From Crewe to Cornwall

Alan Hinde moved to Cornwall, from his home area of Crewe, with his family in November 2005, and set up Coastal Brewery, on Redruth's busy Cardrew Industrial Estate, a year later.

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	l Coastal head brewer Alan Hinde.

A joiner with British Rail for 20 years, Alan got involved in running pubs with wife Audrey, during which time became interested in real ale and the brewing process. The couple ran the well-known Borough Arms at Crewe for six years until 2005, and Alan brewed some beers on the premises, which proved popular with drinkers.

While many come full-time brewing via home brewing, Alan didn't take this route, instead helping commercial brewers before trying his hand at his own brews. "I just took to it," says the modest brewer, who has earned lots of praise for beers that made particularly good use of hops.

He cites among his biggest influences Stuart Elliot, head brewer at the Church End Brewery, in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Although Alan has fond memories of Crewe and its people, the family fancied a change of scenery and Cornwall was about as different as you could get!

With Coastal up and running, the appropriately named Genesis was the first brew. After months of hard work a portfolio of tasty beers has been established, and a growing number of outlets are taking the beers.

Some of the beers go out of the county, notably up to the Midlands and North of England. Outlets include The Wellington, Birmingham, a renowned real ale pub with 15 handpumps, and the Bhurtpore, at Aston, near Crewe, which offers up to 10 real ales at any one time.

In Cornwall, Coastal beers can often be found at: The Star, Crowlas; the Alexandra, Penzance; and the Blisland Inn, on Bodmin Moor — all, coincidentally, have been Cornwall CAMRA pub of the year recently, the Star being the current title holder.

In Devon, look out for the beers at: The Trout and Tipple, Tavistock; Prince Maurice, Plymouth; Royal Oak, South Brent; and the Bridge Inn, Topsham.

l Part of the brewery at Cardrew Industrial Estate, Redruth, with some of Coastal's blue-banded casks

COASTAL BREWERY