4THE STAR, CROWLAS, CORNWALL

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June 12, 2008 On the bar 4Blackawton: Saltash Sunrise (5%) 4Matthews: Bob Wall (4.2%) 4Moohouse's: Black Cat Mild (3.4%) 4Nethergate: Vixen (3.9%) 4Oakleaf: Pompey Royal (4.5%) 4White Horse: Village Idiot (4.1%) Belgian beer 4Eccaussins: Ultramour (5%) Coming soon 4Moor: Revival (3.8%) 4Organic Brewhouse: 4Serpentine (5%) 4Slaters: Monkey Magic Mild (3.4%) 4Thornbridge: Wild Swan (4.5%) 4Thwaites: Original (3.6%) 4Titanic: Golden Age (4.5%)

The Star Inn is on the main A30 road, between Hayle and Penzance, in west Cornwall.

It is a genuine free house, owned by Scillonian Pete Elvin, once head brewer with the successful Cotleigh Brewery at Wiveliscombe, in Somerset.

He purchased the Star in 1999 and has gone on to create what CAMRA's Good Beer Guide describes as a local "Mecca for real ale".

There are seven handpumps, with five or six usually in use, and all the ales are guests (pending the creation of Pete's own brewery, out the back of the pub, in the not-too-distant future).

So far there have been more than 1,000 unique beers.

A blackboard shows not only what is on offer but, temptingly, what is in the cellar waiting to be released.

Steve, the barman, is also a brewer by trade so you can guess that the beer is kept in nothing short of first class condition.

One keg line now has a guest Belgian beer.

If you want footie on big screen telly, look elsewhere. Of an evening at about six o'clock conversation reigns, with most drinkers around the bar having a glass of real ale in front of them. Keg bitter has been taken off because of lack of demand!