Brewery: Timothy Taylor
Country: England
Size: 50cl
ABV: 4.1%
Price: 33kr
Systembolaget: 89848
You could say in my time I have tried my fair share of British ales. In fact you could probably say I’ve tried my neighbours share too and maybe even his wifes. A good pint of pale ale or bitter is enshrined in the British pub culture and it’s something that I hope the country never moves away from. Admittedly now and again you come across some ill conceived glasses of dish rag tasting beer but the vast majority of them are great to sup on a lazy weekend. I came across Landlord after it was recommended to me and so after an enjoyable tasting I decided to include it in the blind taste test.
Amber in colour and light in body, Timothy Taylors landlord poured with minimal fuss. The head didn’t hold for that long and it seemed rather devoid of gas but I didn’t expect any alka seltzer levels of activity. The malt came through nicely on the nose and was accompanied by biscuit and moss. The hop character was also there but took a backseat. It was rather drying on the tongue, with some big bread and grass notes found. A hint of red currant tartness and a the bitter fruity hops were also entwined in the bread and caramel tones. It left the mouth with a crispness and a very slight metallic edge.
The best word to describe this beer is balanced. The malt is the star of the show but it is backed up by enough hop bite to leave the beer fresh and enjoyable. I can understand why this has won a lot of awards. It is a great example of a session pale ale that could be enjoyed all year round. It seemed to be quite hard to get hold of over here but worth a try if you can find it.