Alchemist Pub and Brewery 23 South Main Waterbury, Vermont 05676 Tel.: (802) 244-4120
Web: www.alchemistbeer.com
Open Monday to Thursday from 4pm Friday to Sunday from 3pm
Located in the center of Vermont, just south of I-89, the Alchemist Pub and Brewery, open since November 28th 2003, is a completely charming pub. Very nicely decorated, this spacious pub has a long bar which can accomodate about 20 persons. And what a welcome! We do not feel served but rather pampered by the staff, from the barmen Joel and Kenny, who have a very good knowledge of the beers, to the co-owners John and Jennifer Kimmich. A deeply pleasant human experience.
In addition to being one of the co-owners, John Kimmich is also the brewer. After having done his training at the Seven Barrel Brewery, John became the head brewer at the Vermont Pub & Brewery from 1995 to 1997.
There's always 7 beers on tap in this pub that offers beers of English, German, and Belgian inspiration. The 4 regulars are the Light Weight (4.33%, 14 IBU), Donovan's Red (5.16%, 28 IBU), Holy Cow IPA (5.16%, 85 IBU), and the extraordinary Pappy's Porter (4.98%, 45 IBU), while the 3 other taps are occupied in alternance by the seasonals. Among these the Heady Topper (7.2%, 140 IBU), and the Sterk Wit (7%, 10 IBU) are the most frequent ones. On occasion we can also find the Piston Bitter (5%, 50 IBU), Bolton Brown (5.4%, 35 IBU), Solstice (4.9%, 29 IBU), Zommer Bier (5.1%, 35 IBU), Blackout (4.9%, 45 IBU), Harvest Ale (6.1%, 30 IBU), Onion River Rye (5%, 40 IBU), Shtüpulator (7.2%, 22 IBU), Hellbrook (8%, 30 IBU), Thatcher Brook Blonde (5.5%, 10 IBU), Hefty Weizen (5.5%, 8 IBU), Wild Child (6.1%, 8 IBU), Revitalization Rye (6.5%, 100 IBU), Petit Mutant (7.8%, 10 IBU), and Ménage à Trois (7.7%, 20 IBU).
In addition to the 7 draught beers, the brewery always offers a beer on cask. These cask beers are called "real ale" in England because they are neither filtered, nor pasteurized, nor pushed by carbon dioxide during the service. This "non-intervention" makes it such that these beers preserve all of their flavours and gives them a mouthfeel so smooth that you will have the feeling of drinking a cloud. You can recognize these beers by the "beer engine", a long vertical lever that the barman must pump to get the invaluable liquid.
Note that the menu, in addition to indicating the alcohol percentage of the various beers to the hundredth decimal, also indicates the intensity of the bitterness in IBUs. The same menu reminds us as that "lemon wedges are meant for tasteless, Mexican beer". The brewery also offers small tasting glasses to sample any or all of the beers on tap.
The kitchen, managed by Jennifer and the excellent chef Jeff Lang, reserves an important place for artisanal products, and offers soups, salads, burritos, BBQ chicken, meat loaf, a plate of red beans and rice, a plate of sausages, 5 kinds of paninis, 7 kinds of pizzettas (the BBQ chicken one being delicious), but the pizzetta with pepperoni and green peppers, and its erotic tomato sauce, and the Brew Burger with blue cheese and caramelized onions are absolutely exceptional and deserve a place in my Glutton Awards. Recently they've added a Tuscan Vegetable Pizza, which is an astounding marriage of pesto, sundried tomatoes, red onions, goat cheese, and fine herbs that will make your tastebuds very happy.
Please note that if you're coming from the north through I-89 you will see just after leaving South Burlington, at mile 86 on the north side of the road, a curiosity: a whale's tails sculpture from Jim Sardonis called "Reverence" which represents the fragility of the planet.
For those like me who are travelling by bus, please note that Vermont Transit is not servicing Waterbury anymore, and you will have to go to Montpelier, the capital, and then take bus 83, also known as the Waterbury Commuter, at 3pm (weekdays only). By doing so you will have 3 hours to visit the charming city of Montpelier, and even take a walk on the bicycle path along the Winooski river. Please note that in Montpelier, the M&M Beverage, at 12 Main St., close to the river, offers an excellent choice of McNeill's beers. To return to Montpelier from Waterbury you will have to take the same bus 83 at 5:35pm right in front of the Alchemist (you'll simply have to wave to the driver because there's no set bus stop in Waterbury), and arrive in Montpelier at 6:05pm just in time to take the 6:25pm Vermont Transit to Montreal or the 7:15pm to Boston.
To savour
A very interesting article about the Alchemist from my brilliant collegue Ruth Miller of the Barleycorn Press.
Another interesting article from Keely Ames of the St. Michael's College newspaper which relates the little history of Jim Sardonis' sculpture.
The Sponge Awards
This section aims at honouring the beers which have received my perfect score of 4 sponges at least once during my last 4 visits at that brewery. However the score also takes into account all of the tastings of these same beers during these last 4 visits.
Pappy's Porter
An explosion of coffee and a nice, very nice, very very nice bitterness. Always available.
Donovan's Red
Nice hazelnut flavours, with hints of caramel, and a bitterness that appears quietly, reaching a magnitude in front of which we can only abandon ourselves to. Always available.
Holy Cow IPA
Very floral and full-bodied with nice grapefruit and apricot flavours. Always available.
Heady Topper
This double-IPA is a wonderful marriage of alcohol and citrus fruits with incredible smoothness. An Alchemist classic! Available semi-regularly.
Revitalization Rye
Extremely bitter, this Rye beer offers strong grapefruit and hazelnut flavours. A seasonal.
Bolton Brown
Such a superb malt making us believe that John has put a big amount of crème brûlée in his mash. With a very nice bitterness finale. A seasonal.
Sterk Wit
A Double-White which, served on cask, has an incredible smoothness and presents unusual flavours of creamy alcohol. Available semi-regularly.
Sterk Wit
A Double-White which, served on tap, is creamy, with hints of vanilla, and presents nice curacao flavours. Available semi-regularly.
are the most frequent ones. On occasion we can also find the Piston Bitter (5%, 50 IBU), Bolton Brown (5.4%, 35 IBU), Solstice (4.9%, 29 IBU), Zommer Bier (5.1%, 35 IBU), Blackout (4.9%, 45 IBU), Harvest Ale (6.1%, 30 IBU), Onion River Rye (5%, 40 IBU), Shtüpulator (7.2%, 22 IBU), Hellbrook (8%, 30 IBU), Thatcher Brook Blonde (5.5%, 10 IBU), Hefty Weizen (5.5%, 8 IBU), Wild Child (6.1%, 8 IBU), Revitalization Rye (6.5%, 100 IBU), Petit Mutant (7.8%, 10 IBU), and Ménage à Trois (7.7%, 20 IBU).
which is an astounding marriage of pesto, sundried tomatoes, red onions, goat cheese, and fine herbs that will make your tastebuds very happy.
