Brothers Archie and Louis Village set Villages up at the end of 2016 in one of Resolution Way’s railway arches, where they make a core range alongside small batches of experimental and seasonal brews.

Its taproom is open Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday, following plenty of pressure from regulars. It has the kind of sleek Scandi stylings that seem popular among London microbreweries, with concrete floors, woodchip furniture, naked light bulbs and potted succulents peppered about. Cozy communal tables surrounded by huge beer vats and a cute bar with one of the brewery’s trademark illustrations hanging above endow the space with a welcoming quirkiness.

Favourites include the ‘Rodeo’ pale ale, the ‘Topaz’ dry-hopped lager and the ‘Collision’ IPA – and there’s also a whole host of canned dark beers, wines and ciders on offer by the ever-popular bottle shop Hop Burns & Black. The taproom is always lively with delicious Jamaican food provided by neighbours Buster Mantis – and there are also regular events on offer, including a bi-monthly quiz.

• Founded: 2016
• Total Revenue until 2021: £26M
• Google Rating: 4.8/5.0
• Opening Hours: Thu 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Fri 5:00 PM - 11:30 PM, Sat 2:00 PM - 11:30 PM, Sun 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
• Phone: +44 20 3489 1143
• Website: https://villagesbrewery.com/
• Address: 21-22 Resolution Way, London SE8 4NT

The Five Points Brewing Company is an independent brewery based in Hackney, London, brewing with a commitment to quality and the community since 2013. A well-loved brewery based in Hackney, Five Points' beer are inspired by the founders’ passion for both the British real ale tradition and the best of the international craft beer movement.

They champion flavour, provenance, consistency and quality, and their range of award-winning beers are unfiltered and unpasteurised for a better flavour and aroma. Their flagship beers are complemented by regular limited and small batch releases including a barrel-aged project.

Along with their regular favourites – which include their Pilsner-style lager and juicy pale ale – they also do seasonal varieties. Recent examples include the ‘Pining for Mangoes’ – a mango pale ale brewed in collaboratio.

Committed to the local and wider community, they were the first brewery in the UK to be an accredited Living Wage Employer and are proud to pay the London Living Wage. All their electricity is sourced from 100% renewable sources. They have also helped to establish an apprenticeship scheme for training brewers and work to support local charitable, arts and community projects.

• Founded: 2013
• Total Revenue until 2021: £29M
  
• Google Rating: 4.7/5.0
  
• Opening Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
• Phone: +44 20 8533 7746
  
• Website: https://fivepointsbrewing.co.uk/
• Address: 61 Mare St, London E8 4RG

Boxcar Brewery and Taproom is situated right next to their brewery in Bethnal Green, London – tucked away in an atmospheric railway arch which is just a two-minute walk from Bethnal Green Tube Station. Although restricted by the confines of the arch, Boxcar has made great use of the space available both inside and out, so it appears much larger than it actually is.

Inside there are plenty of leather couches and chairs for comfortable seating, and the place has a relaxed and artisan feel. Outside, the wooden seating is picturesque and there is artistic mood lighting as well as well-kept planting. The bar itself offers 8 keg taps and 2 cask options and all the kegs were exclusively Boxcar beers and were made up mainly of Pale Ales, IPAs, and a DIPA.

Many of the beers on Boxcar are very modern hop-forward brews: well-made pale ale, hazy juices with varying varieties, and several stand-alone collaborations. As is common with this type of venue, they don’t serve food but you are able to bring your own. Alternatively, you can arrange to have food delivered and eat it on the premises. It’s a great little taproom, and well worth a visit to chill out and enjoy fresh Boxcar beers, even if you’re not local.

• Founded: 2016
• Total Revenue until 2021: £18.2M
• Google Rating: 4.8/5.0
• Opening Hours: Wed - Fri 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Sat 12:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Sun 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• Phone: 020 3006 7000
• Website: https://boxcarbrewery.co.uk/
• Address: Unit 1 Birkbeck St, London E2 6JY

Exale brewery and taproom, one of the best breweries and taprooms in London, is located in a vibrant industrial estate next to Walthamstow wetlands, only a 10-minute walk from Blackhorse Road station. The taproom is a light-filled space nestled next to the brewery, complete with plants and cloud lights, as well as a fish tank that feeds the aquaponics system. They have spaces for you whether you're just stopping by for a quiet one, a small gathering, or a large private party. When the sun shines, the beer garden can accommodate more than 100 people.

