Fluctuation
Equilibrium Brewery

FluctuationFluctuation
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From:
Equilibrium Brewery
 
New York, United States
Style:
New England IPA
Ranked #204
ABV:
8.1%
Score:
97
Ranked #734
Avg:
4.37 | pDev: 5.95%
Reviews:
93
Ratings:
358
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 16, 2024
Added:
Mar 04, 2017
Wants:
  18
Gots:
  27
Departures from Equilibrium are known as fluctuations. It pours a very hazy tangerine color, releasing bright tropical notes of passion fruit, mango, pineapple, and lychee with an undercurrent of sorbet and cream. Fluctuation tastes highly resinous and tropical with an assertive yet soft bitterness. We consider this fluctuation to be perfectly unbalanced.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Zazzi82:
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Rated by Zazzi82 from Tennessee

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Jan 20, 2019
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.05 by Noelito76 from New York

Mar 16, 2024
 
Rated: 4.43 by saymike32 from New Jersey

Jan 31, 2024
Photo of ScruffySouthpaw
Reviewed by ScruffySouthpaw from New York

4.38/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Served in a snifter glass from the can.

Appearance: Semi dark gold colored hazy brew with a white head which rose maybe half a finger's length off the body.

Smell: Leafy aroma with hints of banana skin. Super desirable but dissipates quickly from the nose.

Taste: Semi sweet taste with hints of caramel, pilsener malt and citrus juice.

Mouth: Medium body, bubbles are soft with a very sticky appealing after taste. Almost dessert like.

Overall: Had this beer so many time and totally forgot to review it. A Man among the boys. One of my favorites from Equilibrium. Always in a glass. Salud!
Jan 13, 2024
Photo of Ushouldbeworkinh
Reviewed by Ushouldbeworkinh from England

4.25/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Darker than usual NEIPA, still pale, and thick looking. Smell is citrus and tropical. Taste is the same with some lasting note of resin. Feel is smooth and thick enough, with a little lasting bitterness. Good stuff
Dec 17, 2023
Photo of buschbeer
Reviewed by buschbeer from Ohio

3.79/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
16 FL OZ can
Served in an oversized, stemless, wine glass

This beer pours amber and hazy with golden highlights. It is topped with a mountain of creamy, tan head that coats as I consume.

Tropical fruit aroma with some citrus and melon notes

Tropical fruit and melon flavor

Gets lost in a vast category of hazy double IPAs
Nov 19, 2023
Photo of Thankin_Hank
Reviewed by Thankin_Hank from Texas

4.58/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Fluctuation is a juicy looking pineapple looking, citrus smelling, great tasting IPA. I could buy these on regular. On draft at What’s On Tap. I hope to get more from that keg. Hopslam is here too.
Nov 15, 2023
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Pours a nearly completely hazy (10% clarity) medium to pale golden orange color with a massive white head. SRM of 6-7. (4.00)

Aroma: Strong aromas of orange citrus and grape juice. Some strong, tropical pineapple and sweet mango underneath. (4.50)

Flavor: Strong, intensely tropical flavors of orange citrus, tropical pineapple, tropical melon, grapes, and sweet mango. Some rainbow sorbet to follow. Juicy, tropical and lean sweet. (4.50)

Feel: Medium to have your body, body, strong, carbonation finishes, smooth and leans sweet. (4.25)

Compared to EQ This is your Brain on Science 10/2023: Pours lighter, milder head. Stronger aromas. More tropical grape, mango, rainbow sorbet. Less orange citrus, guava, pine.

to EQ mc2 11/2023: Pours lighter, milder head. Stronger aromas. More tropical pineapple, mango skins, rainbow sorbet. Less tart grapefruit. Winner: Fluctuations

to EQ Balanced Growth 11/2023: Pours darker, stronger head. More mango skins, rainbow, tropical pineapple. Less grapefruit, lemon, guava, and passionfruit. Sweeter. Winner: Fluctuation

Overall: First try at Fluctuations which is rated World-Class. For good reason. Not sure the hop combo in here but they are probably keeping it a secret. Excellent tropical pineapple, grape, mango, and classic rainbow sorbet flavors. It's abounding in EQ aromas and flavors. This one lives up to the hype of a World-Class NEIPA. (Rating: 4.45)
Oct 26, 2023
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16oz can into a pint glass. Could not find any freshness dating.

Thick orange juice body, small white head, but excellent lacing. Light tropical fruit aroma. Taste is fruity, slightly sweet, but with a serious hop bite. Quite warming. Seems like an East Coast/West Coast hybrid.
Sep 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.7 by kmoen from California

Sep 06, 2023
 
Rated: 4.74 by pkkosmatka from Minnesota

Jul 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by craigbelly from Iowa

Jul 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.32 by tubeman from New York

May 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by _Adam_ from Maryland

May 13, 2023
Photo of mikeinportc
Reviewed by mikeinportc from New York

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Canned 4/13/23, so just under a month old.

Hazy orangey-gold, with 1.5 fingers of long-lasting ivory head, that leaves half-coverage rings of lacing.

Smell is initially intense orange/orange rind, with some pineapple,mango,papaya, and grapefruit marmalade contributing.

Flavor is peach, peach pit, candied orange, dried pineapple and mango, fresh grapefruit , finishing with a bit more peach , plus hints of lemon and lime . There is also a brief flash of something vaguely galia melon-like. Moderate, lingering bitterness.

Feel is initially lightly juicy, then creamy, followed by very,very, fine soft carbonation, that finishes with a sharp bite. Seems an odd combo,& I've rarely encountered it, but it works. Slight lingering astringency at the back of the throat.

Overall, a special treat! I do love the bitterness, and sharp bite at finish, that elevates this beyond the norm.
May 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by JonB25 from Delaware

May 04, 2023
Photo of colts9016
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho

4.27/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
1901
Name: Fluctuation
Brewery: Equilibrium
Location: Middletown, NY
Style: DIPA
ABV: 8.1%
Date: Unknown
I am continuing to drink through all the beer that Jay sent me. Using a tulip glass, I served the beer at around 46 degrees. The pour created a creamy, frothy, two-fingered bright white head with excellent retention. The slow dissipation left lots of lacing on the glass. I examine the glass, charting the color around SRM 4, pale gold with amber hues. The clarity is hazy, with a bit of yeast floating within. The overall appearance is above average.
Nosing the glass, I smell apples, oranges, peaches, pears, mangos, pineapple, crackers, bread, a floral hint, grass, and lightly toasted malts.
I taste crackers, mangos, pineapple, guava, oranges, lemons, a hint of grapefruit, floral esters, bread, grass, lightly toasted malts, and malty sweetness.
The mouthfeel is astringent, finishing dry. The body is medium-plus and has medium carbonation.
Overall a delightful beer with lots of hoppy flavors. Easy sipping beer for a fantastic spring evening.
May 02, 2023
Photo of patre_tim
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

3.54/5  rDev -19%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Golden and thick as orange juice, topped with 4 fingers of creamy white head.

Smells of caramel malts and orange juice.

The taste is of caramelised sugar, and orange juice.

Thick pulpy body with a little foamy carbonation.

I got this in California, and am drinking it in Phuket Thailand, March 18th, 2023.
Mar 18, 2023
 
Rated: 4.35 by GClarkage from California

Mar 16, 2023
Fluctuation from Equilibrium Brewery
Beer rating: 97 out of 100 with 358 ratings