(Old Pec) is really rather nice. The first couple have just slipped down....
>I think I might be having a few more :-)
Rope wrote
It is indeed and excellent porter!
>Nice from the bottle, nicer still on draught, but still, sadly, not
>a patch on the original stuff brewed by the one-man band in Masham,
>and sold from 5 gallon barrels on a shelf behind the bar in scruffy
>old pubs in the remoter parts of The North.
MikeMcG wrote
> Theakston's haven't been a one-man-band brewery in living memory, if > > ever.
Rope replied
Possibly true, but that is not relevant - Theakstons bought the Old
> Peculiar brewery - some time in the 70's IIRC.
Vernon replied
Nope, you are confusing that with the acquisition of the former state owned
> brewery in Carlisle. Theakstons have brewed at Masham for generations.
MikeMcG -
>Paul Theakston left the old firm (early 1980s?) after the rest of the
> >family sold off the silver - a few years later he set up the excellent
> >Black Sheep (of the family, geddit?) Brewery next door (his Riggwelter
> >is like a better version of OldPec IMO)
Rope again -
Eh? Riggwelter is *nothing* like OP!
& Vernon -
Not at all like OP but nevertheless a very agreeable brew.
MikeMcG replied
>Theakston's were founded in 1827, they bought the Carlisle State
> >Brewery in 1973, sold out to Matthew Brown 1984, then
> >Scottish&Newcastle in 1987 (the vast majority of their beer is now
> >brewed on Tyneside, not Masham). Black Sheep finally opened in 1992.
> > The beer OP predates Theakston's tho IIRC.
(& about OP being similar to Riggwelter)
>*nothing* at all like it? - well it's a matter of taste, but they're
> >both dark, strong (OP 5.7%abv, Rigg. also 5.7%) and fairly sweet-ish
> >with roasty flavours, but Riggwelter tastes fresher & hoppy as well, > >IMO.
> >
> >the 2 breweries own tasting notes say -
> >OP - "its initial sweetness is, apparently, "of roasted and vinous
> >notes with a subtle bitter aftertaste". Strong fruitiness, often with
> >"banana notes" standing out, is derived from Old Peculier's
> >fermentation process."
> >Riggwelter - "With it's distinctive roast malt, Golding hops and
> >banana fruit aromas, Riggwelter has a strong and refreshingly dry
> >finish of hops and roasted barley malt."
> >
> >seems the brewers think they're pretty similar too.
> >
> >The guy who founded the Firkin chain, David Bruce (before he sold it &
> >it got f***ed up) was also a member of the wider Theakston family &
> >based the famous & excellent Firkin Dogbolter on OP too.
> >
formatting link
> >
formatting link
Roger replied
Those notes are fulsome with an aftertaste of ordure.
>Who wrote them? Goolden or Grossman?
MikeMcG replied
>nope neither Jilly or Loyd, they were written (at a guess) in
> >conjunction with the brewers & marketing folks at the respective
> >breweries. IMO they aren't over-flowery or useless in describing the
> >beers - they simply reflect the ingredients & processes used & the
> >resulting flavours.
> >i.e. roast barley tastes, erm, roasty (like coffee, burnt toast & dark
> >chocolate), top-fermentation produces chemicals (esters) which are
> >often fruity hence the bananas, hops have alpha-acids which make taste > >bitter.
> >
> >But many people, some brewers included, feel that beer flavour etc
> >should not be spoken of in descriptive or interesting terms at all, as
> >it's "just for drinking", I'm not one of them (tho I don't like over the
> >top descriptions either).