Big Magnificent Bastard
Silver City Brewery & Taproom
- From:
- Silver City Brewery & Taproom
- Washington, United States
- Style:
- Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
- ABV:
- 9.9%
- Score:
- 92
- Avg:
- 4.24 | pDev: 13.68%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 11
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- May 20, 2025
- Added:
- Sep 10, 2016
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by CoasterRider from Washington
4.5/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This beer is also known as Magnificent Bastard Scotch Ale I believe or maybe another. Silver City has changed names and used the same recipe on a couple of their beers.
May 20, 2025
Reviewed by Eamonn-Cummings3 from New York
4.27/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Speiglau BA glass.
Look is a dark brown with an off white head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma is toffee and a little smokey scotch,
Taste matches aroma.
Nov 24, 2019Look is a dark brown with an off white head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma is toffee and a little smokey scotch,
Taste matches aroma.
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania
3.52/5 rDev -17%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -17%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
$ 17.98 (Including shipping)/500 mL bottle ($ 1.064) from Tavour, Seattle, WA. Reviewed 1/25/19.
“2018” on the collar. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 54 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 3.75.
Body – Dark brown, opaque. When held to the light it becomes dark amber and translucent.
Head – Large (Maximum 4.3 cm, aggressive center pour), tan, initially fizzy but settles into a dense head with average retention, diminishing to a two mm ring and a rocky partial layer.
Lacing – None.
First pour – Dark amber, clear.
Aroma – 3.5 – Very faint peat and scotch, like very dilute Laphroaig.
Flavor – 3.5 - Begins a bit sweet with a strong toffee/malty flavor followed by a hint of smokiness. No alcohol (9.9% ABV), no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, a bit short of syrupy, lively carbonation.
Impression and interpretation – 3.5 – A slightly above-average wee heavy at a much above-average price. The weakness of the peat smokiness in both the aroma and flavor is the greatest factor in the appropriate ratings. The peat aroma is pleasing but very weak; the peat flavor is also ephemeral. The sweetness is apropos for the style.
Jan 25, 2019“2018” on the collar. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 54 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 3.75.
Body – Dark brown, opaque. When held to the light it becomes dark amber and translucent.
Head – Large (Maximum 4.3 cm, aggressive center pour), tan, initially fizzy but settles into a dense head with average retention, diminishing to a two mm ring and a rocky partial layer.
Lacing – None.
First pour – Dark amber, clear.
Aroma – 3.5 – Very faint peat and scotch, like very dilute Laphroaig.
Flavor – 3.5 - Begins a bit sweet with a strong toffee/malty flavor followed by a hint of smokiness. No alcohol (9.9% ABV), no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, a bit short of syrupy, lively carbonation.
Impression and interpretation – 3.5 – A slightly above-average wee heavy at a much above-average price. The weakness of the peat smokiness in both the aroma and flavor is the greatest factor in the appropriate ratings. The peat aroma is pleasing but very weak; the peat flavor is also ephemeral. The sweetness is apropos for the style.
Reviewed by Sprowt20 from New Jersey
4.75/5 rDev +12%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.75/5 rDev +12%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Beautiful rich amber color, shockingly drinkable and unusually balanced for a scotch ale. None of the thick malty sweetness that you typically expect from this style. My 2017 mellowed nicely and is wonderful to drink.
Nov 18, 2018
Reviewed by Voldigar from Washington
4.86/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.86/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Look: Deep bodied blackness with a proper glisten of the classic scotch ale ruby. Darker than expected. Nice head, quickly vanished.
Smell: Scotch nose is prominent but mellow. Not sure which scotch was in the barrel, but if it wasn't something nice, this is sorcery. The smell had a vanilla/boozey/roast smell that was incredibly pleasant.
Taste: Absolute pleasure. Some barrel aged stuff has far too much oak/vanilla, but there was subtlety here that really compliments the brewer's skill. Regular Magnificent Bastard is a wondrous beer, but this is even better. It tasted like what scotch endeavors to be.
Feel: Silver City scotch ale (Fat/regular Magnificent Bastard, and now this) have a great history of the excellent smooth diacetyl typical of this style. The beer's smooth feel really helps to let the flavor shine.
Easily the best beer I've ever enjoyed over thousands of different styles, brewers, and individuals. Wow.
Oct 31, 2018Smell: Scotch nose is prominent but mellow. Not sure which scotch was in the barrel, but if it wasn't something nice, this is sorcery. The smell had a vanilla/boozey/roast smell that was incredibly pleasant.
Taste: Absolute pleasure. Some barrel aged stuff has far too much oak/vanilla, but there was subtlety here that really compliments the brewer's skill. Regular Magnificent Bastard is a wondrous beer, but this is even better. It tasted like what scotch endeavors to be.
Feel: Silver City scotch ale (Fat/regular Magnificent Bastard, and now this) have a great history of the excellent smooth diacetyl typical of this style. The beer's smooth feel really helps to let the flavor shine.
Easily the best beer I've ever enjoyed over thousands of different styles, brewers, and individuals. Wow.
Rated by Huhzubendah from District of Columbia
3.42/5 rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.42/5 rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Bottle shared by Khalil.
Apr 29, 2017
Reviewed by thebeers from Pennsylvania
3.99/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Ruby brown with a finger of tan head that pretty quickly dissipates into a crown.
Musty hops and a touch of whiskey, stone fruit, toast and alcohol in the aroma.
Very smokey, meaty, peaty taste, with light vanilla, caramel and scotch sweetness on the backend.
Well carbonated, medium bodied mouthfeel with just some slight creaminess to it.
Pretty solid.
Nov 14, 2016Musty hops and a touch of whiskey, stone fruit, toast and alcohol in the aroma.
Very smokey, meaty, peaty taste, with light vanilla, caramel and scotch sweetness on the backend.
Well carbonated, medium bodied mouthfeel with just some slight creaminess to it.
Pretty solid.
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