Where is Black Sheep Best Bitter brewed?
Black Sheep Best Bitter is brewed in Britain, at Masham, North Yorkshire, and sold as British.
In short
Black Sheep Best Bitter is brewed at Masham, North Yorkshire and sold as what it is. The brand belongs to Great British Drinks Company (backed by Paramount Retail Group). It is 3.8%. The label says: "Country of Origin: United Kingdom. 'A bold best bitter brewed with fresh dales water in Masham, Yorkshire.'."
Who has brewed it here
| Years | Brewer | Site | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 to 2023 | The Black Sheep Brewery plc | Masham, North Yorkshire | yorkshirepost.co.uk |
| 2023 to 2025 | Breal Capital, later folded into Keystone Brewing Group | Masham, North Yorkshire | yorkshirepost.co.uk |
| 2026 to now | Great British Drinks Company | Masham, North Yorkshire | inside.beer |
What changed
- 5 September 2026:
uk_label_origin_textwas not established, now "Country of Origin: United Kingdom. 'A bold best bitter brewed with fresh dales water in Masham, Yorkshire.'" (source) - 5 September 2026:
verificationwas "partial", now "verified" (source) - 5 September 2026:
abv_notewas "Not sourced in this pass. Cask Best Bitter is normally 3.8%.", now "Black Sheep's own shop lists the 8 x 500ml can pack at 3.8%." (source) - 5 September 2026:
uk_abvwas not established, now 3.8 (source) - Corrected 5 September 2026:
verificationwas "verified", now "partial"
Questions people ask
Where is Black Sheep Best Bitter brewed?
The beer sold in the UK is brewed at Masham, North Yorkshire by Great British Drinks Company.
Is Black Sheep Best Bitter brewed in the UK?
Yes. It is brewed at Masham, North Yorkshire.
Who owns Black Sheep Best Bitter?
Black Sheep Best Bitter is owned by Great British Drinks Company (backed by Paramount Retail Group), headquartered in the United Kingdom. In the UK the brand is handled by Great British Drinks Company.
What strength is Black Sheep Best Bitter in the UK?
Black Sheep Best Bitter is 3.8% ABV in the UK.
What does the Black Sheep Best Bitter label say about where it is brewed?
The UK label text on record reads: "Country of Origin: United Kingdom. 'A bold best bitter brewed with fresh dales water in Masham, Yorkshire.'".
Which beers are similar to Black Sheep Best Bitter?
Beers with a similar story include Adnams Ghost Ship, Greene King Abbot Ale and Greene King IPA.
See also
Every beer sold as United Kingdom · What else is brewed at Masham, North Yorkshire
Sources
- The Yorkshire Post (yorkshirepost.co.uk): First administration May 2023, Breal Capital paid 5m pounds in a pre-pack wiping out over 1,000 shareholders; second administration notices November 2025, sale completed January 2026 to the Great British Drinks Company for 4.1m pounds; 145 jobs saved; Keystone Brewing Group formed by Breal
- inside.beer (inside.beer), January 2026: 6.5m pound acquisition completed 24 January 2026 covering Black Sheep, Purity, Magic Rock, Fourpure, Brew By Numbers, Brick and North Brewing; three brewery sites maintained
- CAMRA What's Brewing (wb.camra.org.uk), 27 January 2026: Black Sheep at Masham retained as the consolidation hub
- Black Sheep Brewery (blacksheepbrewery.com), 5 September 2026: 3.8% ABV for the 500ml can, on the brewer's own site
- Morrisons (groceries.morrisons.com), 5 September 2026: Black Sheep Best Bitter 500ml, can: 3.8%, Country of Origin United Kingdom, Country of Packaging United Kingdom, 'A bold best bitter brewed with fresh dales water in Masham, Yorkshire.' Morrisons stocks this alongside Black Sheep Ale (4.4%) in bottle and 4 x 440ml cans; Tesco lists Ale and Milk Stout but not Best Bitter.