Clapton Craft, N4

Part of a small, but ever expanding bottle shop chain, this one differs from some of the other branches I have visited, inasmuch as it has a dedicated drinking area for on sales. Otherwise, it's the usual shop unit premises, with a concrete floor, walls painted in a neutral shade and a decent sized servery midway down the right-hand wall. There are a couple of drinking ledges with high stools under the branded front windows, but this part of the room is mainly for shoppers looking for drinks to take home, with well stocked fridges on either side offering plenty of takeaway options (all of which can be enjoyed on site too). The bar has a simple, low, curved counter with a few fixed bar stools at one end and a bar back with keg taps to one side and a shelving unit for wines and spirits on the other, with helpful beer boards above. Further back is a wine and cider fridge, beyond which are some high tables and stools to the left, a small booth to the rear and a drinking ledge with high stools to the right, lined with framed keg inserts, bottles, jugs, beer books and posters. The walls have mainly been left bare, but a few promotional posters were on show to break up the monotony a bit. A lively soundtrack was playing quietly in background throughout my stay and there was a good turnover of customers for both on and off sales. I counted nine craft keg options on the taps and opted for a pint of the Deya Summer Ale at a typically steep £7.00. It was a decent pint but as much as I liked this place, I just can't justify paying that much to drink in what essentially amounts to a bottle shop. Credit to the people behind this place, who have fitted it out pretty well and made it feel more like a micropub than most bottle shops seem to manage. I think this is a good place to dip into occasionally if you're interested in trying small batch keg brews, but the pricing is prohibitive and would prevent me from making this a regular port of call. Date of visit - 21st June 2024

Visited 29/07/24 This feels like one of their larger venues and extends back a good way for a shop type premises. The bar is a nice, curved affair on the mid-point of the right-hand wall, flanked on both sides by well organised beer fridges. A ledge with stools and a small round table provides the window seating to watch the world go by on Stroud Green Rd. The left-hand wall has extensive shelving to house the much larger collection of bottles and cans, ending at the end of the bar. Behind the bar is some ledge seating on the same wall as the bar and some tall tables and high stools along the other wall. A small leather banquette provides the sole seating on the back wall providing a more distant viewing of the road outside! Eight taps adorn the wall behind the bar, and I posted a picture of the beers on offer during my visit. My choice was the Floc Warm Shade and a decent pint it certainly was. Wine also available as noted on the board! As always for this chain, a v knowledgeable attendant. I do enjoy their venues. A few to go for me still including their large depot venue. Not sure yet if all the other shop type premises have draught beer but a good excuse for me to find out!

Official site of Clapton Craft - www.claptoncraft.co.uk