Beer Guide London Visits – 08/06/2024

Red Hand (1 / 154)

One of the Graceland bars and a personal favourite. In their inimitable house style there is minimal signage, just the name of the bar on the door. The usual excellent beer selection across 20 taps, now including the beers from their own Saint Monday brewery. Interior design is what you expect, subdued lighting and great music. Food is limited to cheese toasties.

Pomona Island – Danse Diabolique – 4.5% (Draft) – £2.40 1/3 pint

Kraft Dalston (2 / 155)

Branch of German Kraft Brewery that has its own brewery, and distillery, on site. 6 taps serve beers from all of their sites plus a guest. Staff will happily tell you what is brewed where. Striking set up with all of the tanks behind the bar. Go downstairs to the toilets and you can get a look at the cute little distillery. Opens early every day but beer available from 12:00.

German Kraft – Belinda – 8.0% (Draft) – £5.40 1/2 pint

40FT Brewery Tap Room (3 / 156)

Tap room constructed out of shipping containers with a covered decking area, not dissimilar to Two Tribes. 10 taps and a recently installed hand pull. They have a small pilot kit on site and so some beers appear, labelled as such, on the taps here. Located in a yard alongside multiple food vendors.

40FT – Acme Dark Lager – 4.8% (Draft) – £2.00 1/3 pint

Signature Brew Haggerston (4 / 157)

Tap room and music venue by Signature who brew in Walthamstow. A dozen taps offer a mix of their own beers plus guests. It is as much a music venue as a beer venue so just be sure to make sure that there are no ticketed events running before you visit. They offer an empanada menu to accompany your beer.

Signature – Backstage IPA – 5.2% (Draft) – £2.40 1/3 pint

Seven Seasons (5 / 158)

Bottle shop with a great range and a changing choice of two draft beers. Situated in the main shopping area of Hoxton this is a great, calm, beer oasis. 8 fridges offer a fantastic selection of packaged beers. Seating inside plus a couple of tables outside.

Libertalia – Knuckle Dust – 5.3% (Draft) – £3.00 1/2 pint

Great Beyond Brewing Co (6 / 159)

Brewery tap room in a railway arch close to Hoxton station. 13 beers on tap, mostly their own but with a few guests. There are 4 tanks next to the bar supplying some of the beers. Plenty of seating available and it is possible to order pizza in.

Great Beyond – Free Spirit – 4.7% (Draft) – £2.20 1/3 pint

Mikkeller Bar London (7 / 160)

Danish brewer Mikkeller’s first London offering. An old corner pub taken over and now serving 18 taps of their own plus well selected guests. It’s a small space with quite limited seating and it can get very busy thanks to the name. As with many craft bars in London it is possible to order pizza in from Yard Sale Pizza.

Mikkeller Brewpub London – Spike! – 5.0% (Draft) – £2.50 1/3 pint

Strongroom Bar & Kitchen (8 / 161)

A bar and music venue in Shoreditch. It has multiple rooms but the larger ones only seem to open when there are events on. For daily use there is the cosy upstairs bar with a dozen taps. A couple of regular Signature beers plus some interesting guests. There is a large courtyard outside with plenty of seating. Apparently this is where the Spice Girls started, but don’t hold that against them…

Cloak & Dagger – Holy Calamity – 4.0% (Draft) – £3.15 1/2 pint

Fountain Tap (9 / 162)

Sister bar to the Old Fountain a few minutes walk away. 15 on tap with quality beers from the UK and beyond. A comfortable one room bar where you can just relax and enjoy the beers on offer.

Utopian – Augsburg Export Anniversary Lager – 5.4% (Draft) – £3.60 1/2 pint

The Volley (10 / x)

Occupying the old BrewDog space on Old Street is this new sports bar with an emphasis on football. Alongside the multiple TV screens is a good beer lineup across 15 taps. Some macro standards but the guest beers are of a high quality. In the Guide based on this first visit, but will be subject to a follow up visit in a couple of months.

Double Barrelled – Rivers – 3.4% (Draft) – £2.70 1/2 pint

Old Fountain (11 / 163)

Classic pub on Old Street. Good range of beers across both keg and cask but the on-site brewery is not currently operational. As well as the beers there is an extensive food menu from the kitchen. Seating across multiple levels including the roof terrace.

Oakham – Wanted – 4.2% (Cask) – £3.30 1/2 pint

Wenlock Arms (12 / 164)

One of the great London beer pubs. Still championing cask ale with an ever changing range of 10 across hand pulls plus an additional 10 taps. Cask is king here though and it is always in excellent condition. This ticks all of the boxes as a classic back street London boozer.

Hobsons – The Champion – 3.2% (Cask) – £2.50 1/2 pint

Earl Of Essex (13 / 165)

Another Graceland bar that used to house a brewery, long since gone. Usual excellent beer selection, including up to 4 on cask. Extensive food menu in this popular back street pub.

Vault City – Mini Mangoes – 3.3% (Draft) – £2.70 1/3 pint

The Foxglove (14 / 166)

Freehouse in Islington that has been in the Guide under various names over the years. Beer range is not quite as interesting as it used to be, but still has some beers of interest. 10 taps and a cask beer are available.

Kernel – Table Beer – 3.1% (Draft) – £3.25 1/2 pint

Lamb (15 / x)

Bar on the Holloway Road not far from Highbury & Islington Station. 10 beers on tap and a further 3 on cask plus packaged. Thriving pub that is very definitely beer led, and judging by how busy it is, loved by it’s regulars. Food seems to be limited to bar snacks. Music events are hosted. A good addition to this part of town.

Werewolf – Kadillac – 5.6% (Draft) – £3.50 1/2 pint
Elusive – Riddle Of The Sphinx – 4.0% (Cask) – £2.40 1/2 pint

A Pint Of Hops (16 / 167)

Bottle shop and bar close to Acton Central station. The fridges and shelves are full of an excellent selection of packaged beers and there is always something interesting pouring across the 6 taps. The owner, Marius, is passionate about beer and that passion shines through. The small space means you enjoy your choice cheek by jowel with other beer lovers and it is impossible not to be drawn in to friendly conversation. An absolute must visit in this part of London.

Rodinný pivovar Zichovec – Hody Hody Doprovody 13 – 5.5% (Draft)