The idea was simple from the start. Let’s open a small brewery and try to do it ourselves in Albany, NY. We kicked around ideas of what we would need to do while on road trips to our favorite breweries near and far. The truth is, we didn't have any experience outside of one of us cleaning kegs and packaging beer in college. It was just a dream to be able to call it our jobs and to make it on our own. 

Steve started to get into hop-forward craft beers around 2014, after sampling some Vermont offerings. Ultimately, we gathered to sample the growlers and cans from recent beer trips. 

We grew up outside Plattsburgh and later relocated to the Capital Region, where Tim’s and Steve’s families became close friends—convenient for beer runs and homebrewing. Inspired by his discoveries, Steve began brewing in his garage with his wife Raquel’s support, while Tim and friends joined in for brew days. Steve soon convinced Tim and his wife Brigit to launch a small, budget-conscious brewery.

As we prepared to open, Raquel had an aha moment, naming our brewery Fidens—Latin for courageousness, confidence, and fearlessness, values that define us. Since opening in late 2019, we've grown steadily and look forward to what’s next.