Ten FIDY - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

f4zZ3

Sweden

4.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served from can bought at Systembolaget.

A: Nice looking. Deep black with brown foam about one finger high. Thick and sticky on the glass. Syrupy feel.

S: Not smelling much. A bit och chocolate, hints of coffee and salmiak. Some caramell. Vanilla.

T: Wow, really nice taste. Chocolate, caramell, vanilla, a small bit of hops, coffee, cocoa.

M: This is great. The syrupy feel get's right to your cheeks with some small bubbles and loads of aftertaste sticking to your mouth. One of few beer I can explain as really excellent to drink, alongside Bourbon county Stout or other thick Imperial stouts.

O: Really good! One of my favourites for dessert. Pairs really well with chocolate (cake). I recommend this to anyone wanting a sweet and thick stout.

Serving type: can

03-11-2013 23:31:43 | More by f4zZ3

rdilauro

Connecticut

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

Ok, imagine running your c ar for 3 years, never changing the oil. Then one day, you decide to change it.

JET BLACK, JET BLACK and almost poured in slow motion. Glug Glug Glug into my glass. Then a nice foamy dark brown head. I almost stopped right there, because I couldnt believe anything would like so great.

Now, the aroma/bouquet , honestly there was not that much here. But thats ok, at the first sip I went to stout heaven! My mouth exploded with a deep rich creamy stout. The finish, did I finish it, was so bold and long.

No question, out of the top 15 stouts in the world, this one is right up there.

Today, this is my favorite oil can and by far my favorite Stout

02/08/13:
Snowy Night in the North East.
Ok, went into my stash of Ten-Fiddy (slowly dwindling) and pop'd one open.
That dark rich jet black slow pour is something you just have to see to believe.
After the pour, I am still not convinced if I am picking up a coffee or chocolate noise.
Hard to distinguish. But with the taste, I am getting both flavors, all perfectly balanced.

The hardest thing to accept with Ten Fiddy , is that when you are at the end of your glass, no more and you look for another can, and you cant find one!

03/08/13
Another tasting. Still same results. Before I tasted this time, I think, I put my nose down deep inside the glass that was full of the stout. I picked up a strong aroma of roasted malt, very similar to what you might smell while roasted coffee beans. But there was also this noticeable aroma of alcohol, just as you would get from a tawny port.
The first sip this time. A good amount of carbonation, that roasted barley/malt stands out as well as the alcohol. But as I finish that sip, I left only with a full tasted of the roast. There is a unique smoothness to this stout. It almost coats the inside of your mouth and as you swallow, your entire throat gets to experience the pleasure.
I am still trying to determine if I am getting coffee or chocolate or both out of this stout. The first time I tasted this, it was easier, but now, I am having a harder time. Could be the glass.
I believe the first glass was a white wine glass. This time, I am using one of the Samuel Adams Boston Lager glasses (which I love for tasting beer, narrow at the bottom, opening up, getting narrow again and then opening). So much more can be smelled, tasted and felt using
Last time I reviewed this stout, my only complaint is that at the end of the glass, when it was empty, I was eager for more. Now, this time, I am so perfectly content with having just this one.

Serving type: can

03-08-2013 17:33:35 | More by rdilauro

BWED

Pennsylvania

4.61/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12 oz. can poured into a tulip.

A- Black with a one finger dark brown head. Leopard print lacing all the way around this glass. Beautiful.

S- Thick with caramel and chocolate. There's a bit of a savory and smoky smell as well, but I can't put my finger on it specifically. It inspires me to eat some oysters alongside.

T- Very heavy chocolate covered dark fruit, a little caramel, and a small hop presence.

M- Thick, creamy, with just enough bitterness to jerk you from the sweet malt. Very filling.

O- Unbelievably rich. Almost a meal in itself, and the ABV is well represented. This beer will get me a little handsy. Throw in those oysters and you're in for a treat tonight. A delicious, rich beer. Amazing.

Serving type: can

03-07-2013 03:45:57 | More by BWED

hornsup

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

12oz can poured into a Sweetwater pint glass.

A: pitch black with a beautiful mocha head that dissipates but stays thin over the beer the whole time.

