Our guide to every single brewery and brewpub in the capital. London’s beer scene is growing rapidly, so we’ll try to keep on top of this guide. Email any updates to will@londonist.com
Barnet
Barnet Brewery
What is it? Edo Raimondo’s humble setup located round the back of The Black Horse pub. They produce pilsners, light ales, rich bitters and more.
Where is it? 92 Wood Street, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 4HY
Where does the beer taste best? The Black Horse, constantly stocked with a range of the brewery’s beers.
Bexley
Bexley Brewery
What is it? Bexley’s only production brewery. It’s run by husband and wife team Cliff and Jane Murphy, and started brewing in 2014. Their logo is of one of Bexley’s famous parakeets.
Where is it? 18 Manford Industrial Estate, Manor Road, Erith, DA8 2AJ
Where does the beer taste best? At the brewery. They do guided tours and tastings once a month on a Saturday.
Bromley
Late Knights Brewery
What is it? Derelict Victorian slaughterhouse turned microbrewery. Six very different beers permanently on offer, plus plenty of seasonals throughout the year.
Where is it? 21 Southey Street, Penge, SE20 7JD
Where does the beer taste best? London Beer Dispensary in Brockley and Beer Rebellion in Gipsy Hill.
Camden
Kegs of Camden Town goodness. Photo by psyxjaw, in the Londonist Flickr pool.
Camden Town Brewery
What is it? Trendy Kentish Town West brewery churning out decent kegged brews, verging on the mainstream. Their Unfiltered Hells remains one of London’s finest lagers.
Where is it? 55 Wilkin Street Mews, NW5 3NN
Where does the beer taste best? The Brewery Bar, open Tuesday-Saturday. Street traders set up outside every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.
Croydon
Clarence & Fredericks
What is it? Family run outfit, headed by Duncan Woodhead, and specialising in real ales. Stand-out brews include Golden Ale and their limited winter Barley Wine.
Where is it? 35 Neville Road, Croydon, CR0 2DS
Where does the beer taste best? Here’s a list of stockists.
The Cronx
What is it? Creation of alcohol wholesaler, Mark Russell and former city worker, Simon Dale. They do bitters, IPAs, pale ales and the odd oddity — such as a chilli beer.
Where is it? Unit 6, Vulcan Business Centre, Vulcan Way, Croydon, CR0 9UG
Where does the beer taste best? The brewery’s bar, on selected open days.
Barry, the Clarence & Fredericks mascot.
Ealing
Dragonfly Brewery
What is it? One of the largest brewpubs in London, ensconced in the George & Dragon pub in Acton. Beers include a bitter, a stout, a pale ale and a Bavarian style wheat beer.
Where is it? 183 High Street, Acton, W3 9DJ
Where does the beer taste best? In the adjoining George & Dragon, a notably attractive wood-panelled boozer.
Ealing Park Tavern
What is it? Pint-sized brewery situated in the back of the Ealing Park Tavern gastropub. Claims its heritage harks back to 1728, when it operated as the Lewis Furnell Brewhouse.
Where is it? Ealing Park Tavern, 222 South Ealing Road, Ealing W5 4RL
Where does the beer taste best? Book a tour of the microbrewery, where you can sample four Ealing Park Tavern ales.
Laine’s Brewing @Aeronaut
What is it? Brand new Acton brewpub, and sister site to Laine’s Brewing at The Four Thieves in Clapham (see our Lambeth breweries). Already making IPAs, ESBs, RPAs and porters.
Where is it? 264 High Street, Acton, W3 9BH
Where does the beer taste best? At Aeronaut. Or, if you’re in south east London, go to The Four Thieves instead.
Someone’s had a few Weird Beards…
Weird Beard Brew Co.
What is it? Prize-winning setup run by self-proclaimed beer geeks Gregg and Bryan. Their brews don’t stint on flavour, and are “never knowingly under hopped”.
Where is it? Unit 5, Boston Business Park, Trumpers Way, Hanwell, W7 2QA
Where does the beer taste best? Bermondsey, funnily enough. Weird Beard set up a bar in 128 Druid Street on the first Saturday of every month.
