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The Black Sheep Brewery

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The Black Sheep Brewery

It is almost impossible to believe that The Black Sheep Brewery is 20 years old in 2012. Since first making an appearance in pubs in and around the Yorkshire Dales in October 1992 their beers have gone from strength to strength.

As Chairman Paul Theakston says, “We are rightly proud of our award-winning range of bottled and cask ales and only brew our beers from traditional high-quality raw materials: crystal clear dales water from our own well, Maris Otter malted barley for extra flavour, a little roasted malt for colour and flavour, and generous amounts of whole English hops to make the beer really refreshing. Such a material bill is more expensive than the average, but we think it’s well worth the extra!”

Black Sheep beers are now distributed not only across the UK but around the world, brewing over 20 million pints a year.

The delivery of those first casks of beer in 1992 began a new era for Paul, whose family has brewed in Masham for six generations. Following Paul’s departure from the old family firm, T&R Theakston, fate played a kind hand and he was able to purchase an old maltings building in the heart of Masham. Here was an opportunity to return to what his family had done best since the 19^th Century - making real beer in the time-honoured fashion. And so a new brewery was born!

Sheep have always figured largely in the history of Masham, so when a name was needed for the new Brewery Paul's wife, Sue, came up with ‘Black Sheep’. A fitting name on all fronts, given Paul’s maverick new start up! From the outset, giving visitors the opportunity to see the beers being brewed and to sample the ales at the brewery was always a high priority, and in May 1996 the doors were opened to the newly transformed Visitor Centre - now a major year-round attraction in the Yorkshire Dales. Now in 2012, the sixth generation of the Theakston family brewing heritage is also proudly part of Black Sheep, with Paul’s eldest son Rob taking over as Managing Director, and second son Jo as Marketing and Off-Trade Sales Director.