St Austell
St Austell Tribute
A Cornish golden ale that became one of Britain’s best-selling cask beers, and a good example of the modern pale, citrus-tinged bitter.
- Strength
- 4.2–4.6% ABV
- Style
- British golden ale
- Brewery
- St Austell
Also called Tribute.
A Cornish pale ale hopped for citrus and grapefruit over a light biscuit malt base, and the beer that took St Austell from a regional brewery to a national one.
It sits at the pale, hop-forward end of British bitter — closer to a golden ale than to a traditional amber bitter, and one of the beers that pulled the category in that direction.
What it tastes like
Inherited from British golden ale, because this beer sits within the normal range for it. BeerHQ’s comparative scale, not a measurement.
Why BeerHQ carries this beer
| Reason | Carried because it is where many people start |
|---|---|
| Strength | 4.2–4.6% ABV — checked 2026-08-16. Strengths differ by market and change without announcement, so this is dated rather than absolute. |
| Record stability | Stable — this product has changed little and is not expected to. |
BeerHQ records no recipe, hop bill, malt bill, yeast strain, IBU or calorie figure for any commercial beer unless it is sourced. Nothing on this page is inferred from what the beer tastes like.
What is distinctive about it
- Among the highest-volume British cask beers, from an independent regional brewer
If you like St Austell Tribute
Worked out from what this beer actually tastes like rather than from what its style typically does. Three kinds of move, because “what should I try next” is three different questions.
Closest to it
Very similar in structure and flavour. Safe ground rather than discovery.
American pale ale — try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Little Creatures Pale Ale
A close structural match for St Austell Tribute — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly more carbonation (low → moderate).
May not suit: Very close to St Austell Tribute; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Blonde ale — try Firestone Walker 805
A close structural match for St Austell Tribute — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly less bitterness (moderate → low).
May not suit: Very close to St Austell Tribute; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Ordinary bitter — try Greene King IPA or Adnams Southwold Bitter
A close structural match for St Austell Tribute — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly less carbonation (low → trace).
May not suit: Very close to St Austell Tribute; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Similar, but different
Keeps what you probably like about it and changes one or two things. Usually the most useful answer.
Session IPA — try Beavertown Neck Oil or Founders All Day IPA
Keeps most of what St Austell Tribute does and shifts carbonation.
Different: slightly more carbonation (low → moderate).
May not suit: Very close to St Austell Tribute; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Australian sparkling ale — try Coopers Sparkling Ale
Keeps most of what St Austell Tribute does and shifts carbonation.
Different: noticeably more carbonation (low → high–very high).
May not suit: Noticeably more carbonation than St Austell Tribute.
Irish red ale — try Smithwick’s Irish Red Ale
Keeps most of what St Austell Tribute does and shifts caramel & toffee.
Different: noticeably more caramel & toffee (none–trace → moderate).
May not suit: Noticeably more caramel & toffee than St Austell Tribute.
A bigger jump
Genuinely different, but connected by something specific — the shared trait is named so you can judge whether the bridge holds.
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about St Austell Tribute.
Different: noticeably more resin & pine (none–trace → moderate).
May not suit: Noticeably more resin & pine than St Austell Tribute.
English IPA — try Thornbridge Jaipur or St Austell Proper Job
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about St Austell Tribute.
Different: noticeably more herbal (none–trace → moderate).
May not suit: Noticeably more herbal than St Austell Tribute.
American IPA — try Sierra Nevada Torpedo or BrewDog Punk IPA
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about St Austell Tribute.
Different: noticeably more tropical fruit (none–trace → moderate–high).
May not suit: Noticeably more tropical fruit than St Austell Tribute.
Likely fits rather than promises. Taste varies, and a recommendation engine that claims certainty is claiming something it cannot know.
What to eat with it
Inherited from British golden ale. BeerHQ does not duplicate pairings onto individual products unless the product genuinely differs from its style.
Keeping it
British golden ale shows best within 3–21 days of packaging. After that it declines in quality rather than becoming unsafe.
Drink fresh. Buy it as young as you can and drink it soon. What makes this beer worth drinking is the first thing to leave it.
Derived from British golden ale. See storage and freshness for the full model.
BeerHQ carries a small set of reference beers to anchor styles, not a catalogue. There is no rating here and there will not be one. Last reviewed 2026-08-16.