Castle Brewery

Cornish Stuggy Stout (4.6% ABV, bottle)
Black as night with a foaming — very lively — beige head. The aroma is chocolate and sweet malt. On the palate, espresso coffee, black cherry, rich dark chocolate, and a hint of vanilla. Smooth, full bodied, and quite creamy, it’s really nice!
(23rd July, 2021)

Du Fowen Smoked Stout (4.5% ABV, draught)
Very deep red indeed, this delightful stout has a good off-white head. One shouldn’t drink with one’s eyes, but doesn’t this look great in a half-pint dimple? The smoke is light, the body good, and I get a hint of plummy fruit. Highlight of what amounted to a tap takeover at the Pilchard Press Alehouse, in St Ives.
(15th February, 2025)

Golden Gauntlet (4% ABV, bottle)
Slightly hazy deep gold, with a good white head. Citrus, grassy hops on the aroma. On the palate, it’s a lovely session pale. Lemony, herbal, slightly spicy hops, even a hint of blackberry, against biscuit malt. Great balance and a lovely mouthfeel for its ABV. Great drinking in the Easter Sunday sun. Interesting, too, that Castle offers storage and serving advice. “Allow 24 hours to settle. Chill for 30 minutes only prior to serving. Pour carefully.”
(4th April, 2021)

Lostwithiale (7% ABV, bottle)
Very dark red, with a cream coloured head that lasts fairly well, this has a caramel aroma, almost a Belgian-style sweetness, with some dried fruit, too. On the palate, there’s such a beautiful rich, deep flavour. Robust malt, slightly burnt, treacle toffee, raisins, and ripe berries, rounded off well with a little alcoholic warmth.
(9th April, 2021)

Mild (3.2% ABV, cask)
Hazy deep amber, this is quite fruity mild, giving the impression that it’s coming from esters. The whole thing has an interesting rustic nature to it, with hints of plum and red apple skin against a caramel sweetness. Great to see a mild on draught, and this one is really interesting.
(16th February, 2025)

Pineapple Pit IPA (4.6% ABV, cask)
PIneapple, you say? Yes, no mistaking that pineapple is the star here. The aroma is reminiscent of penny Fruit Salad chews from childhood. It’s a decent beer, but we agreed that half a pint was enough, unless you’re really a top pineapple fan!
(15th February, 2025)

Restormel Gold (4.1% ABV, bottle)
Hazy gold with a thick, foaming, slightly off-white head, this offers lemon and grapefruit on the nose, with a little pepperiness. On the palate, orange comes through, juice and pith. There’s a good balance of biscuit malt in a beer that has a good body for its ABV, a full mouthfeel. And there’s a good lingering bitterness. I really enjoyed this, and thought it punched above its weight.
(18th March, 2021)

Winter’s Knight (4.1% ABV, bottle)
Amber, with an off-white head that fades quite quickly, this has an aroma of roast malt and spice. On the face of it, a strong West Country bitter, but the more it lingers on the palate, the more a gentle spiciness comes through, nudging up to bready malt. I get notes of coriander and Christmas cake peel fruitiness, along with a deeper dried fruit note. Good for a winter fireside!
(18th March, 2021)