Their taproom, which was converted from an old furniture factory, is certainly spacious, with ten different draught beer pumps, various food vendors outside, and special beer launches and tasting events throughout the year. Exale's distinct style is based on creating balanced, complex beers inspired by the incredible ingredients they encounter on a daily basis, from foraging in Epping Forest to collaborating with local coffee roasters and chefs.

There are also cocktails made in-house by Victory London in E17, beer slushies, frozen margaritas, and beer ice cream floats made with gelato from Hackney Gelato. In addition to this, the team really push the boundaries with experimental brews and collabs, including wine beer hybrids, mixed fermentation and putting unusual ingredients and processes at the forefront of their experimentations. Every Friday and Saturday night, DJs play until 2 a.m., and there are beer launches and special tasting events throughout the year.

• Founded: 2014
• Total Revenue until 2021: £51M
  
• Google Rating: 4.8/5.0
• Opening Hours: Thu 4:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Fri 4:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Next day), Sat 12:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Next day), Sun 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• Phone: None
• Website: https://exalebrew.co.uk/
• Address: Unit 2C uplands business park, London E17 5QJ

Beavertown is the largest independent craft brewer in London, and sits at the heart of London’s growing craft beer scene. They arrived in Tottenham in 2014 and have made it their home ever since. Fast forward a few years and the Beavertown Brewery now hosts a wildly popular taproom in Tottenham, north London. There are also plans to install a microbrewery and additional taproom inside the new Tottenham Hotspur football stadium, in a craft beer first for premiership football.

If you’ve come across Beavertown beer before, you’ve likely tried Gamma Ray, the very drinkable American Pale Ale from its core range, which is packed with tropical mango and grapefruit flavours. The beer is brewed with six different hops: Columbus, Bravo, Amarillo, Citra, Calypso and Mosaic, all added to the whirlpool before being dry hopped for days.

Another lesser-known yet highly recommended Beavertown beer is Dame Melba Phantom, a bold peach and raspberry Berliner Weisse. Unlike Gamma Ray, this one is brewed without hops, which results in very little bitterness but lets the juicy peach and sharp Scottish raspberry flavours take centre stage.

• Founded: 2011
• Total Revenue until 2021: £44M
  
• Google Rating: 4.5/5.0
• Opening Hours: Sat - Sun 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
• Phone: +44 20 8525 9884
• Website: https://beavertownbrewery.co.uk/
• Address: Unit 17, Lockwood Industrial Park, Mill Mead Rd, London N17 9QP

Fourpure is a craft brewery based in Bermondsey, South East London. Founded by brothers Dan and Tom in 2013, Fourpure is a family brewery known for its internationally inspired specialty ales. Their range is unpretentious, easy to drink, and full of flavour.

Fourpure has a diverse core range covering all the most loved beer styles. They also brew seasonal beers and exciting collaborations with other big players on the craft beer scene. Obsessed with quality and keeping beer simple, the Fourpure range has wide appeal for all drinkers, from craft novices to craft connoisseurs.

As the name suggests, the brewery focuses on using the best of four core ingredients namely grain, yeast, hops and water to create craft ales of superior quality. The very first brewery to start canning their beers, Fourpure set a benchmark in providing fresh and flavorful beers to be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. Open to public visits on Saturdays, the brewery showcases the process of creating high quality ales using sustainable methods.

Inspired by the international brewing community, Fourpure work hard to produce a range of consistently high-quality beers whilst dabbling in some more experimental brews also. Visit their tap room to taste the full flavour of one of South London's favourite brewers.

• Founded: 2013
• Total Revenue until 2021: £86M
  
• Google Rating: 4.6/5.0
• Opening Hours: Thu 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Fri 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Sat 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Sun 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
• Phone: +44 20 3744 2141
• Website: https://www.fourpure.com/
• Address: 25, Bermondsey Trading Estate, Rotherhithe New Rd, London SE16 3L

Howling Hops Hackney Wick is the UK’s first dedicated tank bar. What this means is exactly what you’d expect – there are no pipes, lines or kegs here, rather the beer is served directly from the tanks. It’s located in a former industrial estate, the same former estate where you’ll find Crate Brewery & Pizzeria. The space is large and open, with ample seating and table space to suit groups of any size.

The Howling Hops brewers created over 100 different beers in the ‘brew cave’ over the course of 2 years, never brewing the same beer twice. Constantly expanding, they are now based in a space with a lovely steam-heated, 15bbl, 4-vessel kit. The beers are tasty and tend to be of the hoppy variety. They’re served out of 10 tanks with 10 different beers behind a 10 meter long bar.

