5 Places to enjoy on Bermondsey Beer Mile
A mile-long al fresco pub crawl
With the return of pubs, restaurants and our social lives, what better way to spend a Saturday than a mile-long pub crawl through Bermondsey?
Perfect for those of us too unorganised to have booked a table 10 weeks ago. The Bermondsey Beer Mile favours walk-ins and is a spontaneous, guaranteed great day out.
With 16 breweries running from London Bridge to South Bermondsey, the choice can be overwhelming, so here’s our guide of where to start – beginning with 5 Beer Miles spots not to miss.
1.
Hawkes Cidery & Taproom
Sweet cider, sweeter bar staff
That mention of fruity beer brings us to the Beer Mile’s home of cider, Hawkes Cidery & Taproom. Their signature cider Urban Orchard is crisp, dry and delicious. Plus, the Hawkes team are so friendly and welcoming, that it has a ripple effect in the table area outside the taproom – everyone’s laidback and relaxed.
📍Hawkes Cidery & Taproom, 86-92 Druid St, SE1 2HQ
2.
Bianca Road Brew Co
The best place to make new pals
If you only go to one place, make it Bianca Road. With plenty of tables in its sun-trapped front yard, it’s the perfect place to soak up the rays and sample some pints. Highly recommend the aptly named ‘Saturday Session’ pale ale.
Maybe a result of being a halfway point on the Beer Mile and everyone having enjoyed a couple of pints by now – but the atmosphere is one of the buzziest and friendliest in the area. You may well leave here best mates with the group from the next table.
📍Bianca Road, 83-84 Enid St, SE16 3RA
3.
Spartan Brewery
Charmingly humble
If you’re starting at the South Bermondsey end, one of the first places you’ll stumble upon is Spartan Brewery. Don’t be fooled by its hole-in-the-wall, humble first impression, this brewery is what the Beer Mile is all about – the beer. The Elysian Fields cask ale is a must try.
📍Spartan Brewery, 8 Almond Road, SE16 3LR
4.
Anspach & Hobday
Sloe and Juniper Sour… HEAVEN!
This one makes the list for its selection of beers alone. Not quantity, but quality. The Anspach & Hobday sour dry hop, which came recommended to us by the staff, is ridiculously moreish. And not to be dramatic, but I really think their sloe & juniper sour is heaven in a pint glass.
Even better, you can grab some street food from Maltby St Market round the corner and bring it to eat here. Win win.
📍Anspach & Hobday, 118 Druid St, SE1 2HH
5.
OPS Wines
If you fancy a break from beer
A bit of a wildcard since it’s not one of the 16 taprooms – but nestled in between the breweries on the Druid Street stretch of the Beer Mile is Portuguese wine bar OPS Wines. With more than 70 wines on offer, you will be spoilt for choice. Top tip: order by the glass rather than the bottle. The free-pours are generous and it means you can sample more!
📍 OPS Wines, 108 Druid St, SE1 2HH
My Top 3 Tips
Best day of the week is…
Saturday. Definitely. It’s the one day that ALL of the breweries are open, the Beer Mile is bustling, the atmosphere is at its best. Plus, you have a recovery day before it’s Monday again!
Layer up!
Sorry to sound like your mum. Half the taprooms are sun traps and half are on the north-facing shady side of the road. So bring a jacket for the evenings!
Which direction?
If you’re only planning on visiting two or three places, start at London Bridge as there are more taprooms close together.
If you want to do the Beer Mile in full, start at South Bermondsey and walk up. The breweries at the south end are further apart, so you can get all your walking out the way early, before walking turns into stumbling!
Words By Bermondsey Resident and BSE1 Contributor, Jenni Shaw
