The Stats
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.5%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.11/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.38/5
- RateBeer: 4.1/5
"This titanic, immensely viscous stout is loaded with inimitable flavors of chocolate-covered caramel and coffee and hide a hefty 65 IBUs underneath the smooth blanket of malt. Ten FIDY (10.5% ABV) is made with enormous amounts of two-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, flaked oats and hops. Ten FIDY is the ultimate celebration of dark malts and boundary-stretching beer."
Pours black like motor oil and produced almost two fingers of light brown head.
The aroma is full of red grape, light coffee, tobacco, black licorice, roasted malts, dark fruits, and even some citrus and pine.
The taste is heavy on the dark fruits up front with raisins and black cherries taking the lead. I'm not surprised this clocks in at 65 IBUs since a distinct bitter character runs rampant throughout. A bitter dark chocolate adds in a dessert feel. Towards the back some subtle coffee from the aroma comes back and the beer leaves a bitter taste on each finish. What is surprising me most is how this transitions from heavy red grape and vinous notes to citrus to deeply roasted malts with every sip. Then it's all encased in that appetizing bitter character. Usually I don't experience this much complexity with every tiny sip, but Ten Fidy has it perfected.
Mouthfeel is rich, thick, smooth, and velvety. My tongue is coated on each swig and the mouthfeel is calm and gentle. The 10.5% is nowhere to be found as not even a warming sensation shows up with each sip.
Ten Fidy has long been an exemplary Russian Imperial Stout and I can easily see why. The complexity with each individual sip combined with that amazing mouthfeel shows us that a standard, non-barrel aged stout has the ability to knock your socks off. As a bonus, this is available almost everywhere and you can find it almost year-round on your local shelf.
Rating
9.4/10
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