London’s Best Craft Breweries by Tube: A Line-by-Line Guide to the City’s Taproom Scene

London’s craft beer scene has exploded over the last decade, with microbreweries taking over railway arches, industrial estates, and warehouse units across the city. The good news for visitors and locals alike: almost every brewery worth visiting sits within a short walk of a Tube, Overground, or rail station. Here’s the complete taproom guide, organised the way London By Tube does everything — line by line, station by station.

Before you set off, it’s worth checking your zone coverage, since several of these breweries sit in Zones 2–3.

East London: The Original Craft Beer Heartland

East London is where London’s modern brewery boom really took hold, and it remains the densest cluster of taprooms in the city.

The Five Points Brewing Company Nearest station: Hackney Central (London Overground) Address: 3 Institute Place, London E8 1JE

Named after the nearby five-way road junction, Five Points makes unfiltered, unpasteurised beers built around flavour rather than shelf stability. The railway arch taproom pours everything straight from the source — the Five Points Pale and Hackney Pils are the ones to start with.

Howling Hops Nearest station: Hackney Wick (London Overground) Address: Unit 9A Queen’s Yard, White Post Lane, E9 5EN

Howling Hops runs the UK’s first dedicated tank bar — beer is served directly from the vessels it’s fermented in, a few feet from where you’re drinking it. The converted Hackney Wick warehouse has long communal tables, making it one of the better options for group trips.

Beavertown Brewery Nearest station: Tottenham Hale (Victoria line) Address: Unit 17, Lockwood Industrial Park, Mill Mead Road, N17 9QP

Tottenham Hale sits on the Victoria line, one of the fastest ways to cross London north to south.

Founded in 2011, Beavertown is now one of the most recognisable names in UK craft beer. Its taproom, nicknamed “Corner Pin,” pours the full range — Neck Oil Session IPA through to Gamma Ray American Pale Ale — under the brand’s now-famous sci-fi artwork.

North London: Industrial Estates and Historic Names

Camden Town Brewery Nearest station: Kentish Town West (London Overground) Address: 55-59 Wilkin Street Mews, NW5 3NN

Now owned by AB InBev but still a genuine London craft beer pioneer, Camden Town Brewery’s Kentish Town site offers tours and tastings of the Hells Lager range in a proper industrial setting.

Hammerton Brewery Nearest station: Caledonian Road (Piccadilly line) Address: 149 Roman Way, N7 8XH

Caledonian Road sits directly on the existing Piccadilly line guide’s route — worth cross-linking both ways.

Hammerton revives a historic North London brewery name with bold, distinctive beers, including the Islington Steam Lager and a Pentonville Oyster Stout that really does contain oysters. Weekend taproom sessions come with street food vendors and a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere.

South London: The Bermondsey Beer Mile and Beyond

Brick Brewery Nearest station: Peckham Rye (London Overground) Address: Arch 209, Blenheim Grove, SE15 4QL

Tucked under the railway arches near Peckham Rye, Brick Brewery pours up to 20 beers at a time. The core Peckham Pale and Peckham IPA are reliable starting points, but the rotating sours and seasonal specials are usually the more interesting order.

Gipsy Hill Brewing Co Nearest station: Gipsy Hill (Southern Rail) Address: Unit 11, Hamilton Road Industrial Estate, SE27 9SF

Reached by Southern Rail rather than the Underground, Gipsy Hill is still worth the detour. The taproom runs 20+ taps of house beers alongside rotating guest brews, with a focus on balanced, sessionable styles.

The Kernel Brewery Nearest station: Bermondsey (Jubilee line) Address: Arch 7, Dockley Road Industrial Estate, SE16 3SF

Bermondsey is a natural add-on stop for both.

One of the original names behind London’s craft beer renaissance, The Kernel has been brewing since 2009 and helped put Bermondsey’s “Beer Mile” on the map. Its historically-inspired IPAs, pale ales, and London porters are poured in a deliberately no-frills, Saturday-only taproom — some of the freshest beer you’ll find in the city.

One Day on the Jubilee Line: Art, Architecture & the Best of South and East London

West London: Heritage Brewing and Hop-Forward Newcomers

Fuller’s Brewery (Fuller, Smith & Turner) Nearest station: Turnham Green (District line) Address: Chiswick Lane South, W4 2QB

Turnham Green sits within easy reach of Kew and Richmond on the same line, making this a good pairing with a wider West London day out.

For a look at London brewing history rather than the newest trend, Fuller’s Griffin Brewery has been operating in Chiswick since 1845. The tours end in a tasting of classics like London Pride and ESB — not “craft” by the modern definition, but a genuine piece of the city’s brewing heritage.

Weird Beard Brew Co Nearest station: Hanwell (Elizabeth line) Address: Unit 5, Boston Business Park, Trumpers Way, Hanwell, W7 2QA

True to the name, Weird Beard makes adventurous, hop-forward beers with playful names and bold flavour profiles. The taproom opens Saturdays only, pouring beers as fresh as they get.

A Foodie’s Day on the Elizabeth Line: From Paddington to Canary Wharf

Central London: The Beer Mile’s Anchor Points

Meantime Brewing Company Nearest station: North Greenwich (Jubilee line) Address: Lawrence Trading Estate, Blackwall Lane, SE10 0AR

North Greenwich is also the arrival point for anyone combining this with an O2 Arena visit.

Now owned by Asahi, Meantime was nonetheless one of the early names in London’s craft beer scene. The brewery near the O2 includes a tasting room and shop, still pouring quality beers like London Pale Ale and Yakima Red.

Planning Your Brewery Tour by Tube

A few practical notes before you set off:

• Check opening hours first. Most taprooms — Kernel, Weird Beard, Hammerton — only open on weekends or for a handful of hours.
• Book ahead for tours. Fuller’s and Camden Town both require pre-booking for their brewery tours.
• Do the Bermondsey Beer Mile properly. Start at London Bridge and work along the arches on a Saturday for the fullest version of this experience.
• Pace yourself and stay hydrated, particularly if you’re visiting more than two or three taprooms in a day.
• Most breweries sell cans and bottles to take home if you find something you like.

London’s brewing scene keeps growing, with new taprooms opening most years. Whether you’re a committed beer enthusiast or just curious about what’s brewing behind those railway arches, this is one of the most rewarding ways to see a side of London that most “top attractions” lists miss entirely — and it’s all reachable by Tube, Overground, or a short rail hop.