Theakston Old Peculier - T & R Theakston Ltd.

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.23/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a very dark red brown. One finger light tan fine head with good retention and nice lacing. Rich aroma of caramel malt, dark and light fruit, very malty. Flavor follows aroma with caramel and toasted malt, brown sugar, dark fruit with a very mild hop finish. Finish is somewhat abrupt and dry. Flavor is understated, but has a nice progression and is very pleasant to drink. Medium bodied with slight creaminess. Very nice for a moderate ABV old ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 04:42:04 | More by LiquidAmber

metter98

New York

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very cloudy dark brown in color (close to near black) and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a half finger high creamy beige head that died down, leaving some patches of bubbles floating on the surface and a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are aromas of fruity yeast in the nose along with notes of dark malts.
T: The taste has a bit of sweetness with flavors of dark malts
M: It feels medium-bodied and relatively smooth on the palate with a low to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very flavorful without being full-bodied and for this reason is very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 05:02:59 | More by metter98

greybeardloon

Rhode Island

3.38/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

no obvious date

A: Clear, dark red with almost no head or lacing.

S: Sweet, molassesy dough. Smell is pretty prominent.

T: Much mellower and balanced than I remember from years ago. Vanilla, smooth, sticky, malty sweetness, some dirty hops on finish.

M: Surprisingly thin and carbonated.

O: Easy enough to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 01:29:43 | More by greybeardloon

rangerred

Tennessee

4.22/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

.5 liter poured into a nonic.

Appearance is a hazy dark brown with a creamy offwhite head. Great head retention.

Smells of toffee, caramel, and dark fruit. Raisins and prunes are most prominent. Also some molasses.

Taste is very reminiscent of the dark fruit noted in the aroma. Also some molasses and caramel. There is also a flavor reminiscent of pipe tobacco along with a bit of musty basement. Some wood too. Mouthfeel is nice and thick.

Overall this is an excellent beer. There is so much going on here and the balance of flavors is incredible. A top notch beer and one I would love to have on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 02:37:37 | More by rangerred

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark, dark coppery brown body. Fragmented lacing from the receded head.

Nice Fuggle hop aroma. Mild and roasty. Metallic element to the nose, like the inside of an aluminum can. Some fruity malt bursts in play.

Copper kettle malt roast, a bit of chocolate, a semi-sweet nuttiness punctuated by a poppyseed roll character. Some cinnamon spice in there, some milk caramel. Then, there are the fruit notes: red apple, plums, any dark tannic fruits. Has that kind of tannic bitterness.

Mouthfeel is chewy and chalky. Not particularly big-bodied. Rather dry feeling.

This is a decent beer 'with a character all its own'. I agree. A classic. Very mellow for the style, feels like a session beer. I like more heft, more caramel/toffee, more body. But this is a standard, and I can't take that away from Theakston.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 02:35:20 | More by thecheapies

Intrinsic

Quebec (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had no idea what I was getting into when I bought this beer down the road, but I`m quite happy with it. Nice brown head on it, a very dark reddish brown colour, but not opaque. Smells a little like coffee, and tastes a little like it too - but not overly so. Nice dry finish. Very heavy, probably great with steak. If this beer was available back home, I`d probably buy it all the time. Good stuff!

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 21:47:47 | More by Intrinsic

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.18/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle, date code L141. Served at cellar temperature.

Pours brown with red highlights, one finger beige head that leaves good sheets of lacing and holds a light foamy cap and ring.

Aroma is fruity, yeasty, bready, some cherries, prunes, raisins, a bit of banana, pear, apple and vanilla some caramel and molasses. Good to very good strength.

Flavor is similar with fruity notes both dark fruits such as cherries and prunes as well as banana and pear, musty yeasty notes, a lot of bread, a bit charred, some sweetness, minimal alcohol, musty and astringent finish with some cardboard. Starts okay, finishes weak and odd.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, good carbonation.

Nice aroma but so-so flavor that isn’t helped by the poor finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 04:41:44 | More by elgiacomo

shand

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint.

