Oskar Blues Ten FIDY with Cherries

Formerly brewed at Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
Style: Imperial Stout
Lyons, Colorado USA

Draft at Falling Rock. A hazy deep red beer with a thin brown head. The aroma is acidic malty combined with notes of brettanomyces and berries. The flavor is very acidic with notes of wood, brettanomyces, and berries.

Name: Big Poppa Cherry Stout
Date: 02/02/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brick Store Pub

black, thick brown head, thick lace, light chocolate aroma with a hint of cherry, strong cherry flavor mixed with rich chocolate, the cherry is well balanced with the chocolate and does not over power it, a touch of cherry tartness adds complexity, cherry grows and picks up sweetness yet remains in check and retains the tart edge, cherry character is very unique with the interplay between the sweet and tartness,
-------- /> Name: Big Poppa Cherry Stout
Date: 02/05/2007
Mode: draft
Source: brick store

finally getting an aroma of dry chocolate malts with a hint of cherry and then it’s gone again, cherry flavor coming through stronger but still balanced by the very rich chocolate, the amount of cherry varies from sip to sip
-------- /> Name: Big Poppa Cherry Stout
Date: 01/07/2008
Mode: draft
Words: trapezze

cherry and chocolate is well in balance,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 10/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 18/20
Rating: 4.2/5.0
Drinkability: 10/10
Score: ***+/4

1 liter hand bottle sample acquired in trade with jimbowood (thanks!). Tasted side x side with the regular Ten FIDY version. Poured a dark black color with an averaged sized brown head. Aromas of chocolate covered cherries, raisins, and had an all around general fruitiness to it. Tastes of chocolate, lightly tart cherries, cherry pie, and roast. The cherries where there but not overpowering and done very well. Started out sweet and ended in a nice light tartness. Creamy smooth body with the alcohol content well hidden. I liked this version better than the ’regular’ version.

On tap at the Brick Store: Pours a viscous opaque with a dense, pillowy dark tan/light brown head. Aroma flowing with sweet caramel malt hint notes of tart cherries and dark chocolate. Palate starts full, malty and sticky sweet with nice, semi-tart dark cherry character with a slight hint of nutmeg. Balance is incredible! Cherry flavor meshes quite well with the dark chocolate and roasty coffee notes, with just the perfect amount of tartness to balance the sweet body, without the slightest hint of alcoholic warmth. A very nice beer. Just wish it came in bottles or cans so I could buy a case.

Draught (6oz pour). Head is initially small, frothy, brown, mostly lasting. Body is absolute opaque black (based on the flashlight test of the non-cherry version). Aroma is moderately to heavily malty (chocolate/fudge/cocoa, roasted grain, molasses), lightly to moderately hoppy (resin, grapefruit), with notes of vanilla, wood, cherry, cassis, alcohol. Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, moderately to heavily bitter. Full body, creamy texture, soft/lively carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic. The cherry addition is anything but overbearing, which was a huge relief (I was worried it’d be something like Weyerbacher’s raspberry Impy). In fact, you have to reach a little bit to find it in the nose, not surprising considering the immense malt character on display. The cherries come out a bit more in the flavor balance, but again, the acidity level is only very slightly increased over the regular 10-50. If memory serves, they specifically requested a ratio of both sweet and sour cherries so as not to make the beer noticeably sour. It’s just a pleasant lightly-tart, fruity-berry character in the background that complements the grapefruity hop aspect. Overall, I don’t necessarily like this *better* than the regular 10-50, but it’s easily just as good.

Draft @ thhe Brick Store: Opaque black color with a thick brown head. The aroma was of milk chocolate and roasted malt. I was actually a little disappointed in the lack of cherry from the aroma. If you tried real hard you can get some cherry skins. Coffee notes as the beer warmed. The flavor seemed to have 3 distinct stages. First the flavor was roasty, chocolately, and malty with a touch of coffee. This completely changed to a slightly sweet slightly tart cherry flavor. Lastly the beer finished with a long dry hop and roast bitter finish. Creamy mouthfeel for the most part.

Poured an opaque black color with a medium sized, dark tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of sweet cherries, roasted malts, light chocolate, and some smoke. Taste of sticky dark chocolate, tobacco, sweet cherries, roasted malts, caramel, mocha, and dried fruits, with some alcohol in the finish.

Bottle, provided by TAR during GABF 2008. Pours opaque with an average, frothy, dark brown head, somewhat diminishing with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (molasses, chocolate, roasted), average hops (grass), average yeast (leather) with notes of plum, cherries, and wood. Full bodied, creamy texture, average carbonation, and an astringent finish. Long duration, moderate sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.