Ten FIDY - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

chefnash51

Connecticut

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

I have been after this brew for awhile now.. thanks to this great site, I got the tip that a small amount was making it's way into CT... I was on the phone in a flash and was able to secure 2 four packs.

A: Oil.. Black oil as it plopped out of my can. I gave it a vigerous pour into my Chimay goblet. Large thick, dark brown head. Can't wait.

S: Dark Chocolate coffee, liquorish, alcohol comes through. Hint of hops.

T: Couldn't even wait for the head to go down a bit. Chocolate hits my tounge with a dark coffee taste. The hops are there, but where is that alcohol.

M: Feels great going down. very smooth.

D: This is the smoothest RIS I have every had. I quicky went through 2 cans... whoops.. 10%.. ohh yea, better switch to H20.
Sneaky? This is like the ninja of RIS. Tasted so good, I was almost gulping it down.
Favorite RIS to date and can't wait until this is more of a regular around here.
Look forward to finding it on tap.

@13.99 a 4 pack.

Serving type: can

02-11-2008 04:26:09 | More by chefnash51

lackenhauser

Maryland

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

Retired? Bummer I thought this was going to be an annual thing. Anyway..Jet black with a beautiful dark tan head on top. Simply a great looking beer. Deep roasted aroma. Very grainy flavored. Heavy, heavy dark chocolate. Heavy roasted and somewhat burnt taste. High level of hops in here. Very complex flavorwise. Not overly full in the mouthfeel. Quite smooth and creamy. Very dry in the finish. Almost too much at once. I cant see having a lot of this in one sitting. Great beer but in moderation for sure.

Serving type: can

02-11-2008 01:18:17 | More by lackenhauser

kkipple

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at the legendary Brick Store Pub in Decatur. Thanks Dave & Co.

Served in a goblet. Ten Fidy is: deep. Black. Deep black. Spotty, red-dark small head. Low retention. No complaints here.

Wait till it warms and you'll be rewarded with a rich malt-heavy nose that sports dense roasted grain, coffee, loads of cocoa, tobacco, vanilla and earth. Delicious, but subdued compared to some in the style. Alcohol is easy to pick out.

Now we're talking! Bitter coffee and burnt grain up front, followed quickly by chocolate and even more espresso. Large amounts of earthy hops shine through all the black mess; it's all very intense and in your face. Booze is noticeable. A sipper for sure. Unreal that this comes in canned form.

Carbonation is medium-hi off the keg; all quite acceptable. Mouthfeel is dense and slick, finishes roasty and earthy with a big coffee and hop bitterness.

Ten Fidy isn't awfully drinkable, but then it's a 10% Russian Stout. In a can. A can I say! Goodness. Perhaps the most intense beer to ever see the inside of an aluminum cage, Ten Fidy is something you should seek out and release. I also proclaim this the ultimate cold weather camping beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2008 00:22:59 | More by kkipple

ybnorml

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A jet black beer. Has a thick foamy dark brown head with some lace. The aroma starts with a solid grapefruit hop character with notes of licorice and chocolate in the background. A roasted malt bittersweet chocolate character covers your tongue. On the finish there is a hint of coffee just before a double snap of piney the citrusy hops wash down the back of you throat. Didn't really capture me as an imperial stout. But tasty none the less.

Serving type: can

02-10-2008 20:38:48 | More by ybnorml

SUjunkie

Rhode Island

4.5/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

After years of reading BeerAdvocate reviews...I'm ready to make my first review and I chose a great one to review. As a big fan of Dale's Pale Ale I was pumped to see Ten Fidy had arrived at Town Wine in East Providence, RI.

A: Black. Black as oil. Small amount of head. Dark brown. Perrrfect.

S: Chocolate and coffee. I could also smell a hint of alcohol.

T: Coffee is the first taste my mouth has and then gradually it changes to chocolate. There is a slight hop taste which I love but the heavy malt is the most recognizable taste. I can barely taste the alcohol despite it being 10% ABV. Tasty indeed.