S: smells like roasted malts, dark chocolate, sweet raisins

T: tastes like milk chocolate up front with a decent boozy heat
to follow. Whoever said it has no alcohol booze to it is lying. The finish comes thru smooth and has a good roasted coffee tinge.

M: full bodied, coats the mouth and it exactly what you want from it.

O: great stout, gets points for being in a can as well. Perfect to take pb your travels or tailgating and it has all the characteristics you'd want from a top tier RIS. Get it if you can
It's price is equivelant to buying a 7 dollar 22oz bomber. It gets a bad rap there because its canned. Still is a decent value at $15 a four pack if you think about it...

Serving type: can

03-03-2013 07:18:07 | More by hornsup

GOBLIN

3.81/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Poured into pint glass. Very dark, as black as the stout abyss could possibly be. Just for fun after I poured this I took glass into a dark room and put 150 lumens of light under and on side of glass and no light penetrated this beautiful stout. Nice head on this brew, common foamy tan in color very similar to the other imperial stouts out there. Decent lacing through out drinking.

S: As somebody else has already stated it is strong on roasted malts and the presence of coffee is pleasent.

T: I'm not going to say much about the taste on this one except that I was a little disappointed here. Although it does satisfy the taste buds for us stout fans I believe there are better tasting Russian imperial stouts out there to choose from (especially for the price I paid).

M: I don't like to sip on my stouts. For me they have always been better to take nice size swallows with a couple minutes between to get the creamy explosion of flavors I expect from this style . . . Ten Fidy is smooth and won't let you down.

O: Not bad at all ! If you are a fan of Russian imperial stouts you'll like this brew and again it won't let you down. Favorite thing about this one is at 10.5 the alcohol taste is well hidden. Least happy about what I paid for it though. Better and cheaper out there for this style.

Serving type: can

03-03-2013 03:35:17 | More by GOBLIN

AmitC

Indiana

4.46/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured form a 12 oz can into a snifter glass.

One finger thick shining brown colored head with excellent retention. Super awesome lacing. Dark brown almost black thick while pouring. Very dark black inside the glass. Opaque.

Aroma is full of burnt up malts. Very charred and dark roasted. A slight presence of coffee and dark chocolate. No booze. Roasted malts provide a nice aroma. Overall strength is medium to good. No strong by any means.

Taste is a good amount of roasted malts upfront. Some bitterness in the middle and towards the end. Good use of hops and charring sensation provide a well balanced dry yet bitter finish. Some amount of coffee and cocoa in the flavor as well. No apparent alcohol.

Mouth feel is full bodied. Thick with a strong presence. A good warming feel. No astringency but bitterness is pervasive mostly due to charred malts.

Excellent brew. Love it.

Serving type: can

03-03-2013 00:26:18 | More by AmitC

Mertzy81

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Purchased at a local bottle shop for $16/4 x 12oz cans.

Poured into a room temp nonic.

A - A somewhat viscous black beer. Pours like chocolate milk. Head is a rich medium brown, almost like moose. 2 fingers high. Average lacing.

S - Roasted malt, chocolate, some hint of nuts, reminds me a little of a chocolate milkshake.

T - Dark chocolate. Roasted malt. Some hops. Ends with some slight bitterness of burnt/roasted malt and hops. Its taste easily hides the 10.5% ABV!

M - Smooth and silky, but not like a nitro-tapped Guiness. Chewy.

O - An excellent beer. Easy to drink. In my top ten. Will always be available in my house.

Serving type: can

03-01-2013 08:42:42 | More by Mertzy81

BigBarley

Texas

4.74/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

First TEN FIDY I've ever had, due to not realizing it was available anywhere in Texas. Reviewing live.

A - Pours like bloody motor oil, yielding about 2 fingers of head that quickly receded by about half. Head is a unique and nice looking brown/khaki color. All around, easily one of the best looking stouts I've ever seen (and it's pretty hard for a the look of a stout to stand out)

S - Serious dark fruit, a deep roasted smokey quality, heavy on the molasses with a hint of cocoa and vanilla, possibly some burnt wood. Smells darker than dark

T - Lot's of dark, bitter fruit notes (imagine plum or currant without sweetness), complimented by some dark chocolate and a very faint hop profile buried below (either hops or just a bitter flavor residue from the sheer blackness of this beer), somewhere way in the back is a touch of dark coffee and raisin. Sweet on the finish, all around delicious and flavorful.

