please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Only managed to call in once on this visit which was a shame. Beer excellent as usual. Great pub for brewed on the premises ales.
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if this pub was in London it would be packed out, and he'd have to expand his brewery, this is an ale lovers paradise, absolute gem, usually reasonably quiet as they don't do food
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I know this site has gone out of fashion, but in the context of Cornwall this pub really is a bit special. If you want some real Ale and not Bloody St Austell Ales then this place is well worth seeking out. We came here totally out of season but it is only a 20 minute bus ride from Penzance.
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Visited several times in the last week. Beer excellent as usual . Wish I lived nearby!
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I really enjoyed my visit here, the Potion number nine is better than ever, one of the locals told me how good it was before I produced my wallet. The service was really good, the locals were all very friendly and the pool table was just fifty pence. 9/10.
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I can't add much to blue scrumpy's review from January this year (echo his comment about the cider). The interior is spartan perhaps, but not shabby. Indeed. some money has clearly been spent on a new slate-style floor and red leather sofa/bucket seats away from the bar. The Crowlas Bitter was just �2.60, the Brisons �2.80. Both very drinkable. Didn't try the Mello or the Potion No. 9. A good selection of CAMRA magazines from around the country available to read.
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A large pub on the A30 about midway between Penzance and St Erth with a regular bus service from both. Bus stops in each direction outside the pub. Outside seating area ay the rear.
3 of their own beers on yesterday - Brison's, No 9 and Crowlas Bitter (starting at �2.60) plus 2 guests. We thought that the Crowlas was a little on the thin side but the other 2 were excellent. The brewer was behind the bar at lunchtime and was more than happy to have a chat whilst working.
Well worth the bus trip.
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The Star was our pub of the day and probably the best of 20 over our weekend in Devon & Cornwall. It's a proper drinkers pub which does not have to rely on food to supplement its income. In fact a sign on entry states that they do not serve food, but they do have some of the finest beers in Cornwall (if not the world). Beers were all from the on-site Penzance brewery with the exception of one guest. Crowlas Bitter. Brisons Bitter, Mello & Potion No.9 were all on offer, with Wentworth Prism Porter also on. Despite not being pulled through, the barman offered to pull my drink straight from the cask. A group of lads were playing some strange variation on pool, whilst it was clear that the pub attracts a loyal customer base. The interior is fairly spartan, but all the better for it. If you're ever in the area, please pay a visit. The only minor drawback is that they do not serve real cider - only minor because the porter was just fine.
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Great beer bar with its own microbrewery. Good beers, large selection of other local microbreweries. Good to see a blackboard with the selection and a list of beers to go on next.
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in my opinion the range and quality of the ales served here are as good as it gets, and although they didn't roll out the red carpet on my arrival the service and hospitality was fine,
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David- I wanted to add on to your Sept comment about the Star Inn. It's been a year since I was last in but whenever I did go I received 1st class treatment all the way around. In fact, Steve was impressed to hear that I had set aside some time on my visit from Texas to check out the famed Star Inn and told the landlord, Pete-- who promptly came around the bar and invited me to talk with him as he showed me the microbrewery. He spent quite a lot of time talking with me and showing me the 'odds and ends' of the breweing process, then invited me to stay as long as I wanted...which I did; sampling the many real ales that were available.
Great pub! Great time-- and I would return without hesitation!
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I've got to say, JamieDrelps, I disagree with what you say. I guess that's what makes us individuals. I have been to the Star a fair few times now. My last visit was probably the best yet. The Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby was in *perfect* condition. Absolutely Fantastic! I also had 2 of Peter's own brews: Prussia Gold and Potion No9. Both were superb. Great condition and individual tastes. I hate it when people take things to heart. Ofcourse in a pub like this, first time round people are going to get the old glare. It's a proper Cornish drinking pub. On top of that, Peter is a Scillonian - Never seen a happy day! It's not personal! I know it's not your typical way of doing things but it's a 'locals pub'. People grow to love Peter for his ways and in my opinion it makes the place what it is. No nonsense, no two faces. Come in. have a drink or two. Bugger off. Come back again. It's all a type of banter at the end of the day, and if you just give up and resign yourself to being ignored, then that's the way you'll stay. Lastly, yes, I think Steve would be better off in a different job, but you don't have to talk to him!
