Craft Beer Co.

When the Craft Beer Co. opened its doors in 2011 the craft beer and real ale revolution was well on its way into the London nightlife psyche. However, rather than jumping on the bandwagon, Craft Beer Co. ventures off in its own direction with a mantra that welcomes locally brewed ales and craft beers, so long as they are good. That seems to have stood them in good stead.

Located on Leather Lane in Clerkenwell, the two-floored pub is a good addition to the area. With the Dovetail Belgian beer bar just down the road this is an area rife with opportunities for good quality ale pub-crawls. Inside Craft Beer Co. the décor is warm and homely in the way that an old pub should be – with the added bonus of a mirrored ceiling for those times when you just need to get a look at yourself from above. Space is scarce when it begins to fill but the first floor lounge offers an escape.

The remarkable thing about this pub is the sheer number of taps that it runs. Between cask and keg there are over twenty different beers including the likes of the Kernel, Darkstar and Camden Brewery. But it’s not really about the names it’s about turning up and running through the produce of tiny microbreweries and independent brewing outfits from around the world that you might not find anywhere else.

Being on Leather Lane in an area filled with offices and agencies, Thursday and Friday nights are best avoided if you’re looking for a gentle tasting session. However, if it’s a bit of bustle you’re after then by all means take the plunge and enjoy.