Closed brewery
Original site: 221 Ponsford Street E9 6JU (Hackney)
Second site: 1 Birkbeck Street E2 6JY (Tower Hamlets)
boxcarbrewery.co.uk
First sold beer: November 2017 (at original site)
Ceased brewing: 23 Feburary 2023 (at second site)
Boxcar began on a modest scale when head brewer Sam Dickison, formerly of Moncada, Hammerton and Laine, teamed up with the founder of Vagabond Wines, Stephen Finch, to work on a 200 l kit in an arch with no public facilities in Homerton. It quickly established a reputation as one of London’s most exciting new breweries, combining a modern approach with a fondness for traditional styles like mild ale.
In August 2019 the brewery expanded significantly to a well-equipped railway arch at Bethnal Green, under the London Overground line from Liverpool Street, with a 20 hl SSV kit equipped for automatic mashing and even a reverse osmosis filter. A taproom was opened in the second arch.
Sadly, operations ceased in 2023 ‘due to an unworkable situation with our landlords, partly due to the pandemic and overhanging debt’. The company was placed into administration but Sam was able to retain ownership of the brands. He soon revived production as a cuckoo at partners including Fierce in Aberdeen and Drop Project, hoping eventually to open another physical site. But by June 2024 this activity had ceased and Sam is now working for another brewery outside London.
Beers were mainly in keg and can.
Updated 18 September 2024.
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