Greenwich
Hop Stuff Brewery
What is it? Brainchild of ex-City boy James Yeomans, Hop Stuff is nestled in one of the former Royal Artillery buildings in Woolwich. Brews like Fusilier and Gunners Porter reflect its historic surrounds.
Where is it? Unit 7, Gunnery Terrace, Woolwich, SE18 6SW
Where does the beer taste best? The brewery opens its doors to the public on the first weekend of every month.
Meantime’s shiny new Tasting Rooms, with accompanying merch.
Meantime Brewing Company
What is it? Only one of London’s most famous breweries. Their brews are usually kegged, hoppy and very much ubiquitous across London, and indeed much of the UK. 21 million pints brewed annually. And they’re expanding.
Where is it? Lawrence Trading Estate, Blackwall Lane, SE10 0AR. Nope, most of Meantime’s beer is NOT brewed in Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College. Although that’s not a bad place to quaff it.
Where does the beer taste best? The brewery Tasting Rooms is open daily, with a comprehensive range of Meantime beers, some of which are piped in straight from the maturation tank.
Hackney
Five Points beer, all the colours of the rainbow.
The Five Points Brewing Co.
What is it? Independent brewery specialising in unfiltered, unpasteurised beer that pulls no punches flavour-wise. Their Five Points Pale and Railway Porter are both exceptional.
Where is it? 3 Institute Place, Hackney, E8 1JE
Where does the beer taste best? Take the Five Points tour, which happens on the first Saturday of every month.
Concocting something lovely at Hackney Brewery.
Hackney Brewery
What is it? East End brewery specialising in no nonsense cask ales (such as Best Bitter and Golden Ale), although they’ve now branched into kegged beers and a craft series.
Where is it? Arch 358, Laburnum Street, Hackney, E2 8BB
Where does the beer taste best? Pop into the brewery Monday to Friday (although they don’t do tours). Best to call ahead.
Howling Hops
What is it? Small scale brewery based at The Cock Tavern on Mare Street, producing an admirable range of beers — light ales, IPAs, Victorian stout and more.
Where is it? The Cock Tavern, 315 Mare Street, Hackney, E8 1EJ
Where does the beer taste best? In The Cock Tavern. The majority of it doesn’t make it much further.
Bottles at the London Fields Brewery Taproom. They also have ones with beer in them. Photo by Maki Aoyama, in the Londonist Flickr pool.
London Fields Brewery
What is it? Hip east London outfit, producing a plethora of brews — most famously Hackney Hopster, “a debonair young chap of a pacific pale ale”.
Where is it? 365-366 Warburton Street, E8 3RR
Where does the beer taste best? The London Fields Brewery Taproom, open seven days a week. There are also regular brewery tours.
Pressure Drop Brewing
What is it? Graham, Sam and Ben, three cool blokes brewing under a Hackney railway arch. Bold, exciting beer is their game — including a dark, smoky wheat number, and Hefeweizen brewed with foraged herbs.
Where is it? Unit 19, Bohemia Place, E8 1DU
Where does the beer taste best? Check out this map of places where Pressure Drop’s been sold recently.
Hammersmith and Fulham
Portobello Brewing Co.
What is it? Founded in 2012 by Rob Jenkins and Farooq Khalid, Portobello Brewing Co. produces a core range of brews (including London Pilsner and Market Porter) and an occasional range that features Portobello Bitter.
Where is it? Unit 6, Mitre Bridge Industrial Estate, Mitre Way, W10 6AU
Where does the beer taste best? Drop the brewery a line to find out which pubs currently stock their beer.
Haringey
Beavertown brews on ice.
Beavertown Brewery
What is it? Off-the-wall brewers concocting potent, tastebud-exploding brews, with zany branding to match. Gamma Ray American Pale Ale is the perfect introduction.
Where is it? Unit 17 and 18, Lockwood Industrial Park, Mill Mead Road, Tottenham Hale, N17 9QP
Where does the beer taste best? Duke’s Brew & Que in Haggerston, the brewery’s original home (when it was a smaller operation), which also does a lip-smacking range of ribs, pulled pork and burgers.
London Brewing Co.
What is it? Small setup in Highgate pub The Bull, coming out with a very decent range of cask beers. Their Skyline pale ale is perhaps one of the capital’s finest session beers.
