On Thursday 5 January 2023 a good turnout of CAMRA members converged on St Austell Brewery by car and bus, some from considerable distances away, in spite of the train strike.

The purpose was to present a certificate to the Brewery in recognition of continuously brewing real ale during the 50 years of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide in this anniversary year.

We were welcomed by Kevin Georgel (CEO), Georgina Young (Brewing Director) and Rob Orton (Production Manager).

The certificate was presented by CAMRA Cornwall Branch Chairman, Dugg Polman, and CAMRA's Brewery Liaison Officer for St Austell Brewery, Russ Durbridge.

Good conversation accompanied by St Austell beer followed in the Small Batch Brewery bar. Before we left, a glass of black beer was produced for us to taste. It was Black Square, a 10.5% ABV strong stout (I should say so) which was about to be matured in wood for a year before being bottled. For those who have not tried Black Square, the CAMRA Tasting Note is "Powerful black stout with sherry aroma masking caramel malt. Strong smoky roast flavours with hints of toffee and stone fruits."

We then moved on to the New Inn at Tywardreath, a St Austell Brewery tied house, for a second presentation.

The New Inn has been in 44 out of the 50 Good Beer Guides, an achievement matched by only four other pubs out of over 550 in Cornwall that have had over 40 entries. The certificate was presented by CAMRA Cornwall Branch Chairman, Dugg Polman to the licensees. The Brewery was represented by Kevin Georgel, Georgina Young, Rob Orton and Adam Luck.

After the formalities, a good social ensued.

On top of the panelled bar counter there is a slotted brass plate for tokens issued by the group of five local copper mines collectively known as Fowey Consols. The miners would often collect their pay in a local pub and be part paid in tokens which they could only spend in the pub. This was not uncommon in Cornwall.

The miners who worked at Fowey Consols had a taste for draught Bass which is why it is still kept in the New Inn and covenanted to be sold there whoever owns it. So that is why this St Austell pub always sells Bass.

The mines were operated from 1822 by Joseph Treffry who made a fortune. He built Place in Fowey out of it. Although the drawer is still under the counter, there are no tokens in it. Treffry did not take contactless...

As dusk fell we dragged ourselves away from the New Inn to make our trainless ways home.

Cheers, Steve Barber