Theakston Brewery
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T&R Theakston is a British regional brewery located in the town of Masham, North Yorkshire, England.
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[edit] History
T&R Theakston Ltd. was founded in 1827 by Robert Theakston and John Wood at The Black Bull pub in Masham. By 1832 Theakston had sole ownership of the brewery and in 1875 he passed control over to his son Thomas who expanded the range of buildings.
In 1919 the company acquired and closed down the Lightfoot Brewery, also in Masham. Theakston at one time had a brewery in Carlisle.
In 1987 the company was purchased by Scottish & Newcastle. The cousin of the four Theakston brothers, Paul, left the business in 1992 and set up the Black Sheep Brewery in the old Lightfoot Brewery premises.
In 2004 the business returned to family ownership after being purchased back from Scottish & Newcastle by the four Theakston brothers.
[edit] Beers
The company produces cask ale and pasteurised bottled ales. Theakston cask ales are widely available in pubs in the north of England, though are less common in other parts of the country. The bottled beers are also widely distributed to British supermarkets and exported to Germany and the United States.
The company produces five regular cask ales and six seasonal. Only two of the beers are filtered and pasteurised to be made available in bottles, Theakston XB and Old Peculier.
Best Bitter is regularly paired with XB in pubs, Theakston Best Bitter is the company's most easily found product, served in many pubs, mainly in the north of England.
XB is a premium strength Bitter with a more complex flavour.
Black Bull Bitter was brewed to commemorate the Theakson's first pub where the first Theakston's beers were brewed and sold.
Traditional Mild is the weakest beer produced by Theakston, a dark and dry drink created as an alternative for dark ales.
Old Peculier is Theakston's most famous beer. Old Peculier has been made under this name since the 1890s. In 2000, it won the silver medal in the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)'s "Champion Winter Beer of Britain" 2000 competition. The label on the bottle describes it as a "full bodied, rich, smooth tasting ale with a mysterious and distinctive flavour". It is named after the peculier of Masham, a peculier being a parish outside the jurisdiction of a diocese.
The six seasonal ales are Cooper's Butt, Hogshead Bitter, Lightfoot Bitter, Grouse Beater, Masham Ale and Paradise Ale.
[edit] Brewery - Visitor Centre
The brewery also runs a small visitor centre at its home in Masham where guided tours are given about the actual working brewery. At the end of the tour, visitors are given tokens that can be exchanged for drinks at the bar. There is also a small shop, selling crates of bottled XB and Old Peculier, beer glasses, T shirts and an assortment of other souvenirs.
