Theakston Old Peculier

Brewery: T & R Theakston Ltd.
Location: Yorkshire, England
Style: Old Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A+

Today we're finally reviewing a beer that I've been trying to track down since I started this blog, Theakston's Old Peculier. This is one of my all-time favorite beers, but it has been a bit harder to track down in my area as of late. Old Peculier pours up a deep ruby color with some chestnut-brown tones and a short, tan head. The nose detects rich maltiness with faint notes of caramel, sweetness and roasted malt. There is also a hint of hops with floral, herbal and spicy notes.

The palate first picks up roasted malt notes of dark pretzels. There is a fleeting malt syrup/molasses note that vanishes rather quickly. There is a touch of herbal hops here, but just enough to fill out the malt. A touch of mineral water is notable as well. A hint of juiciness in the middle rounds out the flavor nicely and keeps things from being too dry. The Old Peculier has a medium-heavy body. It is rich and full without being overly heavy. The mouthfeel also has a light fizz of carbonation and a touch of juiciness. The finish finds bready malt notes with spicy and herbal hops way in the background.

Theakston's Old Peculier is a true classic. This is an amazingly complex and flavorful beer, that is still fairly easy to drink. It is quite malt-forward, but with enough hops to balance things out. At 5.7% ABV, Old Peculier drinks like a scaled-down English barleywine. Which is a good thing, because it is really hard to stop at just one of these. If you're a beer lover and haven't had a chance to experience Old Peculier, then add this to your bucket list.