The Alchemist (2020)

Sterk Wit was $15 when I went in Dec. Petit is $22. Yeah I remember the cans. I bought one but was just surprised I guess.

 

The Publick House in Brookline, MA.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to get kegs of Alchemist beers?

 

It’s impossible unless you’re the beverage manager at Hen of the Wood in Waterbury or Doc Pond’s in Stowe. They’re the only two places I know (other than the brewery itself) that offer draft on a somewhat consistent basis. They’re also owned by the same people.

 

The Kimmiches, who have owned and operated the brewery for many years, believe a can is the superior way to drink their ales.

 

Really?
Interesting. Is there actually any basis to that? You hear it the other way around 95% of the time.

 

They were just on a podcast and discussed drinking from a can vs pouring a can into a glass. A few factors in play. Brew Roots was the podcast, episode 100.

 

The primary reason I’ve heard him say in the past is that the hop profile loses its luster when you pore it as the glass allows it to escape where as the small can opening keeps it in.

 

I could see straight from can over can to glass but not straight from can over tap to glass.

 

All the talk about it being better from a can than draft or poured into a glass is just an intransigent commitment to deflect the fact that their IPAs have lots of floaties and they are either unable or unwilling to deal with that issue. And yes, it is an issue.

 

Gotta say, I drink them out of a glass all the time and don’t ever notice a floaty issue. I’ve seen some snow globe pics in the past, but never has been my personal experience

 

then you are lucky. I drink a fair amount of Alchemist beers and the sediment is obvious in approximately half of them. The beers still taste fine, and to be honest, I pour some of them into colored glasses to get rid of the gag particle reflex. My issue is their subterfuge over the "drink from the can because it is better line" . Is there anyone else in the world besides the Alchemist saying that?

 

I’m with Javs, as a Vermonter I’ve been drinking Alchemist since the pub days and I have never had an issue with floaties. John was saying “drink from the can” before we knew what floaties were

 

Maybe from you can drinking folks. Alchemist is ,as far as I know, the only brewery that says people should drink from the can. I am not trying to do a hatchet job on them. I love their beer and generally appreciate how they run their business, but the drink from the can ethos is just bullshit. And yes, while JK definitely knows more about beer than I ever hope to know, his beer still has disgusting floaties. In the past month, I have had 12 focal bangers. Most of them have had floaties.

 

I’m only going from my personal experience, but I have cans in my fridge at all times and almost always drink from a glass. Never personally had one with floaties. As I mentioned before, I have seen pics with tons of floaties, but in my opinion it seems like a rare occurrence.

 

I drink a lot of Heady and have been for years. Have never had floaties and I drink from a glass 99% of the time. I have had floaties In Focal but it was maybe 3 times in all these years....

 

My first floatie experience (in all beer) was with Focal Banger but I'm not sure I've had that with Heady.

 

Yeah, drink from the can was a think long before I had ever heard about a "floatie", so I don't think John was trying to hide anything at all. I have been drinking Heady and Focal regularly for a long time and have had plenty with sediment and plenty without, never bothered me either way. Sometimes I drink from the can and sometimes from a glass, depends on what I am up to.

 

The “floaties” in Alchemist cans (I’ve got them in Focal every time over the last few years but only in focal) are totally different than your typical “floaties” you find in the super hazy trub cans. If you brew you know it totally looks like cold break not hop particles. The beer will be almost clear and the proteins are all coagulated. It’s so odd and only seems to be bad in Focal which to me doesn’t make sense???