LONDON | The Craft Beer Co Clerkenwell is a place that I discovered on my most recent visit to London and to say that I was expecting good things is an understatement. Located on Leather Lane, it’s not the kind of place that one just stumbles upon however those who walk through its doors are well and truly rewarded. With 37 beers on tap and over 300 bottles, the range on offer for lovers of craft beer is rather fantastic.
The tap beers are a mixture of cask ales and keg conditioned beers and while the tap list is predominantly UK focused, there are also a number of beers from all over the world. The space itself very much feels like a pub, which makes sense as The Craft Beer Co occupies the building that used to house the Clockhouse pub. It’s been cleaned up, but not to the extent that things feel over-done. We are big fans of places that tidy up what needs to be tidied while retaining those elements that make a venue what it is from an atmosphere point of view.
Back to the beers though, and what makes The Craft Beer Co stand out from the London craft beer crowd is that the owners deal directly with the brewers whose beers they wish to stock. There’s no middle-man here, and as a result you can often find beers on tap that you simply won’t find elsewhere. My tipples of choice on the day in question were the Triptych No.7 by Wiper And True and the Soundwave IPA by Siren Craft Brew, which really benefited from being on the hand pump versus its usual bottled state.
The Craft Beer Co is obviously all about the beer, but if you’re feeling peckish there are a few different flavoured pork cracklings available along with crisps and nuts. Let’s be honest though, you’re coming here to drink not to eat.
For those who are really into their craft beer and want to take their passion to the next level, The Craft Beer Co also hosts a range of ad-hoc beer launches, brewer events and tap take-overs. I used to work around the corner from Leather Lane, and often frequented the narrow passageway during lunch for its variety of options. The Craft Beer Co didn’t exist at the time, but if it did I can only imagine that my lunches would have been longer. A must visit venue for anyone with a keen interest in craft beer in the capital.
The Craft Beer Co
82 Leather Lane
London EC1N 7TR
United Kingdom
Telephone: 020 7404 7049
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://thecraftbeerco.com/
Open
Mon – Sat: 12:00pm to 11:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 10:30pm