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The first set of restrictions have been lifted and it feels SO good to be able to get back out there enjoying beer with friends again!

With Lockdown 3.0 being announced shortly after Christmas, it wasn’t the start to 2021 that we all wanted. It certainly wasn’t what we’d envisaged when we created Beer Passport. However, with restrictions starting to ease, we can finally start to feel optimistic about things.

Many of our partner breweries have already begun welcoming back customers for drinks outside…and how good does that feel?! To be able to get out and go for a drink in a social environment again! At the first opportunity, we took ourselves out to visit both Deviant & Dandy and 40FT breweries. We were not disappointed. That first freshly poured pint sitting there glistening in the sun – it’s what dreams are made of.

As founders of Beer Passport, we’ve also been eager to see our customers using their passports and supporting independent breweries. We were thrilled to see it in use finally! A big thank you to those that made it out and sent us your pictures. Keep them coming! 

As you can probably imagine, setting up a company during a global pandemic wasn’t easy. We’ve had a number of hurdles to overcome but they were all made worthwhile seeing our customers enjoying their passports and our partner breweries welcoming new faces. 

As it stands, we’re optimistic that the date for indoor dining (currently scheduled for May 17th) will remain where it is. This will benefit even more of our partner breweries who are eager to welcome back customers. Also, as we continue to work our way towards the summer, we’ll (hopefully) continue to see an improvement in the weather and longer days to boot! 

It’s what we all deserve after 2020 was such a write off. So grab your passport, head to a partner brewery near you and enjoy the freshest beer in the sun…finally!

Lockdown 3.0, not the start to 2021 we were all hoping for. We were all hoping to be looking at 2020 in our rearview mirrors, gleefully waving goodbye and looking forward, down the road, to a brighter 2021. So far, NOT so good. However, there is hope on the horizon and what looks to be light at the end of the tunnel. This blogpost is about how you can support independent breweries in the meantime and why Beer Passport is a great purchase for when we reach the end of that tunnel.

Like the last few lockdowns, pubs and restaurants have been forced to close. A vital line of income for independent breweries around the country has been taken away, with no certainty on when things will return to normal. With last minute changes, unclear guidelines and ever changing goalposts, breweries have had to be reactive and innovative.

Supporting independent breweries throughout lockdown 3.0 is, not only crucial, but incredibly easy to do. Almost all of our partner breweries have webshops or are operating on a takeaway basis. You can visit each one online by venturing to the partner brewery section of our website and clicking on any of the logos (thumbnails). Alternatively, we’ve provided links to the URL’s and social channels at the bottom of this blogpost. 

At Beer Passport, we’ve set out to encourage people to explore the craft brewery scene by visiting our partner breweries and their taprooms, enabling them to discover new and exciting breweries and drink the very best beer. Lockdown 3.0 has certainly put a spanner in the works for us, with people being unable to visit the taprooms and enjoy that part of the experience. However, it shouldn’t stop people from being able to drink the freshest beers available, whilst supporting local independent craft breweries.

And, of course, once lockdown is over, our partner breweries will be welcoming people back into their taprooms with open arms (at a safe distance of course). When the restrictions ease, we’ll have spent almost an entire year either in lockdown or under tight restrictions. The majority of us won’t have travelled abroad or managed to explore or discover much during that time. What better way to get back out there than to start visiting independent breweries around London?! 

Brewery taprooms are generally not as crowded as the pubs and restaurants. They also tend to have a lot of open / outdoor space allowing for better ventilation. Many of them have linked up with independent street food vendors, so you’re not just supporting the breweries but other small businesses as well. What’s more, you’ll be back in a social environment unlike no other.

Take it from us, drinking beer at a taproom just hits differently! Fresh, flavoursome, hoppy gold awaits! AND…with Beer Passport you’ll get exclusive discounts at each of our partner breweries.

Of course, we’re not sure when this lockdown will be lifted and we can’t tell you what sort of restrictions will be about when they do. We can, however, tell you that supporting local independent breweries is important throughout and that when we do come out of lockdown, Beer Passport will be there enabling you to explore the craft brewery scene, discover unique independent breweries and drink mouthwatering beer. 

@gorgeosbrewery – https://www.gorgeousbrewery.com/shop

@muswellhillbillybrewers – https://www.muswellhillbillybrewers.co.uk/

@bohembrewery – https://www.bohembrewery.com/online-store/

@onemileend – https://www.onemileend.com/shop/

@orabrewing – http://www.orabeer.com/en/store/

@exalebrewery – https://www.exalebrewing.com/shop/

@pillarsbrewery – https://shop.pillarsbrewery.com/

@neckstamper – https://www.neckstamper.com/the-shop

@solvaysociety – https://www.solvaysociety.com/shop

@deviantanddandy – https://shop.deviantanddandy.com/

@40ftbrewery – https://shop.40ftbrewery.com/

@anspachandhobday – https://www.anspachandhobday.com/

@brewbynumbers – https://bbno.co/

@biancaroadbrewco – https://shop.biancaroad.com/

@partizanbrewing – https://www.partizanbrewing.co.uk/

@brickbreweryse15 – https://shop.brickbrewery.co.uk/

@brockleybrewery – https://www.brockleybrewery.co.uk/online-shop

@ignitionbrewery – https://ignition.beer/home-delivery/

@bullfinchbrewery – https://www.thebullandfinch.com/

@canopybeerco – https://shop.canopybeer.com/

@mondobrewing – https://shop.mondobeer.com/

@wimbledonbrewery – https://www.wimbledonbrewery.com/our-shop/

@bthbrewerytap – https://order.storekit.com/by-the-horns-click-collect-delivery/menu

Well, here we are. 1 year in the making, 2 national lockdowns, 5 minor setbacks, 23 independent partner breweries, 1,368 beers consumed (all for quality assurance purposes of course) and Beer Passport is ready for launch!