M: Smooth with very little carbonation. Goes down like water.

D: So I had read that this was a sneaky beer. I didn't realize it while drinking, but a short while later after finishing..POW! I love that it has a kick to it that is surprising considering its tough to really taste the alcohol. Limit one for me.

I've had a handful of Imperial Stouts in my beer drinking career...and this is my favorite so far.

Serving type: can

02-10-2008 19:58:24 | More by SUjunkie

meechum

Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Brick Store

A - Came to the bar from downstairs in a chalice. A very dark black with no lights..no highlights..very viscous deep brown head that left a thick sticky lacing

S - Big espresso and chicory smell...no real hop presence

T/M - Much as the smell advertised..big espresso taste..a little hot from the alcohol but not bad..very rich..roasted malt tastes with a pronounced hop finish for the style..very good

D - Overall it's a very drinkable brew for one a night I think...it's high ABV certainly makes it something you don't want to try all night

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2008 17:09:04 | More by meechum

Overlord

California

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

I am disappointed to see that this beer has been retired for many reasons. It was pretty good. The novelty of drinking a canned RIS was intriguing. And, as I continue on my quest to drink BA's top 100, this has now been knocked out.

It pours like motor oil out of the can. Actually rather difficult to pour it evenly into a glass. About a two inch tan head thast settled down quickly. But, the head didn't go completely away, which was a welcome surprise.

Great thick mouthfeel. Smells like roasted malt, chocolate, and a strong whiff of roasted currant or some perhaps sour cherries. Taste is more of the same; big roast malt, big chocolate, sour cherries/currant, and not too much coffee (Speedway Stout is probably the only heavily "coffee-ed" stout that I love).

This was good stuff. Sorry to see it retired.

Serving type: can

02-10-2008 08:22:04 | More by Overlord

nickfl

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - A half finger of cinnamon colored head appears on a thoroughly black body that looks like motor oil coming out of the can. The head quickly shrinks to a thin film and leaves behind little lace.

S - Lots of dark, roasty malt notes. Coffee, roasted tea leaves. There is a bit of chocolate as well, but the character is mostly roast, with low hop aroma.

T - Strong, coffee like bitterness along with herbal hop flavor. Lots of tannic, earthy roast flavors follow along with a strange mint/ licorice note. The finish is full of lingering bitterness as well as a bit of alcoholic warmth that is the only time the beer reveals its significant ABV.

M - Heavy, oily body with moderate carbonation. Slightly tannic mouthfeel and mildly sweet finish.

D - Obviously not a session beer, but a bit hard to drink even for a 10% ABV stout. The aroma is very nice, but the overwhelming malt bitterness in the taste is a bit out of proportion despite the heavy body and residual sweetness. A very complex and interesting beer, but a bit over the top on roast character, in my opinion.

Serving type: can

02-10-2008 06:30:29 | More by nickfl

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

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

Beer shared with Dave Blanchard at the Brick Store Pub. On-tap aged for a year firken. Good mouthfeel and much lace and dark het black. Rich coffee and chocolate, roast and great bitterness in the background well balanced by the other tastes. Half worth the trip to Atlanta.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2008 05:48:17 | More by northyorksammy

Lothar666

Rhode Island

4.58/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A- Head was dark tan, creamy and two full fingers thick... displayed excellent retention, maintaining its thickness for at least a full minute. Body was beautiful and opaque black. The whole thing looked like spent motor oil as I poured it from the can. Lacing left on the sides of the glass was sticky, brown and muddy.

S- Smells like strong dark french roast coffee, espresso and a hint of licorice and strong alcohol. Very inviting and fairly strong for an RIS.

T- Exactly what an RIS should taste like- Dark roasted malts, coffee and strong alcohol backed with a pleasant hop bit and a hint of sweet black licorice in the finish. Aftertaste leaves me dreaming of dark roasted malts and wishing I had grabbed a whole bunch more of these when I had the chance. Absolutely phenomenal flavor profile, and this one came from a can!!

