Fractal Lab - Nelson/Citra
Equilibrium Brewery
- From:
- Equilibrium Brewery
- New York, United States
- Style:
- Hazy IPA
- ABV:
- 6.8%
- Score:
- 90
- Avg:
- 4.14 | pDev: 4.11%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Aug 20, 2022
- Added:
- Sep 29, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding
Fractal Lab is a series with our simple fractal grain bill that explores beyond simple hop expression and applies experimental techniques to hops we want to know better.
Nelson and Citra is next up in the series. We used both in the whirlpool and dry hop while applying our energy process for a fractal-based IPA.
Fractal Lab Nelson / Citra pours glowing yellow and gives off notes of passion fruit, white grape, tangerine, limeade, and stone fruit during a picnic in the New Zealand Grasslands with a flavor profile loaded with notes of citrus, peach, pineapple gummies and grass with a slightly resinous but creamy finish with a touch of pointed bitterness.
Nelson and Citra is next up in the series. We used both in the whirlpool and dry hop while applying our energy process for a fractal-based IPA.
Fractal Lab Nelson / Citra pours glowing yellow and gives off notes of passion fruit, white grape, tangerine, limeade, and stone fruit during a picnic in the New Zealand Grasslands with a flavor profile loaded with notes of citrus, peach, pineapple gummies and grass with a slightly resinous but creamy finish with a touch of pointed bitterness.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.85/5 rDev -7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev -7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Another from that Spring '21 Equilibrium order. I thought this was gonna be my fave of the bunch, given it had my fave hop, Nelson, but it was prolly a close 2nd place.
Pours as another clearly hazy ipa. Wow that was an interesting choice of words "clearly hazy" = doh. Anyhoo, usual yellow/beige hazy appearance and around 1" head. The aroma had way more Citra going for it than Nelson. Usual sweet citrus there, then lemongrass, citric rind, pine and pineapple. Smells good, but lacking Nelson character. NoDank is a Fieldwork beer bruh.
Taste continues to be enjoyable for the same Citra reasons. Getting more of a stone fruit presence here not in the nose. Is this their Nelsons or is it attributable to something else? Reliably moderate bitterness in the mouth feel. So I like this beer, even though I feel ripped off about the lack of Nelson qualities. It comes off more like a Citra and Nectaron beer that Lagunitas just made, which is decent stuff too.
Dec 01, 2021Pours as another clearly hazy ipa. Wow that was an interesting choice of words "clearly hazy" = doh. Anyhoo, usual yellow/beige hazy appearance and around 1" head. The aroma had way more Citra going for it than Nelson. Usual sweet citrus there, then lemongrass, citric rind, pine and pineapple. Smells good, but lacking Nelson character. NoDank is a Fieldwork beer bruh.
Taste continues to be enjoyable for the same Citra reasons. Getting more of a stone fruit presence here not in the nose. Is this their Nelsons or is it attributable to something else? Reliably moderate bitterness in the mouth feel. So I like this beer, even though I feel ripped off about the lack of Nelson qualities. It comes off more like a Citra and Nectaron beer that Lagunitas just made, which is decent stuff too.
Reviewed by ichorNet from Massachusetts
4.4/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I was immediately keen to pick this up since I had such a great experience with EQ's treatment of Nelson in their Kiwi DIPA (which featured Nelson and Riwaka). Though this is only a single IPA and features Citra alongside this extremely popular and playful NZ varietal, it just felt right to grab a can and give it a shot. This was packaged on 3/19/21, making it about three-and-a-half weeks old. Not too bad, but I'd prefer it about a week fresher. What're ya gonna do, though... distro in COVID times is still seemingly pretty tough for non hyper-local brewers.
The pour here is gorgeous. A bright and saturated yellow-orange with a juicy-looking, opaque body and a thick head of bone-white foam that, initially, quickly settles to a thin ring in my glass and leaves behind some superb, consistent lacing. This is a great looking IPA, and I especially love that the head retains well when I pour the second half in... very cool; it's like the beer that keeps on giving. Very nice stuff.
Straight-up grassy Nelson-y goodness with tons of apricot jam, mango, tart gooseberry, key lime, and volatile aromatics that just absolutely sell me right off the bat. I know that at least one crop of Nelson hops from early 2021 wasn't super good, but it seems like that issue has been solved, because this (and Kiwi, as I mentioned before) is just bonkers. Citra brings in a hint of cattiness that works well with the ruby-red grapefruit and pungent tropical interplay that it usually displays. Alongside Nelson, it feels right at home, delivering tangelo and passion fruit with light undercurrents of green onion. Definitely one of the most superb-smelling IPAs I've had lately. Nails the Nelson profile and does good work mingling it with an appropriate (but not overbearing) Citra charge.
