Brewery, taproom
Original site: 5 Grand Union Centre, West Row W10 5AS (Kensington & Chelsea)
Second site: 1 Buspace Studios, Conlan Street W10 5AP (Kensington & Chelsea)
Final site: 37 Humber Road NW2 6EN (Brent)
moncadabrewery.co.uk
First sold beer: 22 October 2011
Ceased brewing: by September 2021
Former chef Julio Moncada, originally from Argentina, was planning to open a specialist delicatessen. Then he realised that, while a deli requires supplies to be shipped from around the world, all the ingredients for brewing are available close to hand in Britain, so decided to create a brewery instead.
Julio first sold his beer at the inaugural London Brewers Alliance festival near Borough Market in October 2011, produced on a 10 hl PBC brewhouse at the brewery’s original site in North Kensington not far from the Grand Union Canal.
Rising demand rapidly led to expansion, and in January 2013 the brewery moved to bigger premises around the corner in Buspace Studios, with increased fermentation and storage capacity. Moncada expanded again during 2017, moving north into the borough of Brent, with a new brewhouse and taproom at Dollis Hill not far from Staples Corner road junction. For most of 2017, operations were split between the sites but by December everything was based at the new site, now one of London’s more substantial independent operations.
The Dollis Hill site boasted a 30 hl brewhouse custom-designed in Israel by AN Technologies and fabricated in China, plus a bottling line, with a mobile line for canning. There was also an on-site taproom.
Sadly, trade never recovered from the 2020-21 Covid-19 lockdowns. By September 2021, all activity had ceased and the brewery was for sale.
Cask, keg, bottled and canned beers were produced in a range of styles, mostly under the brand name Notting Hill. All the beer was unpasteurised, unfiltered, unfined and vegan-friendly.
Updated 14 December 2021.
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