BREWERY // Timothy Taylor founded his brewery in the centre of Yorkshire town Keighley in 1858 but relocated a mile down the road to Knowle Spring 5 years later where the brewery stands to this day. The site was chosen for good reason and they soon sunk a well to draw pure Pennine water from the spring which runs right beneath the brewery. As well as the unique soft well water, Timothy Taylor stands out from others by being one of the last in Britain to exclusively use whole leaf hops. They also use a unique yeast strain in all of their beers which is well over 2,000 generations old (it is re-pitched each week) which gives their beers a clean 'polished clarity'. The brewery is still in the Taylor family and is now the last independent brewer of its type in West Yorkshire.
BEER // Boltmaker was originally known simply as Best Bitter and has been brewed since the 1930s. While many of us craft beer drinkers enjoy fresh new weekly releases of one-off brews, there is a lot to be said for classic beers that have been honed to perfection over years. Perfection is not an overstatement for Boltmaker - it has received countless awards including the CAMRA Supreme Champion Beer of Britain in 2014. This is a genuine Yorkshire Bitter and beautifully balances a (relatively) hoppy aroma with maltiness. Bitter isn't an especially sexy style even in its homeland and most modern brewers wouldn't consider brewing this beer which brings to mind dimpled pint glasses, smokey library-quiet pubs and old men in flat caps. It's true that Bitter is best served from the cask (not keg) but bottles make a pretty good stand-in for us colonial folks. A good pint of bitter should leave the drinker satisfied yet still happy to have more. It is a deliciously enjoyable drink but in a matter-of-fact way - your tastebuds will be delighted rather than overwhelmed. Boltmaker has an aroma of slightly spicy English hops, the flavour is a led by a wonderful melody of malts and the bitter finish keeps you coming back for more.
BREWERY // Timothy Taylor
BEER // Boltmaker
STYLE // Bitter
ORIGIN // West Yorkshire
ABV // 4.2%
TEMPERATURE // Cellar Temp - around 11-13C. About an hour out of the fridge
FOOD MATCH // Roast Beef, Faggots w. Onion Gravy, Bean Chilli
VESSEL // Dimpled Pint. Nonic Pint