ST Austell Brewery has announced that it has brewed and sold 150,000 brewers’ barrels of its own brand beers in the last 365 days – the first time this milestone amount has been reached in the family-owned company’s 168-year history.

The landmark – equivalent to 43.2 million pints – consists of its own brand beers within the St Austell Brewery Family Group. This includes the Bath Ales beer portfolio, which is brewed in Warmley.

A key reason for the increase in production has been attributed to the rise in bottle and keg sales over the past 12 months.

In 2015, St Austell Brewery hit 100,000 barrels, with production being driven by its flagship Cornish Pale Ale, Tribute.

Since then, the popularity of Tribute has continued, but it’s the significant growth of its younger brands which have played a prominent role in this most recent achievement.

Proper Job IPA celebrated 17.9 per cent growth on cask in 2018 and Korev, the brewer’s Cornish lager, saw volumes increase by 11 per cent.

Roger Ryman, brewing director, said: “This is a significant accomplishment for the brewery and one which we are all very proud of. We continue to enjoy the success of Tribute, which has just celebrated its 20th anniversary, as well as our newer brands that are continuing to blossom.

“It’s been an exciting time for the brewery, welcoming Bath Ales to the St Austell Family Group. With our new head brewer – Georgina Young – now at the helm in Bath, I’m confident that production at Hare Brewery will continue to flourish in the years to come.”

James Staughton, chief executive, said: “150,000 barrels is a wonderful achievement, well done to everybody involved. It continues to be a challenging environment for the industry, but this milestone is achieved thanks to our long-term strategy of creating and developing high-quality beer brands and growing our pub estate through selective acquisitions and continued investment. It’s most definitely a tribute to a proper job by our teams in Cornwall and Bath.

“I’d also like to thank our customers and loyal beer drinkers, for their ongoing support and helping us to reach this milestone.”

St Austell Brewery, which was recently named Family Business of the Year, is the South West’s most successful independent brewer with 179 pubs, inns and hotels as well as its portfolio of award-winning beers. The company reported a 6.1 per cent increase in annual turnover to a record level of £179.6 million in 2018.