This brew pours a brown color with a small head. Aroma is of sweet malts, chocolate, and dark fruits. The taste is good, it comes on weak at first, but hits with a strong punch of sweet malts, dark fruits, milk chocolate, and vanilla on the backend. It's almost like a sucker punch of a beer. Doesn't taste like much except some grains until it wallops you right in the taste buds. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and fairly slick, and the drinkability is good. A solid, and indeed, peculiar beer. Give it a shot.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 02:13:24 | More by shand

keithmurray

Louisiana

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Dark mahogany with a khaki colored head

smell - caramel, toffee, nuts, cola

taste - bready grains, caramel, nuts, brown sugar

mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, bitter feel in the outset, slightly sweet in the finish

overall - a bit of a letdown compared to other examples of the style I've encountered. Was looking for more depth of flavor and a heartier mouthfeel. Decent beer. If I didn't know any better, I would have said that this drinks more like a Munich Dunkel.

Price point - $4.59/single 12oz.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 01:39:26 | More by keithmurray

HopHeadRyan

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle - poured into a Pennsylvania Pale Ale Tumbler

I've had this beer on tap and in bottles when I spent some time in England. I enjoyed it then and am really enjoying it now.

A - Very dark brown amber - yet still clear enough to almost see through. Minimal head from lower carbonation...but still some present on the beer after a while. Slight spotty lacing.

S - Sweet roasted malts, faint burnt caramel/toffee aroma, old world estery molasses. It smells as old as the brewery. A faint licorice smell. Awesome and so complex.

Its important to explore a beer like this regularly to keep your nose and palate confused and interested.

T - Beautiful complex flavors of roasted/toasted malts, toffee, licorice, coffee, and crispy biscuits.

I can't wait to go back to England and search for this on Cask or Nitro...yummmm!

M - Lighter than it would seem from the color...light cask like carbonation...very natural mouth feel...thin but in a good way

Overall - A very excellent and complex old ale from the UK...please give this a try and keep an open mind...you will love it! Especially those who like darker more malt forward beers that also show case roasted malts. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 20:14:02 | More by HopHeadRyan

miked396

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Love this beer - great appearance, a complex and unique taste. I'm not good enough at this to quite put my finger on exactly what I'm tasting or why it's so appealing, but it is! It's hard to find this many places, so it's always a welcome surprise when I come across it. Always leaves me motivated for a future buy

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 02:58:04 | More by miked396

Finite

Australia

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark Brown to shadowed amber in colour with a tan head. Which remains frothy. Leaving a uniform amount of lacing for the duration of the drinking.

Aroma of alcohol phenols and molasses. Warm toasty malts and sugar/toffee reductions.

Taste is smooth,warming, strong backbone of toffee with a bitterness of charcoal and toasted malts. Hint of Goldings aftertaste. Some fresh greenness from the hops keeping things from being too malt heavy

A good beer. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 07:04:35 | More by Finite

treque

Mexico

4.22/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: it has a tan big head, looks creamy and very richy, some waste left on the glass after it dissipates, it shows good retention the body is clear and a copper color

S: i like it, malts, some caramel and probably munich, nutty and a little bit roast

T: medium high body, the mouth gets full with a small sip, balanced, some alcohol, sweetness, bitterness, malt flavour, nutty

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 21:02:05 | More by treque

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.23/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a dark garnet with a tight, bubbly khaki head.

S: Aromas of black cherry, black currant, prune, cranberry, and pomegranate fill the nose. The fruitiness that is present on the nose is almost overpowering and is a pleasant change of pace from the usual lactic, oaky, vinegary nose of many English old ales.

T: Notes of black cherry, black currant, pomegranate, prune, cranberry, apple skin, oak, leather, balsamic vinegar, cream, and bitter chocolate are present on the palate. The finish is complex and fruity with notes of prune, pomegranate, oak, black cherry, leather, and vinegar. The complexity of this ale's flavor profile is commendable, but I feel that there is almost too much going on here. I also find this beer to be a tad too sweet for my taste.

