Kernel Brewery SE16

London’s Best Beer, Pubs and Bars updates
Southeast London: Other locations – Bermondsey

Kernel Brewery, London SE16

Brewpup, bar (Kernel)
11 Dockley Road Industrial Estate SE16 3SF
T 0775 7552636 w http://thekernelbrewery.com f kernel.brewery tw kernelbrewery
Open 0900-1500 Sat (closed other days). Children welcome.
Cask beer None, Other beer 3 keg, 6-8 bottles (Kernel).
Food None but adjacent arches sell cheese, charcuterie, baked goods, Wifi. Disabled toilet.
Informal brewery tours.

The Kernel brewery is the most notable recent success story of London brewing. Its superbly crafted and award winning products are winning a whole new audience for fine beer, and inspiring numerous would-be London brewers. Kernel’s practice of throwing open its doors every Saturday as a makeshift bar and off license has only added to its reputation. Customers can meet brewery staff (founder Evin O’Riordan is often in attendance), view the scale and craft at first hand and understand more of the story behind the bottles with their stylish minimalist labels. The brewery is part of a small community of specialist food and drink suppliers once connected with Borough Market, all of whom sell direct to the public in this way, so Kernel’s beer is claiming its place beside other products – cheese, charcuterie, bread, coffee – which are perhaps better known as potential gourmet fare.

At the end of March 2012 Kernel relocated with many of its former neighbours to a different set of railway arches a little further down the North Kent railway line into Bermondsey, a move partly spurred by lease issues that also created much needed extra space to satisfy a swelling order book. Thankfully the open Saturdays have continued in the more spacious surroundings, although the arrangements still look delightfully improvised, with benches and tables built from planking, cardboard boxes and kegs – the public area is used as a workspace at other times. Kernel’s excellent pale ales and a changing selection of specials are served fresh from the conditioning tanks on keg under light pressure, and there’s always an interesting range of bottled beers to drink in or take away, including some that are hard to find elsewhere.

There are no formal tours but if you show an interest you may be offered a look at the brewhouse. The only disappointment is that the yard around the arches, with its patches of grass and trees, is off limits to drinkers due to licensing restrictions. Well worth a wander down the side streets of Bermondsey and an essential stop on the beer tourist’s itinerary. For more about the brewery see p273.

Underground Bermondsey Cycling Links to NCN 4, LCN+ 22 183 Walking Link to Thames Path, Jubilee Greenway