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Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 08:15 Thu 21 Jun 2007
by KillerB
Voted CAMRA beer of the year so many times that it's now an embarrassment.
When I first had it, I thought "Why? It's nice but nothing special." Well, that's what so special. If you think of what a good pint should be, it should make you feel all nice and cosy, cheer you up and make you buy another... That's Landlord and it's lovely. Feelgood beer.
Correspondence with Peter Eells
Posted: 01:22 Sat 23 Jun 2007
by jdaw1
On 11th April 2007 jdaw1 wrote:Peter Eells
Timothy Taylor & Co. Limited
Knowle Spring Brewery
Keighley
West Yorkshire BD21 1AW
11th April 2007
Dear Mr Eells,
Earlier this year I visited The York, a fine pub near Angel tube station in London, wherein, with a friend, I thoroughly enjoyed six pints of Timothy Taylor Landlord. A beautifully bitter bitter, well cellared, and deserved winner of numerous prizes.
Then I came home. I came home to land that the Lord hath smitten with a pestilence. Sword, famine, evil beasts, and pestilence: the fully Monty. For I live in New York, the largest beer-free city outside of the Middle East. And so often — so often — a barman asks what’s wanted, and I reply “a pint of Timothy Taylor Landlord†. Some bar staff know nothing and know not how respectfully to reply; some know something and reply respectfully, but not helpfully. There is no beer.
Please, I throw myself at your feet (well, metaphorically, this is a letter—pretend!). Enough of my beer-free existence: I want real quality proper Timothy Taylor beer. Landlord. Six pints please, one every twenty-five minutes. Please ship it to New York. Open a chain of bars if you have to, I will keep them all in business. (And it would be so easy to advertise, mocking sweet American children’s confections made with rice.) Please!
Yours, thirstily in hope,
Julian D. A. Wiseman
On 27th April 2007 Peter Eells wrote:Dear Mr Wiseman
Thank you for your marvellous letter that I received today. It gives all the Brewing team a lift to read such paeans of praise.
Although I am sure my friend, Garrett T Oliver, of Brooklyn Brewery, would be horrified to hear that New York, New York is No Beer, No Beer, we take your remarks as supreme compliments.
However, we have tried to send some ‘samples’ of beer to the U.S. before, and it is a complete nightmare. Between the abstemious Pilgrim Fathers and the more modern but equally fastidious New York Customs Authority, rules have been devised for a few bottles of beer to cost a fortune to send, and then they are routinely impounded. So, there is no possibility of assuaging your thirst.
However, I am sending you a sweatshirt and a glass so that it gives you the inspiration to tear up the American Constitution and close the New York Docks.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Eells
Head Brewer
That was a splendid letter, even if the heralded sweatshirt and glass never came—presumably having been impounded by customs.
On 27th April 2007 jdaw1 wrote:Dear Mr Eells,
Thank you for your letter of 17th April, responding to mine of the 11th. Entertaining, knowledgeable, generous but — despite the forthcoming shirt and glass — useless. Beer-free.
“My centre is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack.† Since you won’t send beer, I’ll ask for better: a brewery. Open, in upstate New York, Timothy Taylor In Exile. The promotion would be stupidly easy, and the ruder, the more effective.
• Children’s drinks are sweet and cold. A man’s beer is bitter.
• If you have not tasted bitterness, you have the innocence of a child. Enjoy it.
• Rice is a cheap carb. Beer made with rice is for cheap people who don’t know better.
• Some beers advertise using cute women. Those women are cute, but we sell real ale.
Yours in growing desperation,
Julian D. A. Wiseman
As yet there has been no reply to this second letter.
Posted: 09:16 Tue 26 Jun 2007
by KillerB
I've still got no reply to this but would like to point out that a string of Timothy Taylor breweries across this country would not go amiss. It travels better than many beers but all traditional beer tastes better within cycling distance of the brewery. Although Todd may debate how far cycling distance is.
Posted: 15:30 Fri 29 Jun 2007
by uncle tom
A great beer indeed - until you sample Woodforde's Wherry...
Tom
PS Just come back from a short cricket tour to Brighton. Lager peasants aside, all the serious drinkers agreed that Hophead - made by whom I am not sure - was a superb drop..
In Brighton I would have gone for Harvey Sussex
Posted: 15:32 Fri 29 Jun 2007
by jdaw1
In Brighton I would have gone for
Harvey Sussex.
Posted: 23:26 Sun 15 Jul 2007
by DRT
Confession: I am a lager lout
I will be in London for 4 nights this week - where can I find some nice warm, brown TTL?
Derek
Posted: 23:37 Sun 15 Jul 2007
by KillerB
You are more likely to find it further North but there is a pub in Covent Garden that serves it. Sadly, I didn't try it there so it may be badly kept. As you come out of the tube and head towards the market hall, the first pub on the right corner serves it. Nice, small pub.
Posted: 23:43 Sun 15 Jul 2007
by DRT
That's no help to me. You'll have to meet me there at 17:30 on Wednesday
Derek
Posted: 23:48 Sun 15 Jul 2007
by KillerB
I think I will be in there with Ronnie at that time.
Posted: 23:52 Sun 15 Jul 2007
by DRT
Txt me when you get there with the name of the pub. I will make yet another sacrifice and make best efforts to join you
The York
Posted: 00:10 Mon 16 Jul 2007
by jdaw1
Derek T. wrote:where can I find some nice warm, brown TTL?
jdaw1 wrote:On 11th April 2007 jdaw1 wrote:…
Earlier this year I visited The York, a fine pub near Angel tube station in London, wherein, with a friend, I thoroughly enjoyed six pints of Timothy Taylor Landlord.