M: Medium bodied, dry, and very smooth. This ale is very still in the mouth, lacking crisp, noticeable carbonation. This lack of crispness reduces the drinkability of this ale, while making the fruit sweetness of the nose and body all the more noticeable. It feels a bit syrupy going down.

O: I know this beer is legendary, but I really don't get it. I'm not a huge fan of English old ales anyway, and the few I do enjoy tend to be heavier and much more sour than this one. If this beer weren't so sweet and syrupy, I could see myself revisiting it, but as it stands, this one does nothing for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 17:18:30 | More by mrfrancis

coy

Mexico

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served from the bottle, I have tried it on cask which is better.

appearance .- Dark with nice white foam.

smell .- Caramel, roasty with some vanilla hints.

taste .- Sweet, low bitterness.

mouthfeel .- Light carbonated, nice smooth mouthfeel.

overall .- Good

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 00:14:39 | More by coy

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle brought from Edinburgh by a friend.

A - Pours amber. Bright. Good carbonation. Two finger fluffy light brown/eggshell blend of a head. Good retention at one finger and a full chunk of thick lace.

S - Oh man. Beautiful chocolate, vanilla, light fruit. Very original.

T - Very nice smooth roasty notes with chocolate, vanilla, and a the fruits again. Brown sugar or something like a sugar note. Close to a blackberry with sugar. Nice.

M - Nicely carbonated, medium to full body. Sweet-ish finish.

O/D - Nice. Very different and interesting. Vanilla and fruit coming together in a wonderful way. Low ABV reppin' hard. Complex and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 02:21:31 | More by tbeckett

sommersb

Tennessee

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 12-02-2011
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle
Glassware: Snifter
Purchased: Single from Midtown, Nashville

Appearance: Dark brown, almost black when my glass is full. The tan head is small and quickly disappears. Lacing is fair.

Smell: Malty sweet, with rich dark fruits and nuttiness. Very appealing.

Taste: Malty and nutty, lightly sweet. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of flavor. Based on the strong aromas I was expecting more in the taste.

Mouthfeel: Low carbonation and a somewhat thin body. Goes down smoothly with a dry finish.

Overall a good beer, but seems to lack the oomph of an Old Ale. I would have called this a brown ale in a blind tasting.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 06:13:38 | More by sommersb

tdm168

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

After seeing this classic in BA magazine I had to go out and get one.

Pours a dark brown with a reddish hue (almost plum-like) with 1/4" of very dense, soft off white head that quickly fades. The nose has notes of dark fruit - raisins and dates, yeast, caramel, and deep malts. The taste is sweet at first with notes of dark fruit and a hint of red apples, then it gets a little maltier with some chewy caramel notes, and finishes with a nice hop bite that lingers on the palate for a second. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, rich, smooth, but a little heavily carbonated.

Well, it wasn't as delicious as some of the other Old Ales I've had, but this was the one that got me into the style in the first place. It's still delicious and worth looking into.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 21:40:30 | More by tdm168

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of Mrs mixylplik3, thanks for the opportunity. Pours a clear dark brown color with ruby highlights when held to light. Decent head and great lace on the way down. Smells of caramel, dark brown sugar, melanoids, dark fruits. This could be a dopplebock the way it smells. Taste is thick, sweet, and filled with dark sugars and fruits. Caramel and other burnt sugar vies for attention from raisins, prunes, and a hint of earth and minerals. Medium to thick body with a moderate level of carbonation and a thick chewy mouthfeel. Surprisingly good lower alcohol old ale. I enjoyed this, thanks MJ.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 04:34:43 | More by johnnnniee

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.3/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

50cl bottle poured into standard uk pint sleeve

BBE 31 March 2011

A- nearly black body with ruby highlights. Tan head is a rocky 2 fingers with average retention.lacing is minimal.

S- sultana cake, treacle toffee, bready malts, reminds me of Traquair

T- toasted malts come through but any other flavour note is severely muted, doesn't live up to the aroma at all. Hint of toffee sweetness. I found the finish thin and underwhelming

M- medium carbonation, medium to thin body.

