25 MINUTES FROM PATELEY BRIDGE
Black Sheep Brewery
Masham's other famous brewery, founded in 1992 by Paul Theakston after his family's original firm was sold. Black Sheep brews traditional Yorkshire ales just down the road from Theakston's, with brewhouse tours, a bar and kitchen, and its own Sheepy Shop. About 25 minutes from Pateley Bridge, and easy to pair with Theakston for a proper Masham brewery day.
Visit information
- Location
- Wellgarth, Masham HG4 4EN
- From Pateley Bridge
- 25 minutes via Fountains Abbey
- Open
- Daily from 12pm, tours Thursday to Saturday - check website for current days
- Entry
- Free to visit the bar and shop, paid tours from around £24
- Dogs
- Welcome in the bar area
- Facilities
- Bar, kitchen, Sheepy Shop, free parking
Built from scratch by a Theakston
Paul Theakston grew up in the family brewing business in Masham, but after it was sold to a larger group in the late 1980s, he set out to build a new independent brewery in the same town, determined to keep traditional Yorkshire brewing methods alive.
Black Sheep opened in 1992 in a former maltings building and quickly established its own identity and loyal following, brewing cask ales using time-honoured methods including Yorkshire square fermentation vessels.
More than three decades on, it remains an independent, family-connected brewery in its own right, sitting comfortably alongside rather than in the shadow of the older Theakston firm just down the road.
Making the most of your visit
Tours run Thursday to Saturday and are worth booking ahead, finishing with a free flight of beers in the bar. The bar and Sheepy Shop are open daily, with the kitchen serving food Wednesday to Sunday.
Allow around two hours if you are taking a tour, less if you simply want to call in for a pint and a browse of the shop on your way through Masham.
Since Theakston Brewery is just a short walk away in the same market square, many visitors combine both in a single day, comparing the two breweries' very different characters in one trip.
What to see
A Family Split
Founded in 1992 by Paul Theakston, a member of the same brewing family behind Theakston's just down the road, after the family firm was sold to a larger group.
Brewhouse Tours
Guided tours through the working brewhouse run Thursday to Saturday and finish with a free flight of beers to taste in the bar.
The Sheepy Shop
Pick up Black Sheep ales, branded glassware and gifts to take home, right next to the bar and kitchen.
Two Breweries, One Town
Pairs naturally with a visit to Theakston Brewery, letting you compare Masham's two famous ales in a single trip.
25 minutes from Pateley Bridge
Book brewhouse tours ahead, especially at weekends, and check current opening days before you travel.
