Wandering in Walthamstow: A Guide
Controversy rained from the skies when we published the Blackhorse Road guide and claimed it wasn’t Walthamstow (well, one person emailed us to politely voice their disagreement). Thus, here is an actual guide to the independent craft venues in Walthamstow “proper”, a triple whammy requiring very little walking effort indeed.
Pillars Brewery
Lager specialists and really cute looking little stubby bottle specialists, Pillars is trying to do something different and it’s going pretty damn well. Turns out going against the grain can sell liquid grain (I know I know just let it happen).
Good for: Lagers, staring at thousands of neon signs.
Things to note: I’ll explain the cryptic words above. Pillars is situated in a courtyard right opposite God’s Own Junkyard, that place with the millions of neon signs that you’ve seen on Instagram and assume is just a bunch of filters but then you visit and realise it really is as batshit crazy in there as the pictures show.
Beer: As mentioned above, this is a no-IPA zone and they are proud of it. The lager offerings are diverse in themselves, with varied takes on the style done in small batches for premium quality, and quality it is – this stuff is delicious and will have you re-evaluating your relationship with lager.
Vibez: The taproom itself is small and low key, with a few tables inside and a few outside and some friendly folk hanging about tasting lagers. The real vibe is staring at people going in and out of GOJ as mentioned above, while weighing up whether you want to visit before a few beers, or after.
Prices: Turns out lager is cheaper than IPA. This will be very kind to your purse strings.
Warmth: They are really quite nice and very passionate about their alternative craft beer offerings. You’ll probably bump into a brewer or two and the whole team know everything there is to know about the drink. Who knew that lager could ever become alternative?
Wild Card – The OG
This is the same Wild Card as the one in the Blackhorse Road guide, yes. As the original site, they outgrew it and moved to the Blackhorse strip a few years ago and now do a few barrel aged projects here.
Good for: Tasting smaller batch Wild Card beers; digesting what you’ve just experienced in God’s Own Junkyard.
Things to note: This is in the same courtyard as Pillars and GOJ, so you can literally crawl around the corner to get here. The outdoor space is almost limitless – if there isn’t space they’ll probably put a table and chairs out for you. Good for dogs and babies in lieu of any roads or canals in crawling distance.
Beer: An eclectic selection, there is something for everyone with a slight focus on creative IPAs (whatever the hell that means. You’ll have to go and see). Many of the beers have a social impact focus, which is very cool indeed.
Vibez: You’re a five minute walk from Walthamstow Village, so the crowd is a little older, a little more dog and baby-laden, and a little more low key than over at Blackhorse Road. A pleasant atmosphere is accurate.
Prices: Same as Blackhorse – affordable, a little more than Pillars cos of the hops, yknow.
Warmth: You’re unlikely to spot the brewers here anymore but people are friendly and the servers know what they’re talking about.
Clapton Craft Depot
The new-ish storage facility for the bottle shop behemoth Clapton Craft has a taproom. It may not be anywhere near Clapton, but you’re in for a treat.
Good for: Vast beer choice; Takeaway beer.
Things to note: This is their “Depot” and is about 5 times the size of all the other branches, meaning you won’t have trouble finding a seat to sit and enjoy a can from the fridge or a fresh tipple from their rotating draft taps.
Beer: Pretty much anything you want in a can or bottle. Five draft taps rotate very frequently and usually have an array of styles, erring more to the IPA/sour stuff.
Vibez: Laid back as it is a shop, after all.
Prices: The draft stuff is very reasonable and I’d recommend this if you’re sitting in to drink. If you want cans, there’ll be a drink in fee so get those to takeaway and bring the party home with you.
Warmth: Very – manager Sergio is always on hand to advise you on the best beers for your palate, so don’t be shy!
Share and Enjoy!
Know another great independent brewery or dedicated craft beer location in or close to Walthamstow? Let me know and I’ll go there – if it fits the bill, I’ll add it here!