Dark Star Brewing Co.
Regional Brewery
in Partridge Green,
West Sussex,
England 🏴
Owned by
Asahi Breweries
Associated Venue: The Evening Star
Established in 1994
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.
allmyvinyl (21071) reviewed Starlink IPA from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Can from Waitrose. Pours clear golden with a thick white head. Aromas of pine, caramel. Taste adds citrus. Bitter finish.
McCash (16021) reviewed Starlink IPA from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Can thanks to allmyvinyl. Appearance - clear golden with a fluffy white head. Nose - pine, hazelnut, lemon and a hint of fudge. Taste - lime, bready and hazelnut. Palate - close to medium bodied with a zesty finish. Overall - good.
Mr_Pink_152 (17201) reviewed Starlink IPA from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Cask at the Strugglers Inn, Lincoln. Golden colour with a white head. Aroma and taste are malty biscuits and slight sweet citrus. Medium body.
BlackHaddock (17284) reviewed Starlink IPA from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Hand-pulled half-pint in the Old Joint Stock on 8th November 2024. White crown on a clean golden body. Decent enough IPA with both piney and citrussy hops making an appearance with the aroma and flavour, some malt action in there too.
smallwat3r (4866) ticked Starlink IPA from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Fruity, nutty, malty
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Cask at The Lord Northbrook, Lee. Clear amber pour with a white head. Red fruits & toffee aromas. Malty fruity taste. Malty sweet & lightly bitter finish.
bb (18428) reviewed Hophead from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Cask. Amber beer with a cream head. Light citrus aroma. Light grapefruit flavor. Medium bodied. Light grapefruit lingers.
Leighton (34941) reviewed Polar Flux from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Can at home in Hackney - picked up from the Waitrose on Marylebone High Street. Pours clear, pale yellow with a fluffy, white head. Light sweet flavour with notes of lemon peel, white grape, pale biscuits, subtle bitter rind and straw. Light bodied with fine to average carbonation. Easygoing finish, more rind, a hint of diesel. Drinks fine enough.
Fergus (31329) reviewed Starlink IPA from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Cask at the signal box Euston. A clear pale amber coloured pour with a decent loose off white head. Aroma is subdued, nutty makts, apple, hedgerow hop. Palate is semi sweet, watery. Mellow cask condition, some grain tannin, straw. Flavour is composed of watery brown bread, rye, spicy hop, liquorice, firm bitterness, little wishy washy. Very run of the mill.
smallwat3r (4866) ticked Polar Flux from Dark Star Brewing Co. 1 year ago
Bitter, malty, slightly resinous