Beer ...for the Grown-Ups
The Black Sheep Brewery owes its name to a family dispute at one of the UK's leading brewers. The Theakston family was famous througout the UK for producing fine beers in their North Yorkshire brewhouse, but in 1987 they decided to sell out to Scottish & Newcastle Breweries. All but one family member - Paul Theakston - agreed with the deal. Working with his head brewer, Paul Ambler (the chap we see sampling some beer at the end of the film), Paul held on to part of the brewery and started producing beer under the now famous "Black Sheep" name. It was the character of this building and the age of its equipment that lent itself so well to filming, the location being small, accessible, and highly attractive.
Next door, Theakston's is still a famous brewer, especially for its 'Old Peculiar' brand. 'Old Peculier' was the nickname given to one of the vicars of St Mary's, the church where where you see the bells being installed in Church Bells, and for the use of his name the brewery pays the church an annual stipend.
Since the film was made in 2000, the Black Sheep Brewery has expanded, and is now working to full capacity to keep up with the growing demand for its beers, producing 19 million pints of beer a year for an international market. Well done Paul!
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Production Notes
Location:
Black Sheep Brewery, Masham, N Yorkshire.