St Austell Brewery is marking its 175th anniversary with the release of 1851, a special edition commemorative ale brewed to honour the year the brewery was founded.
Created using historic brewing records from the brewery’s archive, 1851 draws inspiration from a recipe first produced to celebrate St Austell Brewery’s 150th anniversary.
The original recipe was recorded by former brewer Merv Westaway in handwritten brewing journals that continue to inform and inspire the business and its beers today.
Georgina Young, Brewing Director at St Austell Brewery, said:
“We wanted to create something that genuinely reflected our history - not just a beer to mark a milestone, but one that connects us directly to the brewers and practices that shaped the business.”
Faithful to those historic notes, 1851 uses pale Cornish malt alongside amber malt, wheat malt and a small addition of Caramalt. The brewing journals also record that the barley was originally malted at Tucker’s Maltings in Newton Abbot, a respected regional malting that played an important role in the brewery’s past prior to its closure.
Traditional Fuggles hops provide the beer’s characteristic earthy, piney bitterness, with the original records even noting the hop grower by name - Cooper’s Farm in Kent. Later hop additions include Styrian Goldings, now known as Celeia, sourced from Slovenia, adding soft floral notes that balance the malt profile.
While deeply rooted in brewing heritage, 1851 has been produced using modern brewing techniques to ensure consistency and quality. The brewing team carefully translated the historic recipe into a contemporary process, preserving its character while meeting today’s standards. Pouring a deep mahogany colour, it is a 5.1% ABV ale, offering gentle biscuit notes from the wheat, subtle dryness from the amber malt and a rounded, balanced bitterness.
“It’s a very honest beer,” Georgina added. “It reflects the way we’ve always brewed - with care, attention to detail and respect for the process.”
1851 forms part of St Austell Brewery’s wider 175th anniversary cask beer collection, which has revived and reimagined brews from the brewery’s archive. Drawing on recipes dating back to the 1800s, the collection celebrates some of the most well-loved beers in the brewery’s history alongside reworked versions of its current core range.
Proudly independent and family owned since 1851, St Austell Brewery today supports more than 160 pubs across the South West, including 45 managed pubs, and is the region’s leading drinks wholesaler.
Brewed exclusively for the anniversary year, 1851 is available for a limited time on cask only in select pubs across the South West.
About St Austell Brewery
St Austell Brewery was founded as a family-owned company in 1851 and has been fuelled by Cornish spirit and independent thinking ever since. Celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, it is the South West’s leading brewing, hospitality and drinks wholesale business.
