Best Breweries In Cornwall

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A trip to Cornwall would be incomplete without you exploring its best breweries!

While Cornwall is famous for its stunning landscapes and rich history, this county is home to several beer cafe houses too. You can find anything from traditional ale houses to popular craft beer spots in Cornwall. Hence, you should not miss out on brewery tours while exploring this county. 

If you are a beer enthusiast looking for a good spot to drink your favourite beer with your loved ones, you are at the right place. In this blog post, we will explore the top 9 best breweries in Cornwall. Let us begin!

Top 9 Breweries In Cornwall

1. Sharp’s Brewery

If you are looking for ideal spots that craft beer in a way that appeals to you, then you should definitely consider visiting Sharp’s Brewery. The brewery was established in 1994 and is best known for its flagship beer Doom Bar. It is located in Rock, which is a small coastal village on the Camel Estuary. 

The Doom’s Bar has been named after a sandbank on the Northern coast of Cornwall, and the amber ale is popular for its balanced and accessible flavour profile. However, the menu of Sharp’s Brewery is not limited to this bestseller. The spot is known for its diverse range of beers that truly represent the uniqueness of the flavours of Cornwall. 

One standout feature of this brewery is the skilled staff. While it is expected that the staff of such beer cafes should be courteous and polite, Sharp’s Brewery boasts staff with immense expertise in their field of work. The amount of knowledge they possess on beer is worth appreciating, and they love to impart their wisdom to fellow visitors. 

You will find everything from hoppy beers to robust stouts in this brewery. Some of the notable drinks that undergo an impressive brewing process include Sharp’s Sea Fury (full-bodied amber ale mixed with a hoppy punch) and the citrusy Sharp’s Offshore. 

2. Healeys Cyder Farm

If you love good cider, then you should consider visiting Healeys Cyder Farm. It is located near Truro and is considered one of the most renowned destinations in Cornwall. This farm is also known for its expertise to craft beer, which can help visitors upgrade their beverage-tasting experience. 

Healeys Cyder Farm is a family-run business and has been in the market for over 30 years now. It is famous for using only the best quality natural ingredients and traditional brewing process. This farm draws its cider production experience and applies it to create beers. 

One of the best things about the Healeys Cyder Farm is that it emphasises a lot on using local ingredients. Hence, you will find that its beers have high-quality malt, hops, and yeast produced within Cornwall itself. This is why people who like experiencing the culture of a new place first-hand love visiting spots like this brewery. 

Another standout feature of this brewery is that apart from beverage production, Healeys Cyder Farm also has a museum that depicts the rich history of cider-making in the region. Hence, you can also gain a deep insight into the cultural significance of your drink here. Visitors can further take part in educational workshops and events that allow them to engage in the cider-making process themselves. 

3. Dynamite Valley Brewing 

Dynamite Valley Brewing is one of the best brewery spots in Cornwall. It was founded in the year 2015 in Ponsanooth, and the rich dynamite mining history of the region inspires the name of this brewery. 

There are several reasons why this spot is considered one of the top Cornish breweries. Dynamite Valley Brewing uses both locally produced and internationally exported ingredients to ensure a diverse and high-quality flavour profile in the beers. The staff of this brewery uses traditional methods of producing beer and adds a touch of innovation to it – thus producing a distinct taste. 

One of the several bestsellers of this brewery house is The Gold Rush. This refreshing golden ale is best known for its light malt sweetness. The complemented hop bitterness on top of this beverage is a little bitter in taste, which balances out the drink. You can choose from a diverse range of flavours and beverages, such as tropical fruit drinks to chocolate or coffee stouts. 

However, one of the standout features of this brewery is its commitment to sustainability. The staff of Dynamite Valley Brewing use the necessary environmental practices in their brewing process as well as their packaging. This way, they strive to lower their environmental impact. 

4. St Austell Brewery

St. Austell Brewery was established in the year 1851 in St. Austell. It is a popular spot among people who love different beer styles formulated by traditional methods. This brewery has also made a decent reputation in its market for serving customers with excellent quality beers. 

One of the most popular highlights of St. Austell Brewery is its flagship ale, Tribute. This pale ale has gained immense love from beer enthusiasts and is one of the most common favourite beers of the town. Tribute is also one of the few award-winning beers of Cornwall. Its balance of fruity hop aromas with a smooth malt backbone together makes it an iconic beer across the UK. 

St. Austell Brewery is also famous for offering its customers a diverse range of beverage choices, such as ales, lagers, and stouts. The staff of this brewery tries to use as many local ingredients as possible to add a distinct Cornish flavour to the drinks.

The best thing about this brewery is that it has very strict quality control measures to ensure that each batch of beer meets the set standards. Further, visitors can access a guided tour to gain more insight into aspects like the custom-built brewery process of St. Austell Brewery.