Where is it? The Bull, 13 North Hill, Highgate, N6 4AB
Where does the beer taste best? In The Bull, or its sister pub The Bohemia in Finchley.
Redemption Brewing
What is it? Much respected name in the industry, producing a core of six cask beers — the most ubiquitous (and safest) of which is the 3% ABV Trinity.
Where is it? Unit 2, Compass West Estate, West Road, Tottenham, N17 0XL
Where does the beer taste best? Browse this list of stockists.
Hounslow
Ever heard of this stuff? Photo by gariphic, in the Londonist Flickr pool.
Fuller’s Brewery (aka Griffin Brewery)
What is it? The oldest brewery in London* (established in 1845) and the undisputed daddy of the beer scene. If you’ve spent five minutes in the capital, you’ll have seen a pint of London Pride. But they do lots of delicious alternatives.
Where is it? The Griffin Brewery, Chiswick Lane South, W4 2QB
Where does the beer taste best? Tours of the vast Fuller’s complex in Chiswick run from Monday-Friday, including a chance to sup a range of their brews at the below decks brewery tap.
*Although The RAM Brewery would dispute this (see our Wandsworth breweries).
Islington
Earl’s Brewery
What is it? Small time brewery nestled in The Earl of Essex pub.
Where is it? 25 Danbury Street, N1 8LE
Where does the beer taste best? In The Earl of Essex, which doubles up as a craft beer mecca, and features a beer of the day.
Islington Brewhouse & Kitchen
What is it? Concocters of a number of yummy, London-centric brews including Raleigh Smoked Porter, Chaplin American Style IPA and Hitchcock Southern English Ale. They’re opening a Highbury offshoot soon.
Where is it? Torrens Street, EC1V 1NQ
Where does the beer taste best? At the brewhouse, open daily, and serving lots of food to soak the beer up with.
Islington Brewhouse & Kitchen. We have no idea who this man is or what he does.
Kensington and Chelsea
Moncada Brewery
What is it? Brewers of natural beers spanning a spectrum that covers blonde, amber, porter and ruby eye.
Where is it? Unit 1, Buspace Studios, Conlan Street, W10 5AP
Where does the beer taste best? Seek out this west London nectar by stockist here.
Lambeth
Canopy Beer Co.
What is it? Pocket-sized under-the-arches Herne Hill brewery brewing twice a week. Ales include Brockwell IPA, Milkwood Amber and Ruskin Wheat Beer.
Where is it? Arch 1127 Bath Factory Estate, 41 Norwood Road, Herne Hill SE24 9AJ
Where does the beer taste best? Cafe Provencal — a stone’s throw from the brewery.
Brixton Brewery
What is it? British style, internationally-inspired brews, concocted under the railway in central Brixton. Core beers include Electirc I.P.A. and Windrush Stout. Just look for the jazzy labels.
Where is it? Arch 547, Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PF
Where does the beer taste best? Craft Beer Co., also on Brixton Station Road.
Peter Haydon brewing up at A Head In A Hat.
The Florence Brewery (and A Head In A Hat)
What is it? The Florence Brewery is based in the Herne Hill brewpub of the same name. Head brewer Peter Haydon produces ‘accessible’ beers under the Florence Brewery label, while his more historic/eclectic brews are branded A Head In A Hat. Essentially a two-for-the-price-of-one brewery.
Where is it? 131-133 Dulwich Road, SE24 0NG
Where does the beer taste best? The Florence, of course.
Image courtesy of Rupert Marlow Photography.
Gipsy Hill Brewing Company
What is it? Cosy south London outfit, brewing beers that come in at under 5% ABV. Lunchtime ales, if you will.
Where is it? Unit 11 Hamilton Road Industrial Estate, SE27 9SF
Where does the beer taste best? Visit the brewery on the first or fourth Saturday of the month.
Laine’s Brewing @The Four Thieves
What is it? Brand spanking new brewpub round the corner from Clapham Junction in The Four Thieves pub, which was until recently Battersea Mess and Music Hall. Twinned with Aeronaut in Acton (see our Ealing breweries).
Where is it? 51 Lavender Gardens, Clapham, SW11 1DJ
Where does the beer taste best? In The Four Thieves. They also distil their own gin here. Sounds like a night out.
