Cornwall is a place teeming with incredible, hidden gems amidst its coasts and rolling fields. Among these treasures are its many breweries.
The recent craft beer boom has led to the local countryside teeming with new brewery startups, all offering a wide range of unique, excellent beers.
It’s therefore unsurprising that Cornwall is held up as one of the best parts of the country to get an excellent local beer.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a bad Cornish brewery. It’s certainly difficult to decide which are at the top of such an excellent selection, but we’ve done our best in this article.
🍺🍺🍺 Let’s get straight into it! 🍺🍺🍺
How Many Breweries Are In Cornwall?
Cornwall is considered to be the brewery capital of the UK. At current count, it has 39 breweries nestled amongst its countryside and along its coast.
It also has the highest number of brewers per capita than anywhere else in Britain.
All of this means there is plenty to drink wherever you’re in Cornwall, and usually only a short walk away. You can stand pretty much anywhere in the county and only be a short walk or drive from an amazing local brewery. Often near a beach too…
Often, the best breweries are hidden off the beaten trail. It can be hard to figure out which ones are worth visiting, and which ones you can skip. That’s why we made this list!
So, let’s get into it. Here are our top picks for breweries to visit in Cornwall!
Verdant Brewing Co.
30 Parkengue, Kernick Industrial Estate, Penryn TR10 9EP
Open Wednesday to Sunday, from 12pm to 11pm
Verdant Brewing Co. was founded in 2014 when friends Adam, James and Rich teamed up to create their dream brewery.
Their love of beer inspired them to fill the gap they saw in great, local beers in their area. Now, their business is thriving.
Their focus is on creating hop-forward, flavour filled beers that are completely vegan friendly. This Falmouth brewery makes over 8000 litres a week!
Verdant Brewing is hip, forward and adventurous, seeking to continue pushing the boundaries of taste and quality to their limits. They are most famous for their hazy pales, IPAs and DIPAs.
Sitting right next to their brewery in Penryn, their taproom is where to go if you want a taste of their famous drinks. It offers 16 draught taps, 4 cask lines and plenty of bottles and cans to sample. They even have wood-fired Neapolitan pizza!
If you want a more substantial meal, the Verdant Seafood Bar is also on offer in Falmouth. Here, you can enjoy their drinks alongside incredible local seafood dishes!
St Austell Brewery
63 Trevarthian Road, Saint Austell PL25 4BY
Open every day from 9am to 5pm
This 160 year old, historic brewery is unique among the other items on this list. Easily competing against the new, trendy startups in the region, St Austell Brewing offers great drinks and an incredible tour experience.
Founded in 1851 by brewer Walter Hicks, the company is still completely independent and family owned.
Their passion is in creating classic, beloved pints that have earned them fans all over the country. History clings to every part of their work; the original brewery building still stands at the heart of their current compound, largely untouched.
Their newly refurbished visitor centre offers drinks, food and merchandise as well as a brief look into the history of their company.
If you book a tour, you’ll be given a full rundown of their operations and history as well as a guided tasting of some of their beers. If you’re intrigued by the history of brewing, St Austell is a must-see!
Padstow Brewing Company
4A Trecerus Industrial Estate, Padstow PL28 8RW
Open five days a week from 8am to 4pm
This microbrewery sits just outside Padstow. The Padstow Brewing Company found its feet in 2013 when founders Caron and Des Archer started brewing in their old surf shower!
Currently, they operate a full brewery and maintain two tasting rooms in the heart of Padstow.
Their award winning beers are known for being varied and adventurous, with regular seasonal and small-batch items making an appearance in their tasting rooms. They also offer core, seasonal and speciality menus.
Their tour consists of a 90-minute guided journey through their brewery which allows you to literally rub shoulders with their brewers! At the end, you’ll have an opportunity to sample from their huge range of bottled and canned beers.
If you want an even more in-depth brewing experience, the Padstow Brewing Company offers brew days.
This lets you spend a full day alongside their head brewer, learning how they operate from start to finish. It also includes lunch – and as much beer as you want!
Harbour Brewing Company
Tretoil Farm, Lanivet, Bodmin PL30 5BA
Starting in 2012, Harbour Brewing aims to create unique and well-rounded beers from only the best ingredients. They utilise incredible hops, Cornish spring water, and years-perfected technique to create excellent beers.
The biggest focus here is on the heritage of Cornwall and the experiences it’s provided to them all. The brewers at Harbour Brewing truly look to push boundaries and discover new things while still staying rooted in traditional techniques.
As the companies say, “We are blessed with where we live; we pay homage to our fortune through the nature of our brew.”
Sharps Brewery
Sharps Brewery, Pityme Industrial Estate, Rock PL27 6NU
Open all days except Sunday, from 9 am to 5:30 pm
Sharps Brewery is situated along the north coast of Cornwall, offering glorious views of the Atlantic. Here, you’ll find best selling cask and bottled beer created by an industrious, passionate team.
The incredible local scenery makes their tasting room a lovely place to sit while you enjoy your drink. They even offer tutored tasting sessions if you really want to know what you’re tasting!
If you want a slightly deeper experience, their tour is a great opportunity to pick up some history of the area and local brewing. At the end of the adventure, you’ll even get to sample some of their great beer in the visitor centre.
