Heady Topper Comparison

Keeping doing what you're doing, very few beers compare

 

I definitely don't see a comparison between HT and Stochasticity.

Also, if there was a Heady substitute or Heady was widely distributed people wouldn't go nuts over it like they do now.

 

While nothing else compares (and by compare I would say tastes exactly like it) the fun is in trying many different IPA/DIPAs and picking up on all of the different flavors and nuances. While HT is a terrific beer and nothing else really matches it I still say, hands down, CCB Jai Alai is right up there at the top too. *Edit: I haven't had the Grapefruit Slam so I can't offer any comparison between the 2 like the OP states.

 

I could not disagree more. I just don't understand the love Jai Alai gets. I always thought it was just because florida sucks for beer, so it's the best they can do. Jai Alai was perhaps the most disappointing beer I ever tried.

 

That's fine, disagree as much as you want, it's your opinion based on your taste, and taste it subjective.
Maybe if you try it again you might change your mind, then again maybe not. Either way you're never going to like every beer you try, even when a lot of others think it's great. Cheers!

 

With great respect. Flavor wise CCB Jai Alai is extremely over rated. I don't think it would crack the top twenty in IPA's.

 

There is nothing, it's unique.

 

Had it a few times fresh in FL. I'm aware that other's have different opinions. Isn't that what we do around here? voice opinions?

 

I was recently in Florida and was able to taste some Jai Alai, and was not disappointed. For a brewery that is known for its darker beers my expectation of Jai Alai weren't sky high (which might explain why I was not disappointed). Regardless I thought it was a pretty solid dank IPA, but I wouldn't rank it with the Fat Heads, HF, La Cumbres, and some of the Cali IPA's (just to name a few).

I will add, I think it goes bad very quickly, not sure what about it would do this. In three weeks time, I noticed a substantial difference in taste and more bitterness from the grain came through even after I stored it properly. Has anyone else experience this, or is this my subjective palate playing tricks on me?

Cheers!

 

It is?
.

 

If you told me that Stochasticity was like Heady you would have zero credibility with me. Since you work in a store where you want people to buy beer I recommend not recommending that.

 

What is their response when you tell them about other beers? Open to trying different things? Or?

 

At the bottle shop I work at, I usually tell customers that Victory Dirtwolf is Heady Topper light. For those that end up disagreeing, they still end up liking the Dirtwolf.

 

for the time being I'd stick with the "pretty much nothing is like Heady" approach.. good luck on your search though!

 

i'd wager at least some of the people asking OP for Heady are doing so not because they are beer experts that are seeking that specific taste, they're trying to find out for themselves what "that taste" is that everybody who is in the know, is talking about. if they were that well armed / researched, they probably would know they're an hour away & a day or two off from finding it before setting foot in the OP's shop. seems unlikely they'd be spout off the zero cred for recommending something else - especially if they have no prior Heady reference point.

my advice would be to stick with: "we don't have it, there's no EXACT match that we are aware of, it's a fairly unique iteration. it falls in the DIPA category. we have ________ that are also DIPAs & well regarded. you might give those a try to get some idea of the style if not familar & to hold you over".

 

What makes most great beers stand apart from the crowd is the fact that there is now adequate substitution. If there were readily available substitutions which provided a similar experience the beer you are trying to replace loses some luster. Heady Topper is not easily replaced. There are plenty of tremendously enjoyable DIPAs out there, I think you are better served finding another beer to enjoy based on its own merits rather than trying to find a replacement.