Ten FIDY (Whiskey Barrel) - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.94/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

RIS tap takeover event @ pizza plant

The beer pours a slightly murky black with no head or visible carbonation. The nose has very subtle hints of whiskey and vanilla/caramel, followed by a touch of malt sweetness. Nothing too prominent, even when it warms. The taste is a sweet caramel upfront, which smoothly transitions into a mildly woody, grain forward malty stout. The mouthfeel is thick and syrupy, literally no carbonation, and a very prominent caramel sweetness. There is very little booze or whiskey that can be detected in the mouthfeel, except for a slight boozy afterburn in the finish. This is a tasty beer, but not worth the exclusivity/difficult acquisition compared to the regular version.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2013 01:27:48 | More by ThePorterSorter

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.49/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared by Bill. Thanks man!

Served alongside standard TenFidy.

The appearance is identical to the regular version. Vey dark brown with a beige head. The aroma is also remarkably similar, with the addition of subtle whiskey. Delicate barrel notes with a slight tannic bite in the finish. On the whole, remarkably smooth. A top notch barrel aged stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:13:09 | More by Huhzubendah

MinorThreat

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Maggie Smith's in Centennial this past summer, from notes.

A-Typical TenFidy appearance, jet black and thick. No real head or lacing

S-Wild Turkey, hot cheap bourbon with some chocolate and coffee

T-Pretty hot, lots of bourbon with a little chocolate and malted milk balls. Mostly booze

M-Creamy and viscous

O- I love the base beer but think the choice of barrels may not have been the best. Wild Turkey just dominated the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2012 14:52:07 | More by MinorThreat

n2185

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours black with almost no head that fades into a thin ring with no lacing.

S: roasted malts with sweet chocolate, molasses, caramel, oak, and bourbon. There are some toffee and booze notes toward the finish.

T: roasted malts here as well with semi-sweet chocolate, molasses, caramel, oak, and sweet bourbon. The finish is sticky and boozy.

M: thick body with low carbonation, this beer is thick and sticky rather than creamy.

O: a good bbal stout overall, though not as complex and balanced as I prefer my bbal stouts.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2012 21:44:27 | More by n2185

homebrew311

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Wild turkey Ten Fidy served on tap at fobab. Appearance is opaque black with cocoa ring of head. Nose is full of sweet roasted malts, rich chocolate, waves of vanilla, mellow coconut. Taste has assertive chocolate up front with lots of molasses, caramel, and a bit of toffee. Cream and vanilla comes through next with a slight whiskey burn at the end. Mouthfeel is thick, rich, and viscous. Overall very nice, I prefer the non ba version though.

Serving type: can

11-17-2012 19:38:48 | More by homebrew311

pmarlowe

California

4.53/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On nitro at the Blue Palms 4th Anniversary party. Several taster glasses combine like Voltron into a good 12oz.

A: Pours a viscous black with no head at first, but a thin tan, persistent head appears from nowhere. It's a miracle! Otherwise, the beer appears still.

S: Lots of dark chocolate in the forefront, along with whiskey and some oak, all well mixed. Roastiness and char/smoke provide balance.

T: Again, dark chocolate is prominent, roast, and a little off taste of whiskey. Maybe they're not using the best stuff, dunno. The oak and barrel are there but not overpowering, which I like, but they could blend a little better with the base. Almost akin to those beers that have spirit-soaked chips in them; you can kind of taste the separation.

M: Very light carbonation on a full body. A little more carb. would be nice. The mouthfeel is ultra smooth.

O: Delicious. The barrel elevates an excellent beer to another level. Perfect beer to put in barrels. Hooray!

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-18-2012 01:21:31 | More by pmarlowe

UCLABrewN84

California

4.05/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On nitro tap for the 4th Anniversary event at Blue Palms Brewhouse in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, wood, vanilla, and whisky. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and woody finish. There is a medium amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with a great smell but the taste just doesn’t match up in my opinion.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-14-2012 01:15:03 | More by UCLABrewN84

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

2.6/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Was very excited to hear this would be tapped and made a special stop to track this down.

On tap and served way too cold at the Tipsy Cow during pre Great Taste tappings. Ugh.

Flat and black with no bubbles or head to speak of.

Smells like whiskey, oak, and some dark fruits. Really lacking much of what makes the base beer so good.

Ditto on the taste: harsh whiskey, wood, and some indiscriminate dark fruits. Where is the complexity of the base? Oh yeah, it's pummeled by harsh and cheap tasting whiskey.

