Dark Star Brewing Co.
Regional Brewery
in
Partridge Green,
West Sussex,
England 🏴
Owned by
Asahi Breweries
Associated Venue: The Evening Star
Established in 1994
Contact
Description
Since 2024 Dark Star beers are brewed at Fullers brewery, Chiswick.
The Dark Star Brewing Company was born in 1994 in the cellar of a pub in Brighton. With a brew plant only marginally bigger than an enthusiastic home-brew kit the characteristic style of hoppy beers was developed and tried out on the willing guinea pigs at the bar. As with all the best ideas, the business was planned on the back of a beer mat, driven by a few beers and funded with money we didn’t have.
A few years on, well 25 years actually, we find ourselves in Partridge Green, just south west of Horsham, West Sussex, with a 45 barrel brewhouse. It’s all been a bit of a blur really. None of us really wanted to leave the cellar of the pub, but apparently more and more people liked drinking the same beers as us, so we needed to brew more…
What’s in a name…: The brewery is named after a song by the band The Grateful Dead, although if you have a heard a different story, use that, never let the truth stand in the way of a good yarn.
In February 2018, Dark Star was acquired by London-based brewer, Fuller Smith & Turner. In January 2019, Fuller Smith & Turner sold its entire drinks business, including The Dark Star Brewing Company, to Asahi Breweries.
The Dark Star Brewing Company was born in 1994 in the cellar of a pub in Brighton. With a brew plant only marginally bigger than an enthusiastic home-brew kit the characteristic style of hoppy beers was developed and tried out on the willing guinea pigs at the bar. As with all the best ideas, the business was planned on the back of a beer mat, driven by a few beers and funded with money we didn’t have.
A few years on, well 25 years actually, we find ourselves in Partridge Green, just south west of Horsham, West Sussex, with a 45 barrel brewhouse. It’s all been a bit of a blur really. None of us really wanted to leave the cellar of the pub, but apparently more and more people liked drinking the same beers as us, so we needed to brew more…
What’s in a name…: The brewery is named after a song by the band The Grateful Dead, although if you have a heard a different story, use that, never let the truth stand in the way of a good yarn.
In February 2018, Dark Star was acquired by London-based brewer, Fuller Smith & Turner. In January 2019, Fuller Smith & Turner sold its entire drinks business, including The Dark Star Brewing Company, to Asahi Breweries.
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Cask @ Fox & Hounds, Lyndhurst. Pours a clear chestnut amber, off-white head. Aroma of dried dark fruits, amber malt. Flavour profile delivers much of the same with a nicely rich autumnal malt character.
Tried
from Cask
on 07 Dec 2023
at 19:39
8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle from the brewery online shop. 2023 version, but no change in ABV or label blurb by that much. No wax seal, which is a blessing. Pours clear dark red-tinged mahogany brown with a rocky beige head, that quickly subsides, but lasts the course. Aromas of red wine, dark cherry, wood spice. Taste is morello jam, PX sherry, molasses maybe, hint of tar and bramble. Tobacco and liquorice. Surprisingly dry finish. Very nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Nov 2023
at 22:12
6/10
Tried
on 26 Nov 2023
at 18:48
7.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
[February 2022] Fair to say this beer has chnaged a little over the yeras, no longer as piney and hoppy as it once was, but still a decent ale. Clear and golden with a frothy white head and a hoppy, citrusy nose. Sweet malt, some toffee, citrus hops and hints of pine are all nicely balanced
Tried
on 06 Nov 2023
at 14:31
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Cask@Angleterre, Helsinki. Amber colour, mediumsized white foamy head. Aroma is sweet malts, some grass, herbs and mild bready tones. Flavour is bready, grainy, herbal and some mild berryish and mild zesty elements to it.
Tried
from Cask
on 29 Oct 2023
at 17:10
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
Canned. Hazy yellow colour with a small white head. Aroma is fruity, some coconut, mild toffeeish and slightly earthy tones. Flavour is coconut, some fruity tones as well as mild floral and toffeeish tones. Nice fruity coconut aftertaste.
Tried
from Can
on 13 Oct 2023
at 23:10
6/10
Cask @Allied Arms, Reading. 11/10/2023. Color amarillo corona de espuma blanca aromas y sabores frutales, malta, cuerpo medio.
Tried
from Cask
on 12 Oct 2023
at 07:41
5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 4
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5
Cask ale at Flying Horse, Oxford Street, half pint shared with Finn. Cloudy golden body, low white head leaving spotty lacing on the glass. Faint tropical fruity nose. Hop fruity flavours, hints of peaches, lemon and minerals. Short fruity tail. Slightly diluted mouthfeel. Easy going. (London, 28.09.2023)
Tried
from Cask
on 11 Oct 2023
at 08:25
7/10
Bottle from Waitrose. Pours a clear light golden colour with a medium sized throthy white head. Aroma has citrus, floral and bready notes. Taste has more notes of citrus and floral, a touch more bread and a hint of caramel. Citrus rind bitterness on the hoppy finish. Medium body, fairly low carbonation and smooth slightly oily mouthfeel. A nice summer time thirst quencher. A beer with a lot of bite. Good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Oct 2023
at 19:18
7/10
Bottle from Waitrose. Pours clear golden with a medium sized fluffy white head. Aromas of orange citrus, floral, caramel and bread. Taste has more notes of citrus orange, some marmalade, caramel. bread and peppery spice with a tangy orange rind hoppy bitterness on the finish. Medium to full body, low carbonation and very smooth oily mouthfeel. Enjoying this one its a really good beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Oct 2023
at 18:56