M - Carbonation? Well, all that went into making the head. This is nothing but black oil. It still has that bite behind it, but for the most part it's simply a creamy beast. Thick and smooth.

O - Well... this beer deserves the hype. any fan of imperial stout (or powerful beer in general) should drink this when and if they can. Wow. Up there with Oak Aged Yeti in my opinion.

Serving type: can

02-28-2013 17:51:27 | More by BigBarley

sommersb

Tennessee

4.26/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Tasted On: 02-27-2013
Freshness: Canned on 09-24-2012
Packaging: 12 oz. can
Glassware: Snifter
Purchased: Received from a friend

Pours black and opaque, topped with a finger-high tan head. Retention is low with a very nice lacing on the glass.

Aromas are of dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, earthy hops and vanilla.

Flavors include toasted malts with some coffee elements, bittersweet chocolate, wood, smoke and some bittering from the hops and roast. Also features warming of the alcohol.

Thick and creamy body with low carbonation. The finish has some chocolate and malt sweetness plus the bitterness of dark roast coffee.

Overall, a well-rounded and heavy-hitting imperial stout. A slow-sipper due to the strength of flavor and alcohol.

Thanks to Craig for this one!

Serving type: can

02-28-2013 04:34:40 | More by sommersb

falc0n2600

California

4.6/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Probably the best beer I've ever had in a can. One of the best textures I've ever experienced in a beer: completely velvety smooth. I couldn't think of any other word but "velvet" as I drank it. Incredible carbonation, almost reminiscent of a nitro tap. Very very dark with some very slight aromas of dried fruits. So awesome.

Serving type: can

02-26-2013 06:13:42 | More by falc0n2600

JuliusCaesar

New Hampshire

4.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Black with a light brown head. Pours very thick.

S: Strong chocolate and coffee aroma. Some alcohol.

T: Rich chocolate and dark roast coffee. Sweet and not very bitter.

M: Heavy but smooth.

Overall: One of the best Stouts I've had. Extremely deep chocolate flavors with coffee and sweet malt. Can't detect the alcohol at all. Very good beer.

Serving type: can

02-26-2013 03:31:10 | More by JuliusCaesar

jibjib513

Ohio

4.41/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Serving type: Can to snifter.

Appearance (4.5): Very dark coming out of the can, poured vigorously into a medium sized snifter. Two and a half fingers of milk-chocolate foam, which as it slowly disappates, clings to the glass nicely.

Smell (4.75): Smell very much like a stout normally smells, hints of chocolate and coffee. However, there is something else to it that I can't quite place. It's something very 'wholesome' to the smell.

Taste (4.25): Sweet coffee upfront, with a slight bitterness in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel (4.25): As expected, very thick, but fits the style.

Overall (4.5): This was my first Russian Imperial Stout ever, and I suppose I had high expectations because of Ten-fidy's high score; it did not fail. This is a solid beer, though definitely, a sipping one.

Serving type: can

02-20-2013 22:06:27 | More by jibjib513

RollTide7

New Jersey

4.49/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

very dark with a dark brown head. smells of coffee. very smooth, taste some coffee which transitions and leaves a nice after taste reminiscent of chocolate. complex flavor profile and at 10.5% no lingering alcohol taste at all. very nice beer. will purchase it again at some point.

Serving type: can

02-19-2013 00:44:10 | More by RollTide7

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.71/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Nice aroma. Coffee, but not too strong. Deep and dark fruit. Soft hop. Nothing over the top - so very well balanced.
Pours slowly. Small, but dense dark head. Opaque body. Looks like it should in my mind. Really dense and thick lacing. Never seem something quite like that before.
Wow! Now that's a nice beer. Again so very well balanced, yet rich enough to be fulfilling. Very complex but nothing dominant or overwhelming. No sharpness! No biting! Just straight up RIS flavors presented in the most pleasing form.
Feel is top notch. Smooth creamy and perfectly carbonated.
This deserves its spot amongst the top beers. What a joy.

Serving type: can

02-17-2013 19:12:47 | More by garymuchow

arfenhouse

California

4.51/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Black with dark brown head. Decent retention with a little lacing.