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Hearing how the landlord is so passionate about getting his beer just right makes me want to comment further. The landlord should be made aware that the man he employs behind the bar is letting him down. He was not dry humoured, as you suggest, just plumb rude to us.
I'll take your word for it that Steve is knowledgeable about ale but his behaviour made him come across as being ignorant of how to treat people. We were friendly to him, looking forward to sampling some good real ale, and we did not deserve being ignored when we said hello and then slighted whilst others who came after us were served.
Notwithstanding the landlord's "magic", the pints I had were not excellent, just quite decent, and this would not have been an issue if the barman was not so rude.
It's clear that one or two contributors here have been upset by my honesty, but this is what the forum is for, is it not? eankelvin and jonthebusnomore, I have drunk ale all over the country and world, not just in the Penzance, and it is a passion for me. I have no particular axe to grind in this instance and feel totally justified in saying that the ale at the Star is not that remarkable and certainly not worth the trip in the light of Steve's style of serving it.
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I was interested to read the reviews left here by visitors to the Star, Crowlas it being a pub I frequent regularly.
Don't confuse the Landlord with the Barman. During the day the barman Steve is employed so that the landlord Pete can work his magic in the brewery. It is true to say that the welcome is not that of a corporate customer care trained member of staff but then who wants that? Steve has some knowledge of the product he sells (let's face it he has probably consumed more of it than most of us) and will discuss the subject, at length, with anyone who has a similar interest.
Pete's skills lie in the production of the beer. This is not a project he took on lightly or on a whim, having taken some years to build the impressive brewery out the back. His approach is closer to that of a scientist than a micro-brewer having learnt the proper way as a commercial head brewer for many years.
Now let's get to the important thing - The Beer.
It can only be said that the beer is excellent. His own brews (Normally about 4 different ones on tap at any one time) are consistent, crystal clear, and wide ranging in taste from the light and hoppy to the dark and malty. His guest beers are kept properly and only brought to tap when considered good enough to stand next to his own on the bar. He does cater for the more discerning drinker of the drink called lager with some interesting "World Beers" etc and even those who simply enjoy the chemicals from mainstream lager are catered for, if not welcomed with a warm hug.
In short, if you like real ale and you�re not hungry or easily offended by a dry sense of humour, you must try the Star. Otherwise stay on the A30 for a couple of miles and you will find yourself a Wetherspoons in Penzance where you will feel more comfortable with others of your kind.
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Certainly, it brews the best beer I have tasted in Cornwall. But then I do not rate Cornish beer very highly in general.
When all is said and done, the quality of beer at the Star Inn is not that remarkable when you compare it to that served in some other pubs in parts of England (for example The Hyde Tavern in Winchester or The Ship Centurion in Whitstable). And so I wonder if the Star Inn's CAMRA recognition was a kind of token gesture by virtue of it being situated in Cornwall. I cannot imagine that it would be given an award if were it based where competition was fiercer.
That's my opinion based on my experience: quite decent beer, rude landlord which makes the trip not worthwhile.
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rude, maybe, more interested in locals, maybe, but if people who made last comment can't tell that this pub serves & these days brews the best beer in Cornwall by a country mile they perhaps deserved the treatment they got. Did they order lager & lime ?
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I went to this pub recently whilst on holiday in the area. A nearby farm shop proprietor said that they do good beer. I was dissapointed.
The beer is not that great, it's quite decent, just not that good when you consider it won a CAMRA award only a few years ago.
However, the beer wasn't the main problem for me. The landlord was unbelieably rude to my Dad and I. We walked in to an almost empty pub, cheerfully bid him "hello", got no reply, and then ordered beers. The owner then proceeded to serve two locals who walked in after us, and then two more people who had in the meantime finished their drinks at the bar. He made it very clear that we weren't welcome.
