The Alchemist founder and Heady Topper creator on the Barleywine that inspired him
John Kimmich of The Alchemist
Every beer drinker has that one beer they turn to time and time again, an old faithful that never lets them down. For many, this beer is usually a staple of sorts or at least what one might call a “shelfie” in that it is readily and widely available. In some cases, this is the beer that started it all for you. Perhaps it was a pioneering craft brew that enlightened you to the world of beer that actually tastes good, or perhaps it is a beer that made you completely rethink what you thought you knew about a particular style. Whatever it may be, this is a beer that made an impact on you and is burned into your taste buds forever. In our monthly column The Beers That Made Us, we talk with brewers about the beers that have made the biggest impact on them in terms of their personal taste and love of craft beer, as well as how it inspired their personal approach to brewing.
Few brewers have had such an outsize influence on the modern era of craft beer as John Kimmich. Though he opened The Alchemist as a brew pub in Waterbury, Vermont in 2003 with his wife Jen, it was Kimmich’s creation Heady Topper and later Focal Banger that are perhaps unrivaled in their role in creating fanaticism and hype around beer as well as being credited with leading to what we now know as the New England style or hazy IPA, not to mention packaging in pint cans. Of course, anyone who has been lucky enough to experience a Heady Topper or a Focal Banger will be the first to tell you that the intense hop bitterness feels decidedly old school compared to the zero IBU juice bombs that make up the majority of hazys these days. Nonetheless, it’s hard not to be in awe of the impact of Kimmich and The Alchemist. Today, both of those beers are easier to get as Kimmich and his team operate two breweries in Waterbury and Stowe. But the coolest part of The Alchemist’s growth is that Kimmich now brews a wide array of styles, though ironically, they rarely if ever brew the kind of modern murky IPAs we all associate with hazys. With Kimmich’s long history of brewing as well as his own place as one of the true progressors of craft beer, one can’t help but wonder what beer he cites as a great inspiration and all-time favorite.
Beer:
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine
Your first time:
John Kimmich: It was the Fall of 1992 and I was at a small bar in Pittsburgh called Mad Mex. They were one of the first places to focus on craft beer and interesting imports. At the time, I was broke and working at a local homebrew shop. About once a month, I would save up enough money to buy Sierra Nevada Porter by the case at my local beer distributor. One night, I was at Mad Mex, exceptionally high and thirsty AF. I saw that they were offering a Sierra Nevada beer on draught that I had never tried before - it was Bigfoot. I had never tried a barleywine, and was eager to try it. At the time, if my memory serves me correctly, it was around 11% abv in those days? Either way, they served me a full pint, and when I took my first big chug, it almost made my head explode. I actually gave it away to the guy next to me at the bar because it was just too much for me at the time. I came back a few days later to try it again and I really fell in love with it.
What makes it special:
John Kimmich: This beer is so special to me because it was my first experience with the hop revolution going on in California at the time. It opened my eyes as a brewer to what is possible when making an IPA. The rich malt character present under the amazing and bright flavors and aromas of that masterpiece took me in a new direction when designing hoppy beers.
Why this beer is influential:
John Kimmich: I believe that I was not the only brewer to take inspiration form Bigfoot, and it was a leading example an American hop bomb. The fact that a beer could exist with this aggressive flavor profile was a true window into what was to come as far as a customer’s willingness to drink bold beer.
Why beer drinkers should pay attention:
John Kimmich: Bigfoot continues to be a shining example of a well-crafted barleywine that showcases American hops. I still look for it to hit our local markets.
How this beer inspired your brewery:
John Kimmich: I would say that Bigfoot had a direct influence on all of the IPAs that I brew. It has a firm mineral quality that really makes the hops shine and stay bright and forward on your palate. I have a barleywine that I have brewed in the past named Heretic, and it will most likely make a return for our 20th anniversary next fall.
The Beers That Made Us is a monthly column exploring brewers favorite underappreciated or simply classic beers that they find essential drinking. Read past entries into this series with Russian River Brewing founder Vinnie Cilurzo, Chuckanut Brewing founder Will Kemper, Cloudburst Brewing brewmaster Steve Luke, Hair of the Dog Brewing founder Alan Sprints, Firestone Walker founder David Walker, and many, many more.
