Home to the famous Theakston brewery, Masham has been supporting the beer industry with its artisan well water since 1827. The Theakston family has a long history of brewing using the traditional Yorkshire square method and eventually got so large that they outgrew Masham. Today the family has sold the business and the bulk of their brewing is done elsewhere, however they maintain a visitor center in Masham at the old brewery where you can take tours. They tout one of the last coopers (wood barrel-makers) in England. Not being able to completely divorce themselves from the industry, one of the Theakstons started Black Sheep Brewery 16 years ago. Today they're barely able to keep up with demand and export to several countries including the US.
Black Sheep has several ales including a popular version authorized by Monty Python and, my personal favorite, Riggwelter. It's my favorite not because of the taste (not a big beer fan) or the high 5.9% alcohol content, but because of the name and label. According to the Black Sheep website, the name Riggwelter is "...from the Old Norse words 'rigg,' meaning back or shoulder and 'velte,' to overturn. If a sheep rolls over onto its back and can't get up without help, local Dales dialect says it is rigged or riggwelted." In essence, ale so strong it puts you on your back.
We were able to take a tour of the Black Sheep Brewery which included some of the older methods as well as the new. The guide was entertaining and even a novice, such as myself, was able to appreciate the taste of the different malt grains used for flavoring the ales and the smell of open vats fermenting. You're not allowed to take pictures so these are courtesy of their website.
The old mash tun.
The old mash tun underback.
They actually still have some traditional slate Yorkshire squares, but this is the new and improved Yorkshire circle rousing and fermenting vessel.
After the tour, we took a quick walk around the old market town which gained their first charter from Richard III in 1393. Many of the buildings around the main square date to the 17th and 18th century. The picturesque church adjoining the square dates to the 9th century but most of the building is 14th and 15th century.
Masham was historically the main sheep market for the Dales and still has a big sheep festival in the fall—their heritage inspiring the Black Sheep Brewery name. There are still plenty of sheep roaming the pastures nearby and it became quickly apparent that March is the season for lambs. I mean everyone always says that spring=animal babies, but I've never been hit over the head with it like this. Never since I've been here have I witnessed a lamb prancing through the grass. Now they're everywhere. I find sheep very cute in their adult form, but the mini version is irresistible. I also find it funny that the moms and their babies are spray-painted with matching numbers. It's funny to see two little 118s chasing a big one.
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