We are Proper Cornwall, bringing you the proper way to explore this wonderful county. We love our name as it’s based on the famous Cornish saying of ‘proper job’. But there’s one product out there that goes even further with this local phrase. Proper Job is an incredible ale that’s loved by beer fans across the globe and it’s testament to the ‘proper job’ that’s been going on at the historical St Austell Brewery for decades now.
St Austell Brewery doesn’t just do the Proper Job, though. It also creates the equally popular Tribute and the fab Cornish lager Korev alongside plenty of other brews like a stout, a black IPA and even a citrusy wheat beer that uses an ingredient sourced within the Eden Project’s biomes. This is no microbrewery. It’s a massive operation that creates tipples that go out across the world. And the good news is that it runs regular tours so you can see how the magic happens.
The brewery was founded in St Austell in 1851 by Cornishman Walter Hicks, who took a massive risk when he mortgaged his farm for £1,500. It paid off and his legacy lives on more than 170 years later as the brewery doesn’t just churn out huge gallons of award-winning beer, it also owns pubs and hotels across the UK. However, it’s still independent and still family-owned. You can learn all about this history on one of the attraction’s timed tours.
The 90-minute Brewing Experience tour is highly recommended. You’re offered a drink first at the Small Batch Bar and then you’re taken through a reconstructed Cooper’s Workshop for a glimpse of the old brewing life before you hit up the Cask Racking Plant to see how it’s now done, learning from the expert guides all about the brewing process along the way. You’ll handle hops and malts and you’ll finish with an excellent beer sampling session. Alternatively, try the two-hour Brewhouse tour, which is the same as the Brewing Experience but includes more history and a trip to an active Victorian Brewhouse on the site.
Whether you take a tour or not, you can always just rock up to the newly refurbished Hicks Bar and restaurant, as well as the brewery’s visitor centre and shop. The bar offers more than 15 cask and kegged ales for those who want to arrange their own little tasting on a brewery site that’s been celebrated by beer lovers for more than 170 years. Proper job!