D- aroma promised much but failed to deliver on the palate. Body was just too thin. Can't blame it on an old bottle. Will need to seek out on cask.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 11:52:29 | More by seanyfo

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Ow wow I had no idea this was an "old ale"

A - Well it looks pretty good for one. Color is a dark amber brown, almost black with a bit of red hue on the edges. Head is minimal but results in a fine creamy lace ring that sticks to the glass.

S - Well I do get some solid roast and toffee smells maybe with a bit of muskiness that reminds me of oak. Rum notes as well.

T - Well I am used to old ales being pretty high octane but this low ABV one is very smooth. Slight burnt toffee with a creamy bit of chocolate and slight dark fruits making a sweet finish.

M - Light to medium as expected but creamy throughout.

Overall this was really a random pick at my mix-sixer place with a six pack price of 10.99 so for an imported old ale it really was worth the 1.80 price tag and if I seen it again I would get another. Pretty stellar brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 00:43:55 | More by DrDemento456

grittybrews

Washington

3.8/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a dark cola brown with a faint ruby tinge and excellent clarity. Around a finger of off-white head. Fairly mild aroma with some light malt and caramel.

Moderate carbonation and a creamy, somewhat light mouthfeel. Toasty malt up front with hints of caramel, dark fruit, mild spice, and some earthy hops on the tail end.

Easy-drinking and well-balanced, but the overall impression was a little underwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 05:46:31 | More by grittybrews

radioscooter

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Excited that this legendary brew is back available in the states. (Now bring back Mcewan's!) Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Scotch ale thistle glass.

Dark mahogany, chestnut brown tone. Creamy, sticky head froth.

Smells wonderful -dark toffee, banana bread, MOLASSES

Tastes a little quaddy. Has a very strong flavor - almost like Rochefort 10 with a little grassiness, but lighter.

In a Real Ale, I was expecting a bit more booziness, but this is almost a session ale. The flavor is robust and OLD. Like a dungeon door. Toffee, raisins, maybe Belgian yeast? Very Earthy/Mossy.

Taste leaves the palette quickly with a lingering sticky aftertaste.

Excellent brew. Would like to try it on tap.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 03:27:11 | More by radioscooter

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a snifter, which was woefully undersized for the bottle. 12 oz. is a strange bottle size for an import and it caught me and my snifter off guard.

Appearance - A very slow pour filled it to the brim with a dome-shaped cream-colored head. Dark brown body as it pours, but ends up being nearly opaque in the glass. Only a few flecks of red light shimmer through when held up.

Smell - It's not the highest gravity old ale, so its lack of aroma by comparison takes some forgiving. A good whiff gathers some toffee and burnt sugar aromas with a nice dose of fruitiness. There's a weak English hop flavor back there too, which isn't as nice as the rest.

Taste - A good deal more flavorful than the aroma belies. Toffee and burnt sugar dominate the initial flavors, but it quickly turns earthy and even grassy. A strong hop bitterness in the finish with a distinctly "English" flair.

Mouthfeel - Well, it's only 5.7%, so it's light bodied for an old ale. Not disappointingly so, but still light. It's not slick and it doesn't retain flavors well. It feels a bit watery and a bit over-bitter.

Overall - It's 150 times more flavorful than most English ales and I remember this being a breath of fresh air when I found it in England (ironic?). With access to over-the-top old ales in the US, it's easy to see how this one would pale in comparison to bourbon-barrel treatments of 15% ABV malt bombs. Not that either concept of an old ale is bad. This one delivers remarkably well in the categories that really matter, which allows it to hold its own.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 02:27:44 | More by Alieniloquium

bonkers

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a SA perfect pint glass. The pour is murky, small white head, light lacing. Lots of toffe and sweet caramel on the nose. The flavor is more earthy than the nose lets on, caramel and toffee notes also. The body is medium, light carbonation, no discernable alcohol. A solid brew, the earthy notes don't really work for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 02:41:37 | More by bonkers