No comment.
I suspect anyone who has been drinking beer since the 1980s has a soft spot for a well-kept pint of Old Peculier.
It's certainly been a constant during my lifetime's enjoyment of the consolation of malt and hops.
Old Peculier first came to my attention when I was studying (occasionally) in Aberdeen in the late 1980s.
Theakston had quite a foothold in the north east of Scotland at the time, and their Best, XB, and Old Peculier could be found on hand dispense in several bars in town.
I recall our fledgling Real Ale Society holding an open night in the Union, charging a 50p or so to get in, and maybe adding 10p or so to the wholesale cost of the beer to us.
As this was still about 10p a pint cheaper than the Union bar, we were mobbed, and made a killing. Hip-deep in 50p pieces, we decided -- as you'd expect from a Real Ale Society -- to invest the profits in a free beer night for members the following week.
Such was the esteem that Old Peculier was held in, that we unanimously elected to buy six barrels of OP, and nothing else.
Since then, I'll usually have a glass of Old Peculier if we find ourselves in Theakston's territory. As reasonably regular visitors to the Lakes and dales, that's a fair few pints I've probably had over the course of the last 25 years.
Most recently, we were at the Old Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale this summer. We hadn't been there for perhaps a decade, but the place really hasn't changed a bit. Favouring the walkers' bar, I was pondering the pumps when apropos of nothing, the barman invited me to down a pint of Old Peculier on the house, providing I did so in one. Hardly a challenge. A further pint was drawn; I paid; we ordered lunch as if nothing had happened.
Shame that doesn't happen more often, really.
80
I suspect anyone who has been drinking beer since the 1980s has a soft spot for a well-kept pint of Old Peculier.
It's certainly been a constant during my lifetime's enjoyment of the consolation of malt and hops.
Old Peculier first came to my attention when I was studying (occasionally) in Aberdeen in the late 1980s.
Theakston had quite a foothold in the north east of Scotland at the time, and their Best, XB, and Old Peculier could be found on hand dispense in several bars in town.
I recall our fledgling Real Ale Society holding an open night in the Union, charging a 50p or so to get in, and maybe adding 10p or so to the wholesale cost of the beer to us.
As this was still about 10p a pint cheaper than the Union bar, we were mobbed, and made a killing. Hip-deep in 50p pieces, we decided -- as you'd expect from a Real Ale Society -- to invest the profits in a free beer night for members the following week.
Such was the esteem that Old Peculier was held in, that we unanimously elected to buy six barrels of OP, and nothing else.
Since then, I'll usually have a glass of Old Peculier if we find ourselves in Theakston's territory. As reasonably regular visitors to the Lakes and dales, that's a fair few pints I've probably had over the course of the last 25 years.
Most recently, we were at the Old Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale this summer. We hadn't been there for perhaps a decade, but the place really hasn't changed a bit. Favouring the walkers' bar, I was pondering the pumps when apropos of nothing, the barman invited me to down a pint of Old Peculier on the house, providing I did so in one. Hardly a challenge. A further pint was drawn; I paid; we ordered lunch as if nothing had happened.
Shame that doesn't happen more often, really.
80
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