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Tolly Roger

Cliff Quay Brewery
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🌍 United Kingdom · Extra Special Bitter · One of 16 Extra Special Bitters in hopIQ

A homage to the historic Tolly Cobbold Brewery that preceded Cliff Quay on the same Ipswich Cliff Quay site since 1746. A warming English bitter brewed in the tradition of Suffolk's most historic brewing site. Malty and smooth with gentle English hop bitterness.

ABV
4.2%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber13
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Dry finish.

A clean close sets the character — an invitation to the next sip.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Extra Special Bitter.
Hop character
hoppy
herbal
Malt character
malty
caramel
bready
nutty
toasty
Fermentation & yeast
clean
Compare with another beer →

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Tolly Roger

Appearance

Deep amber to copper-brown hue reflecting the beer's modest crystal malt content. The body presents clear brilliance with fine, persistent carbonation that builds a dense, creamy head with good retention and lacing. A traditional appearance befitting a classic English bitter.

deep amberclearcreamy headpersistent lacing

Aroma

The nose opens with warm, toasted malt character underpinned by subtle caramel sweetness. English hop varieties contribute restrained floral and herbal notes without dominating, while a faint nuttiness emerges in the background. Overall a balanced, malt-forward bouquet with gentle earthiness.

toasted maltsfloral hopscaramel sweetnessherbal earth

Taste

Entry is smooth and full-bodied, with pronounced maltziness balanced by a bready, slightly nutty character. Mid-palate maintains complexity through caramel and toasty notes, while English hop bitterness arrives with measured restraint—clean and defined without harsh edges. The finish lingers with gentle drying and a subtle herbal fade.

malty corecaramel sweetnessrestrained bitternessclean drying

Finish

Medium-length finish with lingering malt sweetness gradually giving way to dry, herbal bitterness. A warming aftertaste consistent with the beer's approachable 4.2% alcohol.

medium lengthwarm character
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
80
Appearance
78
Finish
76
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Tolly Roger

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 7–10°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Tolly Roger

About Extra Special Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Extra Special Bitter?

Extra Special Bitter is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Extra Special Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, smooth, hoppy character as Tolly Roger will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Extra Special Bitters in hopIQ