Ten FIDY - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.71/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oskar Blues Brewing Company - Ten FIDY - 12oz can

Haha! RIS in a can! Love it!

Look - Pours oil black with a negligible fizzy head that dissipates quickly. Great creamy lacing.

Smell - Rich molasses and hearty malts, dark chocolate and sweet espresso. A tinge of fennel or black licorice.

Taste - Wow.. Fennel or black licorice followed by sweet creamy chocolate and then hearty roasted molasses, smoked and sweet. If you are into RIS style then this is most definitely your bag.

Mouthfeel - Rugged, a bit boozy here but otherwise quite enjoyable. Sticky and creamy and it sits like a meal.

Overall - Amazing brew, full of depth and character. Evolves as it warms and has a few tricks up its sleeve. Definitely not a brew for the weak!

Serving type: can

04-23-2013 22:20:15 | More by JMScowcroft

beerbully

New Jersey

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

Poured into tulip glass

A-Black w/ 3/4 inch mocha head. Thick lacing

S-Chocolate, dark fruits, raisins, sweet coffee, slight anise

T-notice the anise at first then fades as chocolate takes over. Alcohol is present but not over powering given the 10% ABV, roasty, sligthly smoky, some vanilla flavors are well balanced

M-Thick, thick full bodied beer that is full of flavor

O-Great tasting thick balanced beer with great mouthfeel exectly what one would expect from a well made RIS

Serving type: can

04-19-2013 22:50:17 | More by beerbully

swoopdog

Arkansas

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

A - Pours a syrupy motor oil black with a half finger of a dark mocha brown head that disappeared rather quickly into a thin brown ring of a head around the inside of the glass.

S - Nice big chocolate some coffee with a bit of maltyness at the end. With a few twirls I was getting less malts and more sweetness I am noticing almost like a sweet soy sauce aroma now or almost like some fresh baked cookies. Pretty interesting and delicious smelling.

T - I am letting this sit for around a half hour to get the most of it. The can wasn't really cold but I figure a good half hour after the pour should warm this up everything nicely and let it breath. Very malty with a big bitter dark chocolate taste. There is a nice caramel taste in the middle of the mouth that has some warmth behind it from the huge ABV on this. There is surprisingly more hops that I was expecting. The end of the tongue has a bit of that dank coffee in the aftertaste that gives this a great overall taste.

M - Full bodied (almost chewy) with minimal carbonation, the malt gives this a creamy overall feel that smooths this thing out to pure silk. Lots of alcohol warmth reminds you that you are in fact drinking a massive RIS. The bitters from the dark chocolate and the hops give this dry finish and gets you just thirsty enough to have another drink.

O - Ridiculous this thing is ridiculous. I love Russian Imperial Stouts but this thing is over the top I have maybe only had 5 oz of this thing because I want to make it last forever. Damnit I wish I could get this regularly!

Serving type: can

04-17-2013 23:17:01 | More by swoopdog

lunarbrew

Wisconsin

4.34/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A- Pours think and black. Viscus with two fingers of foamy light brown head. Sticky lacing and creamy-looking.

S- Rich scent of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla. There is a little roasty and boozy smell, but the nose is overwhelmed by sweet, rich flavors.

T- Very full flavors of chocolate, roast, toffee, lactose, and coffee. The beer is quite sweet. There is a subtle booze flavor and aftertaste of bitter dark malt.

M- Thick, syrupy, heavy, creamy and medium carbonation. I'm happy the residual mouthfeel isn't too sticky and overwhelming. Excellent execution.

A fantastic RIS. IMO, it's one of the best mouthfeels of any and also has an awesome flavor. I think the booze will settle down and the beer will balance out with some time. I hope the fullness and carbonation hold up well with some age!

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 02:16:30 | More by lunarbrew

ZDub

Illinois

4.51/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Can to snifter-hybrid. Pours a used engine oil brown with just a small dark toffee colored head that doesn't hang around for long. A quick swirl coats the sides of my glass. As expected from an imperial stout, the aroma has a powerful roasted malt character with a significant backbone of dark chocolate and just enough alcohol to let you know this beer isn't effing around. The taste backs up the smell and then some. Dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, a hint of alcohol, a moderate sweetness, and just enough hops to balance it all out. Ten Fidy is heavy but not too much so. It's a thick velvety liquid that coats my mouth like fine grade A maple syrup. As the first sip touched my lips my stubble grew to a beard that would make a Viking blush, my wife became instantly 6 months pregnant, my enemies felt a chill run up their spines, and a battle ax appeared before me. This is a mans beer. On the can a message reads, "this dog'll hunt." And it will.

