Heady Topper Clone Beer Recipe

For craft beer lovers, few beers elicit more excitement and intrigue than Heady Topper from The Alchemist Brewery in Vermont. This hazy, unfiltered double IPA has become almost legendary thanks to its intoxicating hop aroma, smooth drinkability, and stunningly well-balanced flavors. While The Alchemist keeps their recipe under lock and key, many ambitious homebrewers have attempted to reverse engineer and clone Heady Topper. Getting every nuance perfect presents challenges but with the right combination of hops, specialty grains, yeast, and technique, it may be possible to brew an impressively close facsimile that captures the magic of this revered beer. Though it requires time and patience, formulating a Heady Topper clone recipe can be a rewarding and educational pursuit for enterprising homebrewers.

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Key Takeaways

The holy grail for many craft beer homebrewers is attempting to clone the legendary Heady Topper double IPA. This renowned Brew from Vermont’s Alchemist brewery is known for its hazy, unfiltered appearance, pungent hop aromas of citrus and tropical fruit, and smooth, balanced flavor. To mimic Heady Topper, experts recommend using a grist containing pale malt, flaked oats, and Carapils for the body. Hop with copious amounts of Citra, Columbus, and Simcoe in the Boil, hopstand, and dry hop. Use fruity American ale yeast strains like London Ale III or Vermont Ale. Control fermentation temperatures and avoid oxidation. While perfecting the recipe takes trial and error, passionate homebrewers can brew a Heady Topper clone that captures its essence and hop-forward delight.

Background Information

Heady Topper, the hazy, unfiltered double IPA from The Alchemist brewery in Vermont, has developed a cult-like following among hop-forward craft beer enthusiasts. This beer is renowned for its intoxicating tropical and citrus hop aromas, smooth drinkability, and perfectly balanced flavors. However, the complexity and uniqueness of Heady Topper have made it very difficult for homebrewers to clone successfully. Examining the history of Heady Topper, its characteristic taste profile, and the challenges in replicating it can provide helpful context around clone recipes.

History of Heady Topper and The Alchemist

The Alchemist originally opened as a brewpub in Waterbury, Vermont, in 2003 founded by John Kimmich. Kimmich honed his brewing skills for years prior, including studying brewing science at the University of California, Davis. The initial beer lineup consisted of English-style ales tailored to pair with food. However, in the early 2000s, Kimmich started experimenting with more hop-forward American craft beers.

Heady Topper was first brewed in 2003, tweaked over the next few years, and finally released in cans in 2011. It quickly developed a cult-like following, with people lining up to get limited can allotments. The tropical, dank hop flavors and a soft, silky body stood out among other double IPAs. The Alchemist brewpub was tragically destroyed in 2011 by Hurricane Irene, but the brewery rebuilt and focused exclusively on canning Heady Topper and their other hoppy ales like Focal Banger. They maintain a small production brewery in Stowe, Vermont, and limit Heady Topper distribution exclusively within the state.

Taste and Characteristics of Heady Topper

Appearance-wise, Heady Topper pours a hazy, golden straw color with a bright white head. The beer is completely unfiltered, contributing to a soft, creamy mouthfeel. The aroma is a stunning tropical fruit hop blast with mango, pineapple, and grapefruit notes. Flavor-wise, each sip brings waves of hop flavor – citrus, tropical fruit, and floral notes with a restrained light bitterness. The malts and 8% ABV add just enough sweetness and alcohol warmth while allowing the hops to take center stage. The signature Heady Topper drinkability comes from a silky, pillowy mouthfeel and flawless balance between the hazy hop flavors and clean malt profile.

Why Heady Topper is Difficult to Clone

Several factors make cloning Heady Topper an extremely challenging endeavor:

Complex hop profile – Heady Topper likely uses a specific blend of hop varieties, including Citra, Columbus, Simcoe, and others. Replicating the exact aromatic blend takes a lot of work.
Perfect balance – The malts, bitterness, alcohol, and hops achieve a flawless equilibrium. Even minor deviations throw off the balance.
Specialty malts and yeast – The Alchemist uses unique malt bill and yeast choices that impact the color, haze, and mouthfeel.
Proprietary process – Details like dry hopping techniques and timing are closely guarded secrets.
Water chemistry – Heady Topper’s water likely contains minerals to accentuate hop expressions. Matching this can be challenging.
Limiting oxygen – The Alchemist avoids oxidation meticulously to preserve hop aromas. Any oxygen exposure degrades freshness.
Packaging – Canning and bottle conditioning without filtration retains the signature haze and mouthfeel. Force carbonating alters the experience.

