Boltmaker (formerly Best Bitter) | Timothy Taylor & Co. Limited
Brewed by:
Timothy Taylor & Co. Limited
England, United Kingdom
timothy-taylor.co.uk
Style: English Bitter
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Renamed in 2012 from "Best Bitter" to "Boltmaker".
http://www2.beerguild.co.uk/?p=2776
Added by TheLongBeachBum on 06-15-2003
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 60 | Reviews: 25
4.37/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.24/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
500 ml bottle poured into a tumbler
Pours a murky orange amber color with a bright white creamy head, great retention, slight lacing, and a decent amount of carbonation. Soft notes of citrus, fruit, and spice along with a touch of bready malts, caramel, and toffee, not much on the aroma. Good amount of bitterness on the flavor, citrus and spice notes along with bready malts, caramel and toffee, finish is dry with a good amount of citrus and light green hop note lingering in the finish, very nice. Light/medium bodied with medium carbonation and a very dry finish, creamy smoothness to it that disappears in the finish.
Besides the lack of aroma, I really like this beer, it has a good amount of bitterness but it's not hoppy, great balance of flavors, and it's definitely easier to drink with such a low ABV. Another beer from Timothy Taylor that I'd pick up.
867 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
500 ml bottle poured into a tumbler
Pours a murky orange amber color with a bright white creamy head, great retention, slight lacing, and a decent amount of carbonation. Soft notes of citrus, fruit, and spice along with a touch of bready malts, caramel, and toffee, not much on the aroma. Good amount of bitterness on the flavor, citrus and spice notes along with bready malts, caramel and toffee, finish is dry with a good amount of citrus and light green hop note lingering in the finish, very nice. Light/medium bodied with medium carbonation and a very dry finish, creamy smoothness to it that disappears in the finish.
Besides the lack of aroma, I really like this beer, it has a good amount of bitterness but it's not hoppy, great balance of flavors, and it's definitely easier to drink with such a low ABV. Another beer from Timothy Taylor that I'd pick up.
867 characters
3.61/5 rDev -11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.85/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.5/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.33/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Wonderful ESB pour: medium-dark yellow-orange with a large, fluffy white head. Translucent and lively.
Smells of bready English malt with firm nodes of caramel and toffee and some light European hops. As is expected from such an august brewer, this is quite expertly composed.
Tastes... different, but I grow to love it as the pint progresses. The word "bitter" has such a variable and contextual meaning. To an American pallet in, say, the 1980's, this would have probably seemed undrinkably rough. To a American beer person in the mid 2000's, it would have seem far too tame. But now that American IPA's have turned toward using smoother, fruiter hops, a sessionable English ESB again seems somewhat aggressive.
But only somewhat. This beer is quite delicately composed--it could serve as a wonderful lesson for the legions of American brewers cranking out mediocre "session IPAs" as of late. The grainbill is, gasp, actually used as a source of flavor and complexity. The caramel and toffee start off lightly bitter and grow fruity as the beer progresses, with a bitter and lightly peaty finish bookending the flavor. Very nicely done.
1,141 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Wonderful ESB pour: medium-dark yellow-orange with a large, fluffy white head. Translucent and lively.
Smells of bready English malt with firm nodes of caramel and toffee and some light European hops. As is expected from such an august brewer, this is quite expertly composed.
Tastes... different, but I grow to love it as the pint progresses. The word "bitter" has such a variable and contextual meaning. To an American pallet in, say, the 1980's, this would have probably seemed undrinkably rough. To a American beer person in the mid 2000's, it would have seem far too tame. But now that American IPA's have turned toward using smoother, fruiter hops, a sessionable English ESB again seems somewhat aggressive.
But only somewhat. This beer is quite delicately composed--it could serve as a wonderful lesson for the legions of American brewers cranking out mediocre "session IPAs" as of late. The grainbill is, gasp, actually used as a source of flavor and complexity. The caramel and toffee start off lightly bitter and grow fruity as the beer progresses, with a bitter and lightly peaty finish bookending the flavor. Very nicely done.
1,141 characters
3.25/5 rDev -20%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
4.04/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A: The beer is crystal clear yellowish amber in color and has a moderate to high amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a half finger high dense white head that gradually died down, leaving a large patch of bubbles that covered nearly all of the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of fruity yeast are present in the nose along with notes of pale malts and butter (from the diacetyl).
T: The taste follows the smell and has flavors of biscuit and cracker malts and buttery diacetyl along with notes of fruity yeast. There is a light amount of bitterness. Hints of mineral water are noticeable in the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and somewhat chewy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: For an English Bitter, this beer is extremely tasty. It is a very good representation of the style and is perfectly sessionable given its low alcohol content.
Serving type: bottle
944 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A: The beer is crystal clear yellowish amber in color and has a moderate to high amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a half finger high dense white head that gradually died down, leaving a large patch of bubbles that covered nearly all of the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of fruity yeast are present in the nose along with notes of pale malts and butter (from the diacetyl).
