Beer Guide London Visits – 25/04/2024

Dean Swift (1 / 125)

Sited in the quiet back streets just to the south of Tower Bridge is this locals pub. Offering a good choice of 18 beers on tap plus a couple of cask ales, which include a few from Farnham Brewing Company which they cite as being their sister brewery. Light airy space with plenty of seating with additional seating upstairs. There is an extensive food menu and their Sunday roasts seem to have a very good reputation.

Harbour – Daymer Bay – 3.8% (Draft) – £3.10 1/2 pint

Southwark Brewing Co (2 / 126)

The first stop on the (in)famous Bermondsey Beer Mile, or maybe the last if you choose to start at the southern end! This is a very typical brewery tap in a railway arch with the kit visible at the rear and the bar and seating area at the front. There is additional seating outside. One of the few places on the Mile to offer cask ale with a choice of up to 8.

Southwark – Thames Tunnel – 4.3% (Draft) – £4.40 2/3 pint

Barrel Project (3 / 127)

Tap room and barrel store for London Beer Factory. The arch is impressively lined with barrels aging beers. Seating is down the left as you enter with the large bar, offering up to 24 beers on tap, to the right. Additional seating is available outside. The majority of beers on offer are their own, but you will also find some well chosen guests. There is a small kitchen which is currently offering a variety of burgers.

London Beer Factory – Bright Side – 4.2% (Draft) – £2.15 1/3 pint

Billy Franks Craft Beer & Snack Shack (4 / 128)

A bar run by Billy Franks jerky it has gone from strength to strength, establishing itself in the upper part of the mile. They have doubled the number of taps and now offer 4 keg beers, always including an offering from Harbour, alongside three fridges of packaged beers. Relatively small seating area inside they have managed to expand their outdoor seating my continuing around the corner to under the railway. No hot food offered, but definitely the best bar snacks on the mile.

Glasshouse – Berberis – 4.5% (Draft) – £3.85 1/2 pint

Anspach & Hobday “The Arch House” (5 / 129)

One of the mile originals Anspach & Hobday have since moved their brewing operation to a much larger site in Croydon, but they have retained a presence on the mile in their original home. With all of the brewing kit gone they have been able to move the bar to the far end of the arch and make space for much more seating, a large improvement on the original cramped space. A dozen taps plus a handpump showcase their range of excellent beers. Their is additional seating outside.

Anspach & Hobday – The Gluten Free Pils – 3.4% (Draft) – £3.35 1/2 pint

It Ain’t Much If It Ain’t Dutch (6 / 130)

It was a sad day when Proeflokaal Rembrandt in Earl’s Court closed, but Eric, the driving force behind it, never lost his vision for the future. And this is that future! A bar dedicated to Dutch beers, currently offering a choice of 30 on tap with a long term plan to increase this to 60. Seating is across two rooms in this double arch space plus more outside with a mezzanine area planned. A kitchen offers a wide range of typical Dutch bar snacks plus hot dogs. There is a fantastic ceiling mural by the artist responsible for all of the Uiltje Brewery artwork running the length of the arch. Eric plans to have one in the other arch done in the style of Jopen Brewery. Long term plans are for similar bars in Manchester and Edinburgh giving Eric a base for UK wide Dutch Beer distribution. I don’t doubt he will make it happen.

Jopen – Craft Pilsner – 4.5% (Draft) – £2.75 1/3 pint
Uiltje – Better Safe Than Sahti – 7.2% (Draft)

Moor Beer Vaults & Tap Room (7 / 131)

London home of the Bristol brewers and a place to showcase their range across 10 taps and occasional gravity cask. Seating across two levels plus outside. The large space to the rear of the arch is used for some barrel aging plus as a venue for occasional events.

Moor – Changing Minds – 2.5% (Draft) – £3.20 1/2 pint

Cloudwater Tap Room (8 / 132)

This is the London presence of the iconic Mancunian brewery. A stylishly done arch with plenty of seating inside and out. They offer nearly 20 taps of excellent beers, mostly their own but you will also find guest beers. This is an arch that feels less like an arch than most and is a comfortable space in which to enjoy the great beers.

