Welcome to the West

With the explosion of craft beer in London over the last 5 years or so, the majority of breweries are popping up in East London thanks in part to its cheaper rent and trend setting locals, it looked as though West London and it’s haughty residents might get left behind, having to commute across town to get their fresh brews from the taprooms of the likes of The Kernel and Beavertown. Thankfully, there are a growing selection of bandits that along with the likes of Sambrooks, Winder & Eton Brewery and Fullers are proving those brewing in the west aren’t just cowboys. 

      1.       Mondo Brewing Co, Battersea

No messing about with these guys. They are hitting the ground running. Upon visiting the brewery last month, I stumbled on what appeared to be a well-established brewery that had maybe just gone under an upgrade/refurbishment.  Brand new, top of the range brew kit, using the latest brewing techniques to produce crystal clear and yet unfiltered brews. This isn’t all just for show either. The beers being produced are arguable as good as any others in London. Their London Alt is my personal favourite.

The taproom is a working progress but should be open this summer. From seeing the work going on and talking to the guys, it looks like it will be a hotspot as soon as it opens. I personally cannot wait.

        2.       Gipsy Hill Brewing Co, Gipsy Hill

Ok, so maybe these are in South London....but it's not East is it?! The session kings. These gents are ignoring the trend of making the highest palatable abv brew possible and are specialising in lower percentage brews that are still hop charged and full of flavour. What’s more, they’re doing it brilliantly. Focusing on their core range first, they have perfected 3 different styles in their pale, amber and porter. They are now also making collaboration brews like ‘Yuzu’;  a Japanese style pale ale brewed with Yuzu. The result is a beautifully bittersweet balanced pale and is my new favourite of theirs along with the Beatnik Pale.

Their brewery taproom is now open every Saturday from 1-6pm and is well worth a visit. Saturday 25^th July is also their 1^st birthday and promises to be a big day.  Get down there! 

              3.       The Park Brewery, Kingston

Despite living just down the road from this brewery, it snuck up on me like a fart in a lift, except this was a very pleasant surprise. It wasn’t until I discovered their ‘Spankers’ IPA in a local bottle shop that I knew they existed. Since then I have made a special effort to find more of their beers and also visited the brewery on an open day when the public can stop by for the freshest beers. Their beers are upfront and daring, combining powerful hop flavours from around the world with luxurious malt characters.

They have recently upgraded their brewery equipment, taking on Bad Seed Brewery’s old kit (we all know that has made some amazing brews already) and so will no doubt be brewing even more bold and exciting new beers in the near future.

Keep an eye on their social media sites for upcoming open days. I know I’ll be there to see what their latest brews are.                                                           

   4.      Uprising Brewery, Windsor

Proof that brewing is in the blood. Created by Kieran, son of WEBrew’s head brewer Paddy, this brewery comes with a lot of promise. Using the great techniques shown by WEBrew along with new and exciting ideas. Their first brew; ‘Treason’, a West Coast style IPA made many Californian breweries look mediocre.  Bold, brass and non-apologetic, this brew will knock your taste buds sideways and keep you coming back for more. They are now working on a White Pale Ale matured using orange zest and from talking to Kieran it sounds like he has many more exciting recipes up his sleeve. Watch this space eagerly.

Uprising Brewery/WEBrew have regular tours throughout the week and events on Saturdays. Best to keep an eye on their Instagram and Twitter to find out the latest news.

        5.       Weird Beard Brew Co, Hanwell

Where to begin with these guys? They’re crazy! Well, they must be. How else can you explain them brewing a coffee IPA?….grapefruit IPA?……black Saison? It seems whatever crazy idea they come up with, they nail it! Outstanding quality beers. Try any one of their beers you can find. You won’t regret it.

WB have open days at the brewery on varying Sundays. Best to watch their Twitter and Facebook for the next event.  They also have a tap takeover in The Bottle Shop on the second Saturday of alternate months.

These are just five of the latest (and in my opinion best) craft breweries to crop up in West London. Other breweries that are also well worth checking out in the area are - 

·       By The Horns Brewing Co, Wimbledon – Great taproom at the brewery with big outdoor area to enjoy your drink in the London sun. Check out their SIBA silver awarded Lambeth Walk porter.