We’re incredibly excited to get to this stage. There were times where we weren’t sure we’d even get here. Thankfully, with a little perseverance, we’re at a point where we can start getting Beer Passport out there for everyone to enjoy. 

Beer Passport is about shining a light on the independent craft brewery scene by providing the means and motivation for people to discover our unique, independent and incredibly wonderful partner breweries. In doing so, we hope to allow our customers to discover beer that they wouldn’t find in their local pub or supermarket.

We’d like to take an opportunity to thank all of those that have helped us through this journey. Our developer and designer, Tristan, (www.arcadedigital.co.za) who has worked hard in ensuring our website and Beer Passport look as good as they do. Our incredibly talented illustrator, Liz, (@lizsmith.illustration) for her fantastic artwork featured throughout our website and Beer Passport. And finally, our partner breweries, without whom we wouldn’t be able to have created Beer Passport and for whom we want to shine a light upon. THANK YOU!

We’ve got London covered, from Muswell Hill to Herne Hill; Walthamstow to Wimbledon; Leytonstone to Lewisham; and Hackney to Bermondsey, you’re sure to never be too far away from one of our independent partner breweries.

We’re proud to be working alongside each of our partner breweries in a joint effort to shine a light on the independent craft beer scene. In our own humble opinion, our partner breweries provide Beer Passport owners the best insight into the world of craft beer. They’re all wonderfully unique and produce some of the best beer in, not just London, but the entire UK! 

So, without further ado, let’s introduce them:

Gorgeous Brewery – Gorgeous Brewery is a brother and sister, family run brewery based in Highgate and operates behind The Bull pub where you’ll find all of their beers on tap. The beer garden, food and aforementioned beers are simply gorgeous!

Muswell Hillbilly Brewers – Based in (you guessed it) Muswell Hill, these ‘Hillbillies’ have recently moved premises to keep up with demand. Using locally sourced hops and giving a nod to the original Muswell Hillbillies themselves (The Kinks), these guy are repping this part of North London in everything they do.

Bohem Brewery – Czech owned, Bohem exclusively brew traditional Bohemian lagers in London. Their cozy taproom is the perfect place to settle in for the night as you ‘Czech-out’ (see what we did there?!) their range of lagers and guest ales.

One Mile End – Where great beer meets Sonic the Hedgehog! Their taproom opens on a Saturday where you can enjoy retro games, live music and good vibes accompanied by great beer. Who isn’t a fan of that cheeky combo?!

ORA Brewing – Italian owned, Italian bartenders and Italian ingredients…Mammamia! Can you imagine what a Limoncello IPA, made with real lemons from Sorrento tastes like?…we can tell you it’s delicious! Head down and see for yourself!

Exale Brewing – Walthamstow based Exale love everything local. Did you ever stop to wonder who the official beer sponsor of Walthamstow F.C. is? Well, look no further! Not only are Exale producing outstanding beer (their Exale Pale is a must try if you ask us), they’re supporting the local community  as they do it!

Pillars Brewery – Q) Who was London’s first specialist craft lager brewery? A) Pillars Brewery. There’s a bit of trivia knowledge for your next pub/zoom quiz! Stop by and visit their Walthamstow based brewery and taproom to enjoy craft lager at it’s finest!

Neckstamper Brewing – This multi award-winning Walthamstow based brewery is giving us a history lesson whilst producing beer on another level! They looked to London’s rich beer history to provide them with their name, Neckstamper. The same can be said for the names of their beers such as ‘Squencher’ or ‘Moon Curser’. You’ll have to visit them to find out how they arrived at those names.

Solvay Society – Belgian Born, London Brewed Solvay Society are our Leytonstone representative partner brewery taproom. They produce the freshest Belgian beer you’re likely to find in London. Solvay Society is where science and brewing collide and their award-winning beers are making a ‘big bang’ in London. 

Deviant & Dandy – Deviant & Dandy are bringing fresh noise to the London brewing scene from their ex-garage railway arches in Hackney. Great tunes meet great beer at their taproom, home of the Loca Lola Cherry Sour – be sure to give this one a try! 

40FT Brewery – Amongst other achievements, 40FT have managed to make the pairing of shipping containers with Dalston seem like an obvious choice. Head down there to be dazzled by their set up and the fantastic range of beers available. 

