Ten FIDY - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

BillyB

New Jersey

4.83/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I can't think of a better way to sample a beer than hanging out at the GABF and chatting with the brewer while I drink.
This beer pours a jet black color with almost no head.
Deep rich aromas of coffee, chocolate , deep roasted malt and a hint of oakey/wood flavor.
Tastes of mollasses,chocolate and sweet roasted malt with a strong alcohol presence dominate.
Full bodied, rich mouthfeel.
The aromas and flavors this beer has from a can are just phenomenal.

Serving type: can

12-02-2007 21:46:37 | More by BillyB

hwwty4

Missouri

4/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a 12oz can into a chalice. Poured an India Ink black with a dark brown 2 inch head. Smell is of dark chocolate, molasses and roasted espresso beans. Taste is baker’s chocolate, burnt coffee beans, alcohol, and a surprising bitterness at the end. Mouthfeel is heavy, full bodied. This beer is definitely a slow sipper.

Serving type: can

12-01-2007 05:56:32 | More by hwwty4

Floydster

California

4.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce can acquired in a trade with drseamus, thank you very much for including this in my package

Poured into my Dogfish Head snifter with a pitch black color, a medium brown frothy head that was a inch tall and mellowed within a minute or two, left huge amounts of lacing the entire way through and was particularly sticky

Smell was very malty, some chocolate, toffee, caramel, also some dark fruits, raisins in particular, some charcoal-like aromas, smokiness, smelled like something had been burned, did not smell anything that would make me think there was a large amount of hops in this one, finally a lot of roasted barley

Taste had a massive coffee flavor that provided a fantastic dryness at the end of every sip, also tasted cocoa right off the bat with other sweet malts, faint bitterness at the end differentiated this one from other RIS brews, could not believe the syrup-like texture of this one, really looked and felt like oil, this one was creamy just like I prefer my stouts, not too sweet and a great overall balance, taste got more distinct when it got warmer, took about an hour to drink this one because I wanted to savor it, the java from the beginning is untouchable in my opinion, extremely tasty beer, again how did this come out of a can, cannot go wrong with the chocolately coffee taste that ends with a dry malty finish, just the right amount of roastiness

Not much carbonation at all, but one of the thickest and fullest bodies I have ever seen, even more so than the Kentucky Breakfast Stout I just drank a few days ago, very nice mouthfeel with a taste that just did not seem to go away

Could drink this all night or until the ten percent bit me in the behind, although it is super heavy and I could see it getting filling after a while, perfect dessert beer though, one of the best Russian Imperial Stouts I have ever had right up there with Dark Lord from Three Floyds

First beer from Oskar Blues and it was amazing, I think it grea that they have been canning all their beers for over five years now, cannot get over how a beer in a can tastes so good, yes this one was better than the two Surly beers I had in a can this past year, the best canned beer yet, I could not recommend this premium beer any more, do whatever you can to get one and you will not be sorry, now if only I can try the bourbon aged version of this

Serving type: can

11-30-2007 06:30:06 | More by Floydster

homebrewhawk

Kansas

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

12oz can served in a brandy snifter. Deep, opaque black. Fine bubbled, dark tan head. Initial slightly metallic aroma, then fruit, some portlike aromas and alcohol. Full bodied, massive beer. Deep malty profile with lots of roasted barley. A very dry cocoa flavor. Plenty of hop bitterness in the middle. Warming alcohol. Long dry finish with chocolate.

Very solid imperial stout.

Serving type: can

11-29-2007 02:17:11 | More by homebrewhawk

tayner

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pours out of the can (still hard to get over) thick, viscous, and black as night with very little head.

smell is black roasted malt, charred smell, burnt wood.

Tasted of the same burnt wood and dark fruit, fig maybe, with mid palate having some hops jump out, hops i never smelled. at the finish it has a drying alcohol flavor that was not present at the beginning or in the aroma so it surprised me a little.

Mouth feel good, thick, and tongue coating.

This is a heavy beer, and very fitting of the RIS style. I can understand where the high rating comes from, but i doubt i will be seeking this one out again, one try was enough for me at this point.

Serving type: can

11-24-2007 21:47:41 | More by tayner

emerge077

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Oily black pour, with dense foam that is like whipped mocha tinted by dark chocolate. Some spotty lacing, it barely sticks, but what's left is a smattering of polka-dots.

Slightly sweet aroma dominated by charred black malt.

