Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Howling Hops Tank Room, E9
Hackney Wick
Postal town: E9
E9 5EN
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Howling Hops Tank Room
Situated behind the Crate Brewery this one room set up is dominated by the line of 10 beer tanks as described by others. I do like Howling Hop’s brews and went for their stout which I took to one of the outside tables to enjoy.
Surface to say it wasn’t one of the cheapest drinks of the day but it was one of the most enjoyable.
Will certainly consider returning here when next in the area.
On 23rd June 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Howling Hops Tank Room
The Tank room is quite roomy but dominated by the ten large tanks behind the bar, nine were serving on my visit and I was so impressed with the first beer I had to stay for another. If you're into craft beer you can't go wrong with this place.
On 18th June 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Howling Hops Tank Room
Howling Hops Brewery originally started in the Cock Tavern, Hackney Central, and now they've moved to this larger location. On arrival at the bar and observing ten enormous numbered stainless steel vessels, I came to conclusion that I was either on a film set for Thunderbirds, or that I was definitely in the UK's first dedicated tank bar. The prices in here were steep and I had a slight moan about that, but once I got to taste their beer, I was happy. The beer is very fresh and lively and does have a lot of its natural carbonation. This was a plus I suppose as it took longer to drink.
The aromas from Billy Smokes Barbecue was very tempting, but unfortunately we missed the 12-3 opening and service didn't resume until 6pm-10pm.
Beerwise I went for the XX Pale at 5.1%, which was top notch.
On 9th November 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Howling Hops Tank Room
Already well described, The Howling Hops Tank Room is just that.
There are ten floor to ceiling beer tanks behind the long bar in this former warehouse each dispensing a different beer which is fed in directly from the brewery which operates behind. There's also another, smaller bar to the left for anything other than beer and Billy Smokes barbecue in the corner although on our visits the cooking was being done outside where there are more tables.
I liked the industrial feel of the place which has been cleverly configured to house both the brewery, which is a real feature, and the customer area, which has been well designed to make it feel much more comfortable than might be expected in a building like this.
It's obviously a trendy spot at the moment but the service was very friendly and knowledgable with any tasters freely offered and an invitation given to have a good mooch around the brewery and ask any questions. It's by no means a victim of it's current popularity.
Beers available in the labelled tanks were all Howling Hops: Rye Wit, Ruby Red, Pale XX No2, Aussie Pale, Howling Pils, Pale Ale XX No1, UTO Double Black IPA, American Brown, Double Chocolate Coffee Toffee Vanilla Milk Porter and West Coast Special IPA. Our lunchtime visit found some of these unavailable but a subsequent evening visit a week or two later and all beers were present and correct.
As mentioned, the beer is served in 2/3rd glasses and is very fresh. Everything we tried over the two visits was very good and in excellent, fresh condition although gassier than traditional cask which slowed down consumption a little. The Porter deserves a special mention as being one of the best, if not the best, of this style that I've tried. It really was excellent.
A top spot with great beer.
On 19th September 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Howling Hops Tank Room
This old industrial building is now home to the Howling Hops brewery and is a shrine to the industrial process of making top quality beer.It's a large space with sacks of malt and other ingedients dotted about and the brewing kit to the left,full visible on the way to the loos,where the hot water uses heat generated from brewing.It was bottling day and the clank of the machinery and the whirring of motors added to the atmosphere.Brewing is a continuous process here,steam and water dripping ,with 10 tanks behind the bar supplied in rotation directly ,a bit like in the Brewhouse and Kitchen chain but on a much larger scale.On enquiring is this real ale,the barman was clear that it was,there was no filtration and the ale was allowed to settle in the tanks by gravity. However the beer is very young ,with a high level of natural carbonation which could cause belching issues if quaffed in volume.Not all 10 tanks will be operational,but those that were on my trip offered real quality with lots of hop character.OK so it's hipster central and you can only buy thirds or two thirds (specially made dimple handled glass mugs,classy) but my American Brown,Rye Wit,Red Ruby and Double Chocolate Coffee Toffee Vanilla Milk Porter were terrific.The interior is well described by PSM,I liked the distressed concrete floor marked by gouges from past industrial use,the ranks of light shades above the benches breaking up the height of the peeling ceiling,the great muzak and Billy Smokes shack in one corner churning out top quality BBQ food.
Vibrant and lots of fun, I was prepared to engage with the hipster vibe and sample some interesting ale.Awesome !!
On 2nd September 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Howling Hops Tank Room
Not as enthusiastic about this place as BF.Bit of a beer hall feel or a big shed feel.Industrial building but too much like industrial drinking.Scruffy ,peeling paint interior with an ugly bar.Same prices for beer as PS post but a sign said half pints sold but at the same price as 2/3 £2.90.(yes please can I have less beer for the same price.Hope this doesn't catch on.Did notice the gouges in the floor.Interesting.Three superb beers from Howling hops were sampled.Damn the choc toffee vanilla stout had run out.
On 20th August 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Howling Hops Tank Room
Having outgrown their original home in the basement of the Cock in Hackney, the Howling Hops Brewery now run this unusual warehouse conversion, a short walk from Hackney Wick station. It is unusual in that it is the first UK venue to sell all of its beer directly from large conditioning tanks. It really is quite a sight to behold when you first walk in and find yourself confronted by ten huge floor-to-ceiling tanks, each dispensing a different beer. On my visit, all ten tanks were in operation and I was able to choose from Ruby Red, Black XX, Pale XX, Running Beer, Pils, Pale Ale, Riding Ale, Rye Wit, Smoked Porter and IPA. The beer is perhaps a little pretentiously, served in two thirds glasses, each costing £2.90 (or £3.90 if the beer is over 6%). I tried the Smoked Porter which was packed full of flavour and in fine condition.
The bar itself is an L-shaped warehouse conversion with a concrete floor throughout, bare brick walls painted in red and white, glass brick windows and long canteen tables and benches which run from the front door all the way to the bar at the rear. A few more benches have been set into recesses along the right hand wall, supplemented by low stools made from kegs. The servery has a tatty brick tile counter and to the left there are numerous sacks of malt, with the brewery plant visible in the large area behind the bar. To the right there is another entrance, next to which you will find a second bar which serves drinks other than those from the tanks. There is also a food hatch here where you can order directly from the kitchen. Breaking the serving points up like this is a pain if you need to order something from each, but at least reduces queuing time at peak hours. Music played quietly throughout my visit and there was ample seating outside both entrances, should sitting in a warehouse car park take your fancy.
I really felt the ‘wow’ factor when I first walked in here, but I suspect that it is a novelty that will soon wear off. I like the concept of the bar and was pleased to find that the beer was very drinkable, but I would much rather be drinking the same beers in the Cock than in an old warehouse. There are a few other decent warehouse conversions in this part of town, including the Crate Brewery next door, so a mini crawl would make a trip out here even more worthwhile.
On 6th August 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]