M- Viscous and oily while remaining smooth and creamy. Mouth and tongue coating is very pleasant and lingers the way an Imperial Stout should. A tribute to the style.

D- This one works best as a slow sipper, but the taste is such that I want to sip over and over again, even once the beer is finished. The high ABV is very obvious but the flavors shine through nonetheless, making this a very drinkable brew. Enjoy this one warm; it is phenomenal, and to do otherwise would be a waste of such a fine brew.

Serving type: can

02-10-2008 05:11:03 | More by Lothar666

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

First Canned Batch; Sampled February 2008
Pours with a very tightly beaded, creamy, darkly browned, tan colored head that starts out about a finger in height. The beer is black and no amount of holding up to the light makes it anything but opaque. The aroma is dominated by roast grain notes from the get go; aromas of dark chocolate, smooth espresso, concentrated chocolate malt ball candies, sweet malted grain. When you go in for a really deep sniff of the nose, the sweeter dark grain notes yield to a dry, amply toasted, browned bread crust notes and a blackened biscuit character. Touches of roasted, tart cherries provide a nice fruity character here, though at times it is overwhelmed by the more dominant, yet overall quite smooth, roast character. Quite a nice aroma, this Imperial Stout has escaped the harsher, roasted grain notes and hot booziness that any others have.

Thick, rich, chewy, this is really a meal in a sip. This viscous brew coats the mouth enough that it provides nourishment even after the beer has passed down my throat. Dark, sweet malt notes coat the mouth for at least a minute after my first sip, after which, sharp, roasted grain notes reminiscent of a dark, but well roasted, gourmet coffee take hold and provide a bit of a drying effect. The texture of this brew is quite nice, it starts out a little light, but quickly picks up a rich, creamy texture and a velvet-like feeling that coats the mouth. Sweet grain character provides an interesting dark cherry and bright berry note here that is offset by a nicely roasted dark chocolate note, a touch of chalky blackened grain, some light espresso acidity and a woody charcoal note. An appropriate carbonation struggles to be noticed through the viscous body of this brew. The hop character is fairly mellow, except for a biting bitterness that just cuts through the thick body of this brew, but is noticeable from start to finish.

As the beer warms up I get a touch of that vegetal note (more in the aroma than anything) that I had noticed the first time I had this brew. It is not nearly as noticeable or distracting as it was the first go round though. The alcohol becomes a bit more noticeable as does the sharper roast & perhaps the acidity notes, though not overly so. This still remains a nicely rounded example of an Imperial Stout.

I would definitely recommend this beer to be sampled around 50°F / 10°C as this allows the roast to be well mellowed & integrated; as it warms up towards 60°F / 15°C it becomes a touch more harsh, though still quite tasty. While this brew is has an amped up roast character, it never becomes overwhelming; the sweet malt base is able to hold it in check and allows the mellower dark malt notes of chocolate, roast fruit and woody coffee notes to come through quite well. This is much more engaging and interesting than my first experience with this brew. A really nice sipping brew and a perfect way to end the night.

Serving type: can

02-10-2008 04:28:22 | More by Gueuzedude

trumpetego

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a four pack of this at Bauer in Boston on 2/8/08.
Pours thick and jet black, with a thin brown head. The head goes away quickly but provides some lacing.
Smell is of coffee, dark chocolate, and a bit of hops. Sweet smoke.
Everything an RIS should be. Strong coffee and chocolate taste, but with a sharp bitterness to balance out the sweetness. Finish is more bitter coffee - something like good Italian espresso. Very nicely balanced.
The mouthfeel is surprisingly light for the style. It still has some heft, but (despite the appearance) it isn't like drinking motor oil. I'm sampling this reasonably warm (it was purchased about an hour and a half ago and has not been refrigerated since), and I could see it being a bit heavier if it were colder.
Although I'm a bit fan of RIS's with dessert, I think this one is best by itself. I couldn't have more than two in a sitting, but this is a very well balanced and enjoyable beer.

