Squeeze @ Kingsland Locke Hotel, E8

Located in the Kingland Locke hotel, this is an unusual brewery tap for the Kraft Brewery, who specialise in German style beers served fresh from the tank. From the street, you descend a few steps into a very smartly fitted out room that is dominated by an elongated island servery through the centre. Seating in the bar area is restricted to a few tables and chairs down the left-hand wall, bar stools around all points of the servery and a row of small tables to the right served by low stools that look suspiciously like upturned waste-paper bins. The bar counter has a metal front and top, which fits in nicely with the row of six floor to ceiling beer tanks that stand proudly in the centre of the servery area. A gentry above holds a mix of spirit bottles and potted plants, and strangely detours away from the bar area, draping its foliage around the right-hand side of the room. Décor throughout is minimalist to say the very least, with a few arty prints her and there, some neon signs and a set of shelves lined with small objects providing the only visual distraction. To the front right, a DJ station was set up next to an attractive metalwork screen that blocks the view from the front door to the bar. The room extends into a right-hand space that felt like a hotel bar, which I suppose it is, , with lounge furniture, retro partitioning panels and plenty more plants, but crucially, no customers. A big neon sign to the rear of the bar reads “What’s Down Below?” – I’ve no idea, as I didn’t follow the staircase beneath the sign, but the implication is that there is a basement overspill area. I was met on arrival by a friendly greeter who confirmed I could sit where I like if I was just coming for a drink. Having pulled up a stool at the bar, I was faced with a choice of six beers, which the barman assured me were all home brews, although one had what looked very much like a Cloudwater logo on the tap. I opted for the Kraft India Pale Ale, which was a bit of a poor effort at the style, and the Black Lager, which was better, but still nothing to recommend a visit for. There were a lot of people working the bar, half of whom seemed to have no idea what they were doing, which was a bit disconcerting. This is a very quirky place, feeling in equal parts like a craft beer bar, modern hip diner and bland hotel bar. I liked the idea that these guys were doing something a bit different, but the beer didn’t do much for me, the service was shaky and the whole place felt a bit soulless and disjointed. Worth a look if you fancy trying their German-style beers, but if not, keep heading up the road for Brewdog and Red Hand, who should have all your craft beer needs covered.