The Star Inn, Crowlas

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.

23 Sep 2010 11:17

The Star Inn, Crowlas

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.

8 Sep 2010 17:29

The Plough, Sparsholt

The beer used to be a lot better, still a good selection but those I tried were not kept well. And the barman not very friendly. I won't be going back.

16 Aug 2010 14:36