BrewLDN 2021 Guide: Discover Your New Favourite Brewery

This is usually a guide to the best independent craft beer in cities around the world and every neighbourhood in London. This weekend, for the first time in nearly a year and a half, BrewLDN returns and creates a neighbourhood in London all of its own, right on the banks of the Thames. Beer in the City will be there with our ridiculously snazzy T-shirts and ridiculously functional coasters, but you don’t care about that.

There are over 100 breweries exhibiting this weekend and you’ll want to sample them all. Moderation is an art in beer, however, so this is your guide to those breweries that you may not have heard of, ranging across a variety of beer styles, that you simply cannot miss this weekend (or at least should head to first if you’re very determined).

I want to be clear: there are plenty of incredible breweries pouring, so not being on this list doesn’t mean a brewery isn’t worth pitching up at. These are my “ones to watch” – those breweries you absolutely gotta try at BrewLDN, even if your head is turned by the Brewdogs of the world.

Finally, here is the Event map to assist your navigation; no point knowing the names if you don’t know where to go. Cheers, and if you see us in our T-shirts, say hi and grab a coaster!

Attic Brewing
Where: Birmingham
What: A university homebrew operation that got out of hand. Deliciously out of hand.
Speciality beers: Sour fruity beer, pale ales and stouts dominate – the batches are tiny, the quality is massive.

Brew York
Where: York. Old, original York, not New.
What: One of the first new wave craft breweries in York, a trailblazer for the region. You may have heard of them already through their experimental stuff. Legends of the beer festival scene, at events they always bring their A-game.
Speciality beers: Rhubarbra Streisand? The Tonkoko Milk Stout? Go for it. But if they’re pouring Nuba, their flagship IPA, then you are in for a treat. Actually, either way, you’re in for a treat. Go here.

Dogs Grandad
Where: Brixton, London
What: A newborn in beer years, hop forward beers dominate. Brixton’s next big thing – catch them here and now.
Speciality beers: It’s all aboard the IPA train as is often the case, but the Black IPA is a very special winner for a much maligned style.

Firebrand Brewing
Where: Cornwall
What: A minuscule setup that started in cask then converted to hoppy beers that showcase individual ingredients. They’ve come a long way to be here, so show some love.
Speciality beers: Anything they have that only has one or two hops in it and attempts to showcase them.

Gorgeous Brewery
Where: Highgate, London
What: Bottle conditioned beauties situated behind one of the best pubs in north London. Catch them here because getting a booking there is quite hard.
Speciality beers: Hop city again, but not an American city for once. This is all about the local, noble hops so get ready for less citrus and more English countryside.

Jiddler’s Tipple
Where: North London
What: Contract brewing at By The Horns Brewery, Jiddler’s Tipple is a mightily impressive one man operation putting love and quality into every beer, with a total focus on sessionable drinks with flavour. A winner of the BrewLDN newcomer stand.
Speciality beers: There are only 4 available and they’re all absolutely delicious, plus will go perfectly with all the other beers you drink during the session as they mostly clock in at under 4%. A beer festival session dream.

Mad Squirrel
Where: Hemel Hempstead
What: A decade in the making, this is starting to become one of the “big” small breweries, yet is still relatively unheard of in mainstream London craft circles due to a lack of beer on tap in London pubs.
Speciality beers: Their flagship SUMO and Roadkill beers are exquisite, and their experimental stuff goes a long way too, so be willing to take a chance here.

Overtone Brewing Co
Where: Glasgow
What: Only three years old, Overtone churn out hazy IPAs with different hops each time that hit the spot. They just get it.
Speciality beers: Hazy IPA klaxon. Every beer they’ll be serving will be absolutely amazing – make sure to take a second to appreciate the differences in aroma and taste, because they’ll probably all look the same.

Phantom Brewing Co
Where: Reading
What: An absolutely giant space in Reading is where you usually find them and today they’re a small booth in an absolutely giant space in London. Hop forward beers and a handful of sours do the job.
Speciality beers: If they’re pouring it, get your hands on the Caravan of Love, a cedar-y IPA with an almost smoky aftertaste among the hops.

Solvay Society
Where: Leytonstone, London
What: Edgy Belgian-meets-London brewery with flavours you won’t taste anywhere else in the festival.
Speciality beers: Anything with the word Belgian in it. Make sure you check the ABV – they do 3% up to 7%+ so what you drink here might define the rest of your festival experience.

Share and enjoy and remember to be kind to the people giving you beer!