Latest news with #TimothyTaylor
Time Out
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The London beer that was just crowned the best in Britain for 2025
Congrats to Bermondsey-based independent craft brewer Anspach & Hobday, whose 'London Black' has come first place in the Top 50 UK Beer Awards. The nitro porter was praised for its 'sessionability alongside amazing flavour and quality', and it climbed up to top spot from fifth place in 2024. The awards are run by self-proclaimed 'beer experts' We Are Beer and are now in their second year. 'This nitro porter has quickly become a fan favourite with drinkers, buyers and the brewers themselves,' said We Are Beer. 'The resurgence of stout and popularity of Guinness have no doubt helped to drive its success.' The best stouts and Guinness alternatives in the UK. Last year's winner – Deya's 'Steady Rolling Man' – was third in this year's top 50, with Timothy Taylor's 'Landlord' came in at number two. Speaking about the win, Paul Anspach, co-founder of Anspach & Hobday, said: 'The whole team is incredibly proud and grateful for this award. London Black is the lifeblood of Anspach & Hobday, and is a distillation of who we are as a brewery and a business. As our contribution to London's rich and diverse brewing scene, we are proud to be reaffirming porter as the original beer of London'. You can raise a glass of London Black at the London Craft Beer Festival, run by We Are Beer, from July 18-19 at Magazine London in Greenwich. The 50 best pubs in London, according to Time Out.
Spectator
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The bitter end of bitter
'Another pint of bitter, love, when you're ready.' To those of a certain age the request slips off the tongue like the opening line of a sonnet. A pint of bitter is as English as the first cuckoo of spring or the last rose of summer. It brings to mind a pub, the people in it, and that social phenomenon which binds us to those we trust – the round. And, of course, one pint may lead to another. Television adverts used to be full of jolly pint-swillers. Whitbread 'Big Head' Trophy Bitter was 'the pint that thinks it's a qua-art'. Tetley of Leeds, a big player in those days, introduced viewers to their 'Bittermen', with the declaration: 'You can't beat 'em.' Bitter, more than its maltier cousin mild, was the favoured hoppy drink of the pub before the tasteless brute lager swaggered into our taverns. Sometimes, particularly in the north and Midlands, the two went together in a single beaker – though if you try telling the tale of 'mixed' to the hipsters of Camden Town, you might get some funny looks. The trendy modern toper prefers to take his ale from a barrel marked 'craft', as though the indentured brewers of previous decades hadn't the foggiest. Their successors, terrified by the prospect of being behind the times, are running scared. The Wye Valley Brewery, responsible for the superb Butty Bach, has decided to 'rebrand' its best bitter as Pyoneer. Although they insist the change is a way of honouring native traditions – Canon Pyon being the village where the brewery has its roots – a spokesman rather gave the game away by referring to the hunt for 'a new demographic'. We know what that means. Out with the woolly jumpers; in with bucket hats. So fare thee well, bitter beer. It was lovely knowing you. These days, if you promise to behave, you may be passed off as 'amber ale', which, strictly speaking, is true. Sometimes your dance card says 'pale ale', which is more or less true. Bitter and pale ale have always worn each other's clothes – like those hipsters in Camden. Landlord, the world classic brewed in Keighley by Timothy Taylor, is designated a pale ale. Their best bitter has for some years been called Boltmaker – and jolly good it is, too. There is no time for tears so long as brewers offer regulars such sapid stuff. London Pride, the jewel in the crown of Fuller's of Chiswick, is also promoted as an amber ale. There was a deliberate change of tone when Asahi, the Japanese brewers, bought the company six years ago – and you can still get Pride worth a gargle. The Red Lion in Barnes, a white-walled fortress with a garden, is a good place to satisfy your curiosity. But the foreign invasion, represented in part by the rise of those overrated craft beers, has claimed some notable victims. Later this year, the Banks's Brewery in Wolverhampton, which has pleased Black Country boozers for 150 years, will close its doors. Their mild is justly famous so this is a real deprivation. The carve-up of regional brewers by multinational corporations has changed the culture of drinking habits in a land known for its range of ales The carve-up of regional brewers by multinational corporations has changed the culture of drinking habits in a land known for its range of ales. Jennings of Cockermouth and Ringwood of the New Forest are merely the latest brewers to join the likes of Boddingtons in the taproom of history. Who ever thought 'Boddys' could go? It was as much a part of Manchester folklore as rain in July and the gay village. Well, the palace next to Strangeways Hotel, where they brewed what beer guides called 'a distinctive straw-coloured bitter', was pulled down 20 years ago. It can be difficult to keep up with developments. Draught Bass is now brewed under licence by Marston's. It is one of the great beers, characterised by the red triangle – the UK's first registered trademark – that appeared in Manet's Bar at the Folies-Bergère. Is it a bitter, or a pale ale? It doesn't really matter – though you might be stretching the tolerance of Burton folk to call it an amber ale. Sitting outside the Swan Inn at Milton last week, six miles from the brewery, it was possible to close one's eyes and pretend the cataclysm hadn't happened. There are still corking beers to be supped. Bateman's of Wainfleet, Holt's of Manchester, Batham's of Brierley Hill, and Woodforde's of Norwich won't let you down. And there are plenty of local breweries giving it a go without having to pretend they've 'gone craft'. Is there an outstanding candidate? There most certainly is. If we put Landlord to one side, for the sake of argument, then Harvey's Sussex Best of Lewes lands the strongest punch. 'Sussex Best Bitter', to put a proper handle on the jug, must be considered the champion. At the Express Tavern on Kew Bridge you may find this great ale, which has been sluicing through their pumps for 105 consecutive years. There is no excuse for not popping in to see how they are getting on.
