The Bottom Line: A classical representation of an old ale. Mostly sweet and malty, it's flavorful, well-rounded and very satisfying. Stronger style but not too heavy. A must try!
Theakston Old Peculier is a classic example of a traditional old ale. Peculier is not a typo by the way, although I'm not sure where the spelling derives from. The old style is implied by the name, other examples I can recall include Owd (old) Roger, Old Fart and Old Buzzard
The Style
Old ale implies a style from the past going back over 100 years. They are typically dark, rich and sweet, and usually strong. A less thorough fermentation process is used to achieve these characteristics.
The Brewery
Located in Masham, in the Yorkshire Pennines, the Theakston brewery was established as a brewpub in 1827. The current brewery was built in the 1870’s. Old Peculier is the company’s best knwn product dating back to the 1890’s, and probably the best interpretation of an old ale you will find.
The Beer
I have had the pleasure of Old Peculier on draft several times although I’m not sure that you can find it beyond Yorkshire. Tonight I was drinking it from a 12oz bottle and making my first written assessment. Next time I’m back I’ll be sure to update and include a review of the draft.
Old Peculier pours pretty thick with a dark brown almost black body beneath an impressive tan foam. I served mine cold so the aroma was pretty subtle at first but certainly malty. As the beer opened up the alcohol becomes more apparent along with a little nuttiness and caramel. Upon tasting I noticed a full-bodied foamy palate with light carbonation. The initial flavor is a fruity, raisin maltiness, followed by brief notes of nuttiness and burnt caramel. This does turn sour mid-palate, with a bitter finish, although it’s not particularly dry. As the beer warms, the malt develops a little more, which is not a bad thing and adds further to the initial character.
The Afterthought
This is a very pleasing ale, flavorful, well-rounded, and although I’m sure it’s fairly strong did not really seem too dominating. It would work well as a winter warmer although I feel there are other more apt choices for that purpose. I’m sure I’ll be drinking it regularly in future, most probably as a late night brew. I should add that despite the style and characteristics it’s not as heavy as you might expect, and not too difficult to drink.
If you want to find out what an old ale tastes like, Old Peculier is a great example. It’s a must try for anyone in the mood for something different and should not be too demanding of even the most middle of the road drinker. Personally I would not put this with food, it’s a little too sweet, although it’s probably not too heavy to pair with a rich meaty dish such as Prime Rib, or a traditional Yorkshire “Toad in the Hole” smothered in thick gravy.
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