hohops (2663) reviewed Focal Banger from The Alchemist 6 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 8.5
Appearance is hazy orange, with a small clingy white head. Aroma is lots of hops, stewed fruit, malt, orange, pithy fruit. Herbal notes, some dankness. Taste is resinous hops, herbal notes, bitter hops, malty background, orange peel, grapefruit juice, stewed fruity hops, pine, long lingering bitterness. Intensely bitter and hoppy. Standout.
potjebier (6609) reviewed Skadoosh #118 from The Alchemist 6 months ago
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Een troebele goudgele kleur en een ferme witte schuimkraag met vrij grote bellen. Geur van stro, grassige hop, iets harsig, citrus. In de mond is het iets zoetig, citrus, lichtjes bitter. Smaak is dan weer behoorlijk bitter met een vrij zoete backbone. Medium body. Fijne koolzuurprikkeling. Lange bittere nasmaak.
TBone (30139) reviewed Focal Banger from The Alchemist 6 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Hazy orange colour and medium-sized white head and lace. Grapefruity, tropical fruity mild aroma. Medium-bodied. Grapefruity, a bit piney, some fruits, bitterness. Solid "American ipa".
TBone (30139) reviewed Heady Topper from The Alchemist 6 months ago
Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 8
Hand pumped. Murky yellow colour, thick creamy head, lace. Very piney nose with some fruityness. Medium-bodied. Juicy but very bitter, not like nowadays neipas. Piney, grapefruity. Smooth. Excellent.
CraftBeerNick (11005) reviewed Mortal Sin from The Alchemist 6 months ago
Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Can at home in the garden, 26th July 2025. Pours a good looking black beer, with a light tan head. Aroma is dark chocolate, citrus pith and roasted malts. Taste is cocoa, roasted malts, citrus peel, bitter, dark chocolate, oranges, herbal notes. Excellent BIPA. Missed this about 18 months ago when J and B Craft Drinks, mucked up more order - picked it up form the same store last week in Amsterdam - last can in the fridge !
tfontana (7277) reviewed Skadoosh #118 from The Alchemist 7 months ago
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5
Can from trade with ClarkVV--thanks, Clark! Deeply hazy yellow-orange, a few dark floaties, light carbonation, thin head with good retention and nice, soapy lacing. Aroma is mix of stone fruit, citrus, lighter pine and herb. Taste is mild stone fruit followed by strong pine, bitter, malty finish. Smooth, frothy texture, average carbonation, exceedingly dry, moderately bitter finish. Same vintage as previous two ratings but less fruity and more piney/bitter--hop decay over 5 weeks?
nathanvc (6963) reviewed Heady Topper from The Alchemist 7 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9.5
30 March 2025. Can from J&B Craft Drinks. Canned: 7/11/2024.
Hazy golden, stable, foamy, off-white head. Complex aroma of grapefruit peel, lime zest, cheese rind, pink peppercorns, green olive, spruce, hashish, vague garlic, gin. Taste has sweetish melon, mango & peach in a biscuity, bready malt body, surrounded by subtle sourish lime and umami, even somewhat salty green olive. Bitter spicy, herbal & dank notes lead the way into an even more bitter finish of piney & resinous hops; a bit peppery but maintaining the fruitiness of grapefruit peel and orange. Medium to full body, oily texture, soft carbonation. As ever, it's hard to objectively approach beers of this renown, but there's no denying its complexity, depth and balance. Wonderful!
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Light from The Alchemist 7 months ago
Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Can, undated, from CLW. Thanks, Chris. Drunk 6/24/25.
Clear blonde-golden. Large, rocky, white head settles out at spotty cover.
Herbal nose with grassiness and some spice. Lots of honey-like malts to balance. Pinch of sourdough on the end. Quite hoppy!
Lovely texture, wow! Rich sourdough baguette coated with honey, with a strong, dried herb and grass character from the strong, spicy hops. You could certainly accuse it of being over-hopped, but they're noble hops, so it's pretty endearing. Rich and malty, spicy and clean.
tfontana (7277) reviewed Light from The Alchemist 8 months ago
Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7
Can from trade with CLW--thanks, Chris! Clear, pale yellow, tons of sparkle, thick head with excellent retention and nice soapy lacing. Aroma is strong pale malts, light fruit, cracker. Taste is strong pale malts, vague fruit, cracker. Smooth, frothy texture, soft carbonation, super dry, crisp finish.
Scopey (25115) reviewed Just Say Gay from The Alchemist 8 months ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7
Can from the source. It pours murky blonde with a decent white head. The aroma is fresh, ripe stone fruits, juicy pineapple, peaches & cream, plum, candied lemon, weedy, dank, hop slurry, touch of spent grain and light rawness. The taste is dry, bitterness which builds, candied lemon, waxy peel, plum, pineapple, underlying sweetness, fragrant, floral, rather green, weedy, slightly raw, dank, floury bread, slightly chalky and peppery spice with a drying, bitter linger. Average body and moderate, fluffy carbonation. Decent enough hazy, but lacks the Alchemist wow in my opinion, particularly the flavour as opposed to aroma.