London's best fonts of specialist beers
For when craft beers aren't crafty enough
Craft beer is everywhere these days, you can't get away from the stuff. Whatever happened to a good ol' pint of chemically fortified, sterilised-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life, not an ounce of soul to its name, brewed in a billion-litre vat Carlsberg? Oh yeah, it was dreadful and we all stopped drinking it.
But what happens when you've been so blessed with an abundance of craft beer that your average craft beer is just no longer crafty enough? Well, that's when you have to turn to "Specialist Beer"... they're craft beers but more... specialist (yeah, who owns those adjectives?!)
So take a look at our selection of specialist beers guaranteed to put an extra aspirin in your hangover.
Clapton Craft
97 Lower Clapton Road E5 0NP
Wines, Spirits & Beers
Photos
Not only does Clapton Craft have a wall filled with beers from all over the world (Orval, Partizan Brewing, Anchor Brewing Company) but it also carries a selection of beers (up to 12 at a time) on tap that you can take away in growlers. The 2Litre bottles are compressed to make sure that what you take away stays fizzy and fresh for days.
It may once have been all about wine here but this off license near Caledonian Road has since added one of the best selections of world beer in London to its shelves. There are hundreds of different brews from Denmark’s Evil Twin Brewing to New Zealand’s 8 Wired Brewing. The choice is insane.
It started with a market stall at Borough but Utobeer soon added a pub to their domination of the craft beer market in the area. That pub is The Rake, but the stall still runs every week. Great for Belgian beers with a difference.
Boss Man Wines
79 Lordship Lane SE22 8EP
Wines, Spirits & Beers
Opening Times
Craft beer, international ales, world lagers… Boss Man Wines is another off license with a beer selection to match its wine offerings. And the staff in the East Dulwich shop are always happy to help you find something new.
Fulham’s DRiNK is one of West London’s finest purveyors of beer. The fridges are full of the likes of Mikkeller, Straffe Hendrik and Cave Creek Chilli Beer and the shop also runs tasting sessions to keep you up to speed with the newest beers from around the world.
Once again, another wine shop has become almost as famous for its grain as its grapes. It stocks the full Kernel range along with a range from around the world.
Beer Boutique
134 Upper Richmond Road SW15 2SP
Wines, Spirits & Beers
Opening Times
As well as acting as a wholesaler to pubs and other shops, Putney’s Beer Boutique also sells its huge range to the public. Stop by the Aladdin’s Cave of beer treasure and the staff will guide you to some of the best beers you’ve never heard of.
BottleDog
69 Grays Inn Road WC1X 8TP
Wines, Spirits & Beers
Photos
Bottledog is the baby of Brew Dog, one of the country’s biggest craft beer breweries. Their shop features the full lineup of Brew Dog brews as well as some specially selected offerings from the UK and further afield.
Brew By Numbers took a note out of the Kernel’s book and set up their brewery in Bermondsey to become their neighbours. They too open their doors every Saturday, when they give you a chance to come and sample their latest brews and eat from their latest food pop-up.
It started with a market stall at Borough but Utobeer soon added a pub to their domination of the craft beer market in the area. That pub is The Rake, but the stall still runs every week. Great for Belgian beers with a difference.
