Timothy Taylor's Landlord has become Britain's best-selling cask ale, selling more than 18 million pints a year and generating £81.8 million in revenue. From its humble beginnings in a rented Keighley barn, the bitter has gained fame through celebrity endorsements and royal connections.
Madonna's Endorsement and Royal Patronage
In May 2003, Madonna named Landlord the best real ale on Jonathan Ross's sofa, having been introduced to it by then-husband Guy Ritchie at the Dog and Duck in Soho. She later called it "The Champagne of Ales" on Parkinson, causing the brewery's phone to ring for months. Hugh Grant also praised the beer at a London gallery opening, saying: "Art, what art? I'm only here for this marvellous beer!"
Royalty has also shown appreciation. The Prince of Wales toured Knowle Spring on 12th February 2001 and sampled a pint. The brewery marked the day with Royal Ale, later rebrewed as Celebration Ale for the 150th anniversary in 2008. In May 2023, it returned as a third brew to mark the coronation of King Charles III.
Founder's Legacy and Early History
Timothy Taylor, born in Bingley on 6th August 1826, was a tailor who entered the business in 1841. After marrying Charlotte Aked in 1857, her brother's death from typhoid caught from contaminated water sparked his interest in brewing. In 1858, he converted a barn and stable in Cook Lane, Keighley, into a brewery. His first pubs came in 1859, including The Volunteers, which still serves his beer today.
By 1863, Timothy moved to Knowle Spring for its pure soft water, and the brewery has remained there ever since. Initially, the mainstay was mild ale for mill and foundry workers. Timothy died in January 1898, leaving an estate worth £50,000.
Family Survival and the Birth of Landlord
His sons Robert and Percy took over, and the family has retained ownership. In 1922, the business was nearly sold to Samuel Allsopp and Sons for £112,000, but the buyer walked away. Landlord was created in 1952 as Competition Ale, named through a contest won by a steward from Keighley Drill Hall Club, who received £500 for suggesting "Landlord." Philip Taylor's daughter Roberta drew the jovial landlord on the pump clip.
John Aked Taylor, later Lord Ingrow, took charge in 1954, maintaining quality and independence. He refused to compromise on ingredients, saying: "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." He kept brewing cask ale during the keg era, using whole hops and Golden Promise barley.
Awards and Market Dominance
Landlord has won more awards than any other English ale. In 1999 and 2000, it became the first beer to hold both CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain and Brewing Industry International titles simultaneously. It was Beer of the Year at the Great British Beer Festival in 1982 and 1983. In November 2024, it was named the top-selling cask ale by value, and a year later, it took the volume crown, displacing Sharp's Doom Bar. Sales rose 3.6 per cent last year amid a decline in real ale elsewhere.
Brewing Secrets and 200th Birthday
Head brewer Andy Leman, only the sixth since 1858, notes: "The yeast is the same culture we've been using for 40 years which we harvest each week." The brewery maintains protected backup cultures. To mark Timothy Taylor's 200th birthday, the company is giving away 200 pints of Landlord across its Keighley pubs.
Chief executive Andrew Carter said: "Timothy would still recognise the Knowle Spring, our spring water and the same uncompromising commitment to quality. He would also be proud that we remain independent and family-owned, with fifth-generation Taylor family members still on our Board."