Serving type: can

04-13-2013 01:39:58 | More by ZDub

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Wow.

Pours an oily and inky black, cream-like. Minimal but dense brown head has very good retention. Mouthfeel is rich and satisfying, despite the low carbonation. Broad aroma of barrel tannins with dark roasted and chocolate malts. The 10.5% ABV is evident in both aroma and taste, but it’s still a pleasure to enjoy. Flavour starts surprisingly mild but quickly builds to quite a crescendo of malt and barrel tones, with an alcohol burn and bitter finish that lingers. Coffee, chocolate and whiskey tones are all beautifully balanced.

A stunning imperial stout and sipping beer.

Serving type: can

04-12-2013 00:53:38 | More by hopsolutely

JEdmund

Kansas

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

Pours out looking thick! Inky black color. An initial dark tan head forms, then subsides.

It’s got that RIS smell, which is a good thing, though not charting any new territory. Just huge roast, char, espresso, cocoa, and fruit notes.

Before I can even think about the flavor, I’m remarking at the body. This is thick! Body is just so full and satisfying. Flavor is equally large with an enormous amount of roasted malt at work here. Finish reveals some leafy hops, and there’s also a lingering char and black chocolate that dry it all out. Slight boozy tingle.

Overall this is a fine beer and worthy of all its accolades. Now I’m really eager to try it fresh to compare. Though I suspect it’s held up well in the can.

Serving type: can

04-11-2013 01:41:24 | More by JEdmund

JamesQuaff

California

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

Removed from the fridge for about a half hour and poured into a large wine glass. Split a can 60/40 with a friend who doesn't drink much beer at all, let alone monsters like this. He loved it.

Pours black as pitch with ruby highlights around the meniscus, otherwise totally opaque. Thick, billowy 2 finger dark cappuccino colored head. Very thick and syrupy looking. Gorgeous stout.

The aroma is a big caldron of caramel, creamy coffee, chocolate, molasses, dark bread and plenty of hops. Very big and bold.

Taste follows the nose pretty well, with a spreading caramel malty sweetness up front, fading into bitter coffee/chocolate and big hops. Huge flavor. Alcohol well masked.

Mouthfeel is thick, rich, creamy. Carbonation is just right. Body is massive.

Man, that was some kickass stout. My non-beer drinker friend instantly said "whoa, you sip this stuff" and was surprised to be able to pick so many pleasing flavors out of a beer. I'll be getting more of this for sure.

Serving type: can

04-10-2013 22:48:02 | More by JamesQuaff

dtivp

West Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very thick dark black, like a used motor oil, with a surprisingly dark, dense, one finger mocha head, that fades slowly into a thin ring with light lacing.

Aroma of dark chocolate, coffee and roasted malt.

Taste starts slightly sweet of caramel, but quickly moves to a dark roasted malt, coffee, chocolate and a slight bitterness of hops.

Mouth Feel is thick, full body, chewy yet smooth. The dark roasted malt and bitter chocolate becomes more dominate as the the beer comes to room temperature. The alcohol makes an appearance as it warms.

Overall this is a very nice RIS, I really enjoyed it at room temperature, best to savor and drink slowly.

Serving type: can

04-08-2013 23:33:56 | More by dtivp

cnbrown313

Illinois

3.99/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from their signature can into a snifter

A - Looks and pours like motor oil. I actually got a pretty nice 2 finger khaki head on my glass too, which is rare for such a big imperial stout like this.

S - Smells like chocolate, a little bit of fresh coffee, and dark roasty malt

T - Definite alcohol and chocolate up front, but this is surprisingly drinkable for such a big beer. It has a creamy, slightly bitter finish that make you want another sip

M - This was my favorite part of Ten Fidy... It's thick, slightly chewy, and creamy all at once.

O - This isn't my favorite non-barrel aged RIS, but it's definitely in my top 5. I prefer Plead the 5th, Expedition, and Founder's RIS. But if none of those were available to me - I would happily choose this to cure a big RIS craving!

