3 Locks Brewing Company, Camden Town, NW1

Facebook page of 3 Locks Brewing Company - www.facebook.com

Official site of 3 Locks Brewing Company - www.3locksbeer.com

Facebook page of 3 Locks Brewing Company - www.facebook.com

Official site of 3 Locks Brewing Company - www.3locksbeer.com

Another day, another part of London and another railway arch based brewery tap to visit. This place is a two-storey set-up, forming part of a pleasant, redeveloped canal-side site with a good view of the eponymous locks, and just a short hop across the road from Camden Market, but notably less busy during peak hours. The ground floor space is a fairly simple affair with a cool, check-tile floor and a sweeping, cured red bar counter in the rear right corner, which went halfway to giving the room a bit of a 50’s American diner feel. Large beer boards behind the bar list the draught range, with the beer poured from a row of taps mounted on the bar back. Seating options are fairly limited here – a few high tables and stools to the front, chunky tables and benches to the left and some vertical drinking high tables at the back of the room. A better bet would be to head up the metal staircase to the front left, which leads to a first-floor area with lots more seating options and a large arched front window with great views across to the canal. Bench seating is also available out on the pavement, although the railway line is positioned in such a way as to cast this space into the shade for much of the day. The brewery appears to have an understanding with the wine bar opposite, allowing punters from either establishment to take their drinks to each other’s seating areas, which is handy if some of your party want to drink beer and others prefer wine. I think I counted seven or eight home brews on tap, all available either in third or two-third measures. I plumped for their Porter, which was £5.00 for two-thirds and a decent enough example of the style. I’ve been back again since and tried a couple of their other beers, which I thought were even better, and they have some very cheery staff behind the bar who seem keen to engage customers and make them feel welcome. My first impression of this place was of a bit of a cold, almost corporate feeling bar that worked well enough in the warm summer months when you can spill out to the canal side but might be a different proposition on a cold Winter’s night. However, that feeling quickly shifted, thanks to a good overspill seating area upstairs, excellent service and some tasty beers. The Camden Market area is still looking for a standout, destination pub and this place, whilst not exactly meriting a trip in its own right, is up there with the best the area has at the moment. Date of visit – 15th May 2023

A small but smart little taproom tagged onto the brewery in a canalside location.There is some upstairs seating also but uninvestigated. Five of their own beers were on including a West Coast IPA, Hazy Pale, Cherry Sour, Lager and Pilsner. One annoyance was that people were coming in from the Pizza place opposite and even off the street and queuing up to use the one out one in loos without any intention of buying a drink, mostly unchallenged by the barstaff, a case of literally taking the piss. Otherwise a nice set up.

Nice little brewery bar in a newly built building Near to the Big Ass Pizza Co along side the canal.6 keg beers and the two i tried were good.Modern and industrial design as you would expect and views of the brewery from the bar.