The Alchemist

John and Jen Kimmich originally opened The Alchemist as a 60 seat brew pub in the village of Waterbury in 2003. After eight years of success and growing popularity, they decided to open a small production brewery in Waterbury in 2011. Not long after, Tropical Storm Irene flooded much of the state, causing widespread damage in downtown Waterbury, including the Pub. Forced to shut the Pub doors, the Kimmichs focused their efforts on the new Cannery and distributing Heady Topper locally. Pop-up truck sales, long lines in Waterbury, and a booming craft beer scene led up to the opening of the 2016 Stowe Brewery and Visitor’s Center. Today, The Alchemist operates two breweries in Waterbury and Stowe and distributes Heady Topper and Focal Banger throughout the state, with the occasional out-of-state shipment. Limited specialty beers are released at the Stowe Brewery only, where curbside beer sales have been our only public contact since March 2020.