It makes us a little bit sad that we can't get Silver City here in Eastern Washington. The Silverdale brewery produces some really nice stuff, but their reach leaves a little to be desired.
Silver City's Fat Scotch Ale is a favorite here at Team SpoCOOL, one to check out the next time you hit the west side. This is a nicely made Scotch ale, one that doesn't break the bank.
Pour, and the color rests somewhere in between amber and brown, looking very clean indeed. There's about a finger of tan head, with a decent retention.
The nose hits like a Scotch ale should. A slightly syrupy sweetness with plenty of maltiness dances right there up front, adding some nuttiness to the end. Pleasant smelling, without being overwhelming.
Sip, and the round, pleasant flavor feels like sucking on a boozy caramel. Not that it slaps you around or anything; at 9% ABV it really just warms you up a bit. In fact, I wonder if the ale would have been a little too sweet had the ABV been lower. The alcohol actually takes a bit of the edge off the caramel, which is an interesting role reversal.
The flavor, then, is definitely heavy, without the body being on steroids or anything. I'd say we're talking somewhere around medium here.
This is an incredibly pleasant beer; more of a winter warmer than many seasonal releases have been. It might be too heavy for some, and the lack of hops will be a bit off-putting for some IPA fans. For those of us who like sweet malts it's perfect, though.
Pick up a bottle next time you visit the west side. Or pick up more than one; you can certainly store the Fat Scotch for a while.