Oskar Blue's Ten Fidy 4Pk

Oskar Blues Ten FIDY 4-Pack is a Russian Imperial Stout brewed at 10.5% ABV, sold as four 12 oz cans of one of America's most acclaimed dark ales. A perfect 100 rating on RateBeer and gold medals at the 2010 and 2012 World Beer Championships confirm Ten FIDY's elite status among imperial stouts. It also holds a 97 score on BeerAdvocate across more than 10,000 ratings — a remarkable consensus for any beer in the style.

Quick Facts: ABV: 10.5%  |  Origin: Lyons, Colorado, USA  |  Style: Russian Imperial Stout  |  Brewery: Oskar Blues Grill & Brew

Production & Heritage

Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, founded in Lyons, Colorado, famously pioneered the craft-beer-in-a-can movement when it began canning Dale's Pale Ale in 2002. Ten FIDY — a playful nod to its 10.5% ABV read as "ten fifty" — uses a labor-intensive double-mash process: two full mash batches are run to fill a single kettle, and only the most concentrated, sugar-rich first runnings from each mash are retained. The grain bill of two-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, and flaked oats creates an extraordinarily dense wort that ferments into a jet-black, syrupy stout unlike almost anything else packaged in aluminum.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Deep coffee and cocoa lead immediately, followed by fig-like dark fruit and a subtle charred quality. A faint sweetness from the oats rounds out the nose with an almost brownie-batter richness.

Taste: The entry is thick and coating — chocolate and espresso roast dominate the front palate. At mid-palate, anise and licorice emerge alongside bittersweet cocoa, while roasted barley provides a grounding, almost savory backbone. Flaked oats contribute a creamy, full body that keeps the intense roast character from turning astringent.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering dark chocolate, roasted malt, and a gentle alcohol heat that reminds you this is a 10.5% beer. The mouthfeel remains viscous through the last sip, leaving a bittersweet coffee impression that slowly fades.

How to Drink Ten FIDY

Pour Ten FIDY into a snifter or tulip glass at around 50–55°F to let its full aromatic complexity open up; drinking it straight from the can undersells the experience. While not a traditional cocktail ingredient, Ten FIDY performs well in beer-based mixed drinks: use it in a Black Velvet (topped with dry sparkling wine) for a rich, dramatic riff on the classic; blend it into a Beer Float with vanilla bean ice cream where its coffee-chocolate intensity creates a decadent dessert serve; or incorporate it into a Stout Flip shaken with a whole egg and simple syrup for a velvety, porter-house-style nightcap.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who collects highly rated stouts
• Winter evening sipping sessions by a fire
• Pairing alongside a multi-course dessert tasting
• Stocking a cellar — Ten FIDY's high ABV and malt density allow it to develop over time

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ten FIDY taste like? Ten FIDY delivers an intensely rich combination of dark chocolate, espresso, licorice, and roasted malt with a thick, creamy mouthfeel from flaked oats. It finishes warm and bittersweet with lingering coffee and cocoa.

How does Ten FIDY compare to Sierra Nevada Narwhal? Both are acclaimed American-brewed Russian Imperial Stouts, but Ten FIDY is notably thicker and higher in ABV (10.5% versus Narwhal's 10.2%), largely due to its double-mash, first-runnings-only brewing process. Narwhal tends to lean slightly more toward hop bitterness and dark fruit, while Ten FIDY is heavier on roast, chocolate, and viscous body.

Is Ten FIDY good for sipping neat? Ten FIDY is best enjoyed slowly from a glass at cellar temperature, treating it more like a fine digestif than a session beer — its 10.5% ABV and intense flavor density reward patient sipping.

Where is Ten FIDY made? Ten FIDY is brewed by Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, originally established in Lyons, Colorado. Oskar Blues also operates brewing facilities in Brevard, North Carolina, and Austin, Texas, though the brand's roots and flagship production are in Colorado.

What foods pair well with Ten FIDY? Flourless chocolate cake mirrors and amplifies its cocoa notes. Smoked brisket stands up to the stout's roast intensity. Blue cheese creates a classic sweet-savory contrast with the malt sweetness. Espresso-rubbed short ribs echo the coffee character. Vanilla crème brûlée provides a creamy counterpoint to the beer's roasted edges.

What sizes does Ten FIDY come in? The standard format is a 4-pack of 12 oz cans; Oskar Blues also periodically releases barrel-aged variants in single 19.2 oz "stovepipe" cans or 12 oz single cans depending on the edition.

Is Ten FIDY worth the price? Ten FIDY positions as a premium craft stout, priced above everyday six-packs but well within reach for the style — and its double-mash process, perfect RateBeer score, and World Beer Championship gold medals place it among the best values in the imperial stout category.

Why Ten FIDY?

The double-mash, first-runnings-only method is genuinely rare in commercial brewing and gives Ten FIDY a density most imperial stouts simply cannot match. That process, combined with a grain bill built around chocolate malt, roasted barley, and flaked oats, produces a beer that has earned a perfect 100 on RateBeer and consistent critical praise for well over a decade. Two World Beer Championships gold medals (2010, 2012) and a 97 on BeerAdvocate with more than 10,000 reviews further distinguish it from a crowded field of dark ales. In a style where many breweries chase intensity through adjuncts and pastry-stout additions, Ten FIDY achieves its depth through raw brewing technique — and that distinction is immediately apparent in the glass.