With creativity and persistence, homebrewers continue to come closer and closer to matching Heady Topper’s mystique through clone recipes and techniques. But perfectly replicating this flawlessly crafted beer continues to challenge even the most experienced brewers.

Heady Topper Clone Recipe

Heady Topper from The Alchemist has attained an almost mythical status in the world of craft beer. Hop lovers seeking to experience its magic at home have devised various clone recipes to try replicating this smooth, juicy double IPA. With careful attention to ingredients, process, and technique, ambitious homebrewers can produce a Heady Topper clone that captures much of its essence.

Heady Topper Clone Grain Bill and Hops

The grain bill provides a platform for the hops to shine while contributing to Heady Topper’s signature haze and silky mouthfeel:

7 lbs Pale Malt – Base malt for providing fermentable sugars
1 lb Flaked Oats – Enhances mouthfeel and provides haze
8 oz Carapils – Adds body and head retention

Hops:

1 oz Columbus (60 min boil) – Clean bittering
0.5 oz Columbus (30 min) – More bitterness
1 oz Citra (15 min) – Tropical fruit flavors
2 oz Simcoe (0 min) – Pine and citrus notes
3 oz Citra (hop stand 150F for 30 min) – Juicy tropical aromas
3 oz Simcoe (hop stand 150F for 30 min)
3 oz Columbus (dry hop five days) – Dank, earthy flavors
2 oz Citra (dry hop five days)

Heady Topper Clone Yeast

Safale US-05, Wyeast 1318 London Ale III, or Wyeast Conan Vermont Ale yeast. Ferment around 68F.

Brewing Process for Heady Topper Clone

Mash – Heat 2.5 gallons water to 164F, and add grain in mash tun. Hold 154F for 60 minutes. Boil additional water for hopping.
Lauter and Sparge – Recirculate to clarify, then drain wort from the mash tun. Rinse grains with 175F water.
The Boil – 60-minute boil total. Follow the hop schedule above. Chill wort rapidly after boiling to under 180F.
Hop Stand – Add 0 min hop additions and let sit for 30 minutes around 150F.
Fermentation – Pitch yeast into freshly aerated wort at 68F. After a week, dry hop, then allow another 5-7 days before packaging.
Bottling / Kegging – Bottle condition or keg naturally carbonate for best mouthfeel.

Tips and Tricks

Use fresh hops within months of harvest for the best aromatics
Control fermentation temperature to balance the ester profile
Avoid transferring too much hop matter to prevent grassiness
Minimize oxygen exposure after dry hop for freshness
Try tweaking water chemistry to enhance hop expressions
Consider biotransformation dry hopping for more intense aromas
Dial-in process based on detailed tasting notes each batch

With some honing over successive batches, this recipe and process can produce a Heady Topper clone with the smooth drinkability, restrained bitterness, and huge tropical and citrus hop aromas that make the original so coveted.

Additional Considerations

Some other factors that can help improve the authenticity of a Heady Topper clone include:

Water Chemistry – Altering water chemistry boosts malt flavors and hop expressions. Increasing chloride accentuates the juicy hop notes. Ensuring proper mash pH enables efficiency into high gravities. Building from RO or distilled water allows complete control.
Yeast Health – Adequate yeast growth is critical when pushing to high gravities. Provide oxygenation, nutrients, and proper pitching rates for healthy, complete fermentation.
Equipment – Having equipment capable of high-efficiency mashes and strong fermentation performance helps when brewing big beers. Conical fermenters allow yeast harvesting.
Process Details – Subtleties like dry hop contact time, transfer methods, and packaging techniques influence the final beer. It often takes multiple iterations to optimize these factors.

With persistence and creativity, homebrewers can refine and improve their Heady Topper clone over time to achieve impressively close replicas. The pursuit is a rewarding way to hone skills and appreciate the nuances that make Heady Topper an icon.

Variations and Modifications

While developing a recipe and process to clone the iconic Heady Topper double IPA, homebrewers can explore creativity through tweaks and experimentation. Numerous variations on the original Heady Topper recipe produce delicious results. Whether altering the hop bill, malt and yeast choices, or adjusting process details, small changes provide opportunities to put a personal spin on this renowned beer.

