Drop Project Taproom, Mitcham

Facebook page of Drop Project Taproom - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Drop Project Taproom - www.facebook.com

Official site of Drop Project Taproom - www.drop-project.co.uk

Official site of Drop Project Taproom - www.drop-project.co.uk

Stuck out on a depressing industrial estate, a short walk from Mitcham Junction station and tram stop, this is a surprisingly large brewery and taproom which operates limited opening hours. I turned up to find the whole estate looking closed, but a tentative push of the pedestrian security gate saw it swing open and I was then able to wander over to unit 8, where access to the brewery can be found via the left-hand door, passing through a reception area to find the brewery and bar in a large warehouse-style space. Once inside, there’s much of the usual industrial estate taproom in evidence, with concrete floors which have been painted white but then scuffed and scratched extensively, as well as blockwork walls, a high corrugated metal ceiling and a makeshift bar in the far-right corner. The bar counter has been made from old pallets and has a small, temperature-controlled room behind, which acts as the bar back, decorated with plenty of old keg font inserts. A mix of canteen tables and benches plus high tables and stools in the open space opposite the bar and to the rear left, ensures plenty of seating, with the brewer setting up more tables later on, as the place became increasingly busy. The rest of the room is filled with brewing kit – you feel like you’re properly sat in the heart of the brewing action, although of course, nothing was actually in operation on this particular day. On my visit, which I believe was their first opening of 2023, they were having trouble with their keg dispense units, so the five clipped keg taps were all unavailable and punters had to have been from the can instead. I tried a Coffee Mild which the brewery had made in collaboration with the Tate Modern - £2.00 for a third and absolutely delicious. With time to kill, I stayed on for another, this time trying their flagship beer, Shifty, which was also very good. The brewer was very friendly and chatty and told me he’d previously worked for Gipsy Hill before striking out on his own. The glassware was also cool, each bearing the brewery’s Mitcham Man logo – a clear copy of the Michelin Man. I really enjoyed my time here, thanks to a good, lively crowd, some excellent beer and very friendly and welcoming service. The industrial unit does the place no favours and it’s a shame that they only open once a month (check their website or socials before venturing out here), but with Mitcham’s pub and beer scene looking pretty grim these days, this is a nice alternative to dip into whenever the chance arises.