Cloudwater – Sangria Breeze – 4.5% (Draft) – £2.40 1/3 pint

Bianca Road Tap Room (9 / 133)

Bianca Road have moved the brewery a couple of times and now occupy a double arch in the heart of the mile. 8 of their beers are available on tap plus some packaged beers. The double arch means that this venue feels a lot less cramped than some of the other places.

Bianca Road – Extra Mile – 4.0% (Draft) – £2.50 1/3 pint

Craft Beer Junction (10 / 134)

One of the few places on the mile that isn’t associated with a brewery, instead it offers a quality range of beer across a dozen taps and usually includes a few beers from less well known American breweries. It is also one of the few bars on the mile to show sporting events which means it can get very busy but there is plenty of seating and even during busy periods the service is friendly and efficient. A welcome addition to the mile.

Hidden Springs – Spring Fling – 5.0% (Draft) – £4.10 1/3 pint

Enid St Tavern (11 / 135)

A few arches down from Bianca Road is this newcomer which is a sister to them. It is home to the Bianca Road cold store but a conscious decision has been made not to stock BR beers. What you will find is a range of quality beers from the likes of Deya and Verdant. Usual arch format with seating inside and out.

Deya – Brett Pale – 5.1% (Draft) – £3.00 1/3 pint

Mash Paddle Tap Room (12 / 136)

A brewery that also offers home brewers the chance to brew on larger kit. Expect to find a couple of in house beers on tap alongside guests. There is also a well stocked fridge of packaged beers. Quite a cramped space due to the presence of all of the brewing kit but there is additional space upstairs and in the outside courtyard where you will also find a pizza truck.

Mash Paddle – Mashed Out – 5.3% (Draft) – £3.70 1/2 pint

The Kernel Arch 7 (13 / 137)

One of the founders of the mile Kernel dropped out for a while until they were able to find a more suitable space. And what a space! A perfectly designed tap room, light spacious and with seating on two levels plus outside. And then there are the beers, 18 taps plus packaged beers and an occasional cask ale. Always of a consistently high standard and reasonably priced. There is a reason why Kernel have such a high reputation, and it is thoroughly deserved. A must visit.

Black Isle – Altbier – 4.2% (Draft) – £1.75 1/3 pint

Pitcher & Craft (14 / 138)

Something a bit different along the mile, a slight detour off the standard route brings you to this bottle shop that also has up to 5 draft beers available. There is an extensive range of packaged beers and also a wide selection of quality wines. The owners are really friendly and keen to improve their offering, and they appreciate all visitors who make an effort to pop in.

Bianca Road – Mirror Mirror – 4.8% (Draft) – £3.00 1/2 pint

Three Hills – The Outpost (15 / 139)

Three Hills brewery from Northamptonshire established a presence on the mile in the old Affinity premises and for a while brewed here but this has since ceased. They still offer a good range of their consistently good beers which can be hard to find otherwise. Seating on two levels inside it is augmented by tables and benches outside.

Three Hills – Hello – 4.5% (Draft) – £2.60 1/3 pint

Battersea Brewery Substation (16 / 140)

Battersea Brewery took on the old Spartan premises as their second London site, and allowing them to greatly increase their brewing capacity. The kit here is larger than their original kit apparently so the more main stream beers will be brewed here. 4 of their beers are available on tap, with an occasional cask ale offering. Indoor seating is on the mezzanine with additional capacity outside.

Battersea – Neon Eyes – 4.2% (Draft) – £2.30 1/3 pint

Fourpure Brewing Co (17 / 141)

At the southern end of the mile is this smart, purpose built, taproom. An island bar has an impressive number of taps, but they are actually duplicated across both sides of the bar. Mostly their own beers you may also find offerings from some of their sister breweries. Lots of seating inside plus a large yard outside. There is a pizza kitchen on-site and a brewery shop.

Fourpure – Juiced – Mango & Raspberry – 2.8% (Draft) – £2.10 1/3 pint

Small Beer Brew Co Tap Room (18 / 142)

The most southerly venue of the mile, so the start or the finish depending on your choice of direction. This is a huge space for the brewers of low ABV beers that are packed full of flavour. It takes real skill to brew lower strength beers like these in styles that hold their own against full strength versions. Seating is not a problem in this huge warehouse space.

Small Beer – Hazy – 2.6% (Draft) – £2.75 1/2 pint