Signature Brew Taproom, Haggerston, E8

A fair sized railway arch with the bar area on the left as you enter, there is a stage at the far end as this place doubles up as a live music venue as evidenced by numerous posters on the walls of upcoming gigs. Back to the bar and we find twelve taps on the back wall, all but one in operation on my Sunday afternoon visit, six of their own, three guests and two Ciders, there did also seem to be a fondness for Cocktails. All in all this is quiet a decent effort and up there with some of the better taprooms.

This is a fairly well appointed brewery bar located, as most London microbreweries tend to be, in a railway arch – this one just a short stroll from Haggerston station. In many ways, the place has a set-up typical of many of its peers – bare concrete floor, exposed brick walls and vaulted ceiling (spoiled a little by excessive utilities) and large glass frontage covered in the appropriate branding – but the clear separation of brewery from bar makes this feel a bit more comfortable and a bit less like drinking in an industrial unit. The servery is immediately to your right upon entry and has an unusual pewter topped counter and a load of kegs along the bar back, each with their own microphone-shaped tap, two more of which can be seen up close on the bar counter itself. Sofas serve a table made from old crates past the end of the bar, but much of the room makes do with tables and metal frame chairs which run in two rows through the centre of the space. Walls have been decorated with black and white gig photos down one side (which appear to be for sale) and some brewery art along the opposite wall. The brewery has themed itself around live music (Hence the microphone keg taps), so there’s no surprise to see a stage at the back of the room under a brewery mural and an upright piano to the rear right, used for Saturday night sing-a-longs, and some decent tunes played away in the background throughout my visit. Muted lighting from three odd egg shaped lamps through the centre of the room created a nice ambiance during the evening time and I noted at least one picnic bench outside the front of the pub for al-fresco drinkers. There were no fewer than nine Signature Brew beers on draught, although none on cask from what I could see, plus three guest beers and an extensive bottle and can range. I tried the Nightliner, which is a very tasty Coffee Porter that set me back £5.50 but was very enjoyable despite the inflated price. There was a lot to like about this place, which I felt was presented more in line with the sort of smart railway arch bars you find around this part of town, rather than the servery-in-a-brewery sort of thing you might find on the Bermondsey beer mile. This is a strong addition to the local scene and I'm sure I’ll pop back in again sometime soon.

Official site of Signature Brew Taproom & Venue - www.signaturebrew.co.uk