Beers of London: How to spend an afternoon

Like most good stories, this one starts with a beer. In a pub. Where two good friends had an idea – one that actually turned out rather well (unlike some other stories and ideas that start with a beer).

The guys with the idea were Dom and Steve; old friends from college, who like to enjoy a beer together every now and then. And as Dom already had some experience in organizing events back then, and craft beer was already getting bigger in the UK, the two of them started to develop a plan.

Because why not show people the beauty of Dom’s and Steve’s favourite way to spend their Saturday evenings: the experience of touring London’s micro breweries. So that’s how London Brewery Tours started as a hobby in 2014. In the beginning, Dom admits, there was a time when they only sold very few tickets, so they regularly ended up just drinking beer together – which wasn’t too bad admittedly, but also not really what they had had in mind. (It did give them opportunity and time to start some home brewing themselves though – which is a different story, but one that is a good read.)

Then, slowly, people started visiting their monthly tours that take them around five different micro breweries in London’s Bermondsey neighbourhood. And once the first people returned from a good day of drinking, discovering, learning and making friends, word-of-mouth worked wonders.

Not selling any tickets was no longer a problem Dom and Steve had to worry about, since they had started to sell out every one of their monthly tours. Which is why, from January 2015 onwards, they started offering weekly tours and hired staff to help them with guiding guests around the micro breweries of Bermondsey. But Bermondsey was not enough. And that’s why, in summer 2015, London Brewery Tours started offering a second, different tour. This new tour covers five Hackney micro breweries and takes place every month.

Tours for professional brewers and brewing nerds? “Not at all”, Dom says – “Well, not only”. Mainly it’s not professional brewers that take the tour to talk shop; it’s simply people that like beer. The tours give them a chance to “have a look round, talk to brewers, taste some beers and meet people“. And that, as Dom says, is what attracts all sorts of different people: many Londoners who discover new facets of their city, but just as many tourists. Craft beer lovers who enjoy tasting innovative and new beers, but alongside them are some very traditional beer drinkers who like a down-to-earth but quality ale.

Are you one of these people? And you would like to join one of these tours? Then this is the time to let us know by leaving a comment under this article. Because on 16 Dec 2015 we will be drawing a winner from everyone who commented on the blog. And the prize? A voucher for one of the tours of course! We have one voucher for two people and two vouchers for one person each to share with you.

They can be used for the Bermondsey or Hackney Tour and will be valid until 25 Dec 2016; more information can be found here.

The contest is over now – thanks for commenting everyone! You will find the winners here.

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