The two locals who were served before us were actually quite chatty, and so we stayed to sample other beers but I can only think it has gone down hill since its CAMRA award.
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We made a special effort (well, got off the bus), to visit here and it was well worth it. Penzance ales served and all the ones tried were perfect - as you would expect as they are brewed on the premises. Lovely to visit a pub in Cornwall with something other than St Austell and Skinners on the menu,. Friendly welcome from the LL, and the interior has real character and some interesting locals. I would urge any discerning ale to visit. It's a big 10 from me and Mrs D.
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This place is absolutely AWESOME
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Another few weeks in Cornwall and this is one of the pubs on my "not to be missed" list. Cannot fault the quality of the beers and they serve their own superb Penzance beers plus guests from around the country, not just local ones.
Enjoyed Penzance Brisons Bitter and Stringers Victoria IPA this visit. The coming on soon board makes sure you need to go back for more (as if you need an excuse!). Fantastic place. On good bus routes 17 and 18, plus the 300.
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The quality of the ale at this pub is quite frankly the best I have ever come accross in over 30 years of drink real ale. The man is a genius at brewing, keeping and dispensing ale.
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Gorgeous, quality cask beer from Penzance Brewery and others. Highly recommended.
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For an overview read RogerB from 10th April and my input really echoes all the others. This man really can brew, every time I go there whatever you have is not just good it is outstanding. The best pint I had all year was one of his brews... quite wonderful. I even like the fact that it can feel a bit empty..in that oldish style but friendly way.
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Fantastic ales, all served brlliantly at the right temperature, drinking heaven. No Cask Marque, freezing cold beer here just spot on, fully flavoured quality beer
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Called in here one evening towards the end of our holiday. Still has an excellent choice of real ales. Sampled three of the four Crowlas beers brewed on site, all superb, especially Potion No. 9.
Steve, the friendly barman, explained why food was still not available. At best, passing trade would only break even and the aim of the pub was to be a "drinking" pub not a restaurant pub. Fair point - but still a shame.
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Back in Cornwall for a couple of weeks, and had my first visit of the holiday to this great pub. There were 4 of his Penzance beers on, a Brunswick and a Springhead. Managed to drink 3 Penzance beers, the excellent Potion No 9, Lamorna Gold and new beer The Bears Bitter. Also managed the Brunswick before going for the bus, but we'll be back.
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Spend almost every evening of my holiday here as I was staying nearby. What a lovely place with some excellent beers that are brewed on the premises. Nice crowd of people too. Could not fault this pub. Wish I had one like it near me. Dogs welcome. No food. Brilliant!
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Over a 2 week period in Cornwall I could not find a pint I disliked. They are all good or better. But the Penzance Brewing Co is way ahead of them all. I could not pass this pub. The Best Bitter is as good as any ale anywhere.
The pub is a friendly drinkers' paradise and the landlord/brewer is a gentleman.
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The home brewed beer was quite nice. The Potion number nine was easily the pick of the beers. I took a container and the landlord was very put out by this,I suggested that I did not want to trouble him ( the pub was deserted).He suddenly swept into action in order to fill my container ! The laid back attitude was reminiscent of a Welsh Sunday- " Oh my goodness we could not possibly sell you that boyo ! " Four seconds later - Hmm.... but i will!
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This pub is always on my hit list of pubs ti visit when in Cornwall, and it never disappoints. Great selection of good beers available, and a friendly place to be. Easy to get to by bus and that is another plus.As the beers change, it is worth going back to again and again and again.....
