There are beers you drink.  There are beers that sit on the bar awaiting to be drank.  There are beers that are produced by the thousands of litres industrially without passion.  And then there are beers that truly stay with you – living deep into your heart and soul.

Theakston’s Old Peculier is not simply just a pint pulled from a brass handled pump. It is far, far more than that.  It is a true piece of Yorkshire itself — dark, honest, uncompromising, and rich with our history.   A pint that is brewed in the quiet, rural and stunning village of Masham, at the heart of Wensleydale.  This is a village where a stone bridge welcomes everyone as you cross the river and where the fish enjoy its rich life-giving water.  A heron, a kingfisher, a wagtail or more, dance on the soft and gentle grassy lined banks or tease the water that breaks and tree roots drink from centuries of history.  From its crystal-clear water and over the years, a single beer amongst many has stood firm, whilst the world around it has rushed, been modernised, and forgotten how to pause – Theakstons Old Peculier did just that. 

At the Theakston Brewery, time behaves completely differently.

Step into the visitor centre — affectionately known as The Black Bull in Paradise — and you feel it immediately.  The building itself speaks to you. Those thick stone walls hold stories of times and people, long gone.  The air is warm, carrying the soft scent of wood, malt, and history.  An open fire crackles and announces your presence, its flames leaping and dancing, licking their way upwards, fed by seasoned logs and off cuts once shaped by the buildings own cooper’s hands.  The fire does more than heat the room; it helps you rest and settles your soul. On a brisk cold Yorkshire day, it offers warmth, comfort, belonging and an invitation to stay a while longer.

Here, the Old Peculier falls gently from the pump.  Dark. Deep.  Almost reverent. Pulled by the hands of those that truly understand it — not rushed, not careless, but with the utmost respect for its history, its people and those who love its taste.   This is what we Yorkshire folk call a proper pint, with a thin but creamy head resting softly against the rim of the glass, waiting patiently to be lifted.  The head needs to be thin as the Old Peculier aches to be filled to the brim and every drop will be savoured.

The character of Old Peculier stands proudly on the front of that glass, just as it always has. This is a dark ale with depth and confidence — one that does not shout but knows exactly what it is.

Theakston is a family name that carries weight here in Yorkshire.  Steeped in history, brewing here in Masham began in 1827, and through generations the family has remained fiercely proud of its independence.  This is not a corporate badge, nor a marketing exercise. It is a living, working family-owned brewery — one where its tradition is respected, protected, and practiced daily.

You will not find Simon Theakston and the wider Theakston family as distant figures hidden behind tightly closed office doors.  You will often find them welcoming visitors personally to the site or lost in discussion – holding a meeting not in a boardroom but stood at the bar and often with a pint of Old Peculier in their rugged and worked hands.  Here, they do things properly and share conversation with those who have come not just to drink, but to understand.  They will be the ones who know what they like and they like what they know and indeed, will be seen pulling a pint of few for the visitors who sit by that open fire.  Business can and has been done over a pint and with a warm handshake and that matters to us Yorkshire folk.  In doing so, it tells you everything about the people and the place.

Behind the walls and wooden barrels of the brewery, the brewing craft continues quietly and diligently.  It is a unique place where the resident cooper works each day at skills that cannot be rushed or shortcut.  These have been learned over many years from starting as an apprentice - you have to earn respect through sheer hard work, hands where blisters and splinters were commonplace, a knowledge of wood and those tools that speak from decades of use.  The cooper knows how barrel-making here is not just a skill - it is the result of many years of hard-earned knowledge, muscle memory, and respect for the materials.  The hands of the cooper shape the very vessels that have carried the contents of Theakston beer for generations.  Every tap of the hammer and scrape of the crafting tools echo throughout the building and comes with experience.