Who fancies a tasty Chelsea Blonde?
The London Beer Factory
What is it? Craft brewery founded by Sim and Ed Cotton. They specialise in paler, hoppy beers such as Paxton Pale Ale and Chelsea Blonde (“nothing tastes as good as a Chelsea Blonde” runs the tagline).
Where is it? 160 Hamilton Road, West Norwood, SE27 9SF
Where does the beer taste best? Use their handy beer finder.
Lewisham
Brockley Brewery
What is it? Small, garage based outfit, producing very decent, no nonsense cask beers. The Pale Ale is a good starting point.
Where is it? 31 Harcourt Road, Brockley, SE4 2AJ
Where does the beer taste best? Get takeaway beer straight from the brewery on Friday evenings and Saturday daytime.
The pint-sized Brockley Brewing Company.
Zerodegrees
What is it? Upmarket, shiny Blackheath brewery producing equally sparkling beers. Kegged and cold is the mantra here.
Where is it? 29/31 Montpelier Vale, Blackheath, SE3 0TJ
Where does the beer taste best? At the brewery restaurant, with one of their excellent Italian-style pizzas.
Newham
TapEast
What is it? Microbrewery and specialist beer pub in the unlikely setting of Westfield Stratford.
Where is it? 7 International Square, Montfichet Road, Westfield Stratford City, E20 1EE
Where does the beer taste best? In TapEast itself. Plenty of their beers are on tap, plus a stack of other bottled brews. Open daily.
Richmond upon Thames
Mix your drinks with rugby at Twickenham Fine Ales.
Twickenham Fine Ales
What is it? Producers of a wide range of cask ales (they’ve recently started kegging too) including pales, ambers and a dry hopped black IPA. extra points for some of the names of their beers including Black Eel and Naked Ladies.
Where is it? 18 Mereway Rd, Twickenham, TW2 6RG
Where does the beer taste best? Take one of the occasional tours, or sup beers at the brewery’s bar, which often has TVs showing live rugby.
Kew Brewery
What is it? So fresh on the scene, it’s yet to open, Kew Brewery promises a toothsome range of beers, including Petersham Porter, Richmond Rye, Chocolate Milk Stout and Chilli Porter.
Where is it? “Less than a mile from the world-famous gardens at Kew,” we’re told. This should become less ambiguous when they actually release their beer into the wild.
Where does the beer taste best? If there’s a brewery tap, then probably there. We’ll update you in April/May.
Southwark
Anspach & Hobday
What is it? Small but perfectly formed microbrewery under the railway arches in Bermondsey. Producers of classy porters and IPAs.
Where is it? 118 Druid Street, Bermondsey, SW8 2XD
Where does the beer taste best? Their brewery tap is open on Saturday and Sunday, and you’re welcome to bring food from nearby Maltby Street Market.
A Brew By Numbers saison next to a cup of tea. Know which one we’d prefer.
Brew By Numbers
What is it? Among the Bermondsey Beer Mile’s finest purveyors, Brew By Numbers roll out a dazzling array of brews — saisons, porters, golden ales, wheat beers, black IPAs — the lot.
Where is it? 79 Enid Street, SE16 3RA
Where does the beer taste best? The tap room’s open every Saturday. Arrive early to score a seat.
Brick Brewery
What is it? Ian Stewart’s small scale setup under the arches of Peckham Rye station. An ambitious range includes steam ale, pilsner and black IPA.
Where is it? Arch 209, Blenheim Grove, SE15 4QL
Where does the beer taste best? Sat on a bag of grain at the brewery tap, open Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. There’s a special pizza bus parked outside sometimes.
Bullfinch Brewery
What is it? Small but perfectly formed microbrewery under the railway arches in Bermondsey. They’re actually in the very same address as Anspach & Hobday (see above). But the beer’s very different. Names like Hopocalypse, Notorious and Citrageddon tell you these guys aren’t messing.
Where is it? 118 Druid Street, Bermondsey, SW8 2XD
Where does the beer taste best? Their brewery tap is open on Saturday and Sunday. They share it with Anspach & Hobday.
A shindig, Clarkshaws style.
Clarkshaws
What is it? East Dulwich microbrewery making vegetarian beers that have flavours — and names — with attitude. Gorgon’s Alive or Hellhound IPA, anyone?