·      Late Knights, Penge – Check out Beer Rebellion in Gipsy Hill (where it all began) to try their latest brews and maybe even a burger too!

·      Windsor & Eton Brewery, Windsor – Regular tours of the brewery that are well worth going to as well as Flea Market Saturdays. Check out their Kohinoor IPA, Knight of the Garter and any limited releases.

·      Sambrooks, Battersea – Great brewery tour and taproom. Check out their Pumphouse Pale, Wandle and Imperial Stout.

·      Twickenham Fine Ales, Twickenham – Monthly tours on Wednesday nights. They also open the brewery up before most home Harlequins and England rugby matches. A great way to break up the walk from The Sussex Arms to the ground. Their ‘Naked Ladies’ is massively refreshing and smooth. Always hits the spot.

·      Belleville Brewing Co, Wandsworth – A rare find but they are cropping up in bottle shops, pubs and restaurants. Their Thames Surfer is an absolute treat if you can find it.

·      Kew Brewery, Kew – Keeping things green, like the gardens. This bunch donates 5p from every pint sold to an environmental charity. I’m yet to try their beers but I am very eager!

·      Fullers, Chiswick – There is no need to introduce this bunch. Brewery tours run every week day. If you haven’t been before, why not?! It’s a lesson in brewing great beer and maintaining great standards over generations.

Here Come BrewDog

Is it just me or are BrewDog losing some of their romantic charm?

With recent news of the huge expansion plans at BrewDog which include U.S. operations - a brewery to be located in Ohio, a ‘craft beer hotel’ to include beer taps in the rooms (that does sounds cool) and many more bars beyond their 28^th which recently opened in Oslo, Norway. I am beginning to wonder if BrewDog are forgetting their roots and why people like them so much?

These ambitious plans are a clear sign that BrewDog are doing many things right and are in massive demand which can only be a good thing for them and craft beer as a whole. But do the craft beer drinkers still see BrewDog in the same light they did as little as 2-3 years ago? Are they still a craft brewer or are they on the verge of becoming a mainstream sell-out.

Let’s be honest, while most craft beer drinkers enjoy a Punk IPA or Dead Pony pale ale, very few would say these beers are amongst the best they have ever had or that BrewDog is their favourite brewer. To many BrewDog is a stepping stone from mainstream dribble to fantastic small batch beers. A wake up call from the mundane lagers we were forced to drink for so long if you will. This is taking nothing away from the quality of BrewDog beers. They make some very adventurous, high quality beers and were one of the first modern craft brewers in the UK. But there is without a doubt many brewers making better beers, on a smaller scale. In my opinion at least.   

So while BrewDog may not have the best beers in the World, their marketing plan may well be. Their rate of growth has been unbelievable. Let’s not forget that this is a brewery located a little north of Aberdeen, Scotland. The in your face, up yours attitude seems to have worked. That’s not to say that there haven’t been just a few cringe worthy moments too. But many beer drinkers have got on board with this. They too want change and want to give the finger to the suits in charge.

The real challenge I see for BrewDog now is not to cross that line from everyday guys living the dream into a mainstream, corporate, money driven conglomerate. Wearing a flat cap alone will not prevent this. I’ve no doubt that (for now at least) the quality we’ve come to expect from them will continue. They will continue to brew on a small scale in comparison  to many brewing giants. But what happens as the demand grows at the rate they plan? Will the cave in to outside pressure and begin cutting corners? Cheaper ingredients? Larger brewing batches?

Then there is the potential of outside investment. So far the Equity for Punks scheme has been a huge success, helping fund their constant development. But as they grow and become even more successful, eating into the giant brewers profits they become a more appealing purchase/investment to these companies. How long will it be until the likes of AB-InBev or Molson Coors attempt a takeover? And what would it take for the Scottish pair to sell? Or Punk investors for that matter? Only a couple of months ago we saw SAB Miller’s takeover of Meantime Brewing Co. Many within the UK now await the outcome of this takeover, fearful of any change to the beers.

Whatever developments and changes do happen within BrewDog I hope that the standard of their beers remains high and they continue introducing people to the world of craft beer. Power to the revolution!