The Bowsing Ken

Black Sheep Brewery :
     Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale (Ail)
 

  Although the Black Sheep Brewery was founded in 1992, the guy behind it - Paul Theakston - brought with him a heritage of brewing harkening  back five generations. The story goes that back in 1827, one Robert Theakston, a farmer by trade, leases a local pub called the Black Bull Inn, and soon starts brewing his own beer. Over the ensuing years, the brewery enjoys good times and expands, all the while staying within the family. In 1905, brothers Thomas and Robert renamed the brewery as T & R Theakston Ltd. The story of this family, and its brewing enterprise, is worthy of its own chapter, but when it comes to the Black Sheep Brewery, the pivotal event comes in 1987.
  After several years of various corporate machinations, T & R Theakston is taken over by the folks at Scottish and Newcastle Breweries. Although Paul was offered a position with the new corporate bosses, he decided to strike out on his own, and in 1992 founded the Black Sheep Brewery. And today, Black Sheep Brewery is still in the family.
   Located in Masham, North Yorkshire, - where the original Theakston brewery was located - the folks at the Black Sheep Brewery are dedicated to keeping alive the old methods to brew traditional beers, while at the same time not being afraid to try new recipes. They source many of their ingredients from the local area, and the water - called Yorkshire Dales water - comes from their own well. While the brewery is relatively new, many pieces of equipment used in the brewing process are actually historic artifacts. Over the years, the Black Sheep Brewery has saved several items, including mash tuns, fermenting vessels and brewing coppers, which were being discarded from old, out of business breweries. They even use the classic Yorkshire stone fermenting squares.
 Today, Black Sheep Brewery makes a range of beers and cask conditioned ales, as well as a wide variety of specialty and seasonal beers. Some beers have been archived, awaiting revival in the future.

  It was back in the mid-2000s, while on a business trip to Atlanta, that I first tried Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale (Ail?). A colleague, as well as a good buddy, of mine called me, rather excitedly, with word of a new beer he had just found. Now, this buddy of mine, like myself, were and still are dedicated, almost fanatic, Monty Python fans. You know type, those people who know all the lines from all the shows and movies by heart.  Those people who can assume character, act out the scenes, all with the proper accents, intonations and timing (There is a penguin on your tele). Those people who without much encouragement at all, can do the entire Dead Parrot sketch from start to finish, and not miss a beat. You know, you seen them at parties.
   Anyway, several Holy Grail Ales later and the verdict was in - this is a darn good beer. It's a bit more hopped than your standard British ale, but not too much. So both the malt fan and the hop fan alike will like this beer.  For a while I could not find this beer in North America, but I think if you look it can be found. Give it a try and let me know what you think. I have yet to find any of the other Black Sheep Brewery offerings over here, but I will keep a look out.
Give a Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale a try, and if it happens to initiate an impromptu Monty Python sketch, well so much the better - Know what I mean, nudge nudge*.

  One quick update: It appears that Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale is being imported to North America on a regular basis, which is good to know. I have found it at my local shop as late as the summer of 2017. So, keep buying it and hopefully they will keep sending it across the pond. Cheers!

World's Production of Beer, 1913