Alchemist Heretic

Brewed by The Alchemist
Style: American Strong Ale
Waterbury, Vermont USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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Dark brown pour, tan head. Nice strong hops kick ass with a light back note of roasted malt. Flavor is smooth but still has an incredibly strong hop presence. Great brew by a great brewery!

The ale pours a bit darker amber with a nice white bubbly head. The aroma is potent citrus oranges so pleasant in the nose. The flavor is citrus flavored hops as well with a nice blend of sweet and light bitter orange notes. So delicious overall.

Hazy dark golden color with a small, white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of floral hops, pine, citrus, toast, and grass. Taste of pine, resiny hops, citrus, grass, and a grapefruit finish with some light alcohol too.

Draft at the brewpub - Poured a darkish orage-amber in color with a thick, creamy light tan head that hung around to produce some nice lacing on the glass. Aroma was strong of citrus hops with a hint of some malty sweetness lingering in the background. Flavor was hoppy, but not overpoweringly so. Plenty of citrus/grapefruit. Initially slightly sweet before the hops come roaring in. Finish is medium bitter and clean. Very easy drinking for a beer with nearly 10% ABV, but it is certainly all there. Really good!!

Hazy amber in color with a small off white head. Aroma of moderate to strong floral and citrus hops and malt. Flavor is potent with alot of pale malt and assertive hop flavor. Some slight citrusy sweetness...finishes bitter. Very nice.

Hell & High Water Bomber thanks to Ruth.
Appearance : Clear amber with a small head. Nice lacing.
Aroma : Really nice cereals with great herbal and floral hops.
Taste : Great citrusy and resinous hops. Nice cereals with light malty sweetness on the finish. Light caramel with nice floral notes. Great soft and drinkable mouthfeel.
Overall : Very well done. Really well balanced and really cohesive. Really drinkable especially considering the abv. I’m usually not such a big fan of amber hoppy beers but this one is really well executed. Not too much caramel so you can still get the basic flavors of the malt. It doesn’t have the same punch as Heady Topper for example but it has the same level of perfection.

Bottle. Pours dark brown with off white head. Nose/taste of caramel and sweet malt, resin, pine, citrus, hops and grapefruit. Dank grassy and piney hops dominate throughout. Dry bitter finish. Medium body.

Thanks to John for bringing this one up on your visit to Ottawa. Story from the Alchemist blog shows that it was one of the last batches that survived after the flood that destroyed the pub - actually labeled "hell or high water heretic". Nice amber colour with a fluffy white head that leaves great lacing down the glass. A very nice citrus and alcohol aroma, huge packet of hops that nicely combine pine resin and grapefruit, agree that there is a nice malt backbone - would probably age very very well but couldn’t resist. Very smooth, moderate carbonation and full body, balanced bitterness with some sweetness, long tasty finish wish the brewpub was still open and I could stop in every once in a while to try this beer.

on tap-pours an off white head and hazy gold color. Aroma is sweet medium malt-caramel, pine/resin. Taste is pine/resin/grapefruit rind/acidic hops bite, secondary medium malt, alcohol. More I2PA/ASA but good.

UPDATED: OCT 16, 2011 My Bottom Line:
Leafy, grapefruity, and resinous hops proliferate within this strong ale’s soft mouthfeel, producing a raw and ever-so-flavorful glass of Americana.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A film of foam floats atop the murky dark beige.
-The hoppy nose on this one is yet another amazing dry-hopping gem from The Alchemist; citrusy, earthy, leafy, etc.
-Alcohol is well concealed by the hoppy festivities.
-This is dangerously drinkable for a 10% brew. Natural carbonation and subdued dextrins make this profoundly treacherous.
-Light toasted malt accents add to the subtle caramel support.

On tap at the brewpub and from a bomber (Hell & High Water series).