Category: News
6th Birthday Beers: Barrel-Aged Winter Berry Sours
Barrel-Aged Winter Berry Sours 2019
Last year for our 5th birthday we released Winter Berry Sour to commemorate a poignant year of Taproom renovation, settling into our bigger production site, growing as a team and continuing to execute our Sour Series we are being increasingly well known for. This Winter Berry Sour was an extra special release; a Flanders-red style with additions of dark fruits; sour cherries, elderberries, blackcurrants and blackberries post-fermentation with oak and cherry wood to create a vinous and complex blend of rich berry fruit, sweet vanilla and caramel malt notes. Thinking ahead to our 6th birthday we also put a portion of this beer into 2 barrels: Moscatel and Pinot Noir. The beers had a 12 month long kip and when they were tasting amazing, bottled them into 375ml bottles. They’re now ready for release just in time to celebrate our 6th birthday this weekend.
Moscatel Barrel-Aged Winter Berry Sour. A type of fortified wine made from Muscat grapes in Spain and Portugal, Moscatel wine is characterised by its light floral aromas with undertones of floral orange blossom, jasmine with a sweet honeyed and raisin palate. 12 months in the Moscatel barrel has imparted a subtle honey and floral sweetness to the Winter Berry Sour, finishing on a soft, vanilla richness.
Pinot Noir Barrel-Aged Winter Berry Sour. A red wine grape variety and the classic grape of Burgundy, Pinot Noir is well known for its heady aroma of red fruits and berries, French oak and pepper spice. 12 months in the Pinot Noir barrel has added further complexity with soft red berry tannins, rich oak spice and a vibrant acidity.
The stunning label designs were a collaboration between Peckham-based artist Katrina Russell-Adams and Elves Design Studio. Katrina is known for creating bold and bright abstract art, murals, textiles and installations. Katrina applied her style to this design through being inspired from various buildings and structures around Peckham, adding a provincial element to these special beers. Taking a screen-printing course 5 years ago kick started Katrina’s art and since then the hobby has grown into a career, boosting her confidence and creativity, brightening up any space her stunning work is found. Camberwell-based designer Tom Kellet runs design company Elves Design Studio which specialises in graphic design, furniture and set design. Tom helped bring Katrina’s label design to reality by transforming it into the graphic.
The design was originally created for last year’s 2018 Winter Berry Sour label, but the colour palette of these 2 new labels have been updated to represent the deep and rich ingredients and barrel-aging identities of each beer whilst retaining the link between 2018’s release and this year’s. We’ve also packaged it into a special 2-pack box making it the perfect gift for your beer-loving partner, friend or family member this festive season.
Get your hands on these as we launch them at the London Christmas Beer Festival at Canopy Market, King’s Cross from this Friday and our 6th Birthday Party this Saturday 7th December. We are holding 2 free tutored tasting of both beers at our birthday party this Saturday 7th December at 3pm and 5pm too! Both sessions are sold out for guaranteed seats, but drop in and we will try to accommodate as many people as possible! Join Pete and Ian as we taste both beers and pick their brains with any beery questions.
Celebrating 6 Years of Brick Brewery: Our Guide to Peckham
Brick Brewery’s Guide to Peckham
In the penultimate week of build up to our 6th birthday party on Saturday 7th December we are continuing our celebration of 6 years of Brick Brewery. Last week we put together a Brick Brewery’s Guide to Deptford, celebrating our adopted brewery home with recommendations from the Brick team on where we like to eat drink and go in the area. This week we’ve done the same for Peckham. Brick Brewery started in Ian’s shed at his home in Peckham and began commercially brewing in a railway arch underneath Peckham Rye station in 2013 until we outgrew the space and moved production to Deptford in summer 2017. However, Peckham Rye remains our original home with the space now our Taproom. Everyone at Brick spends a lot of time in Peckham; whether it’s working at the Taproom, visiting the many accounts who stock our beer, living locally and generally enjoying everywhere there is to drink, eat and visit in the area. This is Brick Brewery’s Guide to Peckham.
Where to Drink
As a brewery we are thankful that the drinkers of Peckham are such a thirsty bunch! For a period of time when we were brewing at our Peckham site, at capacity and unable to get any more beer out of the door, the majority of our stock didn’t go much further than a 2 mile radius, with some of our very first customers still continuing to get our beer in six years later. The area has a serious drinking scene, with pubs and cocktail bars on every street; tucked under railway arches, on top of car parks and unassuming residential streets, these are just a handful of where we like to drink in Peckham.
Brick Brewery Taproom
For anyone reading this guide that isn’t familiar with us… we have our own bar! Of course, our Taproom under Peckham Rye station is our favourite place to drink in Peckham. A pint of Peckham Pils is always the first on the agenda for after-work refreshment then we work our way through the latest specials from the 20 lines.
The Old Nun’s Head
“The Ryan Gosling of Pubs” is how The Old Nun’s Head modestly describes itself. Their Twitter account is worth following even if you have no intention of ever drinking there, but you should! Not technically in Peckham but just a 10 minute walk away in Nunhead it’s worth the detour for its great beer, cosy nooks and crannies and great food from their rotating pop-up kitchen residencies. The ONH has also been getting Brick beers in pretty much from the beginning, so we love them for that too!
“I mean, it’s just everything you want from a great pub. A great atmosphere, loads of events on each week and friendly staff.. super dog friendly too with Ludo ruling the roost!” – Tallulah, Taproom Supervisor
East Dulwich Tavern
Another loyal Brick Brewery venue, the East Dulwich Tavern (or EDT as it’s otherwise known) is a great homely and charming pub. 2 roaring fires in the winter, with a consistent selection of beer from local breweries and brilliant pub food.
