Ten Fidy

Gotta thank Jonas (aka Dopeman) once again for hooking me up with another beer I would never have had the chance to try pre-CP.



Style - Russian Imperial Stout
ABV - 10%
Brewed In - Lyons, CO
Availability - Brewed Once

Appearance - Jet black with an almost non-existent head. Agitating leaves thin, tan lacing with orange highlights. Lacing has little retention.

Smell - Burnt coffee and alcohol in the forefront, with some malt sweetness and dark chocolate in the background.

Taste - Very similar to the aroma, although curiously the alcohol is missing. Strong flavor of coffee and dark chocolate upfront, with a huge finish that's dominated by over the top bitterness. The IBU are a bit much for me personally.

Mouthfeel - Thick and chewy. Carbonation is pretty much non-existent.

Drinkability - I can't imagine wanting to drink more than two of these at once, and that would be pushing it. I enjoyed this, but it's definitely a sipper. I'm hoping some time in the cellar will pull this together a bit more, as it definitely isn't the most balanced beer I've ever had, although the flavors are nice.

Thanks again Jonas!

Nice review Justin. Isn't it a trip when you crack the can to no carbonation and then pour it like oil?

BTW - I think you are right about the down time, I found the finish to be quite phenolic and bitter so hopefully it cools off.

I already asked Jonas about this, but do the rest of you have any experience aging beer in a can?

smellysell said:

I already asked Jonas about this, but do the rest of you have any experience aging beer in a can?

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Here is some good information on that question.. LINKY

denverdog said:

smellysell said:

I already asked Jonas about this, but do the rest of you have any experience aging beer in a can?

Click to expand...

Here is some good information on that question.. LINKY

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Say it with me...

"Search is your friend Justin!" :blush:

Just revisited this beer last night and holy shit it was fantastic. The bitterness that I experienced the first time I had it was gone, and it had developed into one great beer from start to finish. You have any of these left Justin? If not, lemme know. I think this is a more recent canning then what you have so I am not sure if its the age or the batch that made such a big difference. Either way, I am a believer.

denverdog said:

Just revisited this beer last night and holy shit it was fantastic. The bitterness that I experienced the first time I had it was gone, and it had developed into one great beer from start to finish. You have any of these left Justin? If not, lemme know. I think this is a more recent canning then what you have so I am not sure if its the age or the batch that made such a big difference. Either way, I am a believer.

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One of the beer bars in my area has a Keg of this that is going to be going in as soon as they kick one. I am eagerly awaiting this from the good things I have heard about it here.

denverdog said:

You have any of these left Justin? If not, lemme know.

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SO if I change my name to Justin would any of this be available in trade?

I'll add my own review to the mix here, rather than start a new thread. Thanks to both Justin AND Jonas for hooking me up with a few samples of this beer:



Appearance: Can opened with barely a pop of C02. Poured briskly into a Riedel stemless wineglass. Beer is as black as onyx and as viscous as motor oil. A beautiful 2 to 3 finger head of dense, pillowy tan foam that resembles hot cocoa slowly recedes to a thick top layer, leaving a trail of lacing down the side of the glass. Excellent retention.

Smell: At first the nose is hard to discern. Hints of burnt malt give way to cocoa, coffee, and a strong alcohol scent as the beer approaches room temperature.

Taste: What a world of flavors! The ABV here is well-masked by the strong flavors of dark chocolate, roasted malt, and coffee, complimented by hints of caramel. A pleasing bitterness that goes perfectly with the other flavors rewards each sip. Outstanding.

Mouthfeel: Thick, creamy and syrupy. Coats the mouth with velvety smoothness and leaves a sticky residue behind. Nary a hint of carbonation. Warming alcohol sensation greets the stomach.

Drinkability/Overall Impression: Wow. This is quite a concoction. The ABV here will definitely catch up with you before long, so I don't know how many of these you could have in one sitting before becoming completely incapacitated. It's definitely a sipper, but quite exceptional for the style. Perfect for a cold winter night, or when you need to feel warm all over. The beer definitely has a "sweet spot", however, as the last few sips of warmest beer couldn't stand up to the earlier, cooler draws. Definitely a keeper!

