The Black Bull in Paradise, Ripon

The visitor centre to the brewery in some old stone outbuildings. Entrance is through a shop area to the little stone-floored bar behind, with a further galleried seating area upstairs. There is lots of brewery memorabilia as might be expected. On the counter are 6 handpumps and 3 keg taps, all their own brews, and the quality of that sampled was very good, also as might be expected. Nice to visit an old-style brewery tap rather than a modern industrial unit for a change.

Theakston’s official brewery tap or visitor centre or cooperage display. As related below it’s an old stone building converted to the purpose, the front is the shop with beers and Theakston related emphemera for sale, behind is a pleasant tap room with six pulls, usual Theakston’s range of Best, XB, OP, Lightfoot, Summit and a splendid Co-lab with Wylam and Brook House Hops. Mr Simon ((Theakston) dropped in while I was there so keeping the staff on their toes (they are anyway, they’re very good people). Things to look for other than the cooperage are the paintings of former coopers and the rather splendid counter. There’s more seating upstairs if it’s busy. Six pulls plus the Theakston’s kegs on a triple; Mild, Pale Ale and Barista.

Official site of The Black Bull in Paradise - www.theakstons.co.uk

Official site of The Black Bull in Paradise - www.theakstons.co.uk

Since the Black Bull in Paradise is essentially the bar area of the Theakston Brewery Visitor’s Centre, it is perhaps stretching things a little to treat the place as a pub in the true meaning of the word. The opening times are limited to when the Visitor Centre is open so don’t arrive expecting to partake in a lengthy evening’s session. The awkward name is derived from the original Theakston Brewery tap, the Black Bull Inn, the name being retained when the Tap was relocated to its current position within the brewery premises that stands on a plot of land called Paradise Field. The bar area is housed within an old stable block and has all character you would expect of such a building with thick stone walls, flagstone floors and a high vaulted roof. A large open fire is welcoming in the winter months and there is additional seating in an upstairs gallery. There are various Theakston family portraits as well as old photos of Masham and the brewery, beer mat displays and a backwards clock (Peculiar time – geddit!). The solitary TV probably doesn’t get much usage given the limited opening hours. At the rear is the Coopers workshop where you can often watch the now rare skill being undertaken. As you would expect, there is a full range of Theakston’s ales including any seasonals across the 6 hand pumps and you would have to be desperately unlucky to find a bad pint here quality wise. The place does have quite a bit of character (especially compared to the Black Sheep bar across town) and naturally it makes a fine finale to the Brewery Tour (which is thoroughly recommended and includes a couple of beers in the price) although it does feel a little contrived for the tourists, which in the end, I suppose is exactly what it is.