Wow, talk about a letdown. For all this could have been, it was nearly nothing like I hoped. No carbonation, no real nuances, no barrel benefit...just a whiskey ridden ba beer. Didn't want to finish my pour, actually....I didn't.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2012 13:20:22 | More by BarrytheBear

womencantsail

California

3.5/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Oakquinox

Pours black as can be but also with very little carbonation and essentially no head. Smells of whiskey and a touch of vanilla, but fairly boozy. Some roasted malt, maybe some oak, and that’s about it. Not much complexity. The flavor is a touch aggressive on the alcohol flavor. Lots of whiskey and wood flavor, quite a bit of roast too. Could use a lot more vanilla and chocolate to soften things and sweeten it up. A big let down.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 17:26:38 | More by womencantsail

ahijevyc

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this on tap at the West End Tavern when Oscar Blues took over the taps. Since this is my favorite type of beer, this was the most anticipated one of the bunch for me, and I had to start and end with it.
That being said, it could use a bit more whiskey smell. Curious what the ABV really was. It was listed as 10.5%, but here it says 9.4%.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2012 02:05:25 | More by ahijevyc

Mississipping

Mississippi

3.8/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hand-bottled Laura Alberts bottle with a hand written (copied) label. Poured into a tulip glass.

A: Pours a completely opaque black that lets absolutely no light through.  A small one-finger mocha head rises and falls quickly leaving a thick ring and a small patch in the middle.  Moderate lacing remains on the glass. 

S: Smells like Ten Fidy with more dark fruit and ample barrel characteristics.  

T: Unfortunately, this bottle seems to be a bit infected.  A subtle tartness is up front with sweet chocolate and dark fruit.  Unlike the regular Ten Fidy, the chocolate is sweeter and there is a lot more dark fruit (raisins, fig, and black cherries).  Just behind are the barrel characteristics comprised of whiskey and oak, but they are a little more subdued that I had expected.  The finish is a bit of bourbon, chocolate, and coffee.  The tartness lingers through the finish, but is very subtle.  

M: Full-bodied with a good bit of carbonation, despite warnings that the bottle might be flat.  Thick, creamy, and smooth.  Coats the tongue and mouth, but avoids being cloying.  

D: Despite the apparent infection, it's really pretty drinkable.  alcohol is pretty well hidden, and the flavors are well balanced.  If the unwanted tartness wasn't there, this would be exceptional, but it's just not quite there.  I'm thrilled that I got to try a bottle that is so hard to come by, but it didn't quite live up to the hype.  Maybe it should have been opened a little earlier, maybe it should have been bottled a little more carefully, but either way, it's just a bit off.  The best slightly infected stout I've ever had, though.  Thanks StayWhatYouAre2 for bringing this to our annual rare beer tasting!

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 06:20:05 | More by Mississipping

cosmicevan

New York

4.35/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer #2 of the drink down the cellar tasting. thank you to commis for making this personal wale a reality. counter pressured 22 oz bomber waxed from the charleston beer exchange. filled 9/17/2010

a - opened the bottle and had my pour in a cbs snifter. sampled side-by-side with a 2010 ten fidy...brew is super black with a nice rebuildable head. comparing the BA vs the canned ten fidy, it was obvious visually which was which based on the shine from the barrel aged version.

s - the nose is heavy whiskey. compared to the canned version the base is still there, but with whiskey leading the way. i find that whiskey is a really great mix fior smell and taste on these big stouts...perhaps an even better counterpart than bourbon barrel aging?

t - flavor is also all whiskey...it really leads the way with that wonderful ten fidy underneath the booze. delicious.

m - SUPER cream. boozy sting that the original lacks.

o - very tasty...very glad i got to try this. it was somewhat reminiscent of ccb's imperial milk porter. i waited a while for this one and never thought i'd ever get ahold of it...was it worth the effort? yes indeed. now that i've had it, i won't move mountains to get it again, but if a keg shows it's face anywhere reasonably close i will certainly put forth effort to try this one again.

Serving type: growler

11-25-2011 03:46:41 | More by cosmicevan

Yagman3000

New York

4.13/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from a 22 oz. bomber into a snifter. Beer 2 in fellow BA CosmicEvan's tasting session.

Appears as dark as night. Beautiful thickness with a touch of bubbly foam to the side of a glass.

Smells strong and boozy. A lot of warmth from the bourbon. Some coffee undertones come through too.

Tastes of whiskey prominently with some coffee too. The warmth of the beer is a bit overwhelming.

Mouthfeel is more than appropriate. Not too thin and not overdone. I like its finish.

Overall a quality beer but it might need a little more time in the bottle to fully meld.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 01:10:06 | More by Yagman3000

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

4.65/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thank you very much, heyta, for bringing this growler to the BA DL tasting. Poured into NB globe...

A- Comes out pitch black, viscous, and atop is a tiny dark brown head.

S- Damn, that whiskey is pungent! Smells like its straight from the barrel. Very woody with some vanilla, dark fruits, and licorice.