Serving type: can

02-09-2008 04:20:13 | More by trumpetego

timtim

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

jet black with a coffee with cream colored head that holds very well and leaves some serious lace. i was expecting the mother of all noses after reading some of the other reviews, but i was a little let down to find that the nose was a little subdued. georgeous, nonetheless, it exhibits some smoky malt scent as well as some caramel and sweetened creamy coffee. to me, the taste was a fairly complex mix of smoky caramelly malt followed by a sharp espresso like finish with some super bittersweet dark chocolate and maybe some fruit in the middle, as well as some earthiness for good measure. nice medium-full mouthfeel, although i was hoping for full-full. i had no problem knocking a few back, and i still feel like a few more, but i took some points off the drinkability because i know that high abv and seriously bitter/coffee bitter/smoky/roasty doesn't appeal to most. by far the best ris i've ever had from a can, and definitely a great stout.

Serving type: can

02-09-2008 04:13:06 | More by timtim

bjohnson

Massachusetts

2.15/5  rDev -50.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours a jet black with a thin half finger nestle coca colored head that has only a slight retention that dissipates rather quickly leaving a rim that hugs the edges of the glass. Nose of sweet cocoa, espresso, slight caramel, and a bit of dark fruit. A tad earthy with a slight grassy hop presence.

Roasty flavor up front falls quickly into a bitterness that stings the tongue. Intermingled are bitter nestle cocoa, sweet molasses, and a sharp bitter coffee bean flavor that reminds me of dunkin donuts crappy iced coffee. Bitterness is fucking acrid and quite unpleasant. I was hoping this to have a lot more lactic smoothness, but there is no milkiness here, only a sharp bitterness. Roasty coffee flavors take over the aftertaste and leave the palate quite dry. Hints of caramel as you exhale strongly through the nose.

I'm not sure all the hype surrounding this beer is warranted. I've had PLENTY of better imperial stouts.

Serving type: can

02-09-2008 01:52:28 | More by bjohnson

jjayjaye

New York

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

The reference to pouring oil isn't too far off. Really dark with a huge foamy dark tan head that resists fading, leaving a nice amount of lacing in its wake. I thought the smell was reserved at first, but the aroma is nice. A kind of creamy RIS without all of the sharp edges. Lightly roasted creamy maltiness. The mouth feel is adequately carbonated, medium bodied and again quite creamy. The flavor is quite good also. Not a lot of sharp flavored edges from the ingredients. Funny, how I was thinking how easy this is to drink! Then the ten little fidos sank their teeth into me. I also noticed that the bottom of the can smelled more like alcohol too. The last couple of drops seemed to warm the chest. An interesting complexity worth considering. Highly recommended.

Serving type: can

02-09-2008 01:01:06 | More by jjayjaye

rajendra82

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The pour of Ten Fidy, the long awaited Oscar Blues Imperial Stout, started out like a can of motor oil. The body was pitch black, and the head was small, brown, and short lived. The smell was burnt and smoky and full of coffee that has thickened due to having the pot left on the burner for too long. Some bakers chocolate in the smell as well. The taste was a full on roast fest. The bitter, acrid, and astringent taste was much closer to a American Double Stout the the sweet and prune like flavors I typically see in a Russian Imperial Stout. Not too many hops, but the dried up body didn't need many anyway. Quite soft and oily on the palette, and avoided the harshness than some of the style sometimes display. Quite warming, but otherwise not flaunting the high ABV. I'd love to pour this for a Guinness loving friend to expand his horizons.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2008 03:49:48 | More by rajendra82

athensbeermaster

Georgia

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

This expensive stout pours a pitch black color with a modest tan head that softly lingers around glass for a while. The nose has a big dark coffee/cappachino aroma mixed with wet bark woodsy twang. The taste hits strong with rich chocolate and coffee that fades into a l.t soy sauce finish. The final aftertaste is a whisper of nutty, salty dry finish. The alcohol is noticable but well intergrated in the mix. I've had the ten Fidy with fresh cherries on tap.This plain version was a nice way to experience the dark roast coffee flavor!

