Old Peculier beer: what it is and how to find it

Old Peculier is a strong, dark English ale from Theakston in Masham, North Yorkshire, known for dark fruit, toffee and a smooth malty finish. If you are hoping to find it in Westford, check our beer page to see if it is in now, or call or ask us at CBC Liquors on Littleton Rd.

What is Old Peculier beer?

Old Peculier is a dark English ale brewed by Theakston in Masham, a market town in North Yorkshire. It is usually described as an old ale, a style of malty, darker, fairly strong beer with a long history in English brewing. It sits at around 5.6 percent alcohol by volume, which is stronger than a standard lager or pale ale but well short of a barleywine.

The brewery has been making beer in Masham since 1827, and Old Peculier is one of its best-known beers. It is the sort of beer people ask for by name, which is probably why you are searching for it.

If you want to know whether it is on our shelves, the quickest check is our beer page, which shows what is in stock today. Stock changes from week to week, so if you do not see it there, call the shop or ask at the counter and we will tell you whether it is in.

What does Old Peculier taste like?

Expect a deep ruby-brown beer with a malty, slightly sweet nose. The flavour leans toward dark fruit such as raisin and plum, with toffee, brown sugar and a little chocolate or roasted grain underneath. Bitterness is gentle and the finish is smooth rather than sharp.

It is not a hoppy beer in the way an IPA is, and it is not roasty and bitter like many stouts. Think of it as warming and rounded, with a sweetness that is balanced rather than sugary.

Because the flavour is rich, it suits slow sipping. One bottle or one glass is plenty for most people, and that is how it is meant to be enjoyed.

Why is it spelled Peculier?

The spelling is deliberate and not a typo. The name comes from the Peculier of Masham, a historic district whose church matters were handled by its own court rather than by the local bishop. In old English usage a peculiar was a parish or area that answered to a different authority from the one around it.

The beer took that name, and the old spelling has stayed on the label ever since. If you search for it as old peculiar, you will often land in the same place, but the spelling on the bottle is Peculier.

It is worth knowing when you ask for it. Saying Old Peculier at the counter, or typing it into a search box, gets you the right beer.

How should you serve Old Peculier?

Do not serve it ice cold. Strong, malty English ales open up at cellar temperature, roughly 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If your bottle has been in the fridge, take it out about twenty minutes before you pour it and the fruit and toffee notes will show up properly.

A pint glass works well, and so does a tulip or snifter if you want to concentrate the aroma. Pour steadily down the side of the glass, then finish with the glass upright to build a modest head.

It is a beer for a cool evening, which makes October a good time for it in Massachusetts. You must be 21 or older to buy it, and it is a beer to drink slowly and responsibly.

What food goes with Old Peculier?

The sweetness and body of an old ale suit hearty food. Roast beef, sausages with mash, steak and ale pie and slow-cooked stews all sit comfortably next to it, because the malt picks up the browned, savoury flavours in the meat.

Cheese is another good match. A sharp aged cheddar is the classic pairing, and a blue cheese works if you like contrast between salty and sweet.

For dessert, try sticky toffee pudding, gingerbread or something chocolate. The dark fruit in the beer echoes the dried fruit and caramel in those dishes. A beer this rich does not need a lot of food around it, so a small plate is enough.

How can you check whether CBC Liquors has Old Peculier?

Start with the beer page on our site, which lists what we have in stock. If Old Peculier is there, you can plan your visit. If it is not, call the shop or ask at the counter and we will tell you plainly whether it is in.

We are at 142 Littleton Rd in Westford, and we are open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Besides walking in, we offer pickup, delivery and shipping. Pickup hours match our shop hours, and delivery runs a little shorter, ending 30 minutes before closing each day.

If you are outside Westford, our delivery areas page lists the towns we serve, including Chelmsford, Acton, Littleton and Lowell. Customers rate the shop 4.7 out of 5 from 339 Google reviews, and you are welcome to ask our staff about anything on the beer shelves.

What can you drink if Old Peculier is not in?

If you cannot find Old Peculier, look for beers with a similar malty, dark profile. Dark beer is the broad category to browse. Within it, a porter is the closest in spirit, with chocolate and caramel notes and a medium body. A stout is usually roastier and more bitter, with coffee notes, which some people prefer.

For something nearer the sweet, toffee end, try the amber, brown and red ales. They are lighter in colour and body than Old Peculier, but they share the bready malt and caramel character.

Whichever you pick, serve it a little warmer than you would a lager. Dark beers lose most of their flavour when they are served very cold.

What else is worth pouring in October?

Autumn is a good time for malty beer. If you like the bready, rounded side of Old Peculier, look at our Oktoberfest section. AYINGER OKTOBER FEST-MARZEN is a Märzen, a Bavarian amber lager with toasty malt and a clean finish. Ayinger brews in the Bavarian village of Aying, and Märzen is the style traditionally served at Oktoberfest.

If you want something hop-forward instead, MAINE BEER CO Lunch and Lawsons Sip Of Sunshine are both IPAs and are in stock now. You can also see MIGHTY SQUIRREL Cloud Candy on the same page.

For easy drinking at a gathering, Corona Extra Bottles and Michelob Ultra are there too. We carry 4,617 products across 108 categories, so the beer page is worth a look even when you came in for one thing.