Serving type: can

04-03-2013 13:32:16 | More by cnbrown313

Fux

France

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

A: Pitch black. Almost no head. Only some lacings spread onto the glass.
S: Smoked, roasted malts. Soy sauce, chocolate. Sweet.
T: Coffee, roasted malts, milk, soaked red fruits. Aftertaste of bitter chocolate.
M: Smooth, milky. Full bodied. Strong kick of alcohol.
O: Thick, rich, nice. A very good imperial stout. This dog will hunt!

Serving type: can

04-01-2013 16:27:09 | More by Fux

sniper061

New York

4.86/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

This stout is another example of a fun beer, a pitch black pour with a caramel head. The pour out of the can was awesome and made a great 2 finger deep head in the glass. Great malt flavor, chocolate and anise on teh backside.
Ten Fidy is an incredible imperial stout that is great from can to can.

Serving type: can

04-01-2013 10:31:22 | More by sniper061

Mojo

Alabama

4.49/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12 Ounce can -> snifter

This one is as good as its rep. It poors up a gorgeous black with a 2 finger mocha head, not much in the way of retention, not much lacing. The nose is very sweet and malty, some soy sauce, and chocolate. Taste is complex. I detected notes of cola, licorice, roasted nuts, chocolate, coffee, molasses, and just the smallest hint of alcohol, mostly being well hid. Mouthfeel is full and syrupy. This is now my favorite RIS, even better than Ol' Raspy.

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 04:33:58 | More by Mojo

Kerrie

Michigan

4.94/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at the Berkley Front. As far as I know, this isn't distributed in MI, but the last reviewer is also from MI, and I saw an IPA from the same brewery at my bottle shop today. Are they finally branching out here? Let's hope!

A- Typical stout. Pitch black, tan head, and I actually did have some lacing. Near perfect for me.

S- Chocolate and licorice, like most imperial stouts.

T- So, so good. I don't know how to describe it other than "smooth." For a beer that's 10.5 percent, it certainly didn't taste like it. I pretty much guzzled it down, and my bf still had half of his 5% drink when I was done. It was like liquid candy. Not too bitter, but not too sweet, either.

M- Not too thin or thick. I'd call it a perfectly balanced stout.

Overall, I loved it. I really hope that they're starting to distribute here in MI. The price tag is the only bad thing about it, but I would certainly splurge every now and then.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 04:11:30 | More by Kerrie

Alextricity

Michigan

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

Canned 1/03/13 "One ’til November?"

Appearance: As you’d expect, the beer is pitch black with a pretty small head. The head is a dark brown, and the lacing is poor. Nothing out of the ordinary for an Imperial Stout, but it’s still very good looking.

Smell: Probably my favorite part about this beer. I love the milk chocolate aromas I get, as well as the woodiness. I don’t get any sort of coffee note from Ten Fidy like a lot of people seem to get. However, I do get plenty of sweetness and dark fruit aromas.

Taste: Super sweet with dark fruits up front, and the finish is almost equally as sweet with some smokey tasting malts in there. I was expecting SOME amount of bitterness in this beer, but I actually find it to almost be cloyingly sweet. Keep in mind I haven’t had many IS’s (maybe three or four), but this one seems to be the sweetest that I’ve had. Once the beer warms up a little bit, the sweetness dominates even more. The smell turns much more heavily to sweet, dark fruit, and the taste does the same... cherries come out a LOT once the beer warms up a lot.

Feel: Along with the smell, the feel is among the best parts of this beer. As to be expected, super thick, coats the mouth wonderfully, and just smooth as all hell. The best thing about the feel though is that it never feels syrupy despite the thickness.

Overall, Ten Fidy is a good beer ... when it’s colder. Given its ABV AND the fact that it’s a big Imperial Stout, it’d be hard to drink this one quickly. I find Ten Fidy to be much more enjoyable when it’s colder, as it gets much too sweet when it warms up, and the roasty tastes seem to go way in the background to the super sweetness. I’d definitely try this one again, but $4 for a can and about $15 for a four-pack is a bit too high for a guy that doesn’t particularly love RIS’s for the most part. Definitely try Ten Fidy and decide for yourself, and consider aging one that you don't drink.

Serving type: can

03-27-2013 02:38:35 | More by Alextricity

Jacurdy60

Alabama

4.58/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the classic can into a snifter. Freshness date reads 9/24/12

A-Pours a shiny, obsidian black color with a medium width copper colored head with good retention. Foam coats the entire glass as I sip and leaves a lovely latticework.

