Oskar Blues Ten FIDY
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with roasted espresso, dark chocolate, and a touch of molasses, with faint hints of dark dried fruit underneath. On the palate it's dense and chewy — layers of bittersweet cocoa, black coffee, and a subtle sweetness that keeps it from turning fully acrid. The body is thick and viscous, coating the mouth in a way that makes it feel closer to a dessert than a standard pint. The finish lingers long with roast bitterness and just enough warmth from the alcohol to round things out.
About the Brewery
Oskar Blues is based in Longmont, Colorado, and was founded in 1997. They're widely credited as the first American craft brewery to can their beers at scale, a move that was considered eccentric at the time and later became industry-wide standard practice. They're known for bold, assertive beers — Dale's Pale Ale being their flagship — and Ten FIDY is their flagship showcase of how far imperial stout can be pushed in a can.
Food Pairings
A beer this rich and roasty finds its footing alongside a few specific foods. Dark chocolate brownies or a flourless chocolate torte echo the cocoa notes without overwhelming them. Aged sharp cheddar or a well-salted blue cheese provides enough fat and salt to cut through the viscosity. Braised short ribs or beef brisket work because the roast malt mirrors the caramelized, savory crust on slow-cooked meat. Vanilla ice cream used as a float base is a crowd-pleasing option that softens the bitterness and plays up the sweeter malt undertones.
Style Guide
American Double or Imperial Stout is essentially a stout brewed to extremes — more malt, more hops, and significantly more alcohol than a standard stout, typically landing between 8% and 12% ABV. The style draws its roots from Russian Imperial Stout, historically brewed in England for export to the Russian Imperial Court, but American craft brewers took that foundation and pushed the roast, chocolate, and coffee character harder while sometimes adding adjuncts like vanilla or coffee. What separates it from a standard stout is sheer density and intensity; it's not simply a bigger version so much as a different drinking experience altogether, one built for slow sipping rather than session drinking.