HOPIQ FACEOFF
77%
Overall similarity
hopIQ take
Heady Topper if you want a laser-focused hop assault that doesn't apologize,
Swish if you want hops wrapped in actual beer structure.
Both are 8% Double IPAs with identical IBUs, but they're built on completely different philosophies. Heady is Vermont's uncompromising statement—it's what happens when a brewery decides bitterness and resin are features, not bugs. Swish is Maine's answer: hops yes, but let's make sure there's malt and body underneath so you can actually drink more than two.
At a glance
The differences that matter
Generated from the four anchored axes — never hand-written.
Beer DNA
Where they separate
Body
Δ 0
Sweetness
Δ 18
Bitterness
Situations
When to choose which
In words
Tasting notes
Heady Topper
Heady Topper hits like a pine forest caught fire. The bitterness is sharp and immediate, almost aggressive—it coats your mouth with that classic Northeast resin bite before any sweetness shows up. There's citrus underneath, sure, but it's fighting for space. By the second sip you realize this beer isn't trying to be friendly; it's a technical display of hop extraction done at maximum intensity. It's the kind of beer that makes you sit up straighter.
Swish
Swish is smoother than Heady without being soft. You get the hop character—dank, herbal, a little earthy—but there's an actual malt cushion catching it. The bitterness is there, definitely, but it feels integrated rather than weaponized. It's more drinkable in a session because the beer structure lets your palate reset between sips. There's almost a creamy mouthfeel underneath that surprised me the first time.
See what fits your taste
hopIQ scores every beer against your palate, not the average drinker's.
Build your Beer DNAKeep exploring
Similar beers
Beers like Heady Topper
View alternatives →Beers like Swish
View alternatives →