Oskar Blues Ten FIDY

This viscous, thick, chewy dose of roasted malt and chocolate is quite possibly one of the finest brews that I have tried. Inky black as it drains from the 12 oz. can, this is as dark as a black hole as no light can penetrate it. Wonderfully hoppy but balanced by the enormous malt flavour. Not only a great winter beer, this may breed some great recipes in the future. Desert anyone?

Pours pitch black with a small tan head. Aroma is chocolate, coffee, hazelnuts, and a bit of something herbal. Mint perhaps. Flavor is moderately bitter and boozy. The coffee lingers on the palate. Thick and smooth mouthfeel, just a bit astringent. A very good stout.

From a can poured black with a small brown head. Toasted malty sweet flavor with a lingering finish.

12 oz can from Chicone’s. Deep, black pour with a thin tan head. It’s obvious why this is affectionately known as 10W-50. Aroma isn’t very strong, chocolate is the main thing I get with a little bit of coffee. Thick creamy mouthfeel, flavor is chocolate with the coffee really coming through. The IBU’s are very noticeable but not in the way I’m used to (i.e. IPA’s). Finish is a chocolate/coffee linger on the tongue. It’s a beautiful beer.

All I can say about this one is WOW. Aroma is a plethora of alcohol, dark chocolate, rich roasted coffee and molasses. Pours thick like motor oil and is black as night with a thick, brown head. Hold it up to the light and you don’t see even one tiny ray of light come through. Full-bodied with strong (yet smooth) alcohol note that hits you immediately, but quickly fades into sweet, licorice, chocolatey goodness with hints of raisin, coffee and toasted marshmallow. Definitely a stout you sip and enjoy slowly like a port wine or a nice brandy. The warmer it gets the better it is. This one is a winner.

355 ml can, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.5%. Pitch black colour, moderate chocolate brown head. Nice aroma of roasted malts / roasted barley, chocolate, coffee and bakery. Intense flavour of malts (malty sweetness + heavily roasted malts/barley), notes of strong coffee, molasses and dark bitter chocolate, ending in a distinct bitterness (both from the hops - 98 IBU - and the roastiness). Possibly the most awesome canned beer in the world.

Mostly black whose attractive brown head sadly had minimal retention or lacing. I poured it too cold, so aroma was limited to a chemically metallic soy sauce, unripe fruit and burnt coffee. It’s initially sweet flavor of chocolate was quickly overtaken by a rush of acidic fruit and a long, astringent bitter finish. Got better as it warmed. A very powerful beer, and bonus points overall for being canned.

Wow, I never thought someone would put something this dark in a can! To my benefit, thankfully, they do! Dark, black, with very little thin head which is tan. Roasty, chocolate, caramel and raisiny dark fruit aromas waft abound in my snifter. Dusty and freshly cracked malt aromas as well. Also some bready and chocolate ice cream malt notes. A slight bit of acidity from the dark malts also penetrates the nose. The flavor is much the same, with chocolate and roast dominating. The overall balance is just slightly to sweet up front, but bitter and roasty flavored in the finish and aftertaste. A very light herbal hop presence in the finish and aftertaste. Fuller bodied, low level of CO2, smooth, but not quite velvety; good just the same! A very outstanding beer! Of the beers I’ve had from this brewery, I cannot complain about single one of them! Every time I have one, I become a bigger fan of canned beers and this brewery!!!!!