Telegraph
28-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Bitter is back in vogue – just don't call it that...
Wye Valley Brewery in Herefordshire has taken bitter off the menu – renaming its 3.4 per cent malty ale 'Pyoneer' in celebration of its 40th anniversary (combining 'pioneer' and Canon Pyon, the village where the business began). The brewery claims that the term 'bitter' has a bad reputation and its customers prefer 'amber ale' – Pyoneer's new style description. The award-winning brewery is not alone. Some of the biggest names in bitter shied away from the term years ago. Fuller's London Pride was restyled as an amber ale in 2021. Timothy Taylor's Best Bitter was rechristened Boltmaker after the landlord of the Boltmaker Arms in Keighley won a naming competition in 2012. In fact, most of the best-selling bitters in the country no longer have the dreaded b-word on their labels. Beer style categories are in a constant state of flux and change. There are no formal rules governing how ale is described. Flipping back through historic advertisements, we see that 'amber ale' and 'bitter' have been used interchangeably to promote these beers since they first rose to prominence in the mid-19th century. But while the bigger players eschew the word, many independent craft brewers have been embracing it. Some of the most exciting names in the industry, the likes of Northern Monk and Deya, are proudly crafting this most traditional of styles. And they aren't afraid to write 'bitter' on the can, either. Whatever you call it, bitter has been a mainstay of the British pub for nearly 200 years. The style arose from the celebrated pale ales of Burton upon Trent. Hops add bitterness, so the fresh, well-hopped pale ales were colloquially referred to as bitter, while the older, more mellow beers were mild. By the 20th century, bitter and mild were ubiquitous, as Keith Bott of Stoke's Titanic Brewery recalls: 'When we took over the brewery in 1988, consumers genuinely weren't used to having a choice. You used to go into the pub and you could have mild or bitter. And if you didn't like those two you could mix them,' in which case you'd order a pint of 'mixed'. Nowadays, bitters are characterised by their deft balance. A light, malty sweetness counterpoints hoppy bitterness and the yeast can contribute an additional fruity note. They are immensely drinkable beers, belying the complexity involved in brewing them well. The one thing they are not is the most bitter beer on the market. An intensely hopped West Coast IPA could contain easily two or three times the bitterness units of a standard bitter. Over time, different types of bitter have evolved, distinguished by their strength. Regular or ordinary bitters tend to be under 4.2 per cent abv. Anything higher is known as a best bitter with correspondingly bolder flavours. More intense still is the extra special bitter (ESB) which tends to be over 5.5 per cent abv. Their heavier bitterness is counteracted by malty, fruity and spicy tones that can be reminiscent of Christmas cake. Skip to: However it is labelled, it's clear that the bitter style of beer is thriving. Here are some of our favourites. Moor Beer Co Bitter
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
WATCH: Dramatic footage shows high-speed police chase in bid to catch criminal
Dramatic footage has been released showing disqualified motorist Timothy Taylor leading police on a high-speed chase. The 32-year-old from Newport drove recklessly through built-up areas in Caerphilly county, including Risca and Cross Keys, in February this year. He was behind the wheel of a red Ford Fiesta, making dangerous manoeuvres, and overtaking other vehicles with oncoming traffic approaching. He mounted a kerb to avoid a police stinger set to deflate his tyres. Gwent Police footage of Timothy Taylor dumping his car (Image: Gwent Police) ❗This is the moment a disqualified motorist drove a red Ford Fiesta at high speed through built-up areas and took a roundabout on the wrong side of the road. 🤝 Gwent Police and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) worked together to bring the suspect to justice. 👇 — Gwent Police (@gwentpolice) April 10, 2025 Footage from a police helicopter shows him driving round a roundabout on the wrong side of the road. A police helicopter tracked his movements while members of Gwent Police's Roads Policing and Specialist Operations (RPSO) unit also pursued him. Taylor eventually abandoned his vehicle in Risca. The helicopter directed officers on the ground to a Tesco store where Taylor was found hiding and was arrested. At the time of his arrest, he was found with three bags of cocaine on him. A passenger was in the car with him during the chase. Taylor has 22 previous convictions for 41 offences, including three previous dangerous driving charges. He also has a conviction for possessing an offensive weapon after he was found with a knuckle duster with a retractable dagger in March 2024. (Image: Gwent Police) He has never passed a driving test. This year, he admitted to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance. He also pleaded guilty to possession of class A drugs, handling stolen goods, and a burglary offence in Dewstow, Monmouthshire, on December 1, 2023. Newport Crown Court heard that Taylor stole £300 in cash from a house in Caerwent, leaving a DNA trace at the scene. Taylor, of St John's Terrace, Crosskeys, was sentenced to 32 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 34 months upon his release. He was also ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge. PC Aimee Rees, the officer in the case, said: "The NPAS footage of Taylor's driving is extremely shocking to view, especially when you consider the speeds he reached in built-up areas. "Taylor was aware he was driving whilst disqualified and his willingness to engage in such risk-taking to try to evade detection is something that caused us great concern. "His actions on that day could have had tragic consequences given the lack of care for the safety of others and himself. It is by sheer luck only that nobody was injured during this spree of utterly reckless and dangerous driving by Taylor. 'Bringing the defendant to justice was a team effort and, with overwhelming evidence against him, Taylor had no other option but to plead guilty to the offences he faced in court.'
