Closest beer to Heady Topper

Have tasted many of the recommendations on this thread, and some of them are just plain silly, others are impossible to get for you without trading/shipping. Most of them are not that close.

Abrasive and Kern River Citra are the two closest but don't distro to you.

Also very close, but a sorta different hop character, is a beer by Iron Hill that you may have access to when they release this on a rotating basis
Krypotonite

 

Nothing comes close to it for me. The best DIPA I've ever had actually wasn't Heady, it was Pliny the Younger on tap...but from a can/bottle, Heady takes the cake. Citra comes very close though.

 

Not like HT at all, but a fine DIPA. Especially considering how easy it is to come by in comparison.

I would, however, never tell somebody to expect it to be like Heady Topper. They'd be sorely disappointed. lol

 

Holy cow I am glad I read this, I was about to order a bunch of this for an 80's party coming up, but if it is close to as hoppy as Heady no one would likely drink it.

 

It's probably too hoppy for a party with non-beer lovers, but it's nowhere close to Heady.

 

Closest I've found is the New Belgium/LOF/Alpine Super IPA. I think that was a limited release but having tried both its really, really similar. Like drinking a mango.

 

Heady Topper is a very bright, intense DIPA.

Actually its probably my favorites of the fresh IIPAs I have tasted. I even like it better than Pliney the Elder and Younger. Looks like my other favorite IIPAs are Captain Lawrence Captains Reserve, Fresh 90 minutew at DFH brewpub, Stone Ruination, Weyerbacher Double Simcoe.

The cool thing about Heady Topper is you visit a lot of different hop characteristics. Most of the brew I listed above highlight a single hop flavor.

 

Abrasive is well- abrasive- lots of hops and hop bitterness...thoough abrasive features a lot of hop characteristics Heady Topper offers a lot more flavor and hop experience without as much lingering resin.

 

Though it's not Heady (and no beer has to be), OTWOA is pretty DAMN GOOD and has it's own approach which gives it a personal place, high on top, in a very diluted category of Imperial/DIPA ales. Heady is Heady, and OTWOA is OTWOA. !!! There are some similar notes shared between the two, but each has it's own distinctive characteristics which make both of them one of those "Wow" beers.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25327/78517

 

Great DIPA I have had it fresh on tap and was very impressed.

 

You need to look at the hops that are used...New Zealand sauv blanc tends to have more grapefruit than the lemongrass from Napa...same with hops...citra from New Zealand would be a great place to start.

 

Yez Zur!!!! Drinking one now out of the latest bottling and still saying Wow after saying it all day Saturday down at the Brau

 

Abrasive is the only brew I've had that is close to HT taste profile. Different, i think Abrasive has more grapefruit and is more bitter, but it's a great DIPA.

 

I would have to agree that Kryptonite came to mind but certainly a little different hop character. I would love to do a side by side next time i have the chance. Kryptonite was one of the pleasant surprises of the year for me.

 

Agree completely. One of my favorite beers. Had one on tap last weekend.

 

Double Sunshine
There are a few Kernel IPA's that are in the same class as HT for me too. They aren't messing around at the Kernel.

 

As much as Abrasive and Elevated remind me of Heady, we did a taste test between all 3 and they aren't even close.

I rated them:
1. Abrasive - Most unique, great juicy hop profile that stays sweet
2. Heady - Most balanced, a hint of pepper creeps in with the sweet fruity hops
3. Elevated - This beer is awful when directly compared to the other two

The Heady really is a pallet killer though. 1 swig of Heady and the Abrasive tastes weird for about 2 sips. The Elevated had little to no smell or flavor when drinking the other 2. On it's own, it's a tasty IPA (and even reminded me of Heady when I first had it), but completely overshadowed by the 2 IIPAs that are the cream of the crop.

 

Abner is the only DIPA that's been similar to Heady for me