Beer Guide London Visits – 30/03/2024

Rake (1 / 30)

Very small venue on the edge of Borough Market with an outside seating area that is larger than the interior! Run by the same people that run the Utobeer stall on the market this is a consistently good venue with a, usually, very interesting beer list. On my latest visit the 15 taps had a number of American breweries on them. One of the best beer venues in this part of London.

Jester King – Queen’s Order – 4.0% (Draft) – £4.00 1/3 pint

Royal Oak SE1 (2 / 31)

A short walk from the bustle of the market and you are in the calm of this historic corner pub. A rarity in London, a pub owned by Harvey’s of Sussex and offering their full range. 8 handpumps and a similar number of taps, some offering guest beers. A great place to while away an hour with a classic British ale.

Harvey’s – Easter Ale – 6.8% (Cask) – £3.40 1/2 pint

Simon The Tanner (3 / 32)

Located in a residential area close to Bermondsey this bar offers a good range of beers across 10 taps and 4 handpumps. A good mixture of London breweries and quality guests. Thirds are available here which helps if you want to work through the list. Comfortable and friendly location where you can happily spend time.

Left Handed Giant – Dear Future – 4.0% (Draft) – £3.20 1/3 pint

Spit And Sawdust (4 / 33)

Situated in a very unassuming part of town this large, one-roomed, pub has a great beer range. 20 taps plus a couple of handpumps dispense a great choice of beers. Occasional tap takeovers take place too, and with thirds available you can try plenty. They also have a roof terrace and the added bonus of a shuffleboard table to the right of the bar.

Wild Card – Aquarius – 5.5% (Draft) – £3.00 1/3 pint

German Kraft Tap Room (at Mercato Metropolitano) (5 / 34)

The original site of German Kraft brewery in the Mercato Metropolitano food market. Shiny brewing kit on display producing quality German style beers, served from 10 taps. All beers follow the “Purity Laws.” You are free to order food from any of the dozens of stalls to accompany your beer selection.

German Kraft – Reinhart – 5.0% (Draft) – £3.70 1/2 pint

Feed The Yak! (6 / 35)

A change of name and a re-modelling of the interior of this sports orientated bar mean that it is now a lot more spacious. It still has a great range of beers with 15 taps, including 3 Budvar variants, and the packaged range includes some gems such as Orval. The interior changes have made the place much more welcoming and has made much better use of the space. There is also a burger kitchen adjacent to the bar.

Floc. – Whisper – 4.8% (Draft) – £3.00 1/3 pint

Orbit Beers Tap Room (7 / 36)

Railway arch tap room and barrel store of Orbit Beers. 10 taps serving 9 of their beers plus a cider. Tasting flights are available. Food is available and there is additional seating in the yard outside. They have managed to make this railway arch feel nothing like a railway arch, more a cosy bar space, perfect for enjoying their excellent beers.

Orbit – Hakata Rice Lager – 5.4% (Draft) – £2.90 1/2 pint

Stormbird (8 / 37)

A standard looking pub from the outside in the middle of Camberwell but step inside and you are confronted by a seriously good beer selection, in the same way as it’s sister pub the Star & Garter in Bromley. Half a dozen handpumps and around 15 taps serve up some of the best beers around right now. And then there is the packaged collection – 30 to 40 really good beers. They have a dedicated Cantillon fridge behind the bar, I’ll say no more!

Siren – Black Mirror – 8.0% (Draft) – £4.00 1/3 pint

Grosvenor Arms (9 / 38)

Back street pub that is also home to Affinity Brewery. An impressive wall of 25 taps dispense a good selection of beers. Usually a fair number from the house brewery, but at the time of my visit they were between brewers and only one was available. Pizzas are available, and are very good.

Three Legs – Table Pale – 2.5% (Draft) – £3.00 1/2 pint
Three Legs – Sabro Oatmeal IPA – 6.5% (Draft) – £3.25 1/2 pint

Crown & Anchor (10 / 39)

Popular community pub to the north of Brixton. Sister pub to the Jolly Butcher’s in Stoke Newington it has a similar range. Around 16 taps and up 5 on cask, although some of these are cider. Emphasis on London breweries but with some well chosen “outsiders.” It is worth taking a look at the fridges as some interesting packaged beers are lurking there.

London Brewing Co – All Ripe! – 3.5% (Draft) – £3.40 1/2 pint

Hercules (11 /40)

Imposing corner pub opposite Lambeth North station. Another of the new generation Fuller’s pubs that have an extensive guest list alongside the regular Fuller’s range. 5 cask and 20 on tap. Large interior gives plenty of seating, supplemented by more outside. Good food menu.

Dark Star – Red Dwarf – 3.4% (Cask) – £3.35 1/2 pint