S: Very strong dark chocolate and dark fruit. Overripe grapes, raisin, and some cherry. Some vanilla along with some general sweetness.

T: Bitter roasted malt which transitions into a semi-sweet dark chocolate with a bit of vanilla. The dark fruits and roasted malt are in the aftertaste.

M: Big, full bodied, silky, smooth. Low carbonation. Wet.

O: Very good RIS. One of my favorite beers so far.

Serving type: can

02-17-2013 08:47:58 | More by arfenhouse

Bernardkowalski

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

Absolutely one of my favorite beers!! honestly can go good with anything, but you are better off enjoying this beer by itself. it has so much too offer, such great combination between the yeast and malt's making this an outstanding brew. you can put this on my list of top beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 00:33:03 | More by Bernardkowalski

MCain04

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

6 month old can poured into a 13 oz snifter. Extra in a trade with hilgart1, much appreciated!

Appearance: Dark dark brown. 1 finger tan head. Moderate retention/lacing.

Smell: Roasty, a little alcohol on the nose, toasted malts.

Taste: Heavy roasted malts, a little boozy, but there's a malty sweetness that finishes with a soy-sauce aftertaste that isn't the greatest.

Mouthfeel: Full, heavy, smooth, coats the tongue.

Overall: Overrated in my opinion, not even close to world-class. A decent Imperial stout but for $15 per 4 pack I can think of 10 other stouts I'd pick over this without spending more than I would for this one. Doubt I'll ever drink this again, but you never know.

Serving type: can

02-13-2013 04:26:44 | More by MCain04

Someguy1_8t

California

3.76/5  rDev -14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned 10-21-11@09:21 Served in Tulip glass

Appearance - Dark black, like used motor oil. Had about a finger of brown head, that diminished quickly.

Aroma- Roasted malts and dark fruit. Sweet vanilla.

Tastes - pretty much like the aroma, with the addition of dark chocolate, and very small hint of tartness.

Mouthfeel - medium to full bodied with little to no carbonation.

Overall - good smooth mellow imperial stout that I would definitely recommend. It non offensive, to the first time stout drinkers, to get them kind of into stouts.

Serving type: can

02-12-2013 05:48:41 | More by Someguy1_8t

screamking

Ohio

4.63/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12oz can poured into snifter.

Appearance-pours dark black. With a thick dark brown head that slowly disappears. Tons of lacing. 4.75

Aroma-roasted coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla bean, licorice, some mix dark fruits. 4.25

Taste-chocolate up front and center, coffee is there too but not as powerful as smell would indicate, toffee, buttercream, hint of plum at the end. 4.75

Feel-lighter then expected, coats palate but doesn't stick, alcohol is barely there. 4.5

Overall-first things first, for 4 beers your looking at spending 14 bucks. A little math and that comes too $3.50 a can. It's a little pricey. Okay with that out of the way, with this beer you get one of the smoothest imperial stouts you will drink. You will also get one of the best can beers available as well. If there is ever a session RIS this is it. So if you don't mind the price this has Saturday night written all over it. 4.75

Serving type: can

02-12-2013 02:17:35 | More by screamking

KFBR392

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours an incredibly heavy pitch blackness. An awesome tan head formed on the pour. Some nice carbonation throughout. Just has a wonderful thick creamy texture.

Smell: One of the most complex and wonderful aromas I've ever experienced. A robust maple aroma mixes masterfully with hints of vanilla, burnt cedar, and a smokey roasted malt, and some slight hops. Man I could get lost in this aroma. The maple/vanilla sweetness really sets this beer aside from other RIS.

Taste: The sweetness takes over in the taste of this brew. A really nice hop bitterness bites on the front of the beer which leads to the vanilla malt body. The high ABV cannot be felt expect in the wonderfully warming sensation as this beer goes down. A hop dryness sticks on the palette for a long time.

Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy. Creamy texture which sends this brew down too easy.

Overall: Someone stop me from drinking the other 3 of these I have right now. Probably my favorite RIS. Wonderfully rounded and complex, this beer has all the traditional checkpoints along with some extra perks.