Where is it? Tyrrell Trading Estate, Tyrrell Road, SE22 9NA
Where does the beer taste best? They do have the odd open day. Otherwise, here’s a map of stockists.
Fourpure Pils, fresh off the production line.
Fourpure Brewing Co.
What is it? Travel inspired brewers, making the likes of German pilsners, American IPAs and English stouts.
Where is it? 22 Bermondsey Trading Estate, Rotherhithe New Road, SE16 3LL
Where does the beer taste best? The tap room is open every Saturday for drink-in and takeaway beers.
The Kernel Brewery
What is it? Doyennes of the Bermondsey Beer Mile, and arguably one of London’s finest brewers, small scale or otherwise. Dry hopped beers are a speciality, but Kernel cover everything from export stouts to sour cherry brews.
Where is it? 1 Spa Business Park, Spa Road, SE16 4QT
Where does the beer taste best? Direct from the brewery, where you can drink it every Saturday. To make the most, arrive ridiculously early. They close early afternoon.
Mashing at The Kernel Brewery.
Orbit Beers
What is it? The result of a journey across Scotland in a VW campervan, apparently. Although unfiltered beers such as Köln Style Lager and Altbier suggest a distinctively Teutonic influence.
Where is it? 225 & 228 Fielding Street, SE17 3HD
Where does the beer taste best? Here’s a comprehensive list of where you can get it.
Southwark Brewery
What is it? Purveyors of more traditional ales than your average Southwark brewer (although many have a modern twist). Look out for their Peter’s Stout, which registers a stonking 8.9% ABV.
Where is it? 46 Druid Street, SE1 2EZ
Where does the beer taste best? The brewery bar is open every Saturday.
A line-up of Partizan brews.
Partizan Brewing
What is it? Concocters extraordinaire of toothsome pale ales, and off-the-wall saisons including mango and black pepper, and iced tea flavours.
Where is it? 8 Almond Road, South Bermondsey, SE16 3LR
Where does the beer taste best? Sup to your heart’s content at the brewery bar every Saturday.
Tower Hamlets
The brewing team at Crate.
Crate Brewery
What is it? Hip, canalside setup in Hackney, where punchy beers are matched with delicious own-baked pizzas. Watch narrowboats go by while you guzzle.
Where is it? Unit 7, Queens Yard, Hackney Wick, E9 5EN
Where does the beer taste best? At the brewery and pizzeria, open daily. Or take the brewery tour.
One Mile End
What is it? Former Redemption brewer Simon McCabe is behind the eclectic range of bevvies at this Whitechapel brewery based in The White Hart pub. Expect everything from double IPAs to plum and Calvados saisons.
Where is it? The White Hart, 1 Mile End Road, E1 4TP
Where does the beer taste best? The White Hart, where the selection is forever changing, and you can get a tasty roast too.
Just a small sample of One Mile End’s range.
Redchurch Brewery
What is it? Producers of never filtered, never pasteurised beers. Their Bethnal Pale Ale contains a blend of English malts and American hops, and is a flagship brew.
Where is it? 275-276 Poyser Street, E2 9RF
Where does the beer taste best? Try a solid nearby boozer like The Well and Bucket.
Truman’s Beer
What is it? The phoenix of London’s brewery scene (even though the logo is an eagle). Originally opened in 1666, closed in 1989, reopened in 2010 (although now NOT on Brick Lane). No-nonsense ales include Swift golden ale and Runner bitter.
Where is it? The Eyrie, 2-3 Stour Road, Hackney Wick, E3 2NT
Where does the beer taste best? Guzzle at brewery tap The Cygnet, or take a tour.
Truman’s Beer: brewing once more. Although now in a different east London location. Photo by BLTP Photo, in the Londonist Flickr pool.
Waltham Forest
Brodie’s Beers
What is it? Leyton-based purveyors of an impressively wide range of beers — Leytonstone Stout, Hackney Red IPA, London Sour Cherry… the list goes on.
Where is it? King William IV pub, 816 High Road, Leyton, E10 6AE
Where does the beer taste best? The inimitable King William IV, where the beer is brewed, and a pint costs as little as £2.50 (yup, we’re writing this in 2015).
