If you stop into most breweries and nearly any bar or restaurant in New England today, you’re going to see an IPA on the menu, and it will almost certainly be hazy. New England has one of the most distinctive beer cultures in the US. It wasn’t always like this, however. In fact, until about fifteen years ago, most New Englanders had never really encountered a hop.
The Alchemist’s Heady Topper, the subject of this episode of One Iconic Beer. John and Jen Kimmich started The Alchemist in 2003 and within months was making a beer that many people credit as the first hazy New England IPA. It’s a funny thing about firsts, though. As you’ll hear in the interview, John Kimmich is uneasy with this description. Heady Topper may have sparked a region-wide culture shift, but it doesn’t really resemble the beers that follow.
Host Jeff Alworth shares the story of Heady Topper, explains why its fans think it’s so good, why it was the right beer at the right time, and how serendipity played a starring role in the form of a hurricane, a flood, and a new canning line.
In addition to Kimmich, this episode features Jason Alström, one of the co-founders of BeerAdvocate. In the early days of the internet, the site became a nexus of discussion and organization and helped create the excitement that led to, among other things, the haze craze that would engulf New England. You’ll also hear from Andy Crouch, publisher of All About Beer magazine, and a writer who has covered the New England beer scene since moving there in the early 2000s.
Listen to the whole conversation where you download podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and Overcast.
This episode is sponsored by:
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