Serving type: can

02-08-2008 01:29:29 | More by athensbeermaster

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz can.

The first thing that came to mind when I poured this was "motor oil." It's jet black. Small head that is reddish/coffee colored. Leaves excellent lacing along the glass.

Has a smokey, fruity smell. Also some sugar or molasses.

Very smokey flavor. Hints of chocolate/caramel maltiness. A slight bitter/coffee-esque aftertaste.

well-carbonated I expected a little more thickness. Maybe that's just me.

Serving type: can

02-07-2008 23:45:22 | More by Hojaminbag

MMAJYK

Georgia

4.68/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Motor oil with 10,000 miles on it! Pitch black color with 3/4" of dark brown head with a rusty orange tint to it. No light is passing through this baby! The lacing is all the way down the glass with orangish brown sheets. This one was poured into my Dale's Pale Ale pint glass.

S- Roasted, burnt chocolate malts. Caramel, coffee, mocha, and cocoa. Hops are making their presence known even with the overpowering of the malts that take the lead.

T- Unreal! The sweetest malts that I have ever tasted. Mixed in with this roasted/burnt goodness is a nice blend of bitter hops. The cocoa, chocolate, and coffee follow very closely to the nose.

M- Thick and chewy with not much carbonation. Very sticky in the mouth leaving a film on the tongue.

D- Of course, this style is not for sessioning. But, this beer drinks as well as any I have had as a stand-alone drink.

Overall- I have read and heard the hype, and I must say that this beer is worth every bit of it! Very nice representation of the style and one of my top beers I have ever had. I love it and it is great!

Serving type: can

02-07-2008 23:36:10 | More by MMAJYK

GratefulBeerGuy

New Hampshire

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

Big props to Oxymoron for this can! 12oz can> 12 oz Postel chalice glass. (This dog'll hunt)

pours out black as a moonless night, very thick pour, looks like used-up motor oil, which is exactly what I like. The head is very impressive, one full finger deep, very dark brown color that's solid and even...one of the darkest, stickiest heads I've seen. The lacing is long and the dissipation slow, but eventually settles down to a thin covering with a solid, dense ring around the edge. If looks could kill...

The aroma is sweet/smokey chocolate scent, latte with vanilla, toasted marshmellow's, nutmeg and a slight tinge of heat with a subtle herbalness way down deep.

This is the way "robust" should taste, Huge malt complexity which includes: Smokey and sweet chocolate, vanilla, tangy fruits such as, sour green grapes and wild blueberries. The malt is quickly challenged by a big, acrorn-like bitterness from the hops. A cascade-ish leafy, earthy bitter that hijacks the flavor spectrum, but then it all melds together again and proves the balance is right on for RIS. The massive malt flavors is worth savoring in every sip. This one finishes with an earthy bittermness and black coffee flavor.

This one is just perfect feel-wise IMO, as heavy and thick as possible, Dense-full body that is smooth and creamy. The tell-tale factor...sticky lips!

This is my kinda brew, Bad-ass brew in a 12 oz can.

Serving type: can

02-07-2008 20:37:06 | More by GratefulBeerGuy

IntriqKen

California

4.58/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I am sorry.
This is like "not right".
A high class quality craft dark RIS in a CAN?
Tell me I'm dreaming.

Pours beautifully for an RIS...almost jet black...thick as used motor oil....heavy half finger coffee colored head that leaves a very very heavy map in it's wake on the side of the glass.

Aroma is heavy with sweet dark molassis, espresso, dark sugar and dark, sweet candy.

Taste? There is something really, really smokey going on in here. Wow. Smokes, caramel...smoke...slightly bitter finish. This isn't like any RIS I've ever had. Maybe I should have read some of the other reviews first, but I just can't get past the smokey flavors here. Now that I've tasted it, my nose is full of the smoke.

