On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, murky golden-hued Imperial IPA plies pronounced Nelson-hopped lemony grapefruit and guava bittering to spicy lemon licks over lightly creamed oated wheat. Floral blue orchid waft sweetens its backend.
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, ‘dangerously smooth’ for 8.5% ABV Imperial IPA. Lemony yellow grapefruit sunshine, misty orange peel sweetness, peachy pineapple tang and salted guava-mango-papaya sashay gather for hazy golden glowed moderation. Lightly creamed oated wheat base anchors brisk Citra-Galaxy-hopped tropical punch.
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, semi-sharp whirlpooled Citra hop bittering brings lemony grapefruit rind and orange pith zesting to waxy dry-hopped (Nelson-Galaxy) pineapple, passionfruit, green grape and melon lacquering over generously creamed oated wheat base. Light lettuce crisping seeps below salted tropical fruiting.
Fulsome hazy golden NEIPA (despite nebulous ‘Double’ tag) retains soft-tongued froth as salted lemony grapefruit bittering, lemon meringue tartness and orange marmalade sweetness link with sour gooseberry-guava-grape sway above heavily creamed vanilla-daubed oated wheat. In the midst, tropical fruited marshmallowy coconut shavings provide Ambrosia salad richness to awesome concoction (hiding heightened 8.4% ABV).
Upscaled heavily hazed chartreuse yellowed pale ale enters NEIPA territory with its salted gooseberry-guava souring contrasting sweet orange-peeled mango and pineapple upsurge over creamy oated wheat spume. Distant white-peppered herbage and mild piney bittering stay subtle. Excellent.
Dry West Coast-styled IPA lets sunshiny Citra-Mosaic-hopped grapefruit-peeled orange tang sidle moderate Simcoe-hopped piney herbage, retaining slight grassy astringency for dry pale-malted medium body. Brisk semi-sharp citrus bittering gains ancillary pineapple, mango and guava tropicalia.
Smoothly crisp yellow-glazed ‘hazy’ IPA rallies brisk grapefruit zesting and salty orange-peeled pineapple, guava and mango perfuming beyond its mild pine bittering above mild oated wheat creaming. Teasing floral ‘snapdragon’ influence slightly sweetens its zesty citric surface.
On tap at Growler & Gill, hazily golden-hued NEIPA collab with Albany’s Fidens retains juicy tropical fruiting in curdled yogurt-milked setting. Salty gooseberry-passionfruit-guava souring (Nelson Sauvin hops) meets bittersweet orange-peeled grapefruit tang (Citra-Galaxy hops) and floral-dried pine bittering (Simcoe hops) over creamy oated wheat base.
Fulsome hazy golden NEIPA retains zesty orange peeled yellow grapefruit tanginess, salted guava-gooseberry souring and slight white peach/tangerine tang as well as resinous piney bittering. Mild grassy astringency and tingled floral spicing add subtleties. Buttery oats creaming gains yogurt thickness at tropical fruited finish.
Durable hazy golden pale ale dupes New England IPA’s yogurt-milked wheated oats creaming and tart gooseberry-guava souring to serenade vibrant citrus rasp of richer stylistic departure. Lemony orange bittering lets mild spruce licks, subtle juniper swoon and delicate floral spicing penetrate the off-dry tropical fruited surface.
Well integrated pils with crackling lemon fizz picking up hay-dried straw wheat acridity above honeyed mineral graining. Simple, efficient, spritzy, yellow clear suds.
COLONIE, NEW YORK
FIDENS BREWING COMPANY was established in 2014 and moved to its current digs September ’20. An IPA-centric microbrewery taking up a large 20,000 square-foot cement-floored warehouse in the suburban Albany town of Colonie, Fidens stainless steel brewtanks stretch to the 20-foot aluminum ceiling (with exposed pipes).
Though plans to put in a new tasting room are ruminating, the brewery as of January ’23 only sold beers for off-site consumption. In the Beer Index, there are a few wonderful Bidens brews reviewed.