The Hill
19-03-2025
- Automotive
- The Hill
Electric vehicle owners don't buy gas. States look for other ways to pay for roads and bridges.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The pothole outside Timothy Taylor's home was so deep, he could hear the clunk of cars hitting it from inside his house. The Portland, Oregon, resident could sympathize with those drivers: He knew to avoid his own neighborhood pothole, but another one damaged his car's suspension to the tune of $1,000. 'Hearing that awful sound of your car bottoming out — it's horrible,' he said. Oregon transportation officials say that without more funding, residents like Taylor could see further declines in the quality of roads, highways and bridges starting this year. But revenues from gas taxes paid by drivers at the pump are projected to decrease as more people adopt electric and fuel-efficient cars, forcing officials to look for new ways to fund transportation infrastructure. States with aggressive climate goals like Oregon face a conundrum: EVs can help reduce emissions in the transportation sector, the nation's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, but they also mean less gas tax revenue in government coffers. 'We now find ourselves right now in a position where we want to address fuel use and drive down reliance on gases and internal combustion engines. But we need the funds to operate our roads that EVs need to use as well,' said Carra Sahler, director of the Green Energy Institute at Lewis & Clark Law School. Gas tax revenue is set to fall Motor fuel taxes are the largest source of transportation revenue for states, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers' most recent report on state expenditures. But the money they bring in has fallen: Gas taxes raised 41% of transportation revenue in fiscal year 2016, compared with roughly 36% in fiscal year 2024, the group found. In California, where zero-emission vehicles accounted for about a quarter of car sales last year, legislative analysts predict gas tax collections will decrease by $5 billion — or 64% — by 2035, in a scenario where the state successfully meets its climate goals. California and Oregon are among the multiple states that will require all new passenger cars sold to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. The downward revenue trend is already playing out in Pennsylvania, where gas tax revenues dropped an estimated $250 million last year compared with 2019, according to the state's independent fiscal office. Inflation has also driven up the cost of transportation materials, exacerbating budget concerns. What is going on in Oregon? The Oregon Department of Transportation — citing inflation, projections of declining gas tax revenues and certain spending limitations — has estimated a shortfall topping $350 million for the next budget cycle. That could mean cuts to winter snow plowing and the striping and paving of roads, as well as layoffs of as many as 1,000 transportation employees. Republican lawmakers say the gas tax revenue issue has been compounded by the department mismanaging its money. An audit released in January found the department overestimated its revenue for the current budget cycle by over $1 billion and failed to properly track certain funds. 'It really is about making sure that the existing dollars that are being spent by the department are being spent efficiently and effectively,' said state Sen. Bruce Starr, GOP co-vice chair of the joint transportation committee. How states are boosting transportation funding To make up for lost revenue, 34 states have raised their gas tax since 2013, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. California has the highest gas tax at over 69 cents a gallon when including other taxes and fees, while Alaska has the lowest at 9 cents a gallon, according to figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In Oregon — which in 1919 became the first state to implement a gas tax — it is 40 cents a gallon. The federal gas tax of 18 cents a gallon, which isn't adjusted for inflation, hasn't been raised in over three decades. In Oregon, where there is no sales tax and tolling has met fierce opposition, lawmakers are debating next steps. Oregon is among the states that have already raised registration fees for EVs. Other states have taken such steps as indexing their gas tax to inflation, raising registration fees for EVs and taxing EV charging stations. To bolster transportation dollars, some have reorganized their budgets. In Michigan, where Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was first elected using the slogan 'Fix the Damn Roads,' some revenues from marijuana taxes and personal income taxes now go toward transportation. In Connecticut, the sales tax now brings in more money for its special transportation fund than gas tax revenues, a 2024 fiscal report shows. Another concept that could provide a long-term solution is what are often known as a road user charge. Under such a system, drivers pay a fee based on the distance they travel. In 2023, Hawaii established a road usage charge program for EV drivers that will phase in starting this July. In 2028, all EV drivers will be automatically enrolled, with odometers read at annual vehicle inspections. Three other states — Oregon, Utah and Virginia — have voluntary road usage fee programs. Drivers can opt to use GPS tools to track and report their mileage.