Fancy A Pint review
Posted: 00:22 Mon 16 Jul 2007
by DRT
I will report back
Posted: 12:30 Mon 16 Jul 2007
by Alex Bridgeman
I've been busy moving all my appointments for Wednesday forward in the day so I should be able to get over to Covent Garden between 4:30 and 5pm. I'll drag you out of the pub and into the Crusting Pipe for some proper drinking.
But let me know the name of the pub just in case I get lost or delayed there.
Alex
Posted: 19:32 Thu 23 Aug 2007
by DRT
I finally came across this in a pub on the south end of Blackfriars Bridge.
I have to agree with KillerBs assesment at the top of this thread, this is just a good pint of beer. If it was varnish, it would be Ronseal
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 07:40 Mon 11 Aug 2008
by RonnieRoots
I must confess that I never read this thread until now... and only now I understand what was the lead-up to the imperial drinking we did while we still had to go throught 15+ bottles of port...
Now, the only ale we can get here (from can) is Fuller's London Pride. I like it, but due to the lack of alternative I like almost everything that has a faint idea of taste. I even enjoy a pint of John Smith's UltraSmooth (with widget). So, how does the Fuller's compare to TTL?
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 16:03 Mon 11 Aug 2008
by DRT
RonnieRoots wrote: So, how does the Fuller's compare to TTL?
Like Cruz Ruby compares to Fonseca 1966.
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 16:33 Mon 11 Aug 2008
by jdaw1
No. A well-kept pint of London Pride is a joy. TTL has a slight advantage, but both are excellent ales. TTL = F66, agreed, but FLP = F77.
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 18:25 Mon 11 Aug 2008
by RonnieRoots
I'll settle for that.
And Derek: I'd actually be happy with Cruz Ruby. Must be better than Cockburn Ruby!
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 20:25 Mon 11 Aug 2008
by DRT
jdaw1 wrote:No. A well-kept pint of London Pride is a joy.
But the comparison was London Pride in a can with a widget. Do you wish to revise your response so as not to build Ronnies hopes too high?
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 21:28 Mon 11 Aug 2008
by jdaw1
Ahh, less good. Sorry. Open an F77 instead.
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 06:25 Tue 12 Aug 2008
by RonnieRoots
DRT wrote:jdaw1 wrote:No. A well-kept pint of London Pride is a joy.
But the comparison was London Pride in a can with a widget. Do you wish to revise your response so as not to build Ronnies hopes too high?
The London Pride cans actually come without widget. A good thing if you ask me. Can I get a new comparison based on this knowledge?
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 09:33 Tue 12 Aug 2008
by DRT
RonnieRoots wrote:DRT wrote:jdaw1 wrote:No. A well-kept pint of London Pride is a joy.
But the comparison was London Pride in a can with a widget. Do you wish to revise your response so as not to build Ronnies hopes too high?
The London Pride cans actually come without widget. A good thing if you ask me. Can I get a new comparison based on this knowledge?
I will leave that to the expert, but suspect that anything in a can could not qualify as "a well-kept pint"
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 05:07 Mon 03 Nov 2008
by RonnieRoots
Joy and celebrations: a new addition at our off-license: Fuller's 1845. Bottle matured for 100 days. And I must say, it's a really good glass of ale.
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 05:15 Tue 18 Nov 2008
by Tony
I am new to this forum, but I have been a real ale anorak for years!
TT Landlord and Fullers London Pride seems a strange comparison as they are completly different beer styles. TT is typical beer from north of the Trent, hoppy, sulphur and a crisp taste where as LP is more heavily bodied and malty. Both beers are widely sold but they are often not looked after very well, particularly the LP. However the Vintage Port's of the real ale world are surely those beers that you have to hunt down...crawling around obscure parts of the country and scouring beer festivals for something special.
Maybe Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild (from the West Midlands) would be a real contender!
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 05:35 Tue 18 Nov 2008
by jdaw1
To my shame and I do realise the failings embedded in the admission I have never liked mild, nor porter.
Further, your reply hints in the direction of liking recherché merely for its recherchéness? Which is fine, but perhaps should be acknowledged.
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 11:57 Mon 05 Jan 2009
by RonnieRoots
KillerB: now you're back to posting, you're opinion on Fuller's is most wanted.
Am I drinking Fonseca or Cruz?
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 16:30 Mon 05 Jan 2009
by KillerB
I have to say that if I'm stuck on a plane and they have FLP, I am happy enough. If you get it in a pub and it is well kept then it can be truly excellent. Buying it in a bottle it is adequate but I wouldn't buy cans of it in preference to other beers, especially with a widget, which I find tends to kill flavours - no idea why. Generally a nice, hoppy beer with good body.
I'm happy to compare TTL and FLP, they are both good brown beers of their style, but I would always take the Taylor's.
Re: Timothy Taylor Landlord
Posted: 19:57 Mon 05 Jan 2009
by RonnieRoots
Well, a good thing about the FLP is that the can is widgetless. The bottles of Fuller's 1845 are clearly superior. But they are also a good deal more expensive, and we're bound to a maximum spending each month. With a lot of guests coming over (and having to provide them with alcohol as well) I'll opt for the FLP for the moment. After the visitor's season LadyR and I will enjoy the 1845 again.