Crusher
The Alchemist
- From:
- The Alchemist
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- Hazy Imperial IPA
Ranked #39 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 99
Ranked #216 - Avg:
- 4.48 | pDev: 7.14%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 349
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 24, 2026
- Added:
- Jul 12, 2008
- Wants:
- 840
- Gots:
- 571
SCORE
99
World-Class
99
World-Class
The Crusher is an American Double IPA that I started making years ago at the old pub. Hop heads were constantly asking for more hops. So, in the words of Frank Zappa, "Did you say you want some more? Well here's some more." While I enjoy hops with the rest of them, I still try to maintain some semblance of balance and drinkability. This beer is oozing with hop flavor and aroma with a very dry finish. Enjoy responsibly, this one can sneak up on you.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by doomXsaloon from New York
5/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
C'mon, now. Its the CRUSHER!!
CRUSHER will CRUSH your palate with CRUSHING HOPS!
Heady, Focal, Crusher...Which is best?
Whichever you have in your glass!(Unless you're drinking from the can.)
Feb 02, 2026CRUSHER will CRUSH your palate with CRUSHING HOPS!
Heady, Focal, Crusher...Which is best?
Whichever you have in your glass!(Unless you're drinking from the can.)
Reviewed by Jaxolotl
4.89/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.89/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Very fresh, batch from 6/4/25! Canned on the 4th, poured on the 8th!
Poured into a heavy set spiegelau glass.
L: orange, fairly hazy, like a slightly more opaque heady topper, still retains some crystal quality to the color despite the haze, a beautiful beer. I won't make notes on the head, as pouring adds too many variables for this to be diagnostic to the beer. 4.75/5
S: faint malty richness drowned in bushels of hoppy citra goodness. The way the alchemist brewery smells as you walk in but dialed to 10: freshly cut grass, thick resiny grapefruit rind and evergreen, fertile soil after a summer rain. 5/5
T: shattered expectations: the sweet rich malt holds together a bombardment of hops that does not let up. Bitterness stays upfront and gives context (unlike heady topper where it can sometimes linger), and breaks away into an open landscape of resiny dank grassiness and tropical fruit. Grapefruit is a good descriptor, but its not a juice forward beer, its very green tasting, like Vermont on a spring day! This beer is truly packed with hops but does not overstep its bounds and remains balanced as best it can 4.75/5
F: thick and creamy, feels substantive with a deep malty thickness accentuated by the hoppy haze and medium carbonation 5/5
O: my new favorite beer and its not that close, this is exactly what I'm looking for in a Vermont IPA, rich malts with overwhelming green hoppyness, not too fruity, and a tad bitter. 5/5
Jun 09, 2025Poured into a heavy set spiegelau glass.
L: orange, fairly hazy, like a slightly more opaque heady topper, still retains some crystal quality to the color despite the haze, a beautiful beer. I won't make notes on the head, as pouring adds too many variables for this to be diagnostic to the beer. 4.75/5
S: faint malty richness drowned in bushels of hoppy citra goodness. The way the alchemist brewery smells as you walk in but dialed to 10: freshly cut grass, thick resiny grapefruit rind and evergreen, fertile soil after a summer rain. 5/5
T: shattered expectations: the sweet rich malt holds together a bombardment of hops that does not let up. Bitterness stays upfront and gives context (unlike heady topper where it can sometimes linger), and breaks away into an open landscape of resiny dank grassiness and tropical fruit. Grapefruit is a good descriptor, but its not a juice forward beer, its very green tasting, like Vermont on a spring day! This beer is truly packed with hops but does not overstep its bounds and remains balanced as best it can 4.75/5
F: thick and creamy, feels substantive with a deep malty thickness accentuated by the hoppy haze and medium carbonation 5/5
O: my new favorite beer and its not that close, this is exactly what I'm looking for in a Vermont IPA, rich malts with overwhelming green hoppyness, not too fruity, and a tad bitter. 5/5
Reviewed by whitro17 from Florida
4.68/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.68/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Look: hazy, dense gold, white bubbly head, good lacing
Smell: mango, dank citrus, herbal
Taste: citrusy, pithy, piney, mango, resinous
Feel: med heavy body, moderate carbo, dry finish
Overall: 8% abv. Love the dank citrus notes on the scent. Has a long lingering resinous finish with good bitterness. Fantastic brew! Highly recommended gem that pairs well with Head Crusher by Megadeth.
May 07, 2025Smell: mango, dank citrus, herbal
Taste: citrusy, pithy, piney, mango, resinous
Feel: med heavy body, moderate carbo, dry finish
Overall: 8% abv. Love the dank citrus notes on the scent. Has a long lingering resinous finish with good bitterness. Fantastic brew! Highly recommended gem that pairs well with Head Crusher by Megadeth.
Reviewed by DentedArthur from Vermont
4.85/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.85/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
L: Haaaaaaaaazy soft straw color with a frothy lively head
S: Citra from the top rope
T: Grapefruit, bitter resin, sumptuous malt body underneath to keep it interesting. A fruitier Heady.
F: Smooth almost creamy, with quite a dry finish
O: Oh this is a treat. A great mix up from Heady and Focal Banger in their lineup. Comes across like a west coast take on a NEIPA, in the best way.
Feb 24, 2025S: Citra from the top rope
T: Grapefruit, bitter resin, sumptuous malt body underneath to keep it interesting. A fruitier Heady.
F: Smooth almost creamy, with quite a dry finish
O: Oh this is a treat. A great mix up from Heady and Focal Banger in their lineup. Comes across like a west coast take on a NEIPA, in the best way.
Reviewed by Blogjackets from Ohio
4.18/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a pint can stamped 9-25-24. Body is a faded peach yellow with a small fluffy head.
Aroma is citrus, and a big Citra nose. Taste is bitter hops balanced by a sturdy malt base. Reminds me a bit of Double Bastard, though not quite as hoppy, the malt backbone acts in a similar way to countermand the. bitterness.
Mouthfeel is soft with a heavy weight. Medium carbonation. Things dried up nicely.
A big IPA that feels as large as its ABV. It walks near the line of too malty, but it doesn't cross that line
Oct 07, 2024Aroma is citrus, and a big Citra nose. Taste is bitter hops balanced by a sturdy malt base. Reminds me a bit of Double Bastard, though not quite as hoppy, the malt backbone acts in a similar way to countermand the. bitterness.
Mouthfeel is soft with a heavy weight. Medium carbonation. Things dried up nicely.
A big IPA that feels as large as its ABV. It walks near the line of too malty, but it doesn't cross that line
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