Brew By Numbers, Bermondsey, SE16

Having managed to somehow avoid the Bermondsey Beer Mile until now, I arrived at this Brew By Numbers taproom (not the only one in the capital) at their published opening time of midday on a Sunday, as part of a much larger party. Other customers had also arrived, but the barman and another member of staff weren't quite ready to accept customers. Once inside this typical brewery taproom set in a railway arch, a blackboard displays the Brew By Numbers keg beers (there did not appear to be any cask). Options were Gose, Bimber Imperial Stout Barrel Aged 2021, Farmhouse Peach & Apricot, Double IPA Azacca & Citra, Galaxy IPA & Triple IPA Sabro & Mosaic. Prices are steep and there was a further wait whilst the barman had to change the gas on my beer. Seemingly he was not ready to welcome us after all. Bench tables are available both inside and also outside next to the arches. With the sun out, we decided to sit outside. If you like Brew By Numbers beers, you'll be happy here. I'm sure I'll also try a few more similar brewery bars along the same stretch at some point or other. It can certainly be included in a good crawl.

One of many similar establishments forming part of the famous Bermondsey Beer Mile, like many of the others this is located in the arches under the railway track, and is of course a brewery tap rather than a pub, and this is reflected in the somewhat industrial style décor, if one could go so far as calling it that. The flooring was some type of concrete screed, whilst the usual white corrugated iron of these establishments was cladding the ceiling and walls in order to channel the continually dripping water from the tunnel roof away from the punters underneath. Some of the other nearby establishments have made a bit of an effort to create some atmosphere or comfort, but here it remained very industrial and you really felt as though you were just sat in the middle of a warehouse, which of course you effectively are, with the very limited number of benches surrounded by pallets containing sacks of raw ingredients. The rear half of the pub was clearly the working brewery with large stainless steel and wood vats as well as associated pipework and so on. Beers on tap were all keg rather than cask and consisted of Mosaic Session IPA, Amarillo New Brown Ale, Imperial Stout and Pale Ale. Unlike many of the nearby establishments, 1/3 pint measures were not available. Overall with the lack of much in the way of any beer choice and the very industrial setting, I thought many of the other options nearby were more appealing.