Big chocolate presence, espresso hint, small note of smoked jerky in the first sips. Hops are there, laying some bitterness over the long roast notes in the finish. A mild sweetness of dusty cocoa is also present. Mild level of astringency attributed to the hop content, and the ninja skills of a 10% abv.

Mouthfeel is creamy and velvety, medium to full, but not sticky or syrupy at all. Drinkability is good, it's clearly one to sip and savor...two cans wouldn't be out of the question.

Thanks to Jay23 for sharing some of this!

Serving type: can

11-21-2007 15:15:01 | More by emerge077

RustyDiamond

Georgia

4.78/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured like a can of motor oil into a snifter. Little carbonation with the 1/4 inch brown head quickly dissipating. Aromas of freshly baked bread, soft notes of caramel, vanilla & toffee. Taste...wow. What a concoction of so many different tastes- espresso, dried fruit, bittersweet cocoa, strong hops. I found the flavor to start sweet, then to roasty, then big hoppy finish. Enjoyed the hell out of this can!

Serving type: can

11-18-2007 22:00:41 | More by RustyDiamond

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.47/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the brewery

Poured s mahogany/black with 1 finger of thick mocha colored head. Great lacing great head retention

S: Toasted & smoked malt & chocolate

T: Bitter& sweet chocolate, charred grains & licorice up front. More chocolate as this warms. Finishes with a kiss off warming booze, dark & baker's chocolate, dryness, licorice

MF: Smooth, with medium carbonation & nice chewyness

This was much better than the can I had the other week. If you luck & find this on tap, enjoy!

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2007 20:47:59 | More by russpowell

Tolann

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - OMG pours black like tar. Big dense head that is brown like dirt. It just looks thick like motor oil. It appears opaque in the pint glass. Lots of lace as the head finally dissipates. I'm still looking at this beer in amazement.

S - Sweetness that isn't hard to find even with the glass still at the table. There's certainly caramel in the air with this beer. Big coffee smell as well. This is only going to get better as it warms up. I'd like to be wrapped up in this beer as if it were a warm blanket.

T - Sweet up front. Alcohol back bite. There's a fruity aspect of the sweetness that is not the usual citrus you find in many beers. There's also a bitterness that is not your typical hops. All is very good, but difficult to identify.

M - Smooth and thick, almost syrup-y. Not surprising considering the appearance. Definitely a heavy bodied beer.

D - I'm happy I have more in the fridge, but I think I'll have to savor them for a later date. I will cherish this beer. Besides, with an ABV of 10.00%, by the time I got half way thru the 2nd can I wouldn't be enjoying the beer anymore. It's worth the experience and enjoy the ride!

Serving type: can

11-17-2007 03:58:13 | More by Tolann

francisweizen

Australia

3.93/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This one glugs, glugs, glugs out of the can a dark ruby/obsidian black with a nice small tan head of foam. Aromas are run-of-the-mill imperial stout with no real stand out aromas to mention. Dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, maybe a bit of toffee or caramel in the malt backbone. Anyways. This is a ncie smooth, yet big and bold imperial stout. A bit more raw and less refined than I usually like them, but than again it is nice in it's own way. The mouthfeel is thick and coating and the drinkability is good, but not the best because honestly this has all been done before. Stilll, for a canned imperial stout, this is pretty damn good !

Serving type: can

11-16-2007 00:37:46 | More by francisweizen

younger35

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Received this little guy in a trade with Domingo. This will be my second go around with Ten Fidy as the first was the Bourbon Barrel Aged Ten Fidy on tap. Drank from my Rogue Kells Irish Lager pint glass.

Appearance- When you pour this bad boy out of it’s can you almost need a rubber spatula to get it all out. Thick as tar and just as black, it forms a nice fluffy one finger head that recedes slowly leaving a spotty cap and thin collar. Light spotty lacing is also present.
Smell- Loads of chocolate and caramel leave this bad boy smelling more like a fancy desert than a beer. Soft rum and vanilla show through leaving a barrel aged like smell. Lots of espresso and a soft dark cherry are also present.
Taste- The roasted malt dominates this (as you’d expect) and is loaded with chocolate and French roast. There is a very sweet vanilla like character to this brew as well. This is all balanced nicely with a subtle citrus bite from the hops. Finishes with a lingering sweetness and a bit of alcohol.
Mouthfeel- As thick in my mouth as it looked in the glass. Smooth and velvety with a bit of carbonation but not much.
Drinkability- Well for having a 10% ABV, I’d say this bad boy is about as drinkable as its going to get. I don’t remember it being this thick but damn, it is! This is definitely a sipping brew meant to be slowly enjoyed. Thanks again to Domingo for this fantastic treat!

