Brewery
45 Fairways Business Centre, Lammas Road E10 7QB (Waltham Forest)
eastlondonbrewing.com
First sold beer: September 2011
Former research and development chemist Stu Lascelles switched career paths in the autumn of 2011 by setting up East London Brewing (sometimes known as ELB) with his wife Claire Ashbridge-Thomlinson. It began with a 16 hl plant and open fermenters installed by Dave Porter of PBC in a single unit on an industrial estate near Lea Bridge station, between the railway and the Lee Valley Park.
It later expanded into two other adjacent units. In July 2019, the installation was upgraded to a 40 hl kit with improved fermenters supplied by Johnson Brewing Design. A new head brewer, Adrian Morales-Maillo, formerly of Naparbier in Barcelona, was recruited: he moved on in 2022 to set up Sobremesa Drinks in Monmouthshire, Wales.
Claire and Stu took a step away in 2024: though they’re still shareholders and retain some involvement, day to day management is now down to another shareholder, Ronnie Finch. The current head brewer is George Boustred, formerly of London Brewing.
Due to the limitations of the site, the brewery was long open only for occasional open days and special events, though it sold beer to take away during normal working hours. Several plans for more regular taprooms were frustrated, until in May 2025 the brewery announced that it was taking on the former Wild Card brewery site on Walthamstow’s Blackhorse ‘Mile’ (2 Lockwood Way E17 5RB), plus adjacent units, as a taproom and possibly a brewing facility.
Fitting out the new site has taken some time, but it was open for a couple of special events in late 2025, and is due to start opening regularly early in 2026. The existing Leyton site remains the production facility for the time being.
The brewery also took over former Wild Card pub the Tavern on the Hill nearby (318 Higham Hill Road E17 5RG) in July 2025.
East London initially brewed mainly cask beers and the format still accounts for a good proportion of its output, though it’s since added keg beers too. Most beers are also available bottled or canned, mainly using an off-site contractor, but some are bottle-conditioned at the brewery. Beers are also packaged as bag-in-box.
Updated 16 December 2025.
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