New look Black Sheep to hit more baas

Black Sheep Brewery’s flagship Best Bitter – Yorkshire’s best-selling cask ale – has undergone a facelift which will broaden its appeal among drinkers.

The brewery’s flagship on-trade beer retains its great taste but the fresh, modern new look will stand out at the pub and speak to customers of all ages.

Born and bred in Masham, Yorkshire, in 1992, the brewery’s founding year, Black Sheep Best Bitter ,is one of the region’s most iconic brands.

Evolution, rather than revolution, is at the heart of the modern and forward-thinking new design, which aims to recruit new drinkers while retaining its loyal army of fans.

Jo Theakston, sales and marketing director at Black Sheep Brewery, says: “We know that our customers love Black Sheep Best Bitter as much as they ever did; it is the session beer of choice in pubs across the country. However, in a competitive market it is important to innovate and keep fresh.

“This modern new look will help Yorkshire's leading beer appeal to drinkers of all ages through a wide range of pub types.”

*The Black Sheep Brewery in Masham made its first beer in 1992 after being built up by Paul Theakston, whose family had brewed in the area for six generations.

In a world of ever increasing bland, mass-produced beer, Paul saw an opportunity to return to what his family had done best since 1827, making real beer in the time-honoured fashion.

An old maltings building, once part of Lightfoot's Brewery, became the brewery’s home. This landmark building, which stands high over the banks of the River Ure, had fallen in to disrepair as years of neglect as a semi-redundant grainstore had taken its toll. Paul assembled a small team around him to fight the rats and build a traditional country brewery.

The Black Sheep Brewery name derived from Masham’s association with sheep, but Sheep Brewery didn’t sound quite right, so with a little creativity from Paul’s wife the Black Sheep Brewery was born, a name that sat well with the area, spoke volumes about the maverick attitude to the multi-nationals seeking to dominate the brewing industry and captured the essence of the family struggle that led to its birth.

Black Sheep Ale at 4.4% ABV, now in an eco-friendly lightweight bottle, continues to maintain its presence among the top 10 premium bottled ale brands, and is available nationwide from virtually all the major supermarket retailers. It is a classic premium bitter and, as with all Black Sheep beers, full of character derived from the best possible brewing materials, plenty of time and patience in the brewing and special Yorkshire Square fermenters.