5. Padstow Brewing Company

As the name suggests, Padstow Brewing Company is located in the beautiful town of Padstow. This brewery is inspired by the rich maritime heritage of Cornwall, which is why beer enthusiasts find a sense of adventure and exploration in its beers. 

Padstow Brewing Company is best known for offering a wide variety of refreshing ales, and customers can find their favourite combination easily. The brewery tap of this spot delivers anything from light and crisp golden ales to robust and complex brews. 

However, this brewery does not stop at simply producing its core range of beverages. Padstow Brewing Company offers visitors with a limited edition season brew collection to flaunt its creativity. These seasonal brew options change in terms of flavours and ingredients based on the time of the year. This way, beer enthusiasts get to satisfy their taste buds with exciting new flavours throughout the year. 

This family-run brewery values the principles of community, which is why it works with local suppliers and businesses. Hence, this custom-built brewery supports the economy of the region and contributes to the togetherness of the town. One can visit the welcoming environment of the taproom of this brewery to sample beers.  

6. Black Flag Brewery

Located in the city of Truro, Black Flag Brewery is a small and independent brewery that rose to fame for its bold approach to brewing. The staff of this brew spot specialise in hop-forward beers by creating complex aromas and flavours of the drinks. Hop lovers can choose from a wide variety of options, including but not limited to tropical fruit notes and resinous and piney characteristics.

To ensure the best flavour profile in its beers, Black Flag Brewery exports different kinds of hops from all around the world. The staff pays careful attention to even the most intricate details while making the beers, which is why the end results are flavourful and well-balanced beverages. 

One of the best things about this brewery is that it is not afraid of taking risks – you will find the staff constantly experimenting with new flavour combinations. You will also find them incorporating different kinds of ingredients and new brewing processes to add a twist to popular beers. 

As a result, beer enthusiasts can challenge their taste buds and have an opportunity to diversify their palette. The tasting rooms in this brewery offer visitors a welcoming atmosphere to let people sample their beers easily. This brewery also participates in several local beer events to reach out to a wider audience. 

7. Harbour Brewing 

Harbour Brewing is located in the village of Bodmin and was founded in the year 2012. It is one of the best Cornwall breweries that combine traditional and modern brewing processes to make beer. The ingredients used to create the popular beers include locally sourced and organic options. 

From farm’s fresh spring water to hop-forward IPAs – this brewing house takes pride in offering customers a wide range of palettes in their beverages. The owner and staff of Harbour Brewing take inspiration from the classic methods of producing beers and add their harbour twist to them. They also consider themselves to be working for an open-minded brewery and respect the room for creativity and innovation. 

Recently, Harbour Brewing partnered with St. Austell Brewery to provide customers with the best of both worlds. This north-Cornish coast-based brewery believes in the foundation of collaboration with local suppliers and stores, which helps it upgrade the overall quality of beers delivered.

8. Verdant Brewing

If you love hop-focused beers, then Verdant Brewing might be one of the best breweries in Cornwall for you. Based in the town of Falmouth, this brewery has gained a decent reputation both in the UK and internationally. 

Founded in 2014, Verdant Brewing is best known for sourcing a huge range of hops from around the world. The staff of this brewery carefully selects what hop variant will be used in which drink, thus giving each drink its unique flavour. One of the most popular choices of drinks in this brewery includes the core range, which includes its flagship IPA. 

Beer enthusiasts can either visit the taproom in Penryn or, if they are hungry and would fancy some good seafood, can head over to the Verdant Seafood Bar in Falmouth. The seafood bar is open from Tuesday to Saturday, and you can enjoy delicious seafood and choose from eight taps of beer. 

9. Bluntrock Brewery

A brewery may not necessarily have decades of experience to be loved by beer enthusiasts, and Bluntrock Brewery is the perfect example. It is a Rock-based brewery run by two friends who decided to start a business offering Cornwall high-quality drinks. 

Established in 2021, this small-batch brewery designs, brews, and sells all the beers on the site itself. As a result, the final products properly represent the flavours of the county, and the owners can ensure necessary quality checks in the process.

The shop stocked the top beer variants in its offline tap room as well as its online store, thus giving an easier alternative to purchasing the drinks. You can easily find a detailed guide of the timings of the store based on different festivals and months on its official website. Further, you can book this taproom (for up to 200 guests) for private events and parties!

Conclusion

Beers are more than just another alcoholic beverage – they bridge the gap between cultures and individuals. Hence, going to a decent brewery while visiting Cornwall has almost become a custom for several visitors. 

However, it is understandable that you might get confused as to which brewery you should visit, considering there are so many to choose from. Besides the aforementioned recommendations, you can check out South Westerly Brewery, Driftwood Spars Pub, Bearded Brewery, etc., for English hops, Tarquin gin, and unfiltered hazy pales. 

Happy drinking!

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