The Alchemist

The AlchemistThe Alchemist
The AlchemistThe Alchemist
Brewery, Bar, Beer-to-go

100 Cottage Club Rd
Brewery & Visitors Center
Stowe, Vermont, 05672-4139
United States

(802) 244-7744 | map
alchemistbeer.com

Opened in July 2016, The Alchemist Brewery and Visitors Center in Stowe provides samples of beer for tasting, retail beer sales, merchandise and a fun, educational experience.
BEER STATS
Average:
4.25
Beers:
63
Ratings:
27,379
Master Beer Listing
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.54
Reviews:
71
Ratings:
264
pDev:
6.83%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by rdilauro:
Photo of rdilauro
Reviewed by rdilauro from Connecticut

5/5  rDev +10.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
The top of the line in IPAs. As soon as you open the can, you know you are in for a treat. The aroma is amazing. You can almost feel the resin, the grapefruit, the pine needles bouncing around in your head. Then the first sip. Amazing, full and dry, but with a rich hoppy flavor that is filled with all the goodness you come to expect from an IPA. The finish was just about as good as the first sip. Lingering, just leaving you wanting for more.
Aug 29, 2018
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.38 by BiddzzBA from North Carolina

Jan 10, 2024
 
Rated: 4.18 by TheRealBen from Massachusetts

Dec 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.49 by not2quick from Missouri

Oct 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4.48 by craigbelly from Iowa

Sep 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.21 by Gobzilla from California

Aug 26, 2023
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

4.47/5  rDev -1.5%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Visited here with Da Boss after a nice hike on an early Saturday afternoon, 7-29-23.

We were greeted by an ample beautiful outdoor space that was adorned with stand up tables and chairs scattered about. Dogs are welcome, guys and kids were tossing bean bags, just a chill scene. Inside it was highly organized with the to-go ordering area distinct from the on-site ordering area and a place for the sit inside crowd who wanted to pour from a can into a glass. Overall kind of a stainless-steel cleanliness to it. Outside, a food truck was on hand, and we were able to get a vegan option for Da Boss and a Pulled Pork sammy for me in which both were tasty.
Quality of the beers are excellent, world class. The service was very friendly and quick with no snobbiness that you can get when you go to places they know are good. I like that!
Selection was good. Not sure if they had any not Alchemist beers as i had my beer goggles on for my friends order and my order.
Overall a great experience!
Aug 01, 2023
Photo of Gatch
Reviewed by Gatch from Massachusetts

4.83/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75
Excited to finally make it here. A large, modern facility that was quiet during midweek in the winter. This was pre-beer cafe so the offerings were limited and small pours, but the space was inviting with plenty of swag and beer to-go, which I happily left with plenty. A must-visit in VT!
Mar 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.56 by KC_beerman from Missouri

Jan 02, 2023
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Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4.11/5  rDev -9.5%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.75
Modern looking facility. Specialized parking configuration for curbside pickup. Outdoor beer garden open weekends for onsite consumption of cans. Lawn chairs and picnic tables. 2 can limit. Pretty views, banging beer.
Nov 29, 2022
 
Rated: 4.31 by mickyge from Massachusetts

Sep 30, 2022
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Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75
stopped by on a rainy October day to drink a few beers and pick up a cans of beer to take back home to PA. Theres a moderate drinking area inside the building, no bar but some tables to sit, and some chairs and tables outside as well. Cans of beer sold to drink onsite. Then there is the area to buy merchandise and to-go beer.
Sep 25, 2022
 
Rated: 4.03 by vincechan from Canada (ON)

Aug 22, 2022
 
Rated: 4.22 by swierczt from Connecticut

Jul 14, 2022
 
Rated: 4.43 by BeerMe8 from Florida

Jun 08, 2022
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.31/5  rDev -5.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5
It's the Alchemist; what more do you need to know? The beer is, of course, awesome and perfectly fresh. Selection is fairly limited, as expected. Staff is consistently friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable.

The outdoor Biergarden provides a wonderfully scenic (if small) area to enjoy on-site cans (not pours). If you're headed there only to pick up a case (or two) of beer, I recommend chilling and enjoying the ambiance for a bit. It's a lovely area.
May 28, 2022
Photo of NCSapiens
Reviewed by NCSapiens from Indiana

4.48/5  rDev -1.3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25
Did a brewery tour, which was really cool. Recommend for the info, insight, and free pour and small taster glass. The space looks awesome outside, but the Biergarten wasn’t open when I visited. Bought some cans dated four days old and some merch.
May 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.9 by Mojo9 from Illinois

Dec 30, 2021
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

3.34/5  rDev -26.4%
vibe: 2 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 2
The last time I was here in 2016, they had just finished building this production facility, but you couldn't go inside. I was still excited at the prospect of coming back, whenever that might turn out to be. That time just so happened to be now, and they were closed for a private event just after having completed--or still in the middle of--some sort of renovation, so we still couldn't go inside. Talk about luck!

That there was also some kind of crazy bicycle festival or some such happening was the cherry on top. It drew a decent crowd of people who largely didn't seem to care or really know much about their beer, which made it all the more crazy than I'm sure it usually is, particularly for a Saturday afternoon.

Now, I know they have no real incentive to make this a taproom where you can come in, warm up and sit down to have a deliberative pint--considering the massive volume they sell of packaged product, even locally--but still, it's kind of off-putting that you have to drink everything from the can, outside, in the rain, or else shove off. What's worse is that three out of the four beers available at the on-site stand clock in at around 8% ABV. In full ass pint cans, no less. I didn't really feel like getting tanked off two beers while the sun was still trying to shine, and not having any food available only amplified that possibility, so unfortunately we had to dump some of our beer before we headed out for lunch.