T/M- There are copious amounts of dark and complex flavors here: ton of wood, chocolate, mocha, currants, figs, toffee. Alcohol is more sweet and warming here, which is good since a strong whiskey flavor is harsh to me. Again, just oak and wood galore. Thick, viscous, smooth, creamy, full body of deliciousness in my mouth. The feel is one of best attributes of regular TF and it shines here again!

O- Though this was opened very very early, it had talks of being one of the best beers of the night (against many whales) and I think it followed through! Very complex everything blended so well together. Would seek out again in a heartbeat...

Serving type: growler

09-29-2011 19:59:38 | More by TheGordianKnot

oline73

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on-tap at Victoria Gastro Pub. Poured into a 5oz. sample glass.

Appearance: Pours jet black with no light coming through at all. There is a layer of dark tan head the leaves a ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Sweet and roasty. I'm picking up hints of dark fruit and some bourbon as well.

Taste: Sweet and bitter roast along with some bourbon heat hit the tongue first. There is a hint of vanilla and oak, but not a lot. This beer has a very smooth flavor.

Mouthfeel: Perfection. Thicker than I would have expected given the abv, but smooth like silk. Mild carbonation and a dry finish. The mouthfeel really makes this beer special.

Overall: I really like this beer a lot. The mouthfeel is one of the best I've ever had. Quite smooth and I would love to have it again. The amount of burn from the bourbon is very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2011 02:19:20 | More by oline73

SummitVA

Maryland

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

A - Jet black with small-ish head.

S - Liquorice, oak, huge roast, along with sweet malts, the light fruitness that comes with oxidation, and enormous bourbon character. The complexity is magnificent.

T - Bourbon and oak, with sweet coffee and roast. Burnt and brown sugars and huge molasses flavors. Liquorice in the nose is evident early on, as well. Bitterness is more than expected, and I get a bit of astringency in the back of the throat. As the pour warms, more vanilla from the oak and a bit of coconut. Bourbon present throughout, but the complexity here again is dazzling.

M - Nice heavy-bodied stout. Flawless mouthfeel.

Overall - Just a fantastic BA beer that ranks among the best out there. I've been lucky to have this twice now, and I have been blown away each time. Seek it out; you won't be disappointed!

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2011 12:03:45 | More by SummitVA

AgentZero

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Speedway Jim for hooking me up with this one. I'm a huge Ten Fidy fan, so was excited to have this.

A - Black beer with an appropriately tan head that didn't retain for long and disappeared into head oblivion.

S - Brown sugar, molasses, roast, whiskey. This smells awesome, almost the perfect blend for an RIS, not sure what could be improved on.

T - This is a great take on Ten Fidy. The base beer and roasted notes hold up well, and the barrel aging adds some great oak, vanilla, and bourbon. Awesome beer, want more.

M - Slightly flat, but not surprising as it is a growler fill. Smooth and full bodied.

O - Fantastic beer, wish I could get this all the time. Awesome.

Serving type: growler

03-17-2011 15:19:26 | More by AgentZero

BearsOnAcid

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Dark black body with a cocoa head

Fudgy whisky, carmelized prunes, rasins, and milk chocolate in the nose. Very interesting that the regular Ten Fidy doesn't have that dark fruit character.

The mouthfeel is noticeably thinner. Tangy bourbon and fudgy dark chocolate combine to make a smooth drinking BA imperial stout. The dark fruit shows in the taste as dark cherry puree and prunes. It enhances the sweetness a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 00:48:53 | More by BearsOnAcid

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.68/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From bottle to tasting glass 1/28/11 at SC Pre-Party

A: Like someone turned the lights out. Just pure darkness. Mild head on an easy pour. Light to no lacing as it warmed.

S: Close your eyes and you'd think you're in Kentucky. Pure wood, and a really enticing dark charry wood at that. When I dig a little deeper, I get some intense hints of alcohol and freshly brewed dark roast.

T: Just an explosion of flavor: boozy bourbon and alcohol mix eloquently with the tannin from the smoky wood. The malt creeps up and hangs around as the esters escape from my mouth.

M: Oddly, this does not have the same viscous presentation as the standard, canned Ten Fidy. Don't misunderstand though, as this brew is still one heavy bastard. It is rich and silky and everything you'd expect and desire out of an AD/IS. It simply seems that the whiskey barrel has somewhat altered the weight of this beer.

O: This is one of those Keyser Soze type of brews: never seen, oft-rumored, and when it pops up -POOF- like that, it's gone.

I feel lucky to have enjoyed such a rarity, and if I ever see it around again, I will scratch, claw and kill to get another taste. An outstanding beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 21:26:18 | More by Rhettroactive

MrHirschybar

California

4.3/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

10th taster at Port's Barrel Blast
Per Barrel Blast description - aged in Stranahan's Whiskey Barrels from Colorado

A - Dark Black with a dark mocha head lining - held up to light it was pitch black and viscous

S - Strong vanilla, some oak, definitely had the alcohol taste - didn't pinpoint it as whiskey versus bourbon but it was lighter in the alcohol profile imparted by the barrel - no smokiness as per the original Ten FIDY

T - Light whiskey/bourbon reminiscent alcohol, tons of chocolaty flavors with an earthiness and a vanilla finish. The smokiness from regular Ten FIDY is very light if anything mixed into an earthy flavor right before the vanilla finishes off the taste.

