closer to the magical-unicorn ideal

Don’t worry — it’s not what you’re thinking. The Alchemist brewing company, maker of the famed Heady Topper beer, is not closing closing.

But it is calling an end to the experience I described a few weeks ago: driving out to the brewery, in Waterbury some 20 miles from Burlington, where you can watch the beer being made, taste it fresh from the tap, and trudge to the parking lot with your maximum allowable per-customer haul of one 24-can case. It was fairly calm when I was there on a weekday afternoon (above), but apparently too many customers were trudging, drinking, carousing, and generally crowding up the village, and the end has come.

You can read the sad details in an AP story and in My Champlain Valley. From the latter:

Co-owner John Kimmich says, “we have gotten busier and busier and busier as these two years have gone on, and we are busier than we’d ever dreamed we’d be here.” [JF: I interviewed his wife and co-owner, Jen, to similar effect.]

The sheer number of people visiting the Alchemist is the biggest problem. The parking lot spills over on holidays, and neighbors, as you can tell from signs reading “keep out”, aren’t happy about it…

Despite the closure the owners want to reassure fans that production of the beer will not change. In fact they hope to open a new, separate retail space in Waterbury going forward.

“We have come out of horrible situations in the right direction many times, and this is going to be another one of those,” Kimmich says.

Sic transit gloria breweri. Assuming — as I do — that the quality of the beer itself remains high, this step could if anything enhance Heady Topper’s magical unicorn image, as an elusive ideal that many people have dreamed of but few have actually seen.

For the archives, the type of scene that previous pilgrims have witnessed, soon to be shielded from general public view.

#1: Ingot-like stacks of Heady Topper, resembling Walter White’s barrels full of money in Breaking Bad.

2: American manufacturing at its best.

3: Reflecting on a job well done.

To end on a positive note, the brewery is actually open until November 15.

Tweet
Share
Share
Share

Related Articles

A legacy of fine Colorado whiskeys from the Branch and Barrel Distilling team, on display in the B&B Tasting Room in Centennial, Colorado. All photos by Carl Hunt.
View Post
  • Breweries & Distilleries

Uplifting American Spirits

  • Carl W. Hunt
  • September 22, 2022
Max Taps was named after Dave and Shelly's dog, Maxine. Photo by Barbara Hunt.
View Post
  • Breweries & Distilleries

The Local Tavern: The Tradition Continues at Max Taps-Centennial

  • Carl W. Hunt
  • February 24, 2022
A truckload of donations headed to Boulder thanks to a volunteer.
View Post
  • Breweries & Distilleries

Max Taps Supports Marshall Fire Victims

  • Ben Speggen
  • January 9, 2022

STAY CONNECTED

Receive the latest news and updates

SUBSCRIBE

© 2023 Our Towns Civic Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Input your search keywords and press Enter.