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Writer of "Probably the best book about beer in London" - Londonist
"A necessity if you're a beer geek travelling to London town" - Beer Advocate
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"A beer guru" - Popbitch.
By the end of 2012, there were 37 commercial breweries operating in London, including 12 brewpubs. One was part of a national group (N) and one part of a multinational (M). These breweries were:
AB InBev UK (Stag, AB InBev M) SW14, Richmond upon Thames
Florence Brewery SE24, Lambeth, brewpub, relaunches under new management as Head in a Hat. The pub is then acquired by Greene King N, but brewing continues.
For definitions of a London brewery, see the current London breweries page.
By the end of 2013, there were 52 commercial breweries operating in London, including 14 brewpubs. One was part of a multinational group (M). These breweries were:
AB InBev UK (Stag, AB InBev M) SW14, Richmond upon Thames
Beavertown Brewery moves from Dukes Brew and Que to an expanded standalone site in Fish Island, Tower Hamlets. Pub continues to operate as a non-brewing venue.
Head in a Hat is now independent, though using kit and premises leased from Greene King N.
N = part of a national brewing group.
For definitions of a London brewery, see the current London breweries page.
With its spiritual home at Woodberry Down, Haringey, just off the Seven Sisters Road, this was started at UBREW as a part-time project by maths teachers Chris Martin and Tristan Bradley and retail professional Julio Santoyo in 2016.
It’s since worked at Bianca Road and various Brewhouse & Kitchens before largely settling at Hambledon Ales in Yorkshire, though the beers are easy to find in north London, and it’s also organised beer festivals in Stoke Newington.
Closed brewery 36 Ernest Avenue SE27 0DJ (Lambeth) First sold beer: April 2019 Ceased brewing: September 2019
This short-lived brewery was founded by Ian Hewitt and a homebrewing friend, who opened a taproom in West Norwood late in 2018, originally cuckoo brewing the beer in Scotland. They then added their own small kit, but the taproom had to close in autumn 2019 and the project has since been abandoned.
Beer firm, planned brewpub 13 Wagtail Walk SE2 9FE (Bexley) rockleopardbrewing.com Active since: November 2018
Founded by Stacey Ayeh, who has a background both in alcohol distribution and in brewing at London Fields and elsewhere, this company based in Greenwich borough is currently cuckoo brewing at various locations including Drop Project, Villages, Altarnum in Cornwall and Missing Link in West Sussex.
Following a successful crowdfunding round in May 2022, Stacey located a unit at the new development of Cygnet Square, Thamesmead. The plan is for a community-focused 15 hl brewery and taproom which will work with nearby Shooters Hill College to provide NVQ training facilities.
Following numerous delays, the taproom was finally granted a license in February 2024, though Bexley Council made a mistake in the hours, which didn’t cover evenings or Sundays. This should soon be put right, hopefully paving the way for a spring opening.
Beer firm roaringfour.com Active: September 2015 to late 2019
Started by four homebrewing friends, one British and the others from New Zealand, this first brewed at London Beer Lab in 2015 and also used the facilities at Altarnun in Cornwall and 71 Brewing in Dundee. One of the four, Nick Thomas, owns Craft Beer Cabin in South Norwood.
Beer firm, planned brewery D2 Leyton Industrial Village, Argall Avenue E10 7QP (Waltham Forest) thequeerbrewingproject.com Active since: June 2018 Brewing expected: early 2025
London-based beer writer, photographer and potter Lily Waite-Marsden began brewing in 2018 in a one-off collaboration with Marble Brewery in Manchester as part of an art project for Manchester Beer Week.
Further collabs followed, aimed at promoting greater diversity, acceptance, and visibility of LGBTQ+ people in the beer and brewing industries. Lily then began cuckoo brewing with various partners, winning a reputation for innovation and quality, with 10p donated to relevant charities for every can or pint sold.
For some time, the company has operated from a warehouse on the same Leyton industrial estate as Neckstamper and Nirvana, with a taproom opening intermittently from summer 2024. In October, in response to growing demand, they rented a neighbouring unit to accommodate their own 30 hl brewhouse, taking on Andy Potter, most recently at Fourpure, as head brewer.
As of January 2025, installation is near-complete with production expected to start soon, and the taproom is now open regularly.
Beers so far have been in can and keg, brewed with various partners (including Affinity and Brick in London), US and Scandinavia.
Brewpub no longer brewing Project 88, Beer + Burger Willesden, 88 Walm Lane NW2 4QY beerandburgerstore.com First sold beer: October 2017 Ceased brewing: by early 2019
Staff member Steve Law began brewing under the name Project 88 for Beer + Burger on a tiny kit at the Willesden branch in 2017. Steve moved on and his role was taken by Milo Oddi. Demand expanded as the chain grew, so the beers were often contracted, to One Mile End or Hop Kettle in Swindon. The brand was dropped in 2019, though B+B continued to participate in collaboration brews exclusively stocked in the bars.
Milo launched his own cuckoo project, the Standard Brew Co, in July 2021, brewing at One Mile End. The company focuses on IPAs but pursues variety within the broad style. Besides a recurring core table IPA ideal for serving alongside food, a new recipe is sent out every month as a six-pack to subscribers, a model which helps build a community of customers in the absence of a taproom.
There’s still a link to B+B as the owners of that company are investors in Standard and their venues sometimes stock its beer in keg form. Milo has no immediate plans to add his own kit as he’s happy working as a cuckoo brewer and collaborator: a brew at 40FT is planned for the autumn 2022.
Closed beer firm First active: June 2019 Ceased trading: October 2023
Originally based in Borehamwood, just outside London, this firm first cuckoo brewed at Pretty Decent under the name No Heroes. It changed its name in February 2020 and subsequently also brewed outside London at Glen Affric in Birkenhead, Merseyside. It was a socially conscious project, promising to plant a tree for every beer sold, and supporting organisations which protect Indonesian rainforests and collect plastic from beaches.
Longstanding plans for a brewery and taproom were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic but were realised with the opening of an arch-based bar, the Lowline Tap (18 Angel Lane, Manor Place Depot SE17 3FR), not far from Orbit Beers, in March 2022. The original plan was to install a brewery here but no progress was made on this before the bar was forced to close on 26 May 2023 due to economic pressures. The company went into liquidation a few months later.
21 openings, 5 closures and suspensions, net change +16.
By the end of 2014, there were 68 commercial breweries operating in London, including 20 brewpubs. One was part of a multinational group (M). These breweries were:
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