An immensely
delicious and strong
beer made by the
Theakston's brewery in
Masham (pronounced MASS-'m), in
Yorkshire. It is black in colour, but is a
real ale, not a stout, with a very full sweet taste...
which I would describe in loving detail to you if I hadn't just finished the bottle, tempting though it is to go out and buy more just so I can do quality factual nodes.... Its strength is 5.6% (on the bottle) or 5.7% (on
draught) so you can't take much of it. On the other hand, it's so nice that it's hard to resist having far too much of it.
The brewery of T. & R. Theakston dominates the town of Masham, and was founded in 1827. They do do other beers, but Old Peculier is their crowning glory. Its name comes from a strange-looking mediaeval seal reproduced on the label, showing a man kneeling, and around it the inscription SEAL OF THE OFFICIAL OF THE PECULIER OF MASHAM.
The Peculier is an independent court of the parish of Masham. In the early 1100s Sir Roger de Mowbray gave the living of Masham to the Archbishop of York, but because of the distance of Masham from York, a Peculier Court was created, which is still in existence: 24 inhabitants of the parish, chaired by the vicar. Their old seal is used by Theakston as their emblem.