East London Brewing Company
What is it? Husband and wife team creating traditional English ales with good old English names like ELB Pale Ale and Nightwatchman. They’re also bringing back the phenomenon that is mulled beer (they were mixing up batches last Christmas).
Where is it? Unit 45 Fairways Business Centre, Lammas Road, E10 7QB
Where does the beer taste best? In one of these boozers. Or call ahead and arrange a visit to the brewery.
Courtesy of the Signature Brew website.
Signature Brew
What is it? Fast-growing setup who’ve recently relocated to Leyton to keep up with demand. They brew beer inspired by music, with names like Backstage IPA and Black Vinyl Stout. They collaborate with artists too, including Frank Turner and Ed Harcourt.
Where is it? Unit 25, Leyton Business Centre, Etloe Road, E10 7BT
Where does the beer taste best? Music-centric pubs across the capital, such as The Princess of Wales and The Myddleton Arms.
Wild Card Brewery
What is it? A bunch of Midlands brewers now in east London making rubies, ambers, porters and more. The beers are all named after playing cards and quite beautifully labelled.
Where is it? Unit 7 Ravenswood Industrial Estate, Shernhall Street, Walthamstow, E17 9HQ
Where does the beer taste best? Go on a brewery tour, a brew day experience, or visit the brewery tap on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Wandsworth
Belleville Brewing Co.
What is it? American style ales brewed on Wandsworth Common. Many of their beers have London/US-crossover names, such as Battersea Brownstone and Thames Surfer.
Where is it? 36 Jaggard Way, Wandsworth, SW12 8SG
Where does the beer taste best? Contact the brewery and tell them you’d like to pop in.
By The Horns
What is it? Reputed south London brewers, producing a tantalising range of drinks, including their flagship Stiff Upper Lip pale ale, and more oddball concoctions like Bobby On The Wheat.
Where is it? 25 Summerstown, Wandsworth, SW17 0BQ
Where does the beer taste best? There’s a brewery tap and a bottle shop.
The RAM Brewery
What is it? Something of an oddball. What was the oldest British brewery in continuous operation — belonging to beer giants Young’s — closed in 2006. However, former Young’s employee John Hatch has continued to brew onsite once a week ever since, as The RAM Brewery. Which means that technically, this brewery has been going since at least 1533. Take that, Fuller’s.
Where is it? The Ram Quarter, Ram Street, Wandsworth, SW18 4LB
Where does the beer taste best? Due to a “bit of a veto situation on the commercial brewing”, you can’t currently buy any of John’s beer. However, you can put money in an honesty box when you visit. And there are live comedy nights too. This setup will change soon with the opening of a new microbrewery.
Rocky Head Brewery
What is it? Probably the most ramshackle brewery in the UK (their words), set up by friends inspired by the American craft beer scene. Pale ales crammed with hops are their speciality.
Where is it? Unit 16, Glenville Mews, Kimber Road, Southfields, SW18 4NJ
Where does the beer taste best? Here’s a list of boozers and stockists.
The shiny Sambrook’s brewery tap.
Sambrook’s Brewery
What is it? Well-known creators of typical cask beers, with Wandle and Junction their most famous. Sambrook’s have recently branched into craft and kegged beers too.
Where is it? Unit 1 & 2 Yelverton Road, Battersea, SW11 3QG
Where does the beer taste best? The brewery bar is open for private hire. Or take a tour on the third Wednesday of the month.
Westminster
Essex Street Brewing Company
What is it? Newbie brewers and, as far as we know, the only ones to be producing in Westminster right now. They’re ensconced in Temple Brew House, just off Strand, and you can watch head brewer Vanesa de Blas Montoya do her thing, while supping one of their beers.
Where is it? Temple Brew House, 46 Essex Street, WC2R 3JF
Where does the beer taste best? Temple Brew House, where you can also get good food and a range of other craft beers.
Itinerant
A hug in a bottle.
Bear Hug Brewing
What is it? Someone’s always got to be different. Bear Hug Brewing are ‘hobo brewers’, which means they hop from brewery to brewery in London, making use of their facilities but very much concocting their own recipes.
Where is it? Depends what week it is.
Where does the beer taste best? At one of these boozers/eateries.