Narwhal vs TenFIDY

Ten-FIDY is awesome. First can of beer I've ever seen sink in the chiller at work. Huge stout. Narwhal has a little more depth and complexity to its flavor profile though. I'm told it is kind of a tweeked version of the awesome Fritz and Ken's 30th anniversary stout( http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/56761/?sort=latest&start=0 )that some of us were lucky enough to get our hands on back in 2010.

I choose Narwhal, but I will still be buying both every year.

 

For the most part it's clear to see that $$$ plays too much part in a person's opinion in these two beers. Comparing these two IMO is asinine as they are different in pretty much all categories. Narwhal is good but let's be honest, it's much closer to an imperial porter than a stout. I think comparing TenFIDY to the likes of FIS is a better comparison. Narwhal vs Victory at sea is more along the lines of two beers that are more similar (granted vas has more flavor profiles going on).

 

Interesting..
That's the first I've heard of Narwhal being a revised version of the 30th anniversary stout, seems very possible. Anyone else know if there is any truth to that?

I got to try the the Fritz and Ken's stout at the BA Sexual release a couple months ago and it was pretty solid. Long night/day tho and I can't say it really stood out. Hope I can try it again sometime, maybe even side by side with Narwhal

 

Expedition and Founders IS are far superior to both.

 

A few SN reps came into my store a week or so before Flipside was being released here in NC. We were talking shop when one of the reps asked me if I had tried Narwhal, to which I replied,"Oh my god, yes! I have been waiting so long for an annual double stout release from Sierra." I added, " It reminds me quite a bit of the 30th anniversary stout." The rep responds by telling me the Fritz and Ken's stout was the inspiration for Narwhal.
That's all I know.

 

Ten FIDY by a mile.

 

But money does play a part in opinions, as long as the things we buy have a monetary cost associated with getting them. I'm a fairly young guy and I just bought a house. I can't just toss 15 bucks on 4 cans of beer anytime I want. Narwhal is almost half the price here! The economics just don't make sense for a lot of people. Fidy's a better beer, I'm just not sure it's always worth it to pay such a premium for how much better it is than Narwhal.

Additionally, did you mean Sea Monster instead of Victory at Sea? I don't really think a Coffee Vanilla Porter makes sense in a conversation about traditional imperial stouts.

 

All I'm saying is that it's clear that money is clearly influencing what should be a comparison based solely on taste. Better bargain makes people feel better and also makes them perceive it to be better than it may be. obviously this will be an opinion but I think if you did blind tastings w/ money being no object (and people that already enjoy stouts in general) that more people would pick TenFIDY over narwhal (and probably by a substantial amount).

I realize my comparison of Victory at sea is a little off (hence the note) but it was more to say that narwhal should be viewed as more of an imperial porter rather than an IRS. People that may not be fond of stouts would probably lean towards narwhal as its not as creamy and bold and much more like a higher abv porter (imperial porter). To me it didn't fit the bill of an IRS anywhere near the likes if TenFIDY/FIS/old Rasputin/stone IRS.

 

I have no doubts that if you did a blind tasting, Fidy would slam dunk Narwhal. But until my beer comes to me for free, I'm going to have to make economic decisions. Cost is going to be a factor in my purchasing of beer. Is it a factor in my saying which is better? No. But it is a factor in my assessment of a beer. Narwhal isn't an amazing stout, but it is a very good one, and even "very good" stouts are rarely let go for 8 bucks a 4 pack! Honestly, I think Brooklyn Chocolate Stout and Storm King are maybe the only ones I can think of (10 bucks a sixer, technically).

Narwhal is a stout through and through. It's just not pudding-thick like Fidy, Speedway, or Expedition. I think a good tasting for Narwhal would be like a "discount stout" tasting. Traditional stouts that are well priced and a little on the lighter side like Rasputin, Storm King, Green Flash, etc. Narwhal wouldn't even do all that great in that mix either, but it's still a good beer and that is more of the class it would fall in, IMO.

 

Like you said in a previous post, tasting blind is the best way.

Do one with TenFIDY/FIS/old Rasputin/stone IRS and Narwhal. I would bet that your idea about Narwhal being an imperial porter will dissapear.

 

Consequently, I have multiple bottles of each currently in cellar. Only qualm I'd have is that while I have a fresh TenFIDY and a narwhal from this year's batch, the others have significant age on them already and would probably skew the tasting as the narwhal fresh is somewhat of a boozy mess (I also have a few aged TenFIDYs as well). Next time I get together with my drinking buddy I'll do this and report a thread on it.

 

I love both these beers, but the fact Fidy is canned means I buy it much more often. Easier to transport, dispose of, travel with, etc.

 

Tenfidy for sure.

 

My 4pk of Narwhal @ $8.99 is pretty damn amazing....

 

Your lady is hott.

 

It's a beer message board so no reason to be insulted. Second, the money comment stems more from all the responses (both in this and the other thread) and not a direct shot at your comparison. In the end, it's beer and everyone will have different tastes and preferences but it's meant to be enjoyed and shared together regardless of who prefers what. anyone who's watched brain games though knows how much your mind can trick you into believing something that may or may not be true.

 

I have Narwhal, Expedition and Plead the Fifth at the moment (Speedway and Stone RIS are at my parents' house). I should pick up Ten Fidy, Rasputin and FBS.

Speaking of Founders, when's their Imp Stout come out?

 

Just bought some Narwhal today....Gonna have to have my wife humor me and do a blind taste test tonight....It'll be tough to beat Tenfidy but We shall see....

 

Just drank some narwhal to see if anything changed from last time having it. The booze settled down a bit but to me it's just lacking flavor complexity compared to many other IRS. it's a good beer for the price but just doesn't hit that great status for me. It almost taste like they mixed a good stout w/ a dipa. Don't get that coffee/chocolate/caramel flavor like some of the others. Just kinda roasty and bitter with some VERY faint attribute that I get from the other high end imperials.

I guess I'll sit on my last 2 bottles for another 3-6 months to see if anything changed but it's more along the lines of a Brooklyn bcs for me personally. I may pick up another 4 pack to let age a full year. I want to like this more than I do.