Eye-catching range of beers celebrates St Agnes

A range of craft beers which has gradually been released throughout the year welcomes a fourth addition this month, completing the series. 

Cove by The Driftwood Spars Brewery celebrates the village of St Agnes in all its glory; stunning coastal scenery, historic locations, local ingredients, folkloric tales and community spirit have been the inspiration for the contemporary canned range, which has caught the attention of beer enthusiasts across the UK.

Each is handmade in small batches at the microbrewery in Trevaunance Cove, from where you can hear the sea and taste the salt on the air; the brewery is just a few steps away from historic brewpub, The Driftwood Spars. 

Landlady and Brewery Owner Louise Treseder commented: “We are really pleased with the new range – it’s very satisfying to see it complete. Combining local ingredients like seaberries, ‘New World Style’ hops now being grown in England, and the finest British Malts, we’ve created something a little bit different for beer-lovers while celebrating our Cornish roots here in St Agnes.”

The first beer to be released was Beacon, a light and bright pale ale inspired by hazy summer days on St Agnes Beacon where, from a soft carpet of sea thrift, you can see 30 miles out to sea.

This was closely followed by Seaberry, a reinvention of a classic Saison which was brewed with sea buckthorn, or seaberry, which grows in abundance on the coast near the brewery.

Then came Midnight Skinny Dipper, a smooth, rich milk stout inspired by local myths and legends of late-night shenanigans in the moonlit cove.

Finally, Stippy Stappy is a hop-forward IPA named after the much-loved row of cottages in St Agnes, which once housed the captains of ships berthed down at Trevaunance Cove.

As with all beers from The Driftwood Spars Brewery, those in the Cove range are certified gluten free and – excluding Midnight Skinny Dipper – are also vegan.

The eye-catching artwork for each beer was designed by local artist Jago Silver; the range can be spotted in local bottle shops, including Red Elephant Beer Cellar in Truro, and will shortly be available every Wednesday at Truro Farmer’s Market, as well as online (the brewery will deliver themselves within a 10-mile radius, anything further afield is sent via courier). 

With a new brewer at the helm, 2020 was always going to be an interesting year for this award-winning brewery and – despite the challenges bought about by the Covid-19 pandemic – it has been a year of diversification and success.

Head Brewer Mike Mason commented: “I’ve really enjoyed making every beer in this range. It’s a real celebration of St Agnes’ stunning location, surroundings and flora and fauna. I can’t imagine anywhere more beautiful, welcoming, or inspiring to design and brew a new range of beers.” 

He added: “Alongside Cove we are still brewing our core range for cask and bottle, which includes beers like Alfie’s Revenge, Spars and Lou’s Brew. We are building up stock of all these beers again after the first lockdown threw everything off-kilter.”

Follow Driftwood Spars Brewery on social media (@driftwoodsparsbrewery) for updates on availability and new products.