no. 049 | Bluntrock
Born on the cliffs of Cornwall, Bluntrock has grown from a tiny container brewery into one of the country’s most exciting independents.
In the spring of 2020 the founders of the Bluntrock Brewery, George and Hugo, were at a barbecue on the cliffs of Cornwall’s Pentire, sipping on hoppy IPAs as the sun disappeared into the sea. The chat drifted from surfing and summer plans into what felt like a throwaway comment about starting to brew beer together. “Before we knew it, we’d built ourselves a tiny brewery, taproom and beer garden out of bright yellow shipping containers,” George says. “It became this beautiful, vibrant place to share our passion for fresh, diverse beer.”
Word spread quickly. The container brewery had its charm but demand soon outpaced capacity. By May 2024 they’d commissioned an all-new site, giving Bluntrock the space to grow into wholesaling while keeping the character of where it all began.
George, now Head Brewer, grew up in Burton, the spiritual home of British brewing. His parents met at the Bass Brewery and he’s been in beer ever since. “I’ve worked as a brewer my whole working life,” he says, recalling stints at Sharps and Padstow. It was through those circles he met Hugo, and the two soon discovered that they shared a vision: independent, personality-driven beer rooted in place.
The name Bluntrock came about by accident. They first went by Lowlands until realising a Dutch collective had beaten them to it. “Our first site was opposite Sharp’s Brewery,” Hugo explains. “That gave us the ‘Blunt’ to their ‘Sharp’, and of course we’re in Rock. It just made sense.”
Cornwall was never really a decision — it was the point. Both George and Hugo had either grown up here or spent summers working seaside jobs. “Anyone who’s spent time here will know what we mean,” Hugo says. “It’s one of the most beautiful parts of the country, if not the world, with an amazing community and world-class food and drink. Plus, we all love being by, on, or in the sea.”
Running a brewery outside of a big city shapes everything. “Where better to enjoy a beer than sat on the beach after a day’s work and a dip in the sea?” says George. The rhythm of Cornish life — work, surf, coast, pint — is something we as Jersey residents can easily understand and relate to.
Today there are eleven full-timers on the team, with seasonal staff swelling the ranks each summer. Their beers are built on a simple principle: quality in, quality out. “We’re forward-thinking, constantly experimenting with new techniques and styles,” George says. “But we’ve also got a love and respect for traditional techniques and pub culture. We want to be a hand in reviving cask beer, showing people what it can be, while also brewing the kind of hazy, hop-forward beers people love.”
There are challenges, of course. “We’re only a year into the wholesale side of the business, and we don’t have the biggest of breweries,” Hugo says. “Balancing sustainable growth while working with people who share our passion for great beer and independence is key.” But there are opportunities too. Their first export shipment landed in Japan earlier this year. “We’ve had a lot of interest from abroad, and we all love to travel,” George adds. “Meeting new people, learning from other cultures – that’s exciting.”
Design has been a big part of Bluntrock from the start. All the artwork comes from James, an old school friend of George’s, and the mascot Buckethead was born out of a collaborative doodle between him, George and Hugo in 2020. “While we’re serious about the beer, we’re also passionate about art, music, gaming and film,” George says. “Buckethead is that playful side of us. It was really important to have something instantly recognisable as Bluntrock.”
Collaboration remains at the heart of the brewery. Big Friendly Comet, a West Coast Pilsner showcasing a single hop variety, was brewed with over ten Cornish breweries and Crosby Hops from Oregon. “That beer is a good example of what we’re all about,” Hugo explains. “Exploring different expressions of beer styles, and not just sticking to the juicy hazies – even though we love them.”
The road ahead looks busy: expanding the UK network of stockists, exploring export markets, recommissioning the original container brewery for one-off experiments, and working towards B-Corp certification. But at its heart, Bluntrock remains what it started as: two friends, a shared passion, and a belief that beer is best enjoyed in good company, and ideally with the sea within reach.