I will say, the service at the can station--both at the on-site stand and also at the separate to-go area--is not just prompt, but fast af, dawg. The to-go lady may have been a little terse, but between dealing with an endless line of curbside pickups on top of random walkups, both at rapid speed, I'm sure it feels more like a thanklessly robotic job than a personable one. Plus, you can't really beat their prices in the craft beer world.

It's just weird they call this a Welcome Center, when you are anything but.
Oct 20, 2021
 
Rated: 4.92 by nelsonracite from New Jersey

Sep 27, 2021
Photo of cjgiant
Reviewed by cjgiant from District of Columbia

3.65/5  rDev -19.6%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 2
Only a handful of beers available, with indoors closed for renovation. Outside beer garden was pretty laid back on a cool, drizzly day. The IPAs were great, and the one other style (a Pilsner) was decent. Single server was helpful and in good spirits explaining the choices the customers had. Overall, espcially during renovations, this placed played out as more of a production brewery than a major destination to try a few things on tap (maybe at some point we'll get inside and find if it was just the circumstances).
Sep 12, 2021
Photo of brewme
Reviewed by brewme from Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -17.4%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
Went with a friend yesterday for the first time. Inside was closed for renovations, so grading on my experience. Outdoor space is big, but not a lot going on. The jazz musicians were an odd choice.
Aug 16, 2021
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Reviewed by Giantspace from Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -4.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4
First time here on a day trip from NY. Not what I expected at all. Very modern and right off the main road. I was imagining a more rustic spot in the hills. The vibe was rest area parking lot. We ordered online the day before and did pick up. The web site has very specific instructions for curbside, these rules are not followed. We pulled up, got out, opened the hatch and loaded our beer. The employee did make sure we got what we ordered, I liked that. The building was closed so we drove off. The beer is amazing, crusher was on the site the next day so we missed that. Zomer is great as are all the others. The Heady was only 4 days old and les than $13 a pack. If I lived nearby this would be my weekly beer spot. Hope to get back once the building opens back up.
Jul 30, 2021
 
Rated: 3.9 by avisong from Virginia

Jul 18, 2021
 
Rated: 4.45 by Best_Enjoyed_In_Texas from Texas

Jul 09, 2021
 
Rated: 4.47 by Unitspin from Massachusetts

Dec 28, 2020
 
Rated: 4.94 by Wiffler27 from South Carolina

Dec 07, 2020
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Rated by shawver74 from North Carolina

4.86/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
End destination of 2020 summer road trip. Curb-side delivery. Amazing place and location.
Jun 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4.29 by ChipChaight from New York

May 27, 2020
 
Rated: 5 by Jimmylikesbeer from Michigan

Apr 25, 2020
 
Rated: 4.13 by Cuthbert from Massachusetts

Apr 25, 2020
 
Rated: 4.57 by Handz from Rhode Island

Apr 14, 2020
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Reviewed by BubbleBobble from New York

4.94/5  rDev +8.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Updating review now that the cafe is up and running. Purchasing to-go still remains seamless and incredibly well prices across the board. The cafe was bustling and full but there's enough sit down and stand up table service to go around even in the winter. Can and bottle selection at the cafe is also pretty impressive, though it would be nice to have the option of taking some of these to go. Food options are a little limited (nuts, meat/cheese rolls), but then again, you're not there to eat.
Feb 13, 2020
Photo of cratez
Reviewed by cratez from Canada (ON)

3.39/5  rDev -25.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5
What I bought: Three four-packs of Heady Topper and one t-shirt.
What I liked: Pungent smell of hops smacks you in the face as you walk in the door, quirky signs explain the history of the beer and brewery, well-organized retail store has lots of Alchemist schwag.
What I disliked: The woman at the cash till was thoroughly uninterested in talking beer, even though we said we’re from Toronto and I bought quite a bit of stuff. Oh well.
Would I go back? For their world class DIPA, yes. And it’d be fun to do a brewery tour providing the lady who served us wasn’t running it. :)
Overall Rating: 68
Jan 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4.88 by Shenk87 from Pennsylvania

Jan 24, 2020
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Reviewed by timmy2b from New York

4.83/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Dog friendly for my wife and I. 3 Free Samples (Heady, Focal and Crusher), Clean inside and out. Patio was very nice and had a few chairs. Def worth visiting in the summer to have a full pour outside. Can sales very reasonable priced and line moved fast.
Jan 17, 2020
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Reviewed by hozersr from Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
Visited this world class brewery in fall of 2019 with my wife and 2 dogs. Was not disappointed. Had three beers to sample at no cost. Only wish they had samples of the beers that they had for sale, however you can't go wrong with what whatever you choose. Totally dog friendly inside and out.
Oct 30, 2019
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Reviewed by colby600 from Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev -5.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
I've been here a couple times and thoroughly enjoy their beer. Small area to try some samples but no pours are offered. It would've been nice to have more samples available of beer currently offered in cans to make a more educated guess on purchases.
Oct 27, 2019
 
Rated: 4.7 by Barleycorn from Pennsylvania

Oct 24, 2019
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Reviewed by SSGCujo from Wisconsin

4.04/5  rDev -11%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.5
This is a cool brewery! The only problem is that it doesn't have a taproom! I had three beers to sample, that's it. I was told there's a law about serving food and beer. They have to serve food, to serve beer.
Sep 30, 2019
The Alchemist in Stowe, VT
Brewery rating: 4.25 out of 5 with 27379 ratings