Black Sheep Brewery

Black Sheep Brewery was founded in Masham, North Yorkshire, by Paul Theakston, whose family had already been brewing in the town for five generations. Determined to continue that brewing tradition after leaving the family business, Paul took a leap into independent brewing, assembling equipment salvaged from closed breweries and establishing a new brewhouse in Masham's former Wellgarth Maltings.

The first Black Sheep Best Bitter was brewed on 14 September 1992. Paul's decision to strike out on his own made him something of the 'black sheep' of the Theakston brewing family, providing the new brewery with both its name and an identity centred on independence. The original brewhouse remains in use, alongside traditional Yorkshire Square fermentation techniques that reflect the brewery's roots in Yorkshire brewing.

Over more than three decades, Black Sheep has developed from its traditional cask ale foundations to produce a broader range of stouts, pale and blonde ales and modern, hop-forward IPAs. The Masham brewery has also become a visitor destination, with brewery tours, a shop and its Baa...r & Kitchen serving Black Sheep beers alongside seasonal and guest releases.

Black Sheep was acquired by Breal Capital in 2023 and is now part of Keystone Brewing Group alongside breweries including Fourpure and Magic Rock, whose beers are also produced at Masham. Investment in the site includes plans for an additional 30,000 hectolitres of annual fermentation capacity and a new canning facility capable of producing up to 14,000 cans per hour.