S-Sweet, roasted malts, fresh bread dough, a bit boozy, burnt sweet bread, a little burnt coffee

T-A bit sweet, fresh baked bread comes through at the front of the palate and finishes with a bit of a sour, boozy bite. Burnt sweet bread, burnt coffee, and grains fill up the middle. A very well balanced brew.

MF-Smooth and thick as hell. Syrupy, but not too thick. Body is full and rich and the feel is of smooth milk

O-Damn. This is the first time I had the chance to really sit down and enjoy this brew. It's probably in my top 3 stouts ever. Plus, it's in a can which is cool.

Serving type: can

03-26-2013 17:40:36 | More by Jacurdy60

Lognar

Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pour - Black and abyssal, with a finger of khaki head.

Nose - Roast. A bit of savory umami. Milk chocolate sweetness. A bit of smoky BBQ char. It's mostly booze and dark fruits on the finish. An amazingly complex nose on this.

Taste - Big and roasty, but not unbalanced - the roast knows its place. There is some malty sweetness as well. The bitterness builds with warmth and a sort of cracker maltiness is introduced. On the finish, the bitterness hit the front on the tongue and blends with the malty sweetness.

Mouthfeel - Thick and syrupy. You can predict the mouthfeel when you pour it.

Overall - This is a solid and balanced Russian imperial right up there with Stone RIS and Bell's Expedition. I was expecting a roast bomb, but instead got a balance and complex RIS - which was pleasantly surprising.

Serving type: can

03-26-2013 05:12:54 | More by Lognar

Blackbird939

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Simply divine stout- what an imperial Russian should be, in my opinion. Ive had the pleasure of getting my hands on a 2010 1050 in the can and it was even smoother, silkier than a more recent vintage. Gets better with age. Delicious cold or room temp, flat or spirited. It is simply- honestly, the best beer I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. I worship this particular beer because it has earned all of my praise and these accolades. The pinnacle of the art form, at least in the world of stouts.

Serving type: can

03-26-2013 03:20:00 | More by Blackbird939

bsp77

Minnesota

4.55/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Serving glass: Poured from can into wine glass.

Appearance: Ridiculously black - no light penetrates at all. Thick mocha colored head at first, which mostly settles back.

Smell: Chocolate, cream, molasses and citrus. Decadent aroma, but simpler Han expected.

Taste: Strong roasted core of chocolate, molasses and light coffee. Additional layers of citrus and salt, especially on the finish.

Feel: This is the creamiest and smoothest beer I have ever had. Just, wow. Finish is somewhat dry and warming.

Overall: My first Imperial Stout from a can, and it is an exceptionally good beer in every way.

Serving type: can

03-25-2013 02:07:54 | More by bsp77

beagle75

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. can into a tulip glass.

A: Opaque black color with less than one finger of diminishing light brown foam head. Scant lacing remains on the glass.

S: Dark fruit, rustic bread, and faint autolysed yeast stand out in the smell. Unctuous and intense spirituous qualities are also detected after a few sips. Alcohol is well-integrated, rather than obvious.

T: Begins off-dry, with roasted malt and fruity acidity. Flavors expand into the middle, boasting shoyu umami, bitter chocolate, licorice, and even vanilla. The finish is mineral-ashy, with inconsistent moderate bitterness cutting a sharp line on the palate at times. Alcohol vapors linger.

M: Thick viscosity, remarkably smooth early, with low carbonation.

D/O: An old can, set aside since 2009, yields a Ten Fidy experience worthy of the praise that led me to buy the pricey 4-pack in the first place. While this beer was found to be chokingly laden with shoyu qualities when it was young, it wears its maturity well in its fourth year. The heavy-handedness of its origins will never fade entirely, but this sample's profile falls well within the accepted--if not preferred--parameters of the style. Surprisingly good, compared to the last encounter.

Serving type: can

03-24-2013 03:36:02 | More by beagle75

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.56/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz can into a snifter and allowed to warm as I drank it. Purchased in North Providence, RI.

A- Pours a pitch black body with virtually no head or carbonation present. Brown lacing.

S- Heavenly.. Vanilla, chocolate, maple syrup, roasty malt, coffee beans, and dark fruit. Just delightful to smell.