And I love it. Don't know how it rates as a RIS, but...yum. Rich, warm, satisfying.
---
Ok...I'm crazy.
I just read some of the other reviews and none of the ones I saw said anything about "smoke".
Smoke is the predomident thing I get from this beer. I still like it.
Damn.
I must be crazy.
Let it warm...
Ok...warm there is more candy sweetness in the aromas.
Taste goes beyond the smokey. I've got caramel...dark and almost burnt. Espresso coffee...again..almost burnt...sweet dark, dark brown sugar....
Aroma is moving more towards brown sugar without the burnt aromas and a touch of vanilla.
Flavor profile has more vanilla and creamyness to it as it warms as well. Bitterness and burnt flavors mellow and disappear.

I give up...there is a lot of personality as well as a lot of personalities in this beer.
Wonderful and a true pleasure to drink and discover.

Serving type: can

02-07-2008 04:58:28 | More by IntriqKen

geexploitation

Indiana

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

From the can, this beer pours extremely thick and basically opaque, with a small, very dark tan head. Relatively little on the nose aside from roasted malts, a splash of chocolate and vague milky-sweet smells. On the palate, however, things get more interesting. Very smooth, with a quick rush of hop bitterness and raw alcohol, alongside plenty of roasted malts and a bit of caramelized flavors. There's a bit of spiciness in the background, but little in the way of fruitiness or other esters. It's a rather straightforward beer. This isn't to say it's mediocre; quite to the contrary. While the malts are relatively straightforward, they strike no wrong notes, and instead envelope the tongue with rich, really huge, malt flavors that are perfectly balanced by hops. It's an uncomplex but satisfying, comforting and hugely enjoyable beer. Very well done.

Serving type: can

02-07-2008 04:03:40 | More by geexploitation

markgugs

New Jersey

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

poured from a 12oz. can into a Sam Adams Beer glass

A: This beer is insanely dark, almost jet black, and absolutely no light has a chance of penetrating it in the glass. A gorgeous dark brown, creamy head rises the height of 2 fingers and leaves behind an ample amount of spider-web sticky lacing.

S: Smells are all of the sweet variety: sweetbread, milk chocolate, cocoa, and dark breads & grains dominate.

T/M: A sharp hop bite up front, and then all the dark flavors take over. Beer develops into rich, roasted char & a very chocolatey body. Sweet, dark fruits - mostly cherry - make their presence known as the beer warms. And then an intensely bitter charcoal finish, almost ashy, creeps up on you, delivering a very noticeable alcohol warming on the backside. Feels slick & oily, coating the tongue with ease, until a minor aspirin dryness finishes things off.

D: Given the 10% ABV & the massive charred finish, it's not as drinkable as other monster stouts, yet it's still an amazing representation of style and well worth seeking out.

Serving type: can

02-07-2008 03:17:27 | More by markgugs

sacfly

Maryland

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

12oz. can (love that!) No date.
Pours a... good lord this is dark... Completely opaque. Some of the darkest brown bubbles in the head I have ever seen. Smell is of blackstrap molasses, cookie dough, and a hint of charcoal. Creamy mouthfeel. Great meld of flavors that were in the nose, with none really standing out too much until the finish. A touch of hops gives way to 70%+ dark chocolate and charcoal. Never thought I would describe a charcoal flavor or finish in a good way, but here it is. Great beer, and one of the best imp. stouts out there.

Serving type: can

02-06-2008 19:04:00 | More by sacfly

arkhamresident

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Black. Thick and black with a half inch of creamy dark tan head. Decent but sparse lacing.

S - Dark chocolate, caramel, alcohol and a whiff of dark fruit (plum, maybe black cherry)

T - Front is luxurious dark chocolate and roasted coffee with some caramel and smoke in the middle with a bit of molasses like sweetness followed by a slightly burnt bitter and a wee bit of alcohol and bitter fruit in the back.

M - Very smooth, creamy and thick. Slight carbonation.

D - If it weren't for the high ABV I could have quite a few of these. As is anything more than two or three would be pushing it.

This is an outstanding beer from a brewery that has done nothing but impress me since I had my first Dale's Pale Ale.

Serving type: can

02-06-2008 07:50:33 | More by arkhamresident