Modifying Hop Additions

The hop schedule offers many options to tailor the beer’s aroma and flavor profile:

Try different hop varieties – Swap out a portion of the Citra and Simcoe with other tropical hops like Azacca, Galaxy, or Vic Secret. Piney, citrus hops like Chinook, Centennial, or Amarillo also work nicely.
Adjust Boil vs. dry hop amounts – Increase dry hop weights and decrease boil additions for a juice bomb. Or add more boiled hops for a danker, resinous quality.
Modify dry hop contact time – Shorter dry hopping accentuates aromas. Extended contact up to 10 days increases extraction.
Experiment with hop forms – Compare hop pellets vs. whole cone flowers for differences in utilization and aroma.
Try biotransformation dry hopping – Adding hops during active fermentation purportedly enhances fruity aromas.

Tailoring the Malt Bill and Yeast

Subtle malt and yeast changes provide options for complexity:

Use different specialty malts – Switch out Carapils for torrified wheat, flaked barley, or Victory malt for added dimensions.
Play with mash temperatures – Lower mash temperatures increase body and dextrins, while a higher mash dries out the finish.
Change base malts – Swap pale malt for 2-row, pilsner, or Golden Promise to alter the maltiness.
Test different yeast strains – English or Scottish ale themes provide fruitiness. American stresses add clean profiles.

Other Clone Recipes to Inspire Experimentation

Many clone recipes offer unique takes on the Heady Topper blueprint:

The Hoppiest’s recipe uses Galaxy hops for tropical aromas and Golden Promise malt for color. It dry hops for five days only.
A BeerSmith recipe uses Vic Secret, Mosaic, and Hallertau Blanc hops with flaked wheat for extensive grapefruit notes. It employs an extended two-week dry hop.
The Craft Beer & Brewing recipe utilizes Chinook hops for piney zest alongside Citra and Columbus. It features Conan yeast for ester balance and a high mash temperature for a dextrinous body.
Chop & Brew’s recipe goes heavy on the Citra for massive juicy mango. It double-dried hops using mesh bags to maximize exposure.

With information sharing and continued creativity, Heady Topper’s clone recipes will continue to evolve as more brewers put their personal spin on this iconic beer.

Part of the appeal when formulating a Heady Topper homebrew clone is putting your own creative signature on it. Tweaking hop varieties, adjusting fermentation profiles, or trying unique specialty malts allows you to both pay homage to and differentiate your version from the original. The process of refining and improving your recipe over successive batches also helps enhance your overall brewing skills exponentially.

FAQ

What common mistakes should be avoided when attempting a Heady Topper clone recipe?

Undershooting the hop additions, using old hops, or oxidizing the beer after dry hopping will reduce aromatics. Letting fermentation temperature rise too high creates esters and diacetyl—bottling or kegging too early with active fermentation risks over carbonation. Attempting to force carbonate rather than bottle conditioning gives a brighter, thinner mouthfeel. Using whole cone hops reduces extraction versus pellets. Skipping water chemistry adjustments impacts hop flavor. Having insufficient yeast growth can lead to off flavors or poor attenuation. Rushing the recipe without attention to detail prevents achieving the complex, layered flavors.

How long does it take for most homebrewers to perfect a Heady Topper clone recipe?

It’s common for homebrewers to spend six months to a year dialing in their Heady Topper clone recipe through multiple iterations. Keep detailed tasting notes on each batch to understand what changes get you closer or farther from your target flavor profile. Consult hop-forward IPA clone forums for guidance from more experienced brewers. Be prepared to tweak factors like hop varieties, dry hopping techniques, yeast selection, water chemistry, and malt choices until you ultimately unlock just the right balance of hop aroma, subtle bitterness, alcohol warming, and silky mouthfeel that makes Heady Topper so extraordinary.

Summarize

For craft beer aficionados, few beers elicit more excitement and intrigue than Heady Topper from The Alchemist Brewery in Vermont. This hazy, unfiltered double IPA has become almost legendary thanks to its intoxicating hop aroma, smooth drinkability, and stunningly well-balanced flavors. While The Alchemist keeps their recipe under lock and key, many ambitious homebrewers have attempted to reverse engineer and clone Heady Topper. Getting every nuance perfect presents challenges but with the right combination of hops, specialty grains, yeast, and technique, it may be possible to brew an impressively close facsimile that captures the magic of this revered beer. Though it requires time and patience, formulating a Heady Topper clone recipe can be a rewarding and educational pursuit for enterprising homebrewers.

Heady Topper Clone Beer Recipe

Key Takeaways

Background Information

History of Heady Topper and The Alchemist