Serving type: can

11-15-2007 06:01:21 | More by younger35

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Viggo shared this one. thanks eric!

12oz can.

pours nearly black and opaque with a thick very dense dark brown head. the head drops slowly and leaves spotty lace. the beer is so dark it almost stains the glass. pretty much looks like perfection.

aroma is good. roast. light smoke. dark chocolate. espresso. biscuit + bread. light caramel.

taste is great. espresso. bittersweet chocolate. high bitterness level. light roast. caramel. dark chocolate. coffee. toasted biscuits. bit of alcohol. just a hint of cherry. the bitterness is a little high, but that should mellow nicely with time.

mouthfeel is nice. fairly smooth. nice big body. medium carbonation level.

drinkability is good. well balanced and enjoyable. the alcohol is hidden well. this one feels just a bit overly bitter and slightly disjoint, but i can definitely see it mellowing and meshing together with time.

Serving type: can

11-12-2007 20:37:43 | More by grub

marksto

Florida

4.15/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up several 4-packs of cans at the brewery while in town for GABF.

Pours black and viscous with a thick, cocoa-colored head that lasts. Aromas of chocolate, coffee, caramel, and raisins; along with some higher alcohol waft from the glass. Flavor is a blend of roast and chocolate with some licorice as well. Mouthfeel is thick, creamy, and full - very nice.

Overall, another solid offering from OB. I suspect this one may develop a little more character and complexity as it ages, and I plan to stash a few away to test that theory.

Serving type: can

11-12-2007 02:51:34 | More by marksto

RoBotGod

Colorado

5/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This might be one of the thickest beers Ive ever drank. When I opened it out of the can I almost thought it was flat and then a dark brown head formed. It had that raw coffee smell with a little of black liquorish mixed in. It drank like a chocolate malt. It taste like dark chocolate and a little hazelnut to it. I m not sure how it would age in a can, but this would be great sitting it down for about 2 years. It was the best beer Ive ever had in a can, period.

Serving type: can

11-12-2007 02:49:49 | More by RoBotGod

Domingo

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

You've got to love an imperial stout in a can.
Pours a murky brown/block color. Not the darkest I've seen, but there's no doubt about what style it is immediately. Forms a salt and pepper brown/white head that arrives without need of an aggressive pour. Lacing? Yup - it sticks around like sugar.
Smell is of roasted coffee, cocoa, dark bread baking, almonds, and a little sweetness from the citrus-like hops.
The initial flavor starts as a little sweet, but becomes dry with a strong roast flavor. I tend to like my imperials a little bit sweeter, BUT this is the best of the drier ones. The strongest flavors are espresso and roasted nuts, but this brew actually does have some hops...which you would probably expect from Oskar Blues.
Mouthfeel is typical for the style, and fits nicely in the middle of the ultra thick offerings (like Abyss) and thinner ones (like Storm King or Yeti). I actually like my imperials a little thinner, so this works for me.
Drinkability is actually not that bad. I finished one and probably could've cracked another an hour later.
I recommend actually drinking this one chilled at first so you can see how the beer gets drier and more potent as it warms. That's actually somewhat unique.

The one thing that has to be mentioned is price. A 4-pack of this is $12. That's more than pretty much any other imperial stout on the market ($ per Oz). Is it worth it? Maybe, but it's a tough call. It's a wonderful beer, and there's something really nice about having a killer beer and the convenience of a can. It's another big success from OB, but that price is a knock on it.

EDIT: Recent cannings of this have been much more aligned to my personal tastes. The most recent I had (#4, canned in 12/08) was unbelievably malty and the roastiness had been toned down to work as a balancing element. It was every bit as good as any other RIS on the market. Another new wrinkle is that the price has been dropped to $8 for a 4-pack. That's essentially the same price as offerings from Stone, Great Divide, Founders, etc. Ten Fidy has gone from being good to wonderful, but I'll keep my original scores up there just for reference.

Serving type: can

11-09-2007 16:39:33 | More by Domingo

rye726

Colorado

4.6/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz Can poured at 45F into a goblet.

This is a very sound looking beer. Pitch black with no presence of light. Dark brown head which seems to be characteristic of some of the finest brews in the world.

