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Banks & Taylor
 scrapes in
 decent
 good
 excellent
 sublime
Banks & Taylor, Edwin Taylor's Extra Stout (England) 
(RP) The label claims Edwin Taylor was "involved in brewing" in London in the 1890s but the rather more humble truth is that he was a drayman for Fremlins. Nevertheless, this marvellous stout pays him proper respect and recalls what big brewers� stouts tasted like before chilling and "mixed gas dispense" robbed them of character. The beer is matured for two months on site, re-seeded with fresh yeast and primed with brewing sugar. The malts are Pearl pale and brown with roasted barley. Just one hop variety, Challenger, is used. The generous use of roasted barley gives the beer more of a "dry Irish stout" character than a smoother, less bitter conventional English interpretation. It has smooth chocolate and espresso coffee notes on the aroma, backed by pungent hops. Roasted grain dominates the mouth, with powerful support from bitter hops and chocolate. The bitter, spicy, chocolaty finish is underpinned by firm hop bitterness.
4.5% ABV, 50cl, �24.50 X 12, Livingbeer.com.  |  |
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