Brewery
44A Sydenham Road SE26 5QF (Lewisham)
ignition.beer
First sold beer: 30 May 2017
Not just a brewery, this is a social enterprise employing and training people with learning disabilities, founded by economist Nick O’Shea, who has also been heavily involved with human rights charity Liberty.
Beers were brewed at UBREW from 2016, but in 2017 Ignition gained its own 4 hl kit, which began its career at short-lived brewpub the Botanist on Kew Green and saw service at Brewhouse and Kitchen Islington before being donated to the project. It’s installed in the back room of a 1960s council community centre: the main room at the front serves part-time as an unusual taproom.
In March 2023, Nick announced he was planning to move on, and in November ownership was transferred to neurodiverse support charity Brighter Horizons
Kegged and hand-bottled beers are also delivered free to local addresses. They include an annual collaboration with local hop-growing collective Palace Pints.
Updated 22 April 2025.
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