One of America’s most sought after craft beers, Heady Topper by The Alchemist has been spotted on the black market before. The Waterbury, Vermont based brewery produces one of the highest ranked IPAs that doesn’t get distributed very far from the cannery.
A lady was recently arrested for selling cases of the brew on Craig’s List for upwards of $700 dollars ($825 in one instance). A case of Heady Topper usually goes for $72. It wasn’t long before the Feds got wind of the illegal operation.
If I were John Kimmich (founder of the brewery) I’d have to feel pretty baller right now. I mean, what started as a homebrew recipe is now sold in parking lots and back alley deals like high end narcotics. I’m pretty sure no one ever did that for one of the big 3 brewery’s beers.
Illegal sale or resale of alcoholic beverages can get you a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison. Pretty steep compared to a plane ticket, a rental car and the cost of a few pints in Vermont, right? [AP]
