Saturday 18 July was a special and very hot summer’s day for Cornwall Branch at the Star Inn at Crowlas. It was Penzance Brewery’s 18th birthday which was marked with a beer festival in the car park in addition to the range of beers on the bar inside.

Having got our first pints (mine’s a Crowlas Amber Ale because there was no Mild on), we repaired to the dining room (aka the tasting training room) for our Branch business meeting.

We then went outside to the beer festival area, or Ooh Arr Bar, where I was delighted to find Tigertops Brewery Edwardian Porter on the bar. Tigertops is in Wakefield and I know the owners well, both involved in CAMRA tasting panels. I understood that Barry, the brewer, was somewhere in the Star, but I didn’t find him.

Branch Chairman Dave Pedlar presented a certificate to licensees Paul and Jane Badcock for being voted Cornwall Branch Pub of the Season for Spring 2026. Winning a Pub of the Season can lead to Branch Pub of the Year, SW Regional Pub of the Year, and even National Pub of the Year but there are many hurdles ahead!

Paul and Jane were joined by Penzance brewer Lewis Elliott and assistant Richard Hickman, who won Supreme Champion Beer of Britain in 2025 with Mild. On the day, they were working behind the Ooh Arr Bar!

Then Gerry Wills, the CAMRA Brewery Liaison Officer for Penzance Brewery stepped forward to award Lewis and Richard certificates for achieving positions in the finals of the CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain held at Cambridge Beer Festival in May. The two finalists were Mild and Potion No9. Well done!

On display outside were three other awards from CAMRA. In 2025 Champion Beer of Britain SW Region judging, Potion No9 won Gold (1st place) in its judging class, Pale, Blond and Golden Ales. Potion No9 seems to have a habit of getting well placed in CBoB! Also in 2025, Scilly Stout (yum – I am biassed!) won Silver (2nd place) in its class, Strong Stouts and Porters.

We finished off the afternoon with much socialising and beer drinking. Ah, yes, the third award pinned up outside. This was a special Cornwall Branch Gold Award in March 2009 to the late Star Inn owner, licensee and founder of Penzance Brewery, Pete Elvin, who passed away in 2023. Signed by then Chairman Rod Davis and Deputy Chairman Gerry Wills. Rest in peace Pete.

Cheers,

Steve Barber