Iris
Fidens Brewing Company

Just when you thought you've seen the peak of haze making, along comes a beer to remind us of how great the style can be when not watered down by many pretenders in the haze game. Fidens simply delivers.

Creamy, plush and pastel golden upon its pour, Lily floats a creamy and dense eggshell meringue before enticing the senses with plump and rounded tropical fruit, citrus and fragrant herb. Sweet and juicy on the palate, the sensation of fresh squeezed pineapple juice wraps around shortcake and wafer breadiness for a sweeter upstart in taste.

Rising hops tell a different story. The enormity of pineapple, passionfruit, papaya and pawpaw allow for a richer fruit display that hinges on tropical cocktail. Supporting citrus flavors add white grapefruit, tangerine and lime back up the tropical fruit and add complexity in taste. Trending smoothly bitter, the late taste is nearly teeth-churning with sorbet-like fruitiness and a hint of botanical bite to offset the fruity sweetness to only a palatable degree.

Full bodied, lush and creamy, the ale finishes perfectly malty-dry and with an even-keel bitter-sweet balance. Trailing herbal bitterness pulls from the fruit for a candied bitterness to outlast the fruity hop display ever so slightly.

 

 

Three months old. Can to wine glass.

L: Pours a full and hazy dark yellow with a fluffy white head that leaves a good amount of lacing.

S: Very tropical. Ripe pineapple, mango and papaya. Hints of peach and melon. Sweet and a bit piney. No floaters.

T: Tastes as it smells. Tropical with hints of ripe pineapple, mango, passion fruit and papaya. Medium sweetness. Slightly zesty. Bitter finish.

F: Full and juicy. Medium carbonation. Soft and smooth. A light sharpness here and there.

O: Usually I prefer citrusy IPAs over tropical ones, but this one I really enjoyed. Nicely balanced with a great mouthfeel and a subtle complexity. Great beer.