The nose is very dark and roasty. There are so many good aromas here. I sense a smoky sweetness accompanied by piney and floral hops. There are also hints of vanilla, chocolate, espresso and ripe berries.

The taste is as complex as the smell. A very full body and thick mouthfeel, but still quite drinkable. There are so many flavors going on here with nothing out of balance. It is strong of roasted or nearly burnt espresso and chocolate. The fruitiness is powered by cherries, plums and berries. There is the nice piney and floral hop character that balances out the sweet flavors. Slight notes of caramel, butterscotch, molasses and vanilla round everything out. A very good beer that stands up against some of the best imperial stouts around.

On another note, the use of cans by Surly and Oskar Blues is pure genius. Cans prevent spoiling from light, are durable, portable, crushable and more environmentally friendly than bottles. Glass was first manufactured in 3000 BC, support the canning revolution.

Serving type: can

11-07-2007 06:43:38 | More by rye726

blakesell

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Mcallister for sharing this fine can with me.

Poured from 12oz can into a plastic tasting vessel, (yes, I know, plastic, but it is odorless. If you hate me for it, I'm not too hard to hunt down and stab and/or shoot).

Appearance- Pours black like my soul, a solid brown head, dissapates fairly quickly to splotchy that fades into an oil slick on the top.

Smell- Dark roasty malts, chocolate, fig, prune, coffee, a bit of toffee, and black licorice. Hops are subdued but there is something else in there that I can't quite place my finger upon.

Taste- Chocolate, coffee, cocoa, fig, dates, brown sugar, glucose, black licorice, motor oil, twigs? Only after taking a sip of water and coming back to it do I realize what that other missing flavor is from various scotch tastings. Peat malt is in here as well. A strange flavor to find in your RIS indeed.

Mouthfeel- Gluey, thick, excellent carbonation, warming, and very full-bodied.

Drinkability- Oh my god yes! I could drink this baby all day. Sadly, this just wasn't meant to be, but Ten Fidy, I will always fondly remember the times we had. The opening, the smelling, the drinking. I hope we can have those days again. But now you are gone. And I will have to live with that until our paths cross again. Or your burbon aged sister comes over to visit.

Serving type: can

11-07-2007 03:26:18 | More by blakesell

BlindPig

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Nice creamy dark mocha 1-2" head on a bitch black body. It is weird seeing such a thick black stout being poured out of a can.
S- Sweet chocolate malt, hints of dark fruits, light burnt grains, grass hops, light citrus parts, light smoke, and coffee.
T- Blend of coffee, chocolate, sweet caramel, burnt grains, some smoke, hints of citrus, hints of dark fruits, and some grass. The bitter malt and hops linger in the mouth with a light warming from alcohol and some burnt notes.
M- Nice thick chewy body with a creamy smoothness to it. Leaves a really big dry note.
D- I think this is a great beer. I would try finding this again and thank you to Franksnbeans for this in a great thank you package.

Serving type: can

11-03-2007 07:03:53 | More by BlindPig

kirok1999

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I'm used to a can fizzing when you pop the top. No such activity here. Now I have to get used to pouring from a can again. Seems easy...put can to glass, tip can, pour beer. I tried a gentle pour and put the opening too close to the rim and spilled a bit down the side. How the hell hard can it be to pour a beer?!
Dense black in the glass with a thin brown head. Laces pretty nicely. Smell is all dark chocolate and coffee. Some slight hints of raisin and other fruits.
Taste is massive and dark. Chocolate is first, like cake batter, followed by the coffee and a thin note of dark fruit. Alcohol is well hidden by the depth of taste. A nice bitter chocolate aftertaste hangs around quite a while. Feels thick and rich.
A nice winter sipper on a cool night, very welcome and inviting.

Serving type: can

10-31-2007 17:12:22 | More by kirok1999

WeisGuy

New York

4.3/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to ArrogantB for this can.

a - pour viscous and black as night, big dark tan head with retention around the edges and good lacing

s - very strong aroma as soon as the can is opened, deep roasted malt and bittersweet chocolate dominate, slight hoppiness in there with hints of alcohol

t - big burnt malt flavor up front with the mid-palate dominated by bittersweet chocolate, some bright hops in the background, finish is pretty bitter with alcohol notes

m - full-bodied, medium carbonation, coats the palate pretty well, very dry finish, nice warming

d - very good beer, but it wears out the palate with the bitter dry finish, alcohol is there but not overwhelming

Very good beer all around. For some reason, the first few drinks were phenomenal and after that, the flavors started to get a little muddled. Not quite on the level of the "elite" Impy stouts (ie Dark Lord, The Abyss, KY Breakfast, Speedway), but not far behind. Well worth seeking a can or two of this out.

