About
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 brewery and taproom at Partridge Green was closed in 2022 and production moved to Meantime brewery, and following the closure of that in 2024, production shifted to Fuller’s Griffin brewery.
Filter & sort
Show
Harrisoni (26621) reviewed
Porter from Dark Star Brewing Co.
20 years ago
8.2/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8
Cask gravity at Notts BF 05. Dark chestnut with dark malt flavours and choc/coffee. Intense flavours in mouth. Nice richness with some acid to balance. Finish is good too with more choc and some liquorice. Hops on nose and finish. Yet another good beer from Dark Star
Tried from Cask on 23 Oct 2005 at 16:26
Ungstrup (52439) reviewed
Over the Moon from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
7/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
[Cask at Volunteers Arms, GBBF 2004] A red-brown beer with no head. The aroma is sweet with notes of caramel and alcohol, while the flavor is of roasted malt, caramel, and alcohol. I wonder how alcohol can be so present in such a low ABV beer.
Tried from Cask on 17 Jul 2005 at 07:57
Harrisoni (26621) reviewed
Hophead from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
9.5/10 — Appearance 10 Aroma 10 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 10
Cask at County Hotel JDW, Ashford. One of my favourite all time beers. Golden in colour with wonderful citrus, grassy, hoppy flavours. The malt gives it some red berry notes and the finish is long and hoppy and dry. Simply fantastic session beer I can drink all night. 4.7/5 Re-rate, gravity dispense cask at Butcher’s Arms, Herne. The grapefruit sherbert hop is stunning.
Tried from Cask on 05 Jul 2005 at 06:57
Harrisoni (26621) reviewed
Dark Star The Original from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
8/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
Gravity at Red Lion, Snargate. Ruby coloured, raisiny fruit some coffee. Very rich and very smooth, but very good balance overall. Hedgerow black fruits add a slight sweetness. Odd but I could drink a couple quite easily 3.4/5 Re-rate cask handpull at The Bull, Horton Kirby, Kent. Deep brown, lasting beige head. I’m not a real fan of this beer, but this is the best I’ve had it. Toasty, roasty, even some dark plum fruit, then some dry malt/fruit and hop on the finish. Really very good. Some good choc. Oddly enjoyable. Just more flavours and textures than I’ve had before with this beer.
Tried from Cask on 18 Jun 2005 at 05:52
notalush (7406) reviewed
Hophead from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
4.9/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 4 Flavor 5 Texture 6 Overall 4.5
[cask at dba NY] when an American sees the term "hophead" attached to the name of a beer, he gets certain expectations - the American, used to the brutal, "unrefined," palate-assaulting, paint-peeling flavor of a Dreadnaught and a Ruination expects that something named Hophead brings the promise of a mouth-puckering attack of hops - the American, obviously a plebeian that doesn’t appreciate the subtle nuances of a good golden ale, remarks, "this doesn’t taste like much of anything at all; where the hell are the hops?" - yes, there are some very subtle touches of grapfruit and grain, but, he thinks, "can’t the British make anything besides Bitters and Golden Ales, I mean, really, come on." But the American just doesn’t know what he’s talking about. His palate is ruined by all of those high gravity American monstrosities that shouldn’t even be called beer, what with their deviations from tradition and sense of experimentation. A pox on them all!
Tried from Cask on 05 Jun 2005 at 13:19
Sigmund (15026) reviewed
Espresso Stout (Cask) from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
8.1/10 — Appearance 10 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Cask conditioned at the 32nd Cambridge Beer Festival, gravity dispense. Correct ABV is 4.2%. Coffee, old leather and cigarbox aroma, hints of prunes. Distinct espresso coffee flavour throughout, hints of prunes, quite dry.
Tried from Cask on 29 May 2005 at 11:00
Harrisoni (26621) reviewed
Over the Moon from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
8/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 9
Cask at Reading Beer Festival. Mahogany in colour. Unmistakable Dark Star nose with good dark fruit malts and hop nose. Sweetish in mouth with malts on end and dryish finish 3.5/5.0 Re-rate Cask handpull at The Wenlock. Distinctive Hophead aroma and thenthis fuller malier chocolatey flavour and full mouthfeel. Really enjoyable mild. Citrusy limey hop and choc? Lovely combo.
Tried from Cask on 04 May 2005 at 11:10
Harrisoni (26621) reviewed
American Pale Ale from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
8.9/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 9.5
Cask at Reading Beer Fest with chris_o and duff. Golden colour, reallly hoppy , citrusy nose. Tart lemon citrus fruit flavour that grows towards the finish which is dry, juicy, lemony and hoppy 4.4 Re-rate, oooh which shall I pick? Bottled fresh from the Butcher’s Arms in Herne. I had had a full day on the Saturday and bought a 2 litre bottle of this to take home. Therefore on the Sunday I wasn’t really feeling like a beer, and then I had to have this to make sure it didn’t go off. The grapefruit hop is outstanding and never let down or unbalanced by the malt. The two move together beautifully. A stunning APA
Tried from Cask on 03 May 2005 at 17:52
omhper (46303) reviewed
Over the Moon from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
8.4/10 — Appearance 10 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Cask at Oliver Twist, Stockholm. Ruby colour. Fruity hop aroma. Dry with chewy rounded mouthfeel. Light bodied, yet firm. Grassy with notes of black currant. Lingering resiny/grapefruity bitter finish. An excellent, bitter mild!
Tried from Cask on 02 May 2005 at 12:35
omhper (46303) reviewed
Landlords Wit from Dark Star Brewing Co.
21 years ago
6.9/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
Cask at Oliver Twist, Stockholm. Pale yellow. Citric, lemony hop aroma. Light bodied with medium sweetness and soapy hoppiness. The mouthfeel is light and rounded and there’s lingering bitterness in the finish. Much more of a blond ale than a witbier.
Tried from Cask on 29 Apr 2005 at 12:34