T: The taste follows the smell and has flavors of biscuit and cracker malts and buttery diacetyl along with notes of fruity yeast. There is a light amount of bitterness. Hints of mineral water are noticeable in the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and somewhat chewy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: For an English Bitter, this beer is extremely tasty. It is a very good representation of the style and is perfectly sessionable given its low alcohol content.
Serving type: bottle
944 characters
3.56/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
4.15/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.32/5 rDev -18.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.92/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A- Pours a medium reddish gold with minimal head.
S- Biscuit malts, bread, some slight esters.
T- Bready with a nice amount of bitterness. Bitter malt.
M- Well balanced, medium bodied and perfectly carbonated.
D- Probably one of the best examples of the style I have ever had.
276 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A- Pours a medium reddish gold with minimal head.
S- Biscuit malts, bread, some slight esters.
T- Bready with a nice amount of bitterness. Bitter malt.
M- Well balanced, medium bodied and perfectly carbonated.
D- Probably one of the best examples of the style I have ever had.
276 characters
4.29/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Aroma is fruit/mild berries and English/biscuit malts. The flavor is fruit, English malts/ale yeast, slightly nutty/toffee and a mix of tart and bitter in the finish.
167 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Aroma is fruit/mild berries and English/biscuit malts. The flavor is fruit, English malts/ale yeast, slightly nutty/toffee and a mix of tart and bitter in the finish.
167 characters
3.99/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours into a nonic a clear copper color with a thinner white head atop,good color clarity.Buttered toast and hard water notes in the nose,faint earth is detected as well.Sublime flavors for a bitter...spot on,buttered toast and caramel up front with earthy dryness in the finish,that hard water element is there thru the finish.It's a little thin and sharp but man what a sociable bitter,the best of the style I have had.
421 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours into a nonic a clear copper color with a thinner white head atop,good color clarity.Buttered toast and hard water notes in the nose,faint earth is detected as well.Sublime flavors for a bitter...spot on,buttered toast and caramel up front with earthy dryness in the finish,that hard water element is there thru the finish.It's a little thin and sharp but man what a sociable bitter,the best of the style I have had.
421 characters
3.73/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.5/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.45/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass. Stamp code L5253 19:15 whatever that means who knows.
Deep copper orange and red, with a resemblance of a crystal clear body but not quite. Not hazy, but an interesting opaqueness to the clarity, with a fine sense of middle carbonation slightly which is surprising. Frothy and thick chunky head, off tan almost orange in color in a way, easily making three solid fingers and a clump thick retention with some very big bubbles. Real nice and neat looking brew.
Toasty malts with an excellent sweet bakery sense. Big amounts of sweet cookie and a mild floral sweetness to go along with it. Muted brown sugar tones mix in with the malt quality as well, there might even be a bit of green herb poking out slightly. Real impressive aroma for a bitter. A faint dry brown bread crust even pops out with all the thick and light toffee quality as well, very nice.
Palate manages excellent flavor. A real neat malt profile in the mid palate, light brown sugar with a biscuit warmth and actually dry slightly pine hop bent. Finishes with big toasty dryness and accented with hop bitterness that gets even a little earthy and tea warm. Toasty angle gets into a lot of nutty flavors, almost hazelnut tasting, but with a noticeable bitter sting. Mouthfeel and flavor comes off real light but supportive, and even a bit mineral as well. Bold but light. Session sensing, but full of rich flavors.
There's a lot of complex qualities going on here for a bitter, a real nice rewarding brew to partake in. Great brew.
1,564 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass. Stamp code L5253 19:15 whatever that means who knows.
Deep copper orange and red, with a resemblance of a crystal clear body but not quite. Not hazy, but an interesting opaqueness to the clarity, with a fine sense of middle carbonation slightly which is surprising. Frothy and thick chunky head, off tan almost orange in color in a way, easily making three solid fingers and a clump thick retention with some very big bubbles. Real nice and neat looking brew.
Toasty malts with an excellent sweet bakery sense. Big amounts of sweet cookie and a mild floral sweetness to go along with it. Muted brown sugar tones mix in with the malt quality as well, there might even be a bit of green herb poking out slightly. Real impressive aroma for a bitter. A faint dry brown bread crust even pops out with all the thick and light toffee quality as well, very nice.
Palate manages excellent flavor. A real neat malt profile in the mid palate, light brown sugar with a biscuit warmth and actually dry slightly pine hop bent. Finishes with big toasty dryness and accented with hop bitterness that gets even a little earthy and tea warm. Toasty angle gets into a lot of nutty flavors, almost hazelnut tasting, but with a noticeable bitter sting. Mouthfeel and flavor comes off real light but supportive, and even a bit mineral as well. Bold but light. Session sensing, but full of rich flavors.
There's a lot of complex qualities going on here for a bitter, a real nice rewarding brew to partake in. Great brew.
1,564 characters
Boltmaker (formerly Best Bitter) from Timothy Taylor & Co. Limited
Beer rating:
4.06 out of
5 with
60 ratings
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