Oskar Blues Ten FIDY (Whiskey Barrel)

Inky black-brown. Still. Rich molassesy nose - you can smell how oily this is going to be. Intense, oily body. Molasses starts, then the barrel kicks in, bringing wood, lots of heat, and dark fruits. Burly alcoholic signature. The barrel is assertive but not overwhelming. So sweet and chewy. Reminds me of a rich, minerally, estate chocolate. Quality.

Draught at ’Cole’s Rare Beer Fest’, Buffalo, NY. Pours black with a small diminishing creamy light-brown head. Nice aroma, sweet and roasty with notes of whiskey, chocolate, vanilla and coffee. Flavour: Wow, that’s delicious, and easy to drink! Rich roasted malt, whiskey, coffee and chocolate -- The alcohol’s there but it’s not overpowering, it’s all very well balanced. Medium bodied, oily mouthfeel. Fantastic stuff, barrel-aging done just right!

On tap Cole’s Rare Beer Fest, Buffalo. Black, small head. aroma of chocolate, dark malt, and some slight whiskey sweetness. Taste is stunning - well carbonated perfectly blended whiskey sweetness and heat with the already formidable base beer. Roasty, alcohol balanced perfectly, incredibly easy to drink. Not as in your face as some of the beers here but this is Barrel done right - my beer of the fest.

smooth palate, similar to the draft ten fidy. add some oak, bourbon flavors. very enjoyable.

Draught. At Cole’s Rare Beer Fest, January 2009. Black, oily-looking pour, with a small head. Initially light aroma of treacle, coffeee, mint and molasses, with only a mild vanilla/oak presence, which makes a nice change - also some deep roast and dry herbal bitterness. The taste follows, but the dry herbal bitterness really comes through - quite well balanced between near-burnt roast, sweet coffee/toffee and alcohol. The body seems light - slick and solid, but light - a bit still on the tongue, but oily and coating, with a long linger of licorice mingled with oak resin ... very nice, definitely not an oak/barrel monster like many of these BA impies.

2009-01-24. Black body, near headless. (3+) Rich sweet flavour, sweet malt, dry alcohol undertones, light dry roast and surprisingly mild barrel/wood notes. Aroma is a bit milder than expected, sweetish malt, very little roast malt or barrel character on the nose. Medium to full bodied palate. Much more subtle than expected, its more simple than anticipated but pleasantly rich and drinkable. Very good. Tap at Coles Rare Beer Fest, Buffalo

Served on draft as part of the Black Moonday event at Capital Alehouse in Richmond, VA. Pours a chocolate brown color with very little head. Aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, bourbon, caramel and some fruity notes. Taste is roasted malts, moderate bourbon, slight toffee and a cheesy note. Full bodied.

Draft at Capital Alehouse’s Black Moonday event. Pours jet black, decent tan head. Aroma of chocolate and coffee. Flavor matched, with some tannins on the finish, presumably from the barrel. As it warmed, notes of vanilla emerged as well as some oak flavors. Whiskey did not really come forward to me, but the barrel aging definitely served to obliterate any hop flavor characteristics. Enjoyable.