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The Fat Cat (Fat Cat Brewery)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Billericay (large volume beers brewed at Brentwood) - Dark ChristmasGood1
Bishop Nick - Martyr IPAGood1
Colchester - AK PaleGood1
Colchester - Double Brown AleGood1
Colchester - DrizzleExcellent1
Farmer's Ales (Maldon Brewing) - Captain AnnGood1
Farmer's Ales (Maldon Brewing) - MollietteExcellent1
Green Jack - Orange WheatGood1
Maldon - The Hotel PorterExcellent3
Mighty Oak - Summit SpectacularExceptional1
Twisted Oak - Spun GoldGood1
Bishop Nick - Heresy (was once 4.1%)Not Tried0
Brentwood - GoldNot Tried0
Brentwood - Marvellous Maple MildNot Tried0
Crouch Vale - AmarilloNot Tried0
Crouch Vale - Brewers GoldNot Tried0
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Not Tried0
Dark Star - SevilleNot Tried0
Earl Soham - Albert AleNot Tried0
Farmer's Ales (Maldon Brewing) - 5 Gold RingsNot Tried0
Farmer's Ales (Maldon Brewing) - Snow DriftNot Tried0
Fat Cat - Hell CatNot Tried0
Fat Cat - Honey AleNot Tried0
Fat Cat - Honey CatNot Tried0
Fat Cat - Xmas PusNot Tried0
Maldon - Bah HumbugNot Tried0
Maldon - Cutty SarkNot Tried0
Maldon - DickensNot Tried0
Maldon - Eatanswill OldNot Tried0
Maldon - Puck's FollyNot Tried0
Mauldons - Black AdderNot Tried0
Mauldons - Mid-Autumn GoldNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - A Pine RomanceNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Reindeer GoldNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Three KingsNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Wonky DonkeyNot Tried0
Woodforde's - Tinsel Toes (superseded by 4.4% version)Not Tried0
Woodforde's - WherryNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Fat Cat, Colchester, Essex
Picture 2. The Fat Cat, Colchester, Essex
Picture 3. The Fat Cat, Colchester, Essex