Anspach & Hobday – Named after their founders, Paul Anspach and Jack Hobday, A&H are a well established brewery with a beautiful taproom in Bermondsey. Creating exciting new beers all year long, in addition to their delightful core range, Anspach & Hobday: The Arch House is a must stop for anyone who loves beer.

Brew By Numbers – BBNO came about after founders, Tom and Dave, met travelling around Asia. Through experimentation, they devised a unique numbering system, which allowed them to quickly hone and perfect their craft, as well as providing them with their name. Since their inception, they’ve created over 350 different beers across an expansive range of styles!

Bianca Road Brew Co – Another of our Bermondsey based partner breweries, Bianca Road creates fresh hoppy West Coast beers. They take inspiration from a coast-to-coast cycling trip from San Francisco to Miami. Surrounded by brewing equipment and hoppy beer at their taproom, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to Pale Ale heaven. 

Partizan – One of the original breweries to settle in the popular brewery area of Bermondsey, Partizan has a beautiful, contemporary and spacious taproom that’s perfect to set up camp for the day. If you’re struggling to decide which of their delicious beers to try, we recommend ALL of them!

Brick Brewery – Family owned and run Brick Brewery have been at it since 2013. The taproom is located where the original brewery started the legacy, serving both Brick and guest beers across 20 taps! A great space to relax with both indoor and outdoor seating, only a ‘brick’ throw from the station.

Brockley Brewery – Open daily, Brockley’s Hither Green taproom is the perfect setting to feel like you’ve escaped London for a bit – beach chairs, fresh tacos made to order, all washed down with delightfully cold beer. Ever wanted to have a go at making beer yourself? Brockley have their own brew school where you can learn how.

Ignition Brewery – It’s impossible not to love Ignition. Not only has their taproom won an award for best pub / taproom in London, they also employ and train people with learning disabilities to brew and serve great beer. We did say it would be impossible not to love them!

Bullfinch Brewery – One of two Herne Hill dwelling partner breweries, Bullfinch can be found nestled just off the main road under a railway arch. Their beautifully quaint taproom is a beautiful spot to see out the evening with a few beers.

Canopy Beer Co – Right next to Brockwell Park in Herne Hill, you’ll find Canopy off the main high street down a backroad / alley / street of hodgepodge quirky businesses. If you persevere to the end of the street, you’ll see Canopy where you’ll be welcomed with open arms and inviting beer.

Mondo Brewing – Founded by two Americans in 2014, Mondo are a multi award-winning brewery and are only a stone throw from Battersea Power Station. Their bespoke tap house is a hidden gem, featuring 15 fresh beers on tap.

Wimbledon Brewery – Rich in history, Wimbledon has resurrected an iconic brewery that was destroyed by a fire in 1889. Another of our award-winning partner breweries, it’s not just great beer that they’re serving up at their taproom, head down to try their very own Wimbledon Pink Wine, Garden Gin and Wagyu burgers.

By The Horns Brewing Co – Founded way back in 2011, By The Horns set out to put London brewing back on the map and did so by taking the bull ‘By The Horns’. Throw together freshly made to order pizza, loads of screens for live sports and some truly mouth-watering beer, the end result is a truly awesome taproom experience. 

So, now you’ve met the breweries, what are you waiting for? Get out there… EXPLORE, DISCOVER, DRINK!

It makes sense that we start off our blog series with how Beer Passport came about. Let’s start with the concept. If you’re anything like us, you love beer (you’re reading this blog so we can assume you do!). Beer has been made and consumed for thousands of years. Yet, we may well be living in the most exciting time for beer with the emergence of ‘craft beer’ bringing with it more styles and flavours than we’ve ever had!

London is no exception to this trend as we now see 100+ breweries spread across the city creating new and exciting beers all the time. At Beer Passport, we were surprised that this scene didn’t have more exposure. Whilst we love popping down to our local pub as much as anyone, there’s something magical about drinking beer whilst being surrounded by the very equipment used to create it. Not only that, but pubs can also sometimes feel very ‘same same’. What we found with breweries is that they are all very unique, not only in the beer that they produce but also in their very identity. Visiting each brewery and their taprooms gives you a true, first-hand experience of what they’re about.

The concept of our Beer Passport is that we hope to bring exposure to this thriving industry by giving a hands-on interactive experience. Even for the most avid of ‘beer enthusiasts’, we believe our passport offers enough variety that you’re bound to discover unknown and exciting breweries and beers to tickle your taste buds. And so, the concept of Beer Passport was born.

We started off by researching all of the breweries in London and visiting as many of them as possible. The more we visited, the more excited we got. It is so refreshing to discover new places, drink new beer and meet new people.

We then began working on the design of the passport. We knew that we wanted to cram in as much information for people as possible. Essential information like address, opening times, local tube etc. seemed like the obvious bits to add-in. After that, we wanted to make sure people were given information about the brewery, what beers they had on offer and any other information that the brewery wanted to include such as awards won, recommended beers etc.

Last but not least we needed to ensure that customers buying the passport were given the VIP treatment in the form of an exclusive offer, something that would really draw beer-lovers to breweries.
After that, it was a case of contacting our favourite breweries and seeing whether they’d be keen to join us. Fortunately, they were!