by Dave Caiels, March 2025
I was invited along to a Bermondsey Beer Mile crawl one Saturday in late January with an old work mate and a few of his mates. For anybody unaware, the Bermondsey Beer Mile is an area in London with loads of brewery tap rooms and bars, serving up a vast array of different beers from all over the place, serving as a very good way to spend a day wondering around London.
The map below gives an overview of the area. At the time of writing there appear to be 16 venues according to a popular search engine, but I have a feeling there’s more than that! This was my third time in the area and each time we’ve started away from London Bridge and walked back towards it. I definitely recommend this.
1 – The Outpost – Three Hills Brewing
Started here around 12:45. I was the first to arrive! Typical set up here under an archway with some on display brewing equipment. The menu had a good selection of beers, all keg which is very common along the beer mile. I ended up having four thirds here, which was one or two more than I’d have liked, but some people were late arriving. I was keen to get moving as the time does fly by and I had an over ambitious list of places to get to!
The Outpost and beer menu from the day
I started with the Best Bitter and Session NEIPA. The bitter had good aroma with malty and sweet notes but there was a slight sharpness on the finish. The NEIPA had a lovely aroma and very welcome subtle bitterness on the finish. However, it was a little lively for me.
I then moved on to the Swimming Upstream NEIPA and Session Stout. The Upstream had more piney and grassy notes than the session NEIPA, plus a £2.75 price tag. I did prefer the session one. The stout was very good and not something I usually drink. Lovely and smooth with chocolate and coffee notes on aroma and taste.
2 – The Kernel Spa Road
I hadn’t been to The Kernel before. On a previous visit it was closed and they had recently moved in to a new tap room. I was delighted to see a couple of casks on and predictably started there, with a third each of the Table Beer Nelson Sauvin and Burton Red Ale. The table beer was beautiful and exactly what I was hoping for on a Saturday afternoon. I could happily drink lots of that. The red ale was also excellent with a smooth velvety mouthfeel and in great condition. Another lovely beer.
As everyone started moving on, I decided to hang back to try one of the keg pales – I went for the Mosaic – and swiftly consumed another third pint. Loads of hop flavour here, if anything a little too much, and one or two pints of that and I’d probably be looking for something else. Nonetheless another good beer.
I would go out of my way to drink here for a few hours if possible when in London, even if I was on the other side of it. The venue had more of a pub feel than a tap room. Smoking outside the front was basically the only drawback for me, but you get that loads in London, and they did let me take my beer with me. This turned out to be my favourite venue on the day.
3 – Mash Paddle Brewery
This was back to the archway set up and the first venue on Enid Street. It was busy and there was a noticeably poor queueing system in operation, something that always annoys me, more so when I’m on the clock! I then noticed the let’s say, quirky, beer menu with no pale ale in sight! Now that obviously isn’t a negative, but a chance to try something I wouldn’t normally go for. Again this is an upside of the beer mile. I went for the Dunkel which I enjoyed. Someone in our group had the Jam Roly Poly which I tried but didn’t enjoy. It was too sweet for me, I couldn’t imagine drinking a glass full.
4 – Enid St Tavern
Not long to walk to the next place, this one was not as busy and also had somebody in the middle of an acoustic guitar session, both good news to me. I ordered a half of the Bianca Road Brew Co session IPA and we found an empty seat. The beer was a nice example of the style – citra on the nose and a lovely dank resinous flavour. It went down well before we moved on to what I think was right next door.
5 – Craft Beer Junction
I ordered a couple of halves in here – the House Pale and American Session Pale. The former was a little subdued, almost like a cask pale on day 3 or 4 which this wasn’t, and I wouldn’t have had another if I was staying. The American was very nice and easy drinking, basically what you would expect from such a drink.
Beer menu at Craft Beer Junction: American session pale (left) and house pale
6 – Cloudwater
I always look forward to drinking Cloudwater beer as it is one of the breweries that really got me in to real ale back in 2015, I’d just started drinking it regularly at The Brooksteed Alehouse in Worthing. It was very busy and I saw they had a cask on so I predictably went for that, my first pint of the day. It was a red ale and an excellent beer with a good balance of malty and hoppy notes, neither too overpowering, and in lovely condition. I finished it (too) fast and ordered another half. I probably should have tried something different but it’s predominantly keg around here and I thought this was probably my last cask of the day.
An unreadable Cloudwater beer menu (sorry) and their red ale
7 – Moor Beer
My notes were starting to get a bit sketchy now but I felt there was a grungy feel going on here. I walked up to the bar and noted the 3 cask offerings! D’oh! I only tried the English Pale which according to my notes had a malty aroma and a not too bitter finish. Looking at the picture of the bar, why didn’t I try the Galaxy Golden Ale as well?!
8 – Dutch Taproom – It Ain’t Much If It Ain’t Dutch
This was one of the bigger places we stopped at. I think it has almost the double width of other places on Enid Street and it also had an upstairs area. The beer menu was really varied with loads of stuff you wouldn’t get anywhere else, as the name would suggest. I ordered a third each of Red IPA and White IPA but was told the White was off. I asked for a pale substitute and haven’t a clue what I ended up with! No notes but both beers were nice. I enjoyed this place and definitely recommend it, especially if you are more adventurous than me with your bar orders!
It Ain’t Much If It Ain’t Dutch beer menu and, below, beers and the view from upstairs
9 – London Beer Factory
Last place. No notes. No photos. Sorry!
I staggered down the road towards London Bridge at around 8:30. I missed out on Ansbach & Hobday and Southwark Brewing Company (not for the first time) but it was time to go. If you haven’t been before I’d recommend it. Loads of different places to try, all within walking distance of each other which makes it so appealing, with beers you don’t see every day. There isn’t much cask and the prices are London so it isn’t a cheap day out but it’s highly worth it.