Wait, what? Arguably Vermont’s best-known brewery has a new beer? Yep, it’s true. But that new beer won’t be around for long.

What is the place?

The place is The Alchemist, which makes the beer that made Waterbury famous (and now Stowe, where the brewer has its new-as-of-three-years-ago production facility). Owners John and Jen Kimmich run the brewery that manufactures Heady Topper, the hop-forward beer known to spur thirsty fans to wait at stores in lines so long that it looks like Walmart on Black Friday. The Alchemist also brews Focal Banger, another hop-happy beer, and supports social causes such as renewable energy. “Community engagement’s a big thing for us,” said Shane Rumrill, who manages The Alchemist’s social media.

What’s the story behind it?

The latest beer at The Alchemist is called Honey Bunch and, as the name suggests, bees create one of its key ingredients. “It’s got a nice, hearty malt to help support the honey sweetness,” said Joel Hartman, operations manager at the brewery. Honey Bunch was created to highlight local honey sourced from Vermont solar farms growing bee-friendly plants near their solar panels. The resulting beer is strong, with an alcohol-by-volume percentage of 8.8, but balanced with a combination of malt, hops and honey. The Alchemist only filled about 2,000 12-ounce bottles Honey Bunch, so the brew released Sept. 12 may not last much longer. The bottles available at The Alchemist’s retail shop at the brewery are priced at $13 each, with $3 going toward the Vermont Public Interest Research Groupto support pollinator-friendly solar farms.

Location and information

The Alchemist, 100 Cottage Club Road, Stowe. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. 882-8165, www.alchemistbeer.com.

Do you have a new restaurant, a new brewery or a new food truck you’d like to tell people about? Maybe you want to spread the word about a new chef, a big new dish or an exciting new drink. Contact staff writer Brent Hallenbeck at 660-1844 or bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com.