With a couple of hours to spare on Sunday lunchtime on a recent visit to London I decided to pay a quick visit to Druid Street in Bermondsey. Perhaps not one of the best known tourist destinations it is however well known to craft beer enthusiasts as it forms part of what has become known as The Bermondsey Beer Mile.
The northern end of Druid Street is a short, pleasant walk across Tower Bridge from Tower Hill underground station, while the southern end can be reached from Bermondsey, on the Jubilee line. Â It is also very close to Maltby Street market which is on at the weekend only.
The various taprooms are located in converted railway arches. Opening times  are well worth checking before you visit. All are open at some part of weekends but not all are open during the week.
Southwark Brewing Company, 46 Druid Street.
Website Southwark Brewing
With three beers on cask and four from keg it offers a reasonable choice to drinkers. Seating is limited but at the time of my visit this was not an issue.
All Day Breakfast. Session Pale Ale. 3.4%
What better way to start than with breakfast! Serves yellow, hazy and with a thin white head. Aroma is lemon citrus with a hint of orange. Palate is light, low bitterness and with a finish that has a tang of bitter lemon. Light, easy drinking style.
Shine on You Hazy Diamond. IPA. 7.2%
Orange appearance, cloudy/murky with a small white head and some nice lacing. The aroma is tropical; pineapple and mango, with orange, lemon and caramel. The palate is juicy, soft, slightly creamy, gentle carbonation and low bitterness. Flavour profile is dominated by tropical fruit with some nice gentle citrus.
The Barrel Project, 80 Druid Street
WebsiteThe Barrel Project
Only opened in August 2018, three weeks before my visit in early September. The London Beer Factory experimenting with barrel aged beers is what this taproom is all about. A large bar with plenty of choice of beers and lots of seating. Only had time for a very quick drink here but it looks like a promising idea, one to watch and return to once its been open a while and established itself.
London Bohemia Lager. 5%
Light yellow, hazy, thin head and nice lacing. Aroma is fragrant, floral, lemon, malty, hoppy. Palate is clean and crisp, low bitterness, good carbonation. Very clean taste. A nice easy drinking style.
Hawkes Cider, 96 Druid Street
WebsiteHawkes Cider
The growth in the availability of craft cider parallels in some ways the growth of craft beer and many craft taprooms feature at least one on their listing. Well here is a taproom devoted to cider with the odd beer on the list. Seeing themselves as the “saviours of cider”, this taproom makes a welcome alternative.
Anspach & Hobday, 118 Druid Street
WebsiteAnspach & Hobday
Lots of brewing g tanks in evidence here but unfortunately it was closed at the time of my visit for a private function later in the afternoon. One to return to in a future visit.
The Bottle Shop, 128 Druid Street.
WebsiteThe Bottle Shop
This is the model for all good bottle shops in my view. To the right as you enter is a small bar serving ten beers on tap. The remainder of this side is taken up with fridges holding a vast array of bottle and cans available for drinking in or taking away. The rest of the space has been devoted to seating with space for 50 or so around the available tables. They have also cleverly created an upstairs seating area. This is good as it was by far the busiest establishment.
Cloudwater. Helles Tettnanger. 4.8%
Golden. hazy with a thin white head and nice lacing. Aroma is malty, lemon citrus, some floral character and slight breadiness. Palate is low bitterness, gentle carbonation, grassy, malty. A finish of biscuity pine. A lager for those that don’t like lager.
Gipsy Hill. Beatnik Pale. 3.8%
Golde, clear, thin white head. Aromas of malt, pine/resin and lemon. Palate is medium minus bitterness with quite aggressive carbonation. Flavours of malt, pine, orange with a hint of caramel. A lingering finish with a nice touch of bitterness.