M - No discernible heat though they are listing this at 10% and not 10.50% so maybe the barrel and aging calmed a little of the ABV down. This was very smooth drinking with a nice vanilla finish imparted from the barrels - without the heaviness.

D - I really liked this offering as I'm a little partial to regular Ten FIDY being so smokey. This toned that down and brought up the chocolate note and definitely left a nice earthy and vanilla finish to it. It's rich, but I could see myself sitting down with this and being satisfied. This one was one of my favorites at this event and I'd be jumping aboard the hype train if they ever were to put this into cans - phenomenal. I thought it was a must taste and was glad to have nabbed this one.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2011 06:00:13 | More by MrHirschybar

HopHead84

California

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

01/15/2011

On tap at the 2011 Pizza Port Barrel Blast.

A: Deep brown with a ruby tinge, bordering on black. Thin bubbly dark brown ring.

S: Dark chocolate, brown sugar cookie, fudge, oak, a little vanilla, and whiskey.

T: Tannic fudge with a bit more roasted malt than the aroma suggested. Moderate oak and a notable bitterness. Chocolate is unsweetened. Finish is bitter chocolate with some oak and astringency. Whiskey is nicely integrated.

M: Full body, lower carbonation, sticky and tannic mouthfeel.

Overall: A nice beer. Not as sweet as the aroma suggests.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2011 21:40:52 | More by HopHead84

mondegreen

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz CBX filled Bomber into a Founders Balloon Tulip.

Pours pitch black with a thin foamy persistent head.

Nose is dark roast, wood, vanilla, and bourbon. Pleasant mesh of flavors here.

Taste is big on roast and wood, the vanilla lingers in the background, and the bourbon sits way in the background. Long woodsy finish. As it warms, the bourbon becomes more integrated into the beer. Wonderful.

Silky smooth, if a little light for the style.

Drinks very well, glad to have been able to save this one for my bday. Kudos to CBX for the effort of bottling it.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 04:37:52 | More by mondegreen

Phelps

Arizona

3.68/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A pressure-filled and wax-topped bottle, bottled by Laura Alberts on 9-18-2010. Thanks go out to tlay10 for bringing this one around.

Looks inky. Pours like syrup, a deep black. The head is a microscopic layer of cinnamon-colored bubbles. After it disappears, a hair-thin ring remains, with no lace. It looks like the dead sea in my glass.

Smells of sour cherries, cola, oak and heavy whiskey. It's very tangy and might be a little oxidized.

It's definitely a little oxidized. The flavor almost seems green, with a pungent sour tang. It's very oaky, though there's not as much whiskey as the nose would suggest. Molasses, cigarette smoke and vanilla with a dryish finish. I'm also picking up some notes that almost seem metallic. It's too bad that it's oxidized; the flavors that are supposed to be there are excellent.

The regular Ten Fidy has a near-perfect mouthfeel, and in that regard the barrel-aged version does not disappoint. A medium-light, prickly carbonation is lightly fizzy and the body is creamy, buttery and decadent. The alcohol has smoothed out a bit, but still noticeable as a warming sensation down the throat.

This beer obviously isn't as it's meant to be, but it's still tasty enough that I poured a second glass. Problems of bottling and counter-pressure filling a bottle aside, it was enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 03:25:26 | More by Phelps

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from tap into a goblet. Poured pitch black with a minimal tan head. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, whiskey, oak, and molasses. The flavor was of sweet malt, molasses, whiskey, and wood. It had a medium feel on the palate with low carbonation. Overall this was a pretty nice brew. Had some pretty mellow flavors going on here, but became more robust as the brew warmed up. Also had a pretty nice aroma going on as well. I am really glad I got to try this one and I really enjoyed it thoroughly.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2010 15:48:17 | More by thagr81us

jrallen34

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to AZ via SpeedwayJim...Black pour, about three fingers of really nice tan head rises quickly and looks really nice at first, however it falls really quickly leaving no cap. Light lacing. Such promise to start, but to no avail...Unreal aroma, a wonderful sweet maple syrup dominates this, its as if maple syrup was dumped in it, light vanilla. Way on the sweet side, would love a little chocolate or coffee...The taste is not as successful, mostly because it just feels flat and light, needs to be full flavored. The maple syrup is gone, a little vanilla, alcohol...Easy to drink.

This is a beer worth trying for real. Another great Oskar beer.

Serving type: growler

12-10-2010 04:22:48 | More by jrallen34