Excellent reviews guys, Jonas correct me if I am wrong does the Ten Fidy come on tap, bottle, and can? If so, you have likely had all three. Is there any difference in the the flavor profile amongst the three? Thank you in advanced professor Jonas for answering my question. :laugh:

Opus meX said:

Excellent reviews guys, Jonas correct me if I am wrong does the Ten Fidy come on tap, bottle, and can? If so, you have likely had all three. Is there any difference in the the flavor profile amongst the three? Thank you in advanced professor Jonas for answering my question. :laugh:

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No bottles.

Nice review Mike, I think I might have a can tonight.

Hey Marco, Justin is right, cans and tap only. I have had it on tap a couple of times and I prefer it out of the can. It seems like it loses a bit of its intensity on tap if that makes sense.

Coincidentally I drank one last night and decided that this beer is in my top 5, regardless of style. I just can't get enough, I will be drinking it in July when its 100 degrees outside.

denverdog said:

I will be drinking it in July when its 100 degrees outside.

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Sadly, my stock won't make it to the 100 degree days this year.

Just picked up a 4 pack of this and am sipping on one right now. Wow this stuff is good and I don't really get that overly bitter flavor. I also can't sense the high alcohol content in the taste but the buzz developing from just half a beer is letting me know it's there.

It smells wonderful and tastes even better. I can smell a roasted coffee flavor and the taste is coffee with a nice sweet finish. The mouthfeel is what has really impressed me so far...very thick and viscous. There is a bit of hop bitterness on the finish but nothing like some other stouts I've tried. I'm gonna let my other 3 cans sit and revisit this in about 6 months. I'm hoping the bitterness totally disappears.

Oh and this is the first time I've seen this stuff around here. Only bad thing was the price...$11 with tax for 4 beers...yikes.

Nice review Greg, I really enjoy reading other people's experiences/reviews in my review threads.

I've had a bunch of these since the first, and none have been so extremely bitter, not sure why but I'm guessing age.

Thanks, Justin. This stuff is really good. I'm going to have a hard time letting these sit for an extended period of time. I'm probaby going to head back to the store soon and buy more to have to drink slowly while I let some age.

The store also had 3 other styles from the same brewery. Old Chub Scottish Ale, Gordon, and Dale's Pale Ale. Have you had these? Any good?

Reading about this brew I'm really wanting to try the Bourbon aged version as well but I suspect that is going to be impossible to find.

GregSVT said:

Thanks, Justin. This stuff is really good. I'm going to have a hard time letting these sit for an extended period of time. I'm probaby going to head back to the store soon and buy more to have to drink slowly while I let some age.

The store also had 3 other styles from the same brewery. Old Chub Scottish Ale, Gordon, and Dale's Pale Ale. Have you had these? Any good?

Reading about this brew I'm really wanting to try the Bourbon aged version as well but I suspect that is going to be impossible to find.

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They're all good, I especially like Dale's, probably my favorite APA. I think the Bourbon Ten Fidy was only at the brewery on tap, and not for very long, but I'd love to try that one too.

Hey Jonas/Justin.............Any links to a good place for me to find this beer. Between these reviews, and Jonas keeping it on tap in his kegerator, I've got to try it out.

GregSVT said:

Thanks, Justin. This stuff is really good. I'm going to have a hard time letting these sit for an extended period of time. I'm probaby going to head back to the store soon and buy more to have to drink slowly while I let some age.

The store also had 3 other styles from the same brewery. Old Chub Scottish Ale, Gordon, and Dale's Pale Ale. Have you had these? Any good?

Reading about this brew I'm really wanting to try the Bourbon aged version as well but I suspect that is going to be impossible to find.

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Justin is right that BA Ten FIDY was only released @ the brewery and Falling Rock Tap House in Denver earlier this year. The good news is they have partnered with Stranahans Colorado Whiskey and are currently planning to release a BA series which will include Ten FIDY, Old Chub (chubourbon) and Gordon.

Also, alot of people have commented on how this years batches have been different than last years release. I agree that it isn't as bitter as it was.

jfields said:

Hey Jonas/Justin.............Any links to a good place for me to find this beer. Between these reviews, and Jonas keeping it on tap in his kegerator, I've got to try it out.

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There are a couple of places John. Here is one LINKY. I think Justin might know of one as well.

Thanks guys!!!!

Can't wait to try something new, been in bit of a rut lately.