Cornish Breweries

Cornwall, in common with the rest of the UK, once was rich in local breweries. Over the years, however, mergers, takeovers and subsequent closures sadly depleted their numbers, and by 1980 there were only three left - Devenish (Redruth), St. Austell, and the Blue Anchor brew-pub in Helston. Then Devenish fell under the Whitbread axe and the subsequent arrival of asset-strippers, its pubs being sold off mostly to the national pubcos, and eventually leaving St. Austell to fly the principal flag of Cornish brewing around the county.

Over the last fifteen years or so, however, the situation has been transformed, and there are currently no fewer than 14 operating breweries in the county, although this number fluctuates a little as smaller operations start up or disappear around the dozen or so serious players who are now well-established Cornish brewers. As many of these have their own websites nowadays, this page is designed to allow you to select them yourselves and read about the breweries that interest you in more detail than would be appropriate here. The breweries currently operating in Cornwall are listed alphabetically below.

New island brewery set up in 2001 at Higher Trenoweth on St. Mary's, moving in 2007 to an industrial unit near the town centre. The beers appear regularly at, among other places, the New Inn on Tresco and the Mermaid Inn in Hugh Town on St. Mary's. Two regular ales, both best bitters are produced, with others appearing as 'seasonal' beers usually to celebrate special events on the islands such as the arrival of the bird-watching fraternity in October ('Old Bustard'), the opening of the islands' own radio station ('Megahertz '), or the arrival of their new vicar ('Chaplain of the Ales').
Ales of Scilly, Unit 2B, Porthmellon Industrial Estate, ST. MARY'S, Isles of Scilly TR21 0JY

01720 42 24 19

A joiner with British Rail for 20 years, Alan Hinde got involved in running pubs with wife Audrey, during which time became interested in real ale and the brewing process. The couple ran the well-known Borough Arms at Crewe for six years until 2005, and Alan brewed some beers on the premises, which proved popular with drinkers. Alan moved to Cornwall, from his home area of Crewe, with his family in November 2005, and set up Coastal Brewery, on Redruth's busy Cardrew Industrial Estate, a year later.

With Coastal up and running, the appropriately named Genesis was the first brew. After months of hard work a portfolio of tasty beers has been established, and a growing number of outlets are taking the beers. Some of the beers go out of the county, notably up to the Midlands and North of England. Outlets include The Wellington, Birmingham, a renowned real ale pub with 15 handpumps, and the Bhurtpore, at Aston, near Crewe, which offers up to 10 real ales at any one time.

In Cornwall, Coastal beers can often be found at: The Star, Crowlas; the Alexandra, Penzance; and the Blisland Inn, on Bodmin Moor - all, coincidentally, have been Cornwall CAMRA pub of the year recently, the Star being the current title holder.

In Devon, look out for the beers at: The Trout and Tipple, Tavistock; Prince Maurice, Plymouth; Royal Oak, South Brent; and the Bridge Inn, Topsham.

The beers are listed on the Coastal Brewery website.
Coastal Brewery, Unit 9B, Cardrew Industrial Estate, REDRUTH, TR15 1SS
Phone: 07875 405407

Established in what was once the rescue kennels at Startrax Pets' Hotel in Scorrier, near Redruth, the brewery is sadly closed in October 2007and the plant sold to Wooden Hand Brewery of Grampound Road. However, former proprietor Steve Willmott has revived the brand and is currently brewing regularly on Keltek Brewery equipment in Redruth. Ales such as Wet Nose and Sea Dog IPA have reappeared and are being sold by Keltek under the Doghouse brand name, but using Keltek's brewing license. This has avoided the total loss of the Doghouse beers. The arrangement will probably continue into 2009. Sea Dog is regularly available at the Buller's Arms in Looe.

