Members from CAMRA Kernow branch got together at Rebel Brewery, Penryn on Saturday 6th of August and were treated to a great tour of the brewery. The Rebel Brewery has recently had a refit creating the Tap Room where the members met with Rob Lowe the founder of the brewery.

Rob who graduated as a mining engineer spent three months travelling from Cornwall to King Stone brewery in Wales where he learnt how to brew. In 2011 Rebel moved into the first unit with a 2 barrel brew kit and brewed a 4% bitter then called Rebel gold. One year later the brewery moved into the unit at Penryn and started to focus on weird and wonderful beers.

The Brewery invested in a 15 barrel brew kit and created six core beers and seven bottles with Cornish Honey Trap being the latest beer to join the range. One of the brewery's popular beers is the Fal Oyster stout where they use Falmouth Bay Oysters to flavour the stout.

One of the CAMRA members asked where the name brewery name Rebel came from. Rob gave the members a short local history lesson about a rebellion that happened years ago near Falmouth. As Rebel like to do things different from other breweries 'Rebel' seemed an apt name for the Brewery Rob said.

After a few samples and a hot pasty in the Tap Room the CAMRA members went on a very formative tour of the brewery. We were shown around the brewery and everything that is done from the production of the beer to the bottling which is done by hand, as is the labelling of the bottles.

Rob was very well prepared for a CAMRA visit and had a pit stop on the tour route of a barrel of Penryn Pale Ale which went down well.

On returning to the Tap Room the Chairman Bob Bunce presented Rob with two awards. The first award was the Pat Skinner trophy and this was for the Supreme Champion Cornish Real Ale. The second award was for Bill Fishleigh Cup for Supreme Champion Real Ale of the Festival. Both awards were presented to Rob Lowe for Rebel 80/- Porter and the rewards were in recognition of their achievement at the Falmouth beer festival 2015.

After the presentation the members were given some more samples and a good taster of the new Rebel Belgium Stout 8.5%, what a great beer to end the day on 'literally '.

I would like to thank Rob and Rebel Brewery on behalf of Kernow CAMRA for such a great day and a very formative tour of the brewery.

Sonia Bunce, Press Officer, CAMRA Kernow.