Outside, stacked barrels confirm to its visitors that this is somewhere important: not a themed pub or a staged attraction.  This is where this Yorkshire ale is made.  Once, horses and carts carried those barrels away across the Yorkshire landscape.  Time has moved on — because it always does and will — and today clean, energy efficient vehicles deliver our Old Peculier to waiting pubs and its excited customers across the country.  But even though the methods of transport have changed, mechanisation comes in and improves efficiency, the beating heart of it all remains unchanged.  The destination may be the same: but the bar, the glass, that very first sip remains loyal to the Theakston family way.

Theakston’s range speaks to with the same integrity — Best Bitter, Lightfoot, XB, and others — each brewed with consistency and care.  But to me, the Old Peculier remains the very soul of this brewery. Unique. Unapologetic. Instantly recognisable.

For me, this though,Theakstons Old Peculier carries something far, far deeper.

My dad introduced me to Theakston’s Old Peculier when I was a young man — just about the age when you’re trusted with such things.  He was a proud man. Born in London, but Yorkshire called him north (and my mum) and forever lived in his heart and permeated his soul. He may have been born in the south, but every blade of grass, every tree, every person, each grain of sand at the coast and the clean Yorkshire air, made him stay.  In doing so, he discovered the Old Peculier and was forever his drink.  It was not casually liked by dad – it was adored.

We spent many hours in the Black Bull in Paradise, not just drinking a pint, but absorbing the atmosphere. Talking. Sitting quietly. Letting time slow down. We never sat and stared at a pint as it slowly went down the glass and feeling sorry – we just and smiled over the crackling of that open fire and watched as a fresh pint glass was filled to its brim and brought over.  Old Peculier has a way of doing that. It settles you. Grounds you.

This is a beer that gets into your heart, your mind, your soul. It’s passed down like an old watch — granddad to dad, my father to me, from me to my son. It is a cycle that will never be broken.  Often first tasted on a cold winter’s night in a Yorkshire pub, with locals stood shoulder to shoulder at the bar, conversation drifts and time briefly stands still.

That first sip tells a story. You taste the rolling hills. The hands that made it. The patience behind it. You taste history.  Theakston’s Old Peculier is not just a pint.  It is Yorkshire in a pure and dark liquid form — proud, resilient, warm, and honest.  And long may it continue to be poured, shared, and remembered.

🍺 Where is it? 

Theakston Brewery Black Bull In Paradise Visitor Centre
The Brewery, Red Lane
Masham, Ripon, North Yorkshire
HG4 4YD, UK

what3words: ///still.cheerful.parkland    

🕰️ Opening Hours

• Visitor Centre & Bar: ~10:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday–Saturday (check before you set off)

🎟️ Tour & Tasting Info

• Guided Brewery Tours go behind the scenes — often include a tasting session in the Black Bull in Paradise bar.

• Prices:  Give the visitor centre a call to check.  A great way to finish the tour is at the very end…..the price includes a pint, two halves, or three thirds of the ales, or a soft drink for those that don’t want a tipple or is under 18.  This is when booked via the visitor centre site.

• Tours can be frequent and get very busy in peak seasons, and private tours are sometimes available too.   Again, a quick call or e-mail helps put your mind at rest and answers any questions that you may have.

📋 Services on Site

✔ Brewery Tap Bar: Sample Theakston ales including Old Peculier, Best Bitter, Lightfoot, XB and more.
✔ Gift Shop: Bottled beers, branded merchandise, and Yorkshire gifts to take home.
✔ Visitor Lounge Areas & Outdoor Beer Garden: Relax after your tour inside the bar area or just outside where seating is plentiful and even better on a hot summer day.

♿ Accessibility

• The visitor centre and bar areas are generally wheelchair accessible — but portions of the brewery tour itself may involve stairs or uneven historic floors, so calling ahead for specifics is advisable.

🐶 Dog Friendly?

• Many visitors report that dogs are welcome in outdoor areas and some indoor spaces, but policies can vary, so it’s wise to check the day you visit.   I have seen many dogs sat by the open fire in the wet and cold weather, or out in the shade on hot days.  There are dog bowls full of water ready and constantly replenished.