Erstwhile Bathtub Brewery brewer Peter Martin, who was forced to close his tiny operation when the landlord sold the pub that was his base, has returned to the world of beer production at the Driftwood Spars at Trevaunance Cove. This had ceased production of its Cuckoo Ale when previous landlord and owner Gordon Treleaven sold up and retired in 2007. The new owners dabbled a bit with the 5-barrel brew plant but seemed to lose heart when a heating element burned out last summer and trouble was had in sourcing a replacement. However, the kit now functions again and Peter has been done some test brews and come up with three or four ales for the pub's own portfolio. The first, launched at Christmas, is called Blue Hills Bitter and weighs in at 4.2% abv. Peter admits it needs hopping a bit more to increase the bitterness, but as a basis for his first 'best bitter' for the pub this brew seems about right, being pleasant and fruity, if at present a little short on body. The plan is to produce a golden ale and a strong beer, and perhaps eventually a porter - which reflects Peter's ideas of where to take the Bathtub operation, had he been able to. Brewing for now takes place once or twice a month, giving the pub enough at a time to keep at least one of its handpumps permanently busy.
Driftwood Spars Hotel, Trevaunance Cove, ST. AGNES TR5 0RT
Tlf (01872) 552428

The brewery which operated under this name in Tregony ceased operations there during 1998. The equipment was sold on and Keltek was reincarnated in Lostwithiel, run primarily by Andy White of ale distribution company Cask Force. It is a two-and-a-half barrel brew plant with two 5-barrel fermenters, set up in what once was the cleaning department of the Dairy Crest creamery. Sadly, it was again closed in 2005 through having to vacate these premises and it has now turned up again in Redruth in the care of its original owner Stuart Heath. Brewing was at first largely confined to beers produced for the home take-away market (both in polypin and bottle-conditioned formats), although cask-conditioned versions are now turning up again in the pubs of west Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Try the Keltek Brewery website for more information.

Keltek Brewery, Candela House, Cardrew Industrial Estate, REDRUTH TR15 1SS
01209 313620

One of Cornwall's newest breweries, Lizard started full-time brewing in late 2004 from premises in St. Keverne on the Lizard peninsula. Brewer Richard Martin now brews a regular portfolio of three or four ales available in certain outlets in the area, although the number of pubs taking his beer is slowly growing. The most recent addition is a strong Cornish ale called An Gof (5.2%), named after the smith who led the 1497 rebellion; it is appropriately dark and smoky. The brewery moves to new premises - an old nuclear shelter - in June 2008, retaining the same telephone number.
Lizard Ales Ltd, Unit 2A, St. Keverne Rural Workshops, ST. KEVERNE TR12 6PE
01326 281135

The first organic brewery in Cornwall, the Organic Brewhouse, operates from premises on the Bochym Industrial Estate near Cury Cross Lanes on the Lizard peninsula. It was set up by Andy Haymer , who considers his niche in the market to lie with organic beers. Using only organically-produced raw materials, he has now got accreditation from the Soil Association, and can only label it organic if the beer is sold straight from the cask in full view of the customer. The first beer to appear was a light-coloured ale at 4% abv called Lizard Point Bitter, followed closely by a second beer at 4.5%abv, named Serpentine after the distinctive green rock characteristic of the Lizard peninsula and described as a ruby ale. A third recipe, Wolf Rock (5%) then went on sale while a stout version called Black Rock is also brewed and sells well when it appears. A new source of organic hops has now been located, this always being a difficulty in ensuring that all the ingredients are from organic supplies. Some of the beers are also available in bottle-conditioned form.

Organic Brewhouse, Unit 1A, Rural Workshops, Higher Bochym, Cury Cross Lanes TR12 7AZ
(01326) 24 15 55

St. Austell Brewery Co. Ltd, 63 Trevarthian Road, St AUSTELL PL25 4BY
Tlf: (01726) 74444 Fax: (01726) 68965

Another relatively new brewery to Cornwall, established in 1994 by Bill Sharp at Pityme, near Rock. It currently supplies more than 300 outlets both within and outside the county, and has recently completed an expansion to increase capacity. As well as its standard portfolio of brews, Sharp's produces blended 'house beers' for a few Cornish pubs, including the Maltsters' Arms at Chapel Amble and the Countryman at Piece near Redruth, the last one being called 'No-Name' because the locals failed to think of a suitable name for it!. In addition to the cask ales, Sharp's produce bottled versions including a special range of three strong brews called 'Conoisseur's Choice'.

Sharp's Brewery, Pityme Industrial Estate, Rock, WADEBRIDGE PL27 6NU
Tlf: (01208) 86 21 21 Fax: (01208) 86 37 27
Website: Sharp's Brewery

Skinner's Brewing Co., Riverside View, Newham, TRURO TR1 2SU
Tlf: (01872) 27 18 85 Fax: (01872) 27 18 86
Website: Skinner's Brewery

Beer	ABV %
Firebrand (summer season, Apr-Oct only)	4.2
Scuppered	4.6