Heady Topper clone recipe
John Kimmich first brewed Heady Topper at The Alchemist's pub in Waterbury, Vermont in 2004. By 2010 it was the highest-rated beer on Beer Advocate. By 2015 it had effectively created the New England IPA category. Kimmich has been famously open about the recipe: six hops, six additions, a proprietary yeast strain (Conan, originally from Vermont Pub & Brewery), and the instruction to 'DRINK FROM THE CAN.'
About this beer
Heady is the template for everything NEIPA became. The unfiltered haze is intentional — yeast in suspension softens the bitterness and adds creamy mouthfeel. The hop bill is loaded with Simcoe and Amarillo for grapefruit and apricot, plus aggressive late additions to push aroma to the front. Cans only, because oxygen exposure murders this style — and they say drink from the can because the aroma is so volatile that pouring it into a glass actually loses character.
Grain bill (5-gallon batch)
| Grain | Weight | % | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-row pale malt | 14 lb | 80% | Clean base. Some clone recipes use Maris Otter for body, but the original is mostly American 2-row. |
| Flaked oats | 1.75 lb | 10% | Critical for the silky NEIPA mouthfeel. Oats add proteins and beta-glucans that create body and haze. |
| Wheat malt | 0.85 lb | 5% | Adds protein for haze and head retention. |
| Caramunich II | 0.85 lb | 5% | Light caramel character. Kimmich uses a small amount to add complexity without sweetness. |
Hop schedule
| Hop | Amount | When | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simcoe | 1.0 oz | 60 min boil | Bittering |
| Apollo | 0.5 oz | 60 min boil | Bittering (high alpha, clean) |
| Amarillo | 1.0 oz | 10 min boil | Flavor |
| Centennial | 1.0 oz | 10 min boil | Flavor |
| Simcoe | 1.0 oz | Whirlpool 30 min @ 180°F | Aroma |
| Amarillo | 1.0 oz | Whirlpool 30 min @ 180°F | Aroma |
| Citra | 1.5 oz | Dry hop · day 3 (active fermentation) | Biotransformation, tropical fruit |
| Columbus | 1.0 oz | Dry hop · day 3 | Resin and dank |
| Simcoe | 1.5 oz | Dry hop · day 7 (post-fermentation) | Pine and grapefruit |
| Amarillo | 1.5 oz | Dry hop · day 7 | Apricot and citrus |
Yeast
Conan (Omega OYL-052 'Conan' or Giga Yeast GY054)
The defining ingredient — originally from Vermont Pub & Brewery (Greg Noonan), now widely commercially available. Stone fruit and peach esters at 64–68°F. Don't substitute regular American Ale yeast; the character won't be right.
Water profile
Soft Vermont-style. Target ~80 ppm sulfate, ~120 ppm chloride (chloride > sulfate for the rounder NEIPA mouthfeel — opposite of West Coast).
Process notes
- Mash at 152°F for 60 min — balanced, not overly fermentable
- First dry hop goes in during ACTIVE fermentation (day 3, ~50% attenuated) — this is when biotransformation happens and the tropical fruit thiols develop
- Second dry hop after fermentation is complete (day 7+) — pure aroma, no biotransformation
- Cold crash to 32°F for 24 hours to drop yeast and proteins (not all of them — haze is fine)
- Package with CO2 push — minimize oxygen exposure. NEIPAs at 14 days with too much DO can taste like wet cardboard.
Why it tastes like that
The interesting part of a clone recipe is understanding why each ingredient choice matters. Here's what each element of the recipe contributes:
- Conan yeast is the heart of Heady. It throws stone fruit and peach esters that no other American ale yeast produces, plus has high thiol-releasing potential which amplifies the tropical character of the hops.
- Citra dry-hopped during active fermentation — yeast cleaves cysteine-bound thiol precursors in the hop, releasing free 3SH (passionfruit, guava). This is biotransformation, and Heady was one of the first beers to use it intentionally.
- The grist with oats and wheat creates the soft, silky body that contrasts the high IBU — Heady hits 75 IBU but feels rounder than a 50 IBU West Coast pale.
- Whirlpool at 180°F (not boiling) preserves volatile aroma compounds that would flash off in a true hot whirlpool.
- 'DRINK FROM THE CAN' isn't a gimmick — the volatile compounds that make Heady taste like Heady start evaporating the moment you pour. Drinking from the can keeps them concentrated.
Sources & references
- John Kimmich · published Heady recipe byo.com
- The Alchemist (brewery) alchemistbeer.com