Many years ago when I lived in Falmouth, Cornwall, I spent a little while unemployed.
My nearest Job Centre was in Penryn and I’d make the half hour walk up the estuary once a fortnight to sign my name.
As I remember it, the town was a little the worse for wear with not much more than a petrol station, an old knackered boat yard and said DHSS offices.
In reality I know that Penryn nowadays plays host to a large and rather lovely campus for Falmouth University College (or whatever it calls itself these days), but it didn’t when I was there in the mid nineties.
And so I find it a little odd that such a cool new microbrewery is based there.
I got hold of a bunch of their beers from Cotteridge Wines after reading and hearing people talking about how great this new kid on the block is.
And judging from this Pale Ale the whispers are true.
Starting with the bottle, the branding is lovely with its terrific labelling  all matt with just varnished highlights.
Penryn Pale Ale pours a deep orange and smells of peppery toffee and biscuits.
That’s where the flavours begin too, with a sticky toffee, rich and a little buttery, slathered over freshly baked shortcake biscuit with cracked black peppercorns, all awash in soft pear juice.
The hops are orange and lemon rind, apple cores and peaches that leave a finish that is tart and dry, curling your tongue and making you reach for another mouthful.
I can’t wait to try the rest of the range.