The thousands of beer lovers who descended on St Austell Brewery’s Celtic Beer Festival in November have helped raise £18,000 for charity.
All funds raised will go directly to St Austell Brewery’s Charitable Trust, which supports vital causes across the South West. Since its launch in 2003, the trust has donated more then £1m to charities and individuals in need across the region.
In 2025 alone, it supported projects ranging from youth mental health services and air ambulance operations, to providing essential care equipment for families and adaptive surf gear for charities.
The day-long beer festival transformed the brewery’s historic Victorian cellars into a vibrant venue, with five bars serving more than 100 beers from over 50 UK breweries, who generously donated their beers. Live music filled the space throughout the day, creating an unforgettable atmosphere for beer lovers and the local community.
A new Friday night event was introduced this year — a festival preview kicking off with a beer tasting, hosted by the Craft Beer Channel’s Jonny Garrett.
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“The 24th Celtic Beer Festival was a true celebration of beer and community spirit, complete with a brilliant line-up of entertainment and music,” said brewing director Goergina Young.
“It’s a chance for our brewers to showcase their creativity and, most importantly, every pint poured helped us raise a huge amount of money, which will make a meaningful difference for charities, individuals, and organisations here in the South West.”
The Celtic Beer Festival remains St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust’s flagship fundraising event, alongside other initiatives including pub quizzes, sponsored walks and its annual charity gala, which raised £47,000 last year. Teams across the company’s 160-plus pub estate also take part in challenges throughout the year, to boost fundraising efforts.
The trust accepts applications for grants year-round from Cornwall up to Somerset. For more information, or to apply for a grant, click here.
