Penge is a Place? A Guide

I could have chosen between Crystal Palace, Penge and Beckenham to hook you with this guide: let’s be honest, any place named after a grand building made out of a precious gemstone always beats a name that I’m not even clear on how to pronounce, or a misspelling of Beckham. The map doesn’t lie, however, and this crawl is firmly located in Penge, so Crystal Palace and Beck(en)ham be damned – here we are.

Indeed, this crawl features five fantastic small establishments that span many types of venue and intersect with so many national rail stations that my head is spinning just trying to work out where this is, and that’s before I’ve even had a beer.

This crawl is listed geographically for convenience, though you could very easily do it the other way around. Note that every venue is open Tue-Sun other than Southey which is only Thurs-Sun, so don’t be trying this on a Monday (and to do it properly don’t try on a Tue or a Weds either).

Three Hounds
Kicking off your crawl is the nicely decorated, dog-friendly craft beer bar that is Three Hounds. It feels like a brunch cafe and a bottle shop decided to combine and the atmosphere is calm, airy and very kid/dog/solo-friendly. Expect a couple of their own brews alongside a selection from South London on taps and hundreds of others in the fridges.
Good for: Kids; Dogs; Doing some “remote work” on your laptop.
Things to note: Adding to that cafe-you-can-work-at-while-drinking-beer vibe, it opens at Midday most of the time, which makes it a perfect first stop to post up at while you wait for the other venues to catch up. You can still come here even if you don’t have a kid or a dog.
Beer: The rotating selection of their own small batch beers (brewed either down the road at By The Horns or up the road at Dogs Grandad) means there’ll always be something new from them, alongside a good 6 or 7 taps of South London craft with a variety of styles.
Vibez: Low key cafe style with big windows and people coming in and out to buy bottles and cans. Unlike some other shops-turned-taprooms, this feels like you’re meant to be here, rather than sitting cramped in with the fridges.
Prices: Welcome to Penge! Your wallet will thank you. It’s still London, remember, but this is kinder than Brixton or Peckham.
Warmth: Friendly, chatty staff who want to promote their own-brewed beers and will advise you on anything else you should need.

Br3wery
The newest kid on the block, my only hesitation here was how to pronounce it. On asking brewer and owner Cadu, it turns out you just saw “brewery”. I’m not gonna lie – I was a bit disappointed. Luckily, this was the only disappointing part of a great little project. Opens at 4pm most of the week and earlier on the weekends.
Good for: Meeting the brewer; Knowing exactly what you’re drinking; Outdoor people watching.
Things to note: This is a small place that somehow crams its entire brewing equipment and two bar top tables into a space the size of a suburban living room. Luckily, there is copious outdoor seating on the pavement, giving it a nice, almost Parisian vibe (other than the architecture and, well, basically everything else, but go there and you’ll see what I mean).
Beer: This is teeny tiny levels of small batch, which means there are only two or three options and the quality is really high. Cadu will talk you through what each beer is and what to expect from it, but don’t expect a huge selection.
Vibez: It gets busy, which isn’t very surprising when the indoor capacity is four people, but outside also develops a bit of a vibe, especially as it gets later. A new arrival that has the locals flocking.
Price: Similar to the whole area, it’s very reasonable, especially given that small batches often = higher prices.
Warmth: If it wasn’t clear already, Cadu is right there on hand to welcome you and runs his own show. Personally I love this kind of place – all personality, people watching and pints.

Southey
Next up is the O.G. brewery of the Penge strip (are we calling it that?) which has been there since 2016, making it rather mature in beer years.
Good for: A bit more space; Back alley charm; Laid back atmosphere.
Things to note: “It’s quite hard to find” is what I’d be saying if the Google Maps pin didn’t take you exactly there, but fortunately it does. However, you’ll be wondering if it’s correct until the very moment you arrive given how hidden away it is, but trust the map and you shall drink.
Beer: Would be considered small batch if Br3wery and Three Hounds’ brews weren’t even smaller. Quality is therefore once again very high, with a larger selection of their own brews than the above two though largely erring towards the pale ale/IPA trend.
Vibez: Nice courtyard with six decent sized tables, it feels spread out and if the sun’s out it’s glorious. If the sun isn’t out, which is probably the case, it’s still a nice courtyard.
Prices: There’s a theme here. This will be the most reasonably priced brewery crawl you do in London.
Warmth: A little less personal than the first two, probably due to its size, but service was pleasant and everyone seemed very laid back and friendly.

Craft Metropolis
The final stop on the high street which, if you’ve done this over a number of hours, you’ll be stunned to hear is only a 20 minute walk in total from end to end without stopping, is a South London bottle shop institution. There may not have been a huge selection at the previous two stops – now you can stretch your tastebuds.
Good for: Huge selection in fridges and decent selection on taps too; Darker, edgier bar vibes.
Things to note: This is more a shop than a bar, but they’ve done a great job turning it into a bar. There are only about four or five tables in here but they’ll do their best to squeeze you in.
Beer: Whatever you like, really.
Vibez: As mentioned, it’s a little darker, a little edgier, a little more “late evening huddled over a high top table having an intense conversation about yeast strains” in here. It’s also well known and popular, so the vibe in the evenings can be quite social.
Prices: Given they are selling beer from around the country, also around the world, rather than tapping it from a tank three metres away, it’s a little pricier in here than everywhere else depending on what you get.
Warmth: Friendly staff who know a lot about beer, plus clear regulars, make this a warm little spot for you to end your crawl on before you crawl on home.

Bonus Stop: Ignition Brewery
Head north from the Penge Strip (it’s catching on!) for one last tipple at the wonderful Ignition Brewery. A social enterprise that employs and trains people with learning disabilities, this is a great place to support – and the beer is rather good too.
Good for: Supporting social impact in beer; Good beer; Sociable environment.
Things to note: The taproom has plenty of space and often hosts events such as pub quizzes.
Beer: Very solid offerings of core styles, there is something for everyone without going too far off-piste.
Vibez: As mentioned above, the environment here is very sociable with lots of locals popping in and out to either pick up takeaway bottles or drink in. The huge front windows give it a bright, airy feel (assuming it’s daytime).
Prices: On trend with everything else on this crawl.
Warmth: Extremely friendly team who will show you around if you request it and talk you through how the project works.

Share and Enjoy!

Know another great independent brewery or dedicated craft beer location in or close to Penge? Let me know and I’ll go there (if it’s open) and if it fits the bill I’ll add it here!