Well 2016 has shaped up to be quite a roller coaster ride. Election anxiety, global strife, celebrity deaths, and a plethora of other pandemonium have driven us to consider writing off the year all together. In any case, we are so grateful to be able to indulge in a little escapism with the booming craft beverage industry in Washington state.

It’s said that in lieu of asking a Washingtonian what their favorite beers or breweries are, one must opt to share their preferred styles of beer or their recommendations for breweries in a specific area. It’s no wonder why we’re ranked second in the nation for the number of craft breweries in the state.

That being said, we can still say with confidence that Silver City Brewery is on our top 10 list. Unlike the state of the world, this year has served them well. They celebrated their 20th anniversary, won many awards in highly respected beer competitions, and released several highly anticipated limited edition products. The inner sci-fi nerd in us is so excited for their final release of the year: the Time Traveller Imperial Stout.

We look forward to closing out 2016 with a bang and the smallest bit of hope that this “Time Traveller” beer can help us put the year behind us so we can start 2017 with some optimism.

Time Traveller Imperial Stout

HOPS: Chinook

MALTS: NW Pale, British Pale, Roast, Flaked Barley, Brown, Chocolate,Munich, Black, Caramel 

IBU: 60

ABV: 9.2%

“Ideally, brewers interpret history, and through science they create art.”

– Silver City Brewmaster, Don ‘Big Daddy’ Spencer

Brewery press release below.

2016, the twentieth year of Silver City Brewery, has been far & away the busiest and most action-packed experience in company history.

We’ve seen the revival of classic recipes such as Macfarlane’s Scotch Ale and Copper Mountain Maibock, as well as brand-new additions to our solid frickin’ lineup of year-round and seasonal beers including Nice Day IPA and Sesh Appeal Classic Lager.

Time Traveller Imperial Stout is a beer for the ages. A style with roots in eighteenth century London, originally brewed for export to Russia, its intense roast malt character, sinister strength, and fruity esters may be enjoyed at the present, but will continue to develop when cellared for months or even years.

With a pour of the blackest of black, Time Traveller incorporates eight different malts in a cohesive symphony of roasty, bittersweet chocolate-like flavor. Despite its intense maltiness, the beer presents a crisp and dry texture, accentuated by a vortex of hoppy Chinook bitterness that serves as a counterbalance for all of the devilishly dark deliciousness. Timeless food pairings for an ale of such distinguished intensity include braised lamb shank (rare), garlic smashed rustic potatoes (skins mandatory), or any-and-all chocolate-based desserts. You might even consider a sidecar of fresh espresso.

What is time travel? According to Wikipedia (teachers, please don’t hate), time travel is the concept of movement certain points of time, analogous to movement between different points in space. “That’s great,” you may inquire, “but how does that relate to Imperial Stout aside from the historical tradition?”.

Have you ever experienced a moment in time… perhaps on a Friday evening as you close out your work week… where time dilates? You embark on an evening of grandiose plans and adventure, only to have the evening draw to a close seemingly minutes later. Singularities such as these are known to sometimes occur during bottle shares with friends, when one breaks into the delicately cellared ales of old. Philosophically, these ales could even be considered time machines, in-and-of-themselves. You awake the next morning only for those jovial times with hearty companions to be but a distant memory.

It is in this spirit that we christen our Imperial Stout “Time Traveller”, as it pays homage to a style over 200 years old, in a tradition spanning the totality of human civilization, while continuing to develop over time in the cellar, and eventually taking its guests on a personal voyage through time and space.

Time Traveller Imperial Stout will be available at Silver City Brewery Taproom & Silver City Restaurant starting Friday, December 16th.

Availability will extend to retailers and taphouses throughout Washington State where Silver City beer is sold throughout the following weeks.