Since 1994, Sharps Brewery has been a passionate brewery producing excellent beer. It’s a great place to stop and take in the views if you’re in the area – don’t miss it!
The Bearded Brewery
Tresawle Farm, Saint Mawgan TR8 4DZ
Open every day from 12 pm to 6pm
Started by lumberjacks and close friends Rob and Mark, The Bearded Brewery produces fine Cornish cider. They have a no frills, all-quality attitude and care deeply about creating unique, quality cider.
Their most famous showpiece is the Suicyder, a sweet, bouncy cider offered both at their onsite bar and in take home bottles.
Their brewery tour allows customers to learn exactly how they create their ciders, with a walkthrough of their brewery and a brief rundown of the history of their product.
The taphouse is kid and dog friendly, with games available to keep children (and children at heart) entertained all evening! It’s a wonderful place to sit back, relax and soak in the local sights with some truly excellent cider.
Black Flag Brewery
Black Flag Brewery, Unit 1D, New Road, Perranporth TR6 0DL
Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday
This brewery is unique largely because they do everything (yes, everything) by hand. This includes all steps of the process, from mashing to bottling!
All of the beers at Black Flag Brewery are unfiltered and unpasteurized. They frequently offer seasonal and small batch beers which are adventurous in both their flavours and techniques.
The biggest focus here is on offering a wide range of excellent quality beers, ranging from classic British bitters to American inspired IPAs.
They also aim to keep their environmental impact low with organic malts.
The taproom is a five minute walk from the beach and town centre, making it a great place to chill out after a day of surfing on Perranporth beach. The brewery also offers woodfired pizzas on Friday and Saturday alongside its high-quality beers of all kinds.
If you want something different and premium-level, Black Flag Brewery is a fantastic place to visit!
Pipeline Brewing Co.
Great Western Railway Yard, St Agnes TR5 0PD
Open Fridays from 6 pm to 10pm
Pipeline Brewing Co. offers small-batch, vibrant, hoppy beer created using the freshest local ingredients they can get their hands on.
Their craft beers showcase the best of New World hops in all their glory. This, alongside their constantly changing lineup of beers, makes for a unique experience every time you visit.
While small, their taproom offers a huge array of drinks and some lovely scenery to boot.
They aren’t the biggest, grandest brewery on this list, but if you’re in the area they’re definitely worth a visit.
Bluntrock Brewery
Unit 8, Higher Pityme Industrial Estate, Rock PL27 6NS
Varying opening hours depending on the season, check their website for details
This independent nano brewery and taproom has a strong focus on fresh, delicious, small-batch beers.
Started in 2020 by founders George and Hugo, Bluntrock aimed to bring new, exciting beers to the area in modern styles.
As a testament to this, you’ll see old containers that have been refurbished to create a small beer garden onsite. They aim to be as creative as possible, offering a core range of delicious beers alongside seasonal brews.
In addition to their own products, their taproom also offers local beers from the surrounding areas. This means a wide variety to choose from when you visit.
To go with your drinks, they offer fairly simple, cold snacks. However, they often host local food trucks as well, which provide some truly excellent food. To see when these are coming by, make sure to check their Events page on their website!
As you’ll already be keenly aware, delicious beer goes hand in hand with live music, DJs, and exciting games to create a buzzing atmosphere. If you want a fun, casual place to enjoy an evening, Bluntrock is a top choice!
Dynamite Valley Brewing Co.
Viaduct Works, Frog Hill, Ponsanooth, Truro TR3 7JW
Open all days except Sunday, from 9 am to 5pm
Now one of the most successful indie breweries in Cornwall, Dynamite Valley Brewing Co. started as a recipe experimentation in a little portacabin sitting in the middle of nowhere.
Founders Dom Lilly and Ross Kessel reached out with a crowdfunding campaign that kickstarted their brewery, which has now grown into a highly successful venture. They are proven experts in crafting full-flavored American-style craft beers.
The duo aims to combine both modern and traditional styles of brewing to create something completely unique. Their range is varied, offering both core and seasonal drink options.
This award-winning brewery has an excellent little beer cafe attached which opens every Saturday afternoon. Here, you can enjoy food from local guest chefs alongside signature beers.
Two of the most highly-regarded and renowned brews are the refreshing golden ale known as Gold Rush, with its distinct apricot flavour, and the sweet oatmeal stout called Black Charge which boasts coffee undertones.
Drinking Your Way Around Cornwall!
These are just a few of the amazing breweries hidden all throughout the Cornish countryside. No matter where you are in Cornwall, there’s probably an incredible brewery not too far away!
If you want to sample the drinks before you commit to visiting these breweries, most offer online ordering through their websites. This can be a great way to get an idea of their lineup before your trip.
Of course, some of the best parts of a holiday are the unplanned ones! Don’t be afraid to get adventurous and try something new when you’re exploring the coasts of Cornwall.
We hope this list gives you a better idea of your options when it comes to Cornish breweries. If you love good beer (and who doesn’t), we’re sure one of these havens will be your happy place!
Introducing Eliot, the Editor here and Cornwall local with a wanderlust spirit and an insatiable appetite for adventure. With a passion for the great outdoors, he can often be found catching waves on his surfboard, scaling peaks on a hiking trail, or discovering hidden gems in his exploration of Cornwall.