Theakstons Old Peculiar

[ianc]

Hi All. Does anyone have a recipe for old peculiar ...or as near as i can get to it....would be most greatful as its a favourite of mine....cheers Ian

[Deebee]

its in grahams book and is Awesome!

[ianc]

where or how do i get grahams book ...............ta

[brewzer]

You can try Amazon
they had them for around £7

[Brotherton Lad]

And, ahem, while we're at it, the word is Peculier (noun, not adjective).

A hearty welcome, too.

[ianc]

well i had had three when I wrote the posting......so i felt peculiarar.....

[fisherman]

Hi , Theakston's old peculier
Pale malt 4,500grm
crystal malt 620grm
black malt 120grm
Maltose syrup 500 grm
Invert sugar 500grm
Challenger hops 30grm stat of boil
Fuggles hops 35 grm start of boil
12 grm fuggles last 15 mins

Mash liqour 13 litres at 66c for 2 hours
boil 2 hrs

30EBU
Cheers
fisherman

[fisherman]

Ian,
This recipe gives a O.G. of 1058
fisherman

[Invalid Stout]

Old Peculier is about 5.6% abv IIRC so that sounds about right.

[trickybrew]

Hi, in this recipe you are using ( Maltose Syrup ) what can i use in its place don't think i can get hold of this, something that might give the same taste to the finish, as im unsure what to use in its place .

Hi , Theakston's old peculier
Pale malt 4,500grm
crystal malt 620grm
black malt 120grm
Maltose syrup 500 grm
Invert sugar 500grm
Challenger hops 30grm stat of boil
Fuggles hops 35 grm start of boil
12 grm fuggles last 15 mins

Mash liqour 13 litres at 66c for 2 hours
boil 2 hrs

30EBU
Cheers
fisherman

[coatesg]

I'd probably use malt in place to the right gravity myself, or use the recipe from graham's book

[fisherman]

This is the recipe from Graham Wheeler and Roger Protz book

[Dr. Dextrin]

It's interesting that the recipes here for Theakston's OP use black malt, while recipes for Black Sheep Riggwelter tend to use chocolate malt (if you believe the head brewer at Black Sheep, they actually use pale chocolate malt - see http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/618). To me, however, both these beers taste basically rather similar, especially as regards their darker malts (although obviously there are differences), which is not altogether surprising because Black Sheep was founded by a member of the Theakston family, is brewed just down the road and is fairly obviously a take-off of OP. I can't imagine that any lover of OP won't also enjoy Riggwelter, as they're almost the same beer. So it's a little odd that the clone recipes are so different.

Having made several attempts to brew a Riggwelter clone, including my latest which was based as faithfully as possible on the interview above with the head brewer, I'd say that if the taste of this beer comes solely from chocolate malt (as claimed) then I'll eat my mash tun. Beers that derive their flavour mainly from chocolate malt, like Exmoor Beast and Hobgoblin are easily recognisable. Chocolate malt, even in its pale version, has a distinctive taste. Someone on JBK described it as like cheap instant coffee and I think that's an excellent description. OP and Riggwelter have little if any of that taste.

So do they both use black malt? Well my first attempt at Riggwelter used a good measure of black malt because I honestly didn't think that all the chocolate malt in GW's recipe stood a cat-in-hell's chance of getting close to the true flavour. I was right, but the black malt didn't really do the trick either. By analogy (because OP is so similar to Riggwelter), I'm fairly unconvinced that OP brewed with black malt alone is going to really hit the spot.

So either Masham (which means both Theakston's and Black Sheep) have their own private supply of chocolate (or black) malt that tastes completely different to the stuff everyone else uses, or they have a secret recipe that they're not telling anyone about. I believe that's the secret that needs unlocking before we can brew a decent clone of either of these beers.

In my latest tasting, the genuine Riggwelter had a flavour obviously lacking from my clone - and that was a typical dry "stout" taste. That, of course, means roasted barley, which is why I find this report in a Canadian newspaper rather interesting:

http://www.thestar.com/article/599924

The journalist has obviously spoken to the brewery (apparently to the owner) and claims that the taste of Riggwelter comes mainly from roasted unmalted barley. That would mean that the owner and the head brewer are saying different things about what goes into the beer. The roasted barley fits well with my tasting experience, although I've yet to try it and I suspect it may not be the only dark malt present.

So I wouldn't be altogether surprised if OP also needed some roasted barley to get the taste right.

[raiderman]

Dr Dex offers a persuasive argument. Old P used to be quite sweet and has got drier over the years.I'd drop any form of sugar or maltose syrup and i'd start with a strong dry porter, adding crystal, chocolate and roast barley

[FlourPower]

I tried a clone of this last year and in taste tests we all agree our clone is missing the sourness of OP. I actually prefer it better like that but am interested as to the sourness. It's almost Geuze-esque.