Serving type: can

02-12-2013 01:32:46 | More by KFBR392

beerdrifter

Germany

4.29/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This one's been in my cellar for a little over a year. Thick, pitch black pour with a one finger caramel colored head that fades quickly with great lacing. Roasty malts dominate the nose along with hints of chocolate, mocha, coffee, and some subtle dark fruit. The taste follows suit with loads of roasty malt, milk chocolate, and espresso along with hints of toffee, molasses, cocoa, and just a touch of licorice on the finish. The mouthfeel is creamy, thick, and chewy with a nice bitter finish. Overall this has to be one of the best readily available Imperial Stouts on the market today.

Serving type: can

02-09-2013 15:24:42 | More by beerdrifter

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.74/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Lovely dark brown head of two fingers thickness. This quickly recedes to just a super thin ring. Color is a jet oil slick black. Makes me think of oil and coffee that has added viscosity.

Rich, deep roasted malt aroma. Savory coffee notes with stronger dark milk chocolate overtones. Smells warm and relaxing.

Pretty bitter roasted, maybe burnt in places, malt flavor from front to back. Warm oily palate. Bitter dark chocolate finish for sure. Good sipping beer, but not as good as the hype in my opinion.

Serving type: can

02-09-2013 13:48:48 | More by scruffwhor

spoony

Colorado

4.19/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

From a 12 oz can into a snifter (notes collected from three cans over three nights).

A-This brew pours heavy and dark, pretty much black. The head is decently tall, about one fat finger, and dark mocha brown in color. The amount of head is surprising for 10.5% ABV. A chunk or two remains laced to the glass. Great looking RIS.

S-Smell is rich with heavily roasted malts. I detect notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and also a touch of warm, caramel-scented alcohol. The smell, unlike some RISs, is not overly bitter to my nose.

T-Taste mostly tracks the smell, but I find the taste to be more complex. I still get that ultra-rich, slightly caramel malt flavor, and a certain amount of semi-sweet chocolate and coffee, but there is also a booze-soaked fruit component (macerated cherries come to mind). A little smokiness on the tail-end, too.

M-Feel is heavy, carbonation is low, and it matches the brew well.

O-Having had Old Raspy and Narwhal recently, I was curious to see how Ten Fidy would hold up (especially against Narwhal, which I thought was a great brew). The canned beer does just fine, thank you. The flavors here are complex, the heat is nicely integrated, the appearance is right, and the feel is a great match. The only let-down (and I use that term loosely) is the smell. The nose just doesn't match the rest of the beer.

Serving type: can

02-09-2013 04:51:58 | More by spoony

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

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

Single can from Premier Gourmet in Buffalo. Pricey, but I've heard so much good about this brew I had to indulge. Something special for my 700th review!

Ten Fidy pours a viscous inky blank into my Duvel tulip, producing a dark tan head of about an inch that settles into a thick ring. Each sip shows the real weight of this brew, generating a sheet of lacing.

Amazing nose for a canned stout - hell, for any stout. Sweet and mildly boozy, caramel, toasted malt, coffee, chocolate syrup, and a slight hint of smoke. Just smelling this brew is a treat.

Intense, delicious stout which displays remarkable balance of the aforementioned flavours. Begins sweet, with caramel, chocolate liqueur and coffee, before transitioning to a drier, roastier brew with smoke, toasted bread and sugar. Mild hops enter here. Surreal.

Smooth and silky, nice light but persistent carbonation.

If you are fortunate enough to have Ten Fidy in a nearby store, please send some this way! Why did I only buy one can?

Serving type: can

02-09-2013 03:55:57 | More by JohnnyBarman

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz can poured into a snifter
Canned on 10-15-12

A- Pours midnight pitch black with a half finger brown head. Minor alcohol legs..

S- Roasted caramel, Coffee, char, toffee, Chocolate. A smooth smelling imperial stout.

T- A big roasty bitterness at first followed by a big roasted malt profile. Roasty to the point where coffee and smoke are presenet. A slight chocolate and cocoa. A big caramel body. A big hop bitterness and quite bitter for a stout. Fairly well balanced and drinkable for the size.

M- Big but drinkable. High bitterness. Smooth carbonation and body. Solid stuff all around.

O- This stout is the bomb. It hits on all key points and is quite balanced. Dangerously drinkable. A stout for any day of the year.

Serving type: can

02-07-2013 01:16:08 | More by TwelveOunces