T- Upfront I get a lot of milk chocolate, vanilla. This progresses into a roasty, burnt coffee, toasted malt flavor. Slight dark fruit notes on the follow through. Has an awesome roasty finish.

M- Thick, creamy. Low carbonation. Very smooth.

What an excellent imperial stout. May take the place as my new favorite russian imperial stout, I will have to do a blind side-by-side with founder's imperial stout. Reminds me of a non-ba version of bcbs. Recommendable.

Serving type: can

03-23-2013 17:59:55 | More by gcamparone

hermit990

Illinois

4.68/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz can poured into a goblet. Canned on 11/26/12.

Appearance: The color is an opaque, impenetrable black. There is about 1 finger worth of a tan head off the pour, which recedes to a foam on top leaving a ring of lacing on the glass. The liquid looks very thick and viscous when swirled around the glass. Good retention of the lacing, sticking to the glass and leaving alcohol legs as the beer is agitated. A very good looking imperial stout.

Smell: On the nose, there is an immediate sweetness that invades the nostrils. The sweetness is joined by notes of chocolate and dark fruits (raisins and figs) as it lingers in the nose. I also pick up some hints of roasted grains and breadiness, almost resembling freshly baked cookies as they mix with the sweetness. At 10.50% abv, some hints of alcohol are also present in the aroma. A very complex aroma, seeming to unlock more of the grain notes as it warms in the glass. Generally on the sweeter side, which is just fine with me.

Taste: There is a slight sweetness as it hits the tongue, gradually morphing with the milk chocolate and fruit tastes that were present in the aroma. As it remains on the tongue, a bitterness sets in, leaving tastes of roasted grain to hang. This fades into a bitter, roasty aftertaste on the tongue. Considering the abv, the alcohol flavor is well hidden. Very delicious, layered flavors to this one.

Mouthfeel: Similar to the appearance, it's very viscous in the mouth. It feels very thick as it swishes through the mouth, coating the tongue and palate and cheeks as it travels through. The heavy feels matches well with the lingering tastes that remain in the mouth. The alcohol is much more present in the feel, leaving a warming on the tongue and throat during the swallow.

Overall: To me, this is very much what I'm looking for in an imperial stout. The sweeter notes fit well with my tastes and makes for a very enjoyable beer. This is personally one of my favorites, and I try to always keep some on hand. It is a little on the pricier side at $15 for a 4 pack in my area, but in my mind it's well worth the price. I would highly recommend trying this one.

Serving type: can

03-23-2013 01:22:56 | More by hermit990

tviz33

New York

4.74/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 12 oz can, served in a pint glass.

A- The body is the closest thing to motor oil that I've seen in a beer. The brown head is only about a half-finger high but it looks thick.

S- The first thing I notice about the smell is the chocolate. It smells thick, sweet, and rich.

T- The chocolate is still noticeable, but is balanced out by caramel, coffee, and smoky awesomeness. This is an absolute treat.

M- Full-bodied as full-bodied can be. Creamy and thick. The brew sticks to my entire mouth and there's a nice burn from the alcohol at the end.

O- This is well worth a try for every aspect of the beer. Ten Fidy fires on all cylinders. This surpasses Old Rasputin for me.

Serving type: can

03-21-2013 21:23:48 | More by tviz33

CFHMagnet

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a thick dirty motor oil brown with a rich mocha head on top, a little over half a finger. This disappears and leaves a ring around the glass, about which some light lacing tries but can't quite cling to the glass.

The smells are dark roasted malt, chocolate, and a rich booziness. A hint of dark fruit in there as well.

The taste follows the nose, with chocolate and coffee on the end with the booze.

Mouthfeel is full bodied. Has a slight creaminess to it, but it washes down pretty quick. Leaves a slight residue on the tongue.

Serving type: can

03-19-2013 02:17:06 | More by CFHMagnet

timc100

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Fresh can

Pours pitch black out of the can, big dark mocha head - fantastic looking beer. The smell is huge - bitter dark chocolate and coffee, and a nearly dominating grapefruit and pine hop character. Some chocolate covered tart cherries as well - serve as the middle man between the coffee/chocolate and hops. Taste is incredible - full and vibrant. Dark roast coffee beans, chocolate, hop bite, burnt caramel. Very bitter and sweet beer, in fact. Amazing, super delicious stuff.

Serving type: can

03-18-2013 04:13:28 | More by timc100