Howling Hops brews bold, modern, uncompromising, flavoursome, generously-hopped beers. All their beers are unfiltered, unpasteurized and suitable for vegans. They continue to stick to their early philosophy of making some interesting beer, although not each one is different these days. Polished favourites like Tropical Deluxe Pale Ale and their House IPA are available most often, and the rest of their line-up comprises of new recipes and fresh ideas.

• Founded: 2011
• Total Revenue until 2021: £45M
  
• Google Rating: 4.6/5.0
  
• Opening Hours: Sun - Thu 12:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Fri - Sat 12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
• Phone: +44 20 3583 8262
  
• Website: https://www.howlinghops.co.uk/
• Address: Unit 9A Queen's Yard, White Post Ln, London E9 5EN

Nestled under the arches of Hackney Central, Hackney Church Brew Co. brings great beers brewed onsite and delicious flame-grilled food to the people of East London.

The brewery churns out a range of hops, from an American pale ale and an imperial stout to lagers and IPAs, as well as provides a range of international beers on tap. The interiors of the restaurant and brewery are designed to reflect its association with the church, and guests can relax on wooden pews, admiring the carefully crafted structures that provide the framework for the ceiling, courtesy of architecture and design practitioners Red Deer. For the summer months, there is a large fairy-light festooned beer garden to the back of the venue which plays host to regular events, including BBQs and supper clubs.

Their mission statement is “Beer for all sorts”. Hackney Church Brew Co. believe good beer can make a difference and the people of Hackney are at the heart of everything they do. They brew outstanding beer, and they use it to benefit the local community of Hackney.

• Founded: 2018
• Total Revenue until 2021: £20M
  
• Google Rating: 4.5/5.0
  
• Opening Hours: Wed - Sun 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
• Phone: +44 20 3795 8295
• Website: https://hackneychurchbrew.co/
• Address: 17 Bohemia Pl, London E8 1DU

The Kernel Brewery Taproom is located in a cozy railway arch near one end of the famous Bermondsey Beer Mile, just a few minutes' walk from Bermondsey Tube Station. Inside, there are 6 or 7 tables, each seating up to 6 people, with additional tables available outside when the weather permits. They accept reservations, but half of the indoor tables and all outdoor tables are available for walk-ins only.

The surroundings are clean, tidy, and understated, and the table service is adequate. The bar has 14 taps and there was a good selection of their Pales, IPAs, Saisons, Brown ales, Sours, and Foeder beers on tap. A well-stocked fridge contained alternative Kernel options and supplies for takeaway.

There is no food sold in the Kernel Brewery Taproom, but thanks to its location, you won't be hungry for long because there are many fantastic street food places nearby. There was a wifi network available, but the password didn't appear to be displayed anywhere. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and all of the Kernel beers went down well. If you are on the Bermondsey Beer Mile, the venue is a good place to start, especially since it opens at 11:00 on Saturdays, an hour or two before most of the other taprooms on the mile.

• Founded: 2009
• Total Revenue until 2021: £118M
  
• Google Rating: 4.7/5.0
  
• Opening Hours: Thu - Fri 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Sat 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Sun 12:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Phone: +44 20 7231 4516
  
• Website: https://www.thekernelbrewery.com/
• Address: Arch 11, Dockley Road Industrial Estate, Dockley Rd, London SE16 3SF

German Kraft Brewery specializes in traditional German beers with a contemporary twist. All beer is made in accordance with the 1516 purity law, using only malt, water, hops, and yeast to push the boundaries of modern German craft beer.

This German craft brewery located inside the food hall at Mercato Metropolitana apparently prides itself on using water distillation and mineralization technology to produce its brews. The brewery also has a bakery, and gelato production on-site. With each visit, explore and enjoy the diverse selection of food and beverages.

All of the beer is produced and poured on-site, directly from serving tanks, to provide you with the most fresh experience possible. In addition, not packaging and distributing the beer reduces the CO2 footprint by 73% when compared to the industry average.

The flagship beer is a Franconian styled, unfiltered lager called Heidi. Next in line in the core range is a classic Bavarian Hefeweizen. Be sure to try those as well as the monthly seasonal brews ranging from pilsners to smoked lagers, hoppy wheat beers and even the occasional pale ale.

• Founded: 2017
• Total Revenue until 2021: £18M
  
• Google Rating: 4.8/5.0
• Opening Hours: Wed - Thu 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Fri 12:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Sat 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM, Sun 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
  
• Phone: None
• Website: https://www.germankraft.com/
  
• Address: 42 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR