If you’ve been reading this blog, you know the strong feelings I have for Heady Topper, the Double IPA from The Alchemist in Waterbury, VT. The two of us have had a borderline-romantic relationship as I’ve sipped and savored my way through the stash I picked up at their cannery two weeks ago. But it hasn’t been all rainbows and roses (despite any flowery hop-notes in the flavor profile). No, like any good partner, Heady has challenged my pre-existing beliefs about beer. You see, when I started learning more and more about craft beer a few years ago, I came across one steadfast rule: always pour your beer. Always. So much of a beer’s flavor is in the aroma and, I was told, waiting to be released with a hearty pour and a thick head. Moreover, I learned, you should really have the proper type of glassware. Tall and thin glasses for bubbly hefeweizens, bulbous snifters for pungent IPAs, etc.

But, lo and behold, plastered in big, bold letters across the top of every can of Heady Topper is the command, DRINK FROM THE CAN! So I trusted the brewers (they sure as hell know their beer a lot better than I do) and kept my first couple Headys in their cans and far away from my glassware cabinet. And I can’t argue with the results. Heady from the can was extraordinary. But I eventually became curious. Wouldn’t it benefit from a bit of aroma-inducing head? Would different flavors emerge? What the hell color is this beer anyway?



So I decided to do a side-by-side comparison. I poured a little over half of a can into one of my favorite tulip glasses and kept the rest safely inside. Here’s what I found.

Ah, that’s what she looks like! I had caught a glimpse at the brewery, but now I was able to fully take in this beer’s burnt, autumn-esque orange color and fluffy off-white head and lacing. After that, I took a whiff of the glass. Not surprisingly, Heady’s aroma is much more pronounced when poured, and I was able to detect a floral and pineapple scent that hadn’t made its way out of the can. Every can of Heady Topper I’ve had has been a huge explosion of hop flavor, with some nice floral notes that are quickly washed away by an intense fruitiness. I still get the delicious grapefruit, pineapple and mango flavors in the glass, although they aren’t as in your face as they are straight from the can. The bitterness isn’t as intense in the glass either, and the piney finish is a little more restrained. I do, however, get a bit of refreshing grassiness in the glass that I hadn’t gotten out of the can. There’s also a big difference in Heady’s mouthfeel when poured. While the DIPA has a syrupy thickness to it in the can, the carbonation released when it is poured into the glass gives it a sharper, lighter feel. While Heady is far from dry in the can, it has a tremendous mouth-watering juiciness when drank from the glass.

But which is better? Both methods of consumption certainly have their merit, and as with most things, I suspect it really comes down to personal preference. For me, the added aroma and lighter mouthfeel that I got when drinking Heady from a glass(I actually prefer how chewy each sip from the can can be) wasn’t enough to overcome the loss in bitterness and the toned down flavor of the hops. I guess the folks at The Alchemist were right after all. I think I’ll keep pouring most of my beer, and keep Heady Topper as a delicious exception.

Cheers!