Refreshing and effervescent flavor that brings forward a lot of bright and juicy tangerine and peach upfront with lychee, gooseberry, and white wine grape-like flavors in the mid-palate. Grapefruit/tangelo as it opens up a bit, with grassiness and straw following through after that, a bit of stone fruit in the finish, and it all closes with some light acidity and a smooth closing punch of hoppy goodness that has a distinct melon flavor. Honestly, the Citra comes out more on the tongue than I thought it would, and it does make the Nelson deviate from its normal path in a cool way. Good stuff! Overall, I would still reach for Kiwi over this, but Fractal Nelson/Citra is nothing to shake a stick at. In many ways, it's a bit like a younger sibling to that beer, anyway. Riwaka is a more balanced and fitting hop to pair with Nelson, but Citra is always a good choice... can't really complain honestly.
Apr 16, 2021The pour here is gorgeous. A bright and saturated yellow-orange with a juicy-looking, opaque body and a thick head of bone-white foam that, initially, quickly settles to a thin ring in my glass and leaves behind some superb, consistent lacing. This is a great looking IPA, and I especially love that the head retains well when I pour the second half in... very cool; it's like the beer that keeps on giving. Very nice stuff.
Straight-up grassy Nelson-y goodness with tons of apricot jam, mango, tart gooseberry, key lime, and volatile aromatics that just absolutely sell me right off the bat. I know that at least one crop of Nelson hops from early 2021 wasn't super good, but it seems like that issue has been solved, because this (and Kiwi, as I mentioned before) is just bonkers. Citra brings in a hint of cattiness that works well with the ruby-red grapefruit and pungent tropical interplay that it usually displays. Alongside Nelson, it feels right at home, delivering tangelo and passion fruit with light undercurrents of green onion. Definitely one of the most superb-smelling IPAs I've had lately. Nails the Nelson profile and does good work mingling it with an appropriate (but not overbearing) Citra charge.
Refreshing and effervescent flavor that brings forward a lot of bright and juicy tangerine and peach upfront with lychee, gooseberry, and white wine grape-like flavors in the mid-palate. Grapefruit/tangelo as it opens up a bit, with grassiness and straw following through after that, a bit of stone fruit in the finish, and it all closes with some light acidity and a smooth closing punch of hoppy goodness that has a distinct melon flavor. Honestly, the Citra comes out more on the tongue than I thought it would, and it does make the Nelson deviate from its normal path in a cool way. Good stuff! Overall, I would still reach for Kiwi over this, but Fractal Nelson/Citra is nothing to shake a stick at. In many ways, it's a bit like a younger sibling to that beer, anyway. Riwaka is a more balanced and fitting hop to pair with Nelson, but Citra is always a good choice... can't really complain honestly.
Rated by Dankmakerandtaster from Massachusetts
4.28/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Very nice smooth brew with a nice frothy head. Easy drinking. Drink it slow and enjoy the refreshing flavors.
Apr 04, 2021
Reviewed by gatornation from Arizona
4.02/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a hazy straw color with a fresh white head. Smell is citrus and white fruits of grape and pear. Taste is more citra than Nelson nice tropical mix of hops with grape and berries. A soft OH signature mouth feel, ABV hidden well made.
Oct 02, 2020
Reviewed by The_Kriek_Freak from Greenland
4.17/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Look: Bright but hazy yellow with a head that lasts about a minute.
Nose: Not very strong, with light hints of stone fruit and citrus.
Taste: Very fruity with low bitterness levels. The signature apricot juice taste of EQ is definitely there. Not terribly complex.
Mouthfeel: A bit thinner than I would like and with very low carbonation levels.
Overall: A nice brew but not quite the best that the folks at Equilibrium have brewed. Not sure I'll go looking for it, assuming this is not a one-off (which I'm pretty sure it is)
Sep 29, 2020Nose: Not very strong, with light hints of stone fruit and citrus.
Taste: Very fruity with low bitterness levels. The signature apricot juice taste of EQ is definitely there. Not terribly complex.
Mouthfeel: A bit thinner than I would like and with very low carbonation levels.
Overall: A nice brew but not quite the best that the folks at Equilibrium have brewed. Not sure I'll go looking for it, assuming this is not a one-off (which I'm pretty sure it is)
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!