BrewDog Shoreditch, Shoreditch, E1

Relatively small wedge-shaped bar with a less industrial look than some of this chain's outlets. Mix of booths and tall tables, with another bar downstairs (not visited) and some outdoor furniture at the angled end. Usual wide range of their own beers, several guests and a few ciders from at least 25 taps, but I went for the Indie pale ale (£5.40).

Wedge shaped interior with the usual raw industrial styling( didn't visit downstairs). Does what it says on the tin.

Utilitarian BrewDog outlet (all keg, of course), located in a modern corner building which until recently was Mason & Taylor’s, a pub I sadly never got round to doing when it was open. Long, narrow interior with various seating areas (including an uncomfortable-looking set of square booths), plus a subterranean bar (‘Underdog’ – ho ho). Plenty of too-cool-for-school décor touches, such as drooping wires everywhere, exposed pipework and a rendered but-unfinished ceiling, though the tungsten-style lamps hanging from it were rather nice, I thought. The plate glass frontage running along almost the entire left hand side does at least allow for plenty of natural light. Seating incorporates a number of old school lab stools. As is usual for the so-called ‘punks’ of brewing, branded stuff is everywhere, including t-shirts for sale (how very corporate). An Odeon cinema-style backlit strip above the bar listed the beers available, along with a stab at indicating the size of the vessel in which the liquid comes (quite why they feel the need to only serve some beers at 2/3 of a pint is a mystery to me). I decided to go for a Kernel beer, which was quite enjoyable despite suffering from the usual issue of being over-cold and too gassy for my palate. Staff were a bit more friendly and less snotty than I’ve encountered in BD bars elsewhere which was a blessed relief. I’m never going to like these sort of places (especially when run by BD), but at least this one had some positives, even if I’m highly unlikely to be back.