Masham-based brewery, T&R Theakston has recommenced US exports of Old Peculier after an absence of ten years.
The almost 200-year-old brewery is working with Iron Horse Beverages, a newly appointed importer and wholesaler of high-quality beverages from around the world based in Melville New York, to reintroduce Old Peculier to the US market with a view to expanding its footprint in the coming years.
Old Peculier has a long history and strong following within the US, having first been shipped to the country in 1976. In fact, the iconic ale was once the third most imported British beer, with the brewery shipping around 40 pallets of beer to the United States every month.
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Theakston’s will restart exports with Old Peculier made available in kegs, 440ml cans and bottles, when the first consignment is shipped to New York State and distributed throughout the Eastern Seaboard from November.
Simon Theakston, joint managing director of T&R Theakston, said: “Theakston Old Peculier has always had a strong connection with the States and we are very pleased to be regaining our foothold on the US imported beer market.
“In 2013 we took the decision to stop our wholesale export to the United States, as despite there being a thirst for the product from consumers, the massive initial growth in foreign imported beers and the domestic craft scene made it harder to justify.
"With the market now settling down and the tried and tested imported beers brands coming once again to the fore, now is exactly the right time to return to a much admired and very enthusiastic consumer market once again.
“Working with Iron Horse Beverages, we are looking forward to reconnecting with loyal Old Peculier fans throughout the US, whilst introducing our rich brewing heritage to a new audience of ale lovers. Looking ahead, we hope the reintroduction of perhaps our most iconic beer will be the first step in making more of our classic Theakston beers available across the pond.”
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Cliff Morello, CEO at Iron Horse Beverages said: “Interest in British beers is high, with many consumers now discovering them as a result of the growth in demand for craft beer.
"Therefore, it’s an exciting opportunity for us to be able to bring perhaps what could be described as the original craft beer, a strong British ale such as Old Peculier, to the US and share both the product and the history of T&R Theakston with the American audience.”
Believed to have been first brewed in the early 19th century, Theakston Old Peculier is the most recognisable brand of the family-run company which has been brewing in Masham for almost 200 years, with its name a tribute to the unique ecclesiastical status of the town as a ‘Court of the Peculier’, first established in medieval times.
Brewed using a blend of finest pale, crystal, and roasted barley with two bitter hops, combined with the Fuggle hop, the dark Old Peculier delivers a full-bodied flavour with cherry and rich fruit overtones.
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