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Crowlas is but a short drive or bus ride from Penzance and the award winning Star Inn is the place to be for the beer enthusiast. The pub itself doesn�t court any great aesthetic merits, certainly more appealing from the outside than within. A traditional style local�s pub with a central bar, pool and darts areas and a sectioned off corner type snug, it is quite spacious but it wasn�t particularly busy at the time of my visit so the atmosphere was a bit dead. The d�cor is neat and tidy without being noticeable apart from a strange arrangement of beams and pillars and the mass of beer mats and pump clips that give away the main reason for making the effort. Home to the Penzance Brewery, the beer selection is far superior to any pub for miles with the added attraction of their own brews. I tried their own Crowlas Ale and Gopher Gold, both excellent, and there was a good range of others (Coastal beers seem to feature heavily - Erosion and Hop Monster available on my visit as well as Tring Devils Dyke and a couple of others I failed to note � well you would forget after a pint of Erosion). All the beers are listed on a blackboard to one side of the bar and you can virtually guarantee something interesting from the 7 pumps. If you can�t then you really shouldn�t be here. Prices were below average and if you are a beer enthusiast and happen to be in the area, the Star should be one of the the first places on your list to visit.
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A super ale drinkers pub within an easy bus trip of Penzance - the bus stop is pretty much outside.
5 good ales on during my visit including a mild. Beers were well-kept and the barman was knowledgeable, in a gruff way.
It's a fair size inside with a decent atmosphere too in the evening.
Highly recommended.
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Bledy Ansum! Zactly what a good real ale pub should be! This is what you call a drinking pub!!! For anyone going through to Penzance its a MUST... same goes for anyone in the area... actually anyone in Cornwall! Book a taxi back mind - you won't want to stop 'avin a foo! Try 'is own stuff too - Penzance Brewing Co. I shall be back dreckly
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called in here one evening after reading all the great reviews and i wasn't disappointed on the beer front,had a lovely pint of super ipa 6%,and another not so potent brew to follow which was also very good,but as the previous review says they wern't serving food, consiquently there was only about six people in the place,so it lacked a bit of atmosphere
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ALL GOOD THINGS come to an end. Like the previous reviewer I called in again when on holiday. As a family we were looking for food and drink, but this year the kitchen was closed. A lack of demand, I was told. (I have my doubts.)
The beers looked inviting enough but, sadly, we moved on to another pub - with grub.
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This is what a local should be. Great landlord serving great beer from a board with great choice. We have called in when on holiday for a few years now, and at last his own brewed Penzance beers were available and excellent too. I wish I lived 400 miles closer to this one. Best in Cornwall by far. No food available at time of calling, but food was not my reason for visit so it still gets a 10/10.
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can't wait to give this place a try
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I DIDN'T LIKE THIS PUB - I LOVED IT. I thought this pub was going to be for boozers only. How wrong I was.
This is what pubs should be like. Not just a good choice of well-kept real ales but also having an extensive food menu.
The meals are good value, tasty and served on a plate that's hot.
I wish this was my local - it would be if I lived 300 miles CLOSER!!!
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This is a great pub for real ale fans visiting the far South West, there are always five* beers on of varying styles from around the country, mainly from micros, all in ideal condition. I can't wait to visit again when their brewery is up and running.
*From Coastal, Jolly Boat, Boewolf, Marston's, and Wolf on my last visit.
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Great pub with superb beers.Woodlands Midnight Stout was on great form last sunday lunchtime.
So pleased they have been awarded Kernow Camra pub of the year. Well done.
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Recently had a holiday in this area and was getting very tired of Skinner's and Sharp's - then Hallelujah!! We found this great pub. CAMRA Pub-of-the-year 2007 and much deserved! 5/6 Real Ales from micro-breweries all in very good condition and at a decent price. Friendly landlord and locals. Soon to become a brewpub. The pub can be reached by bus from St.Ives and Penzance.
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Stopped in this pub last week, a superb pub with a good range of well kept real ales from the microbrewers.
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on the A30 hayle to penzance road. a must for real ale buffs, owned by Pete Elvin, who was the head brewer for the Cotleigh brewery and his barman is also a brewer! all 5 h/pumps have guest ales food is delicious and plenty of it well worth a stop over in the b/b upstairs
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