The Alchemist – Stowe

The Alchemist is the Vermont brewery behind Heady Topper, with a brewery and beer cafe in Stowe. John and Jen Kimmich opened it in 2003 as a 60-seat brewpub in Waterbury and added a small production brewery there in 2011. Soon after, Tropical Storm Irene flooded downtown Waterbury and forced the pub to close. The Kimmichs turned their attention to the new cannery and to local distribution of Heady Topper. That led to pop-up truck sales and long lines, and the Stowe brewery and visitor center opened in 2016. Today the company runs two breweries. The Waterbury facility is production-only, while visitors can buy beer in Stowe and try limited releases served only at the Alchemist Beer Cafe. Heady Topper and Focal Banger are distributed around Vermont. The Stowe brewery hosts live music and events, offers tours, and has invested in solar power and wastewater treatment.