Fiddlehead Second Fiddle
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Tasting Notes
Second Fiddle leads with a dense wave of tropical fruit — ripe mango, passionfruit, and a hint of citrus peel — carried by the signature Fiddlehead dry-hop intensity. The flavor follows through with juicy hop character and just enough malt backbone to keep things from turning sharp, though bitterness is present and purposeful rather than aggressive. Body is full without being heavy, and the finish lingers with a resinous, mildly piney quality. At 8.2% the alcohol is well-integrated and doesn't announce itself.
About the Brewery
Fiddlehead Brewing is based in Shelburne, Vermont, founded by Matt Cohen, a veteran of Magic Hat. The brewery built its reputation almost entirely on its flagship IPA and its obsessive approach to hop freshness — canning on-site and encouraging fast consumption over shelf-sitting. Second Fiddle exists as the bigger, bolder counterpart to that flagship, and the brewery's relatively small distribution footprint has made both beers something of a regional cult commodity in New England.
Food Pairings
Spicy Thai curry works well because the beer's tropical fruit notes mirror the dish's aromatics while the bitterness cuts through coconut fat. A char-grilled burger with sharp cheddar gives the malt backbone something to grip. Fish tacos with mango salsa double down on the citrus and stone-fruit thread running through the hops. Aged gouda pairs naturally because the beer's resinous finish bounces off the cheese's caramel nuttiness. If you're going simple, salty kettle chips provide enough contrast to keep the hop profile bright between sips.
Style Guide
American Double or Imperial IPA is essentially a standard American IPA pushed further in every direction — more hops, more malt to balance them, and an ABV that typically runs from roughly 7.5% to 10%. The style emerged from American craft brewing in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with Russian River's Pliny the Elder becoming its most referenced benchmark. What separates it from a regular IPA is not just strength but intensity: the hop aroma and flavor are expected to be pronounced and complex, while a sturdy malt base prevents the bitterness from becoming hollow or astringent.