Visits Details

09 Dec 2017 (Andrew)
Pub 12. Busy pub with a bit of a "Pub by numbers" feel to it.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Billericay (large volume beers brewed at Brentwood) - Dark Christmas5.00GoodSmooth powdery chocolate porter
Woodforde's - Tinsel Toes (superseded by 4.4% version)4.50Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Three Kings4.20Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Wonky Donkey4.30Not Tried
Maldon - Bah Humbug4.90Not Tried
Maldon - Dickens4.00Not Tried
Maldon - Eatanswill Old4.00Not Tried
Farmer's Ales (Maldon Brewing) - 5 Gold Rings3.80Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Reindeer Gold3.50Not Tried
Farmer's Ales (Maldon Brewing) - Snow Drift5.00Not Tried
Fat Cat - Xmas Pus4.30Not Tried
10 Feb 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit - rude not to do the Fat Cat / Ale House pair when in the area. Strange to see the 6 Adnams branded handpumps dominating the bar counter yet all beers served on gravity
BeerABVScoreNotes
Green Jack - Orange Wheat4.20Good
Woodforde's - Wherry3.80Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Amarillo5.00Not Tried
Maldon - The Hotel Porter4.10Not Tried
Fat Cat - Honey Ale4.30Not Tried
Mighty Oak - A Pine Romance4.20Not Tried
Maldon - Cutty Sark4.10Not Tried
10 Feb 2017 (ChrisE)
Afternoon visit and quite busy with a mix of drinkers and diners.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Maldon - The Hotel Porter4.10Good
Woodforde's - Wherry3.80Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Amarillo5.00Not Tried
Bishop Nick - Heresy (was once 4.1%)4.00Not Tried
Fat Cat - Honey Ale4.30Not Tried
Mighty Oak - A Pine Romance4.20Not Tried
12 Nov 2016 (Stephen Harris)
A couple of beers here before taking the shuttle bus out to the new football stadium.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Maldon - The Hotel Porter4.10ExcellentQuite a robust Porter for its strength.
Farmer's Ales (Maldon Brewing) - Captain Ann4.20GoodA mid-brown, traditional Bitter and a good one too.
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Maldon - Puck's Folly4.20Not Tried
Mauldons - Mid-Autumn Gold4.20Not Tried
Brentwood - Marvellous Maple Mild3.70Not Tried
Brentwood - Gold4.30Not Tried
Fat Cat - Honey Ale4.30Not Tried
13 Nov 2015 (ChrisE)
I had arranged to meet some friends in the Ale House opposite and decided to try this pub first as I had not been here before. There were no clips on display and the beer menu was chalked up at high level in small letters that I could not read easily, also I found that in order to look at it you could not avoid standing in the small space between the bar and the wall thus blocking the way to and from the toilets and smoking area.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Colchester - AK Pale3.70Good
05 Aug 2014 (HSB)
14:55 Fifth stop and my first visit here. Similar feel to the Norwich version but a more modern interior. Only gravity beers available as the pub was being decorated.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Bishop Nick - Martyr IPA5.00Good
Woodforde's - Wherry3.80Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Fat Cat - Honey Ale4.30Not Tried
24 May 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Lunchtime visit, and fairly quiet. I was impressed to find that the talk at the bar was about Leyton Orient’s prospects at Wembley tomorrow, a match to which one of the regulars was running a minibus. At last, a bar conversation I feel able to contribute to.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Twisted Oak - Spun Gold4.50GoodA nicely-balanced, amber/gold beer.
Colchester - Double Brown Ale4.40GoodDark brown. Richly malty, some roasted malt, hint of winey-ness.
Woodforde's - Wherry3.80Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Amarillo5.00Not Tried
Earl Soham - Albert Ale4.30Not Tried
Dark Star - Seville4.00Not Tried
Fat Cat - Hell Cat4.10Not Tried
Fat Cat - Honey Ale4.30Not Tried
31 Aug 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Lively lunchtime visit until a double decker bus arrived to take everybody off to the Colchester United match.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Summit Spectacular4.80ExceptionalSuperb, golden, powerful, oily, hoppy brew.
Colchester - Drizzle4.20ExcellentA golden hoppy beer.
Mauldons - Black Adder5.30Not Tried
Woodforde's - Wherry3.80Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Fat Cat - Honey Cat4.30Not Tried
Fat Cat - Hell Cat4.10Not Tried
06 Apr 2013 (Stephen Harris)
I arrived with a thirst after a long morning’s walk in beautiful weather alongside the River Colne. This pub is always a handy one to choose on Colchester United match days, as it runs its own double-decker bus out to the distant new stadium. A couple of other beers were available, whose names I have forgotten.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Maldon - The Hotel Porter4.10ExcellentA very nice, black porter, with chocolate tastes and just a hint of sourness.
Farmer's Ales (Maldon Brewing) - Molliette3.80ExcellentA full-bodied, chestnut-coloured bitter.
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)4.70Not Tried
Woodforde's - Wherry3.80Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Amarillo5.00Not Tried

About The Fat Cat

The pub sign. The Fat Cat, Colchester, Essex

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent4
Good8
Acceptable-
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Colchester, Essex, CO3 3BZ.

This little pub has had a variety of names since being established prior to 1863, initially as the Royal. It then did time as the Victory, the Artillery Inn and the Royal Artillery, before again becoming the Royal in 1903. The name stuck this time until 2006 when it became the Fat Cat, to mark its association with the Norwich pub and brewery of the same name. There is a small front bar, with a longer room behind. Food is served and usually a wide range of real ales available, which are served on gravity dispense from a cellar room up a stair or two from the bar despite the bar counter sporting 6 Adnams branded handpumps.

We have visited this pub 9 times, seen 38 different beers and tried 11 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CO3 3BZ