Boltmaker
Timothy Taylor's Brewery

 

Finally! Boltmaker! From cask at The George in London right on the edge of Marylebone/Fitzrovia. A lovely pub on the fancier side. I’ve been scouring London pubs for five days looking for a beer from TT other than Landlord, as amazing as that beer is. This brewery does not miss, wow. This is a stellar Bitter. Clearly a step above any other Bitter I’ve had during this trip and I knew from first sip. Gorgeous pour and perfect flavor. So balanced. Finish is superb, being both sweet yet properly yeasty with wonderfully caramelized malt. For the style, I’m not sure how it can be surpassed.

 

 

5 days before this was drinking some amazing ales, and this is no where near them - though it's better than GK IPA

Had on cask. Clear amber brown with a beige clean foam head, lacing abounds. Surprisingly malty in the nose, with toffee and lesser so caramel, but then citrus hops and sneaky bready yeast elevate. Taste has great motion to it, the sweet malt in fullness up front, then a wave of yeast and biscuit bridging the palate to the finishing floral, citrus hops and a hint of mineral water. Intense for the style the whole sip. Feel is full yet highly drinkable and smooth, hops massage the malts well, warming on the palate. So much character here, very impressed. The wife liked it

Clear bright amber with domed off white head that pocks + sticks around; caramel, bread crust, marmalade + pepper on the nose; shortbread, toffee, red pear, spice, orange, thyme and earthy finish; fizzy, slight chew, long bitter linger.

Styrian Goldings, Goldings, Fuggles

4 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25

Has it all going on: the rich Werther's Original maltiness you get from Golden Promise, a bunch of Wyeast 1469 peach + dark cherry esters, then a hit of Styrian herb + Fuggles white pepper with bits of EKG florals plus all the IBUs you could want.
It's a bit earthier on the finish than I really want + I'd like more EKG citrus, but tough to say this isn't a classic pint of bitter.

TT know what they're doing.

 

Cask 1/3 pint, gravity dispense, at the 16th Twickenham Beer & Cider Festival. Copper colour. Sourish aroma, dodgy, not in perfect nick. Tolerably hoppy flavour, but not as good as I hoped.

500ml bottle.
L: Clear, orange/amber colour with several streams of bubbles and one finger of long-lasting, lumpy, off-white head.
S: Light, clean aroma of caramel and toffee. Wood notes emerge as the beer warms.
T: More caramel plus vintage marmalade in the background and moderately bitter hops reminiscent of stewed tea.
F: Medium body with a refreshing, extra dry finish.
O: Proof that a well-crafted, malty but dry, English bitter will always be the ultimate session ale. Fabulous colour, rich in flavour, full of body and only 4.2% ABV.

Review is from bottle, but have had several times on draft. Much of this review will be a comparison to Landlord.
L4 - very very similar in appearance to Landlord. Does not hold head as well.
S4 - has a nose which Landlord lacks. Sweet and malty.
T4 Well balanced and malty.
F4.25 Spot on - medium body, excellent mouthfeel.
O4.25 Very similar to Landlord, head not held as well but better aroma.

L: Dark orangey amber in appearance, a good level of head
S: Sweet flapjacks, background of maltiness, hints of bread
T: Toffee, bread, cake, bitterness at the back
F: Quite a lovely feel, well-bodied

O: 4.25

 

Pours a deep amber color, with soft, soapy head.

Smell is floral and malty, with a bit of sweetness and notes of grapefruit, white bread crust and a hint of leather.

Taste is crisp, soft and malty with a bit of sweetness, balanced perfectly by a floral bitterness. Notes of grapefruit, herbs and some earthiness. Very refreshing and sessionable.

Mouthfeel is medium, soft and well carbonated.

Overall, a brilliant bitter, drinkable, but full of flavor.

 

Half pour (cask) at York Tap. Medium amber with small creamy head, lots of lacing. Bready, malty aroma. Taste is also like dark bread, cask makes this silky smooth and delicious. Really sublime and superb.

 

 

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.