Serving type: can

10-30-2007 00:46:16 | More by WeisGuy

drseamus

New York

4.3/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Just like a RIS should look. Jet black body with a thich dark mocha head. It seems pretty rare to see a head like this on a beer with this much ABV. It also looks wrong to pour a beer this dark from a can. It literally looks like oil pouring from a can.

Tons of chocolate, tons of coffee, and tons of roasted malt. It is pretty sweet smelling in both the literal and metaphorical senses. There is another aroma in there that I think might be maple syrup but I can't be sure.

BAM!!! Huge flavor blasts from this one. It is slightly bitter and the primary flavor is dark chocolate. It reminds me of those 90% cocoa chocolate bars. There is some coffee hiding in the background and it is pretty smooth.

The body isn't as heavy as it sounds but it's still on the heavier side. This is a great beer and I'm glad they finally decided to can it.

Serving type: can

10-24-2007 23:28:40 | More by drseamus

mcallister

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a black stallion of a beer and damn near perfect. Midnight colored with a creamy thick mocha tan head with sparse bubbles that molten here and there that fades modestly into a layer that sits upon this heavanly elixir.

Complexity is what comes to mind upon the first smell. Smokey hints with roasty afterthoughts, with a very gamey feel. Black licorice, rye bread, used motor oil, earth, burnt caramel, old coffee, and other black fruits, round out the nose with a touch of mollasses. New aromas pop up here and there.

Very bitter tannic coffee notes on the finish, which I will add is quite long. Again very roasty in flavor which actually seems to drown out many of the flavors. Some anise and burnt caramel, with a hint of dark chocolate. Thick, creamy rich delectable mouthfeel. Smokey and earthy and huge. A beer that I think could use some time, but how will time in a can deter the aging process?

Serving type: can

10-24-2007 21:55:14 | More by mcallister

franksnbeans

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Looks just awesome glugging out like pitch black motor oil out of a can. Big chocolate milk head that goes absolutely nowhere. Smells very roasty, little chocolate and coffee. Taste is huge on roast, coffee grounds and a hint of chocolate. Perfect bitter finish. A little thin in the mouth making this feel almost like a porter. Insane drinkability, I dont see how this is 10% ABV. A must try.

Serving type: can

10-22-2007 23:18:34 | More by franksnbeans

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to xmarcnolanx for trading this to me. It's surprisingly fun to watch a jet black and oily beer with a mega huge brown head pour from a can. Truly. Ten Fiddy's appearance is nearly unbeatable. Carbonation is relatively light but the head remains an inch or more thick for several minutes before coming to rest at about a 1/4 inch. Aroma is deeply roasted with faint cherry and vanilla notes. Caramel malt is also present in the aroma but coffee and chocolate are both mysteriously absent. The flavor changes things up a bit as that intense roasted malt character leans towards coffee. I emphasize leans because coffee character in this beer is subtle at best. Chocolate too is minimal if present at all in the taste. Again , however, cherry is quite pronounced with some vanilla as well. Creamy is an understatement as to mouthfeel. As stated, carbonation level is low, and the bubbles that are around just seem to roll of the tongue. Nice bitterness in the finish. Extremely smooth, creamy, and luscious. Not as depthful as I would like and lacking a couple of those key RIS atributes, but...this is still a wonderful beer. It's so easy to drink, looks and feels great, and taste pretty decent. If this becomes available around here I could see picking up a 4-pack with some regularity.

Serving type: can

10-22-2007 01:06:50 | More by DaPeculierDane

shivtim

Georgia

4/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this one at the Brick Store. Served in a chalice. Deep black with maybe the slightest brown highlights, and a dense, creamy, lasting brown head. Looks spectacular.
Nose is heavily roasted malts, sweet and sugary, with bits of cocoa. Taste is a heavy fire-burnt malts implosion, some sweet dark chocolate, and alcohol on the finish. Mouthfeel is great; very full and foamy. Drinkability is about average; this one is a sipper. Definitely recommended for those of you who love a toasted malt-bomb of a beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2007 16:15:48 | More by shivtim