Taproom

Bar in Angel

7 / 10 from 1 review

Address
163 Upper Street
Angel
London
N1 1US

Map

Telephone
020 7288 1606

Nearest Station
Essex Road
0.29 miles

Category
Bars

Edit Venue Information

Based in the heart of Islington, N1, Taproom is London’s first ‘Cask to Glass’ Ale house. We have one simple aim, to make great cask and keg beer, served by our highly trained team, accessible to all.

The reaction to Taproom was instant and it is not an exaggeration to say an over night success. The main focus of our space is the bar itself, with our nine casks housed in a bespoke glass and chrome stillage.

The list of local micro breweries we stock is ever changing in our quest to discover and serve you the very best beer to be
found anywhere in the UK.

All In London Review

All the beers you could ask for and more...

Upper Street is blessed with bars but The Taproom is something a bit different to the usual line-up. With a main ground floor bar and a smaller basement space, this is a beer lover’s lair. The masculine, industrial interior is perfect for the simplicity exuded by a slew of beer taps that run against the length of one wall. It looks good but you get the sense that serving a vast amount of beers is the primary function. Away from the bar, classic German beer garden benches provide the seating in a nod back to tradition in what is a very modern London bar.

Obviously the main reason people will flock to The Taproom is for the range of beer. On our visit we find various Kernel brews, Camden offerings and a selection of unheard of craft beer from the keg and the cask waiting for us. But with a selection as large as this you should expect to find a degree of beer education forthcoming from the barman. Unfortunately, on this occasion the man we found behind the bar was neither clued up nor particularly forthcoming with suggestions. Still, we got all the samples we asked for, which was something.

Inside, the bar has a dark draw to it and it feels like a place you could well lose yourself for hours if you’re seriously into your beer. If you’re not crazy about the suds then The Taprooms might not do it for you. It might sound like an obvious statement to make but for us this bar was only about beer - for those in our group without the inclination to discuss the finer points of a Saison, it just didn’t woo them. Still, there are plenty who will be seduced by a stock selection that makes it hard to just stay for the one or two.

Reviewed by T.A.O
Published on Aug 7, 2014