Hop Burns and Black
Their Deptford site was one of our recommended places to drink in last week’s Brick Brewery’s Guide to Deptford, so of course we had to include Hop Burns and Black’s Peckham site in this guide. Championing independent breweries and great beer since 2014, Jen and Glenn have been one of our biggest supporters. Their original shop on East Dulwich Road is one of the best places to go to buy beer in South East London. The small outside seating area is great for afternoon people watching over some beers or bottle of wine.
The Gowlett Arms
After a sudden closure in November 2017, The Gowlett Arms re-opened its doors last year much to the delight of the local community. Situated on a corner just off Peckham Rye, The Gowlett Arms is a true neighbourhood pub and always popular thanks to its brilliant pizza kitchen, good beer and welcoming atmosphere.
“We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to pubs in Peckham. However, The Gowlett Arms still stands out amongst the crowded field. It does everything and caters for everyone the way any local boozer should. Their incredible pizzas are the icing on the cake though.”
– Luke, Taproom Manager
Franks Cafe
Franks is on every guide of where to go in Peckham. A bar at the top of Peckham Levels (and previously a multi-storey car park), Franks becomes a summer pilgrimage activity to seemingly every Millennial in London. However, the views, the sunset and the cocktails make it worth the queue.
“Get there way before sunset to grab a table and buy your cocktails two at a time, but it’s worth it for the incredible views of the city. A great way to spend a boozy, hot summer’s day in London.” – Nadia, Marketing and Events
Zapoi
Zapoi bar opened this summer on Rye Lane and is definitely the most aesthetically pleasing bar in Peckham with its mismatched floral seating, mixed in with vintage grandma-style rugs and antique mirrors everywhere in a bright, industrial style setting.
“Zapoi’s cocktails are just as fantastic as the bar’s décor. With our Peckham Pale and Peckham Pils on tap too I’d definitely recommend Zapoi for pre-dinner drinks with a group of friends or visiting family you want to impress!”
– Sally, Brand Director
Where to Eat
There seems to be new places to eat in Peckham popping up every week, but we are creatures of habit here at Brick Brewery and continue to visit a lot of the same places in all the time we spend in Peckham. This is definitely not a guide to the most trendy and fanciest places to eat in the area, there are enough guides online for those places already! Great food still applies to all our recommendations below though.
Slow Richie’s
Alex and Richie of Slow Richie’s have been part of Brick Brewery Taproom since summer 2015, serving up burgers and their homemade hot sauces out of our bright red shipping container. The perfect accompaniment to any pint at our Taproom, their vegetarian Goat’s Cheese and Beetroot burger shouldn’t be overlooked either.
Kudu
Kudu, a species of antelope, and also the name of the South African-inspired restaurant on the stretch of Queens Road which is increasingly popular for some great places to eat. Small plates dominate the menu with a nose-to-tail vibe from some more unusual ingredients to choose from.
“A fantastic family-run restaurant on Queens Road, amazing food with South African influences. Everything on the menu is great but get the Kudu bread with bacon butter whilst you decide what to order… it’s incredible!”
– Pete, Bookkeeper
Lovely House
Bellenden Road is quite a contrast from the sometimes overwhelming bustle of Rye Lane, it’s more like a village high street. Great pubs and restaurants dominate the area but it’s the unassuming Lovely House Dim Sum restaurant that deserves more recognition in amongst the trendier food options on the street. A short but fantastic dim sum menu with authentic Chinese food served by the most welcoming staff that make you feel at home. Even more so when you go past the children’s shoes that line the stairs as you go up the toilet. The soft shell crab and pork sui mai are the winners.
Yadas
Down an alleyway opposite Peckham Rye station is Yadas. A family-run Kurdish restaurant that is a favourite of most of us here at Brick. It’s the perfect spot to go in a big group as you can try pretty much everything on the menu, we even took the brewers from KCBC here after a tap takeover at our Taproom and they were won over by the generous mezze platters (if you’re going in a group, get one each of the platters and a few dips for an impressive selection of everything). Don’t expect great service, go a bit later on in the evening when it’s quietened down a bit as it gets really busy, especially in the summer when it’s warm enough to eat on the ramshackle terrace, and enjoy the food as it slowly comes out. It’s also BYOB!
Steamers
Peckham Food Hall, a small canteen/café next to Peckham Rye Station bus stop, has 3 food traders; Izatu Kitchen, Copeland Jerk Centre and Steamers. Steamers have moved into this new premises after previously being in the Peckham Rye station tunnels but the menu remains the same and more importantly, the countertop display of the steaming buns is still there. A steamed bun for £1.80 is an essential snack on your journey home, with various fillings to try but the Pork with Chinese Cabbage or Char Sui Pork are the tastiest.
“You’ll often find one of the bar staff grabbing a quick lunch from this family-run, no frills Chinese takeaway. Fresh noodles, big portions of rice and the best steamed buns in London!”. – Tallulah, Bar Supervisor
Persepolis
An unmissable corner shop painted bright canary yellow opposite Peckham Library, Persepolis is a fantastic Persian deli-cum-café with one half of the shop packed with Middle Eastern spices, herbs, pickles, drinks, sweets, gifts and cookware with the other half a lively vegetarian café. It’s extremely popular with students on the weekend evenings thanks to its £20 tasting menu and BYOB status, so book for then.
“A truly unique Persian corner shop and café. The café/restaurant side of things has an ever changing vegetarian menu serving Middle Eastern food with a real homemade feel. Persepolis is small but oozing character and charm. It’s also banging value and won’t ever break the bank. Try the daily wraps and meze platter….probably not at the same time unless you’re absolutely staaarving.”
– Stu, Sales Director
Smokey Jerkey
Smokey Jerkey on New Cross Road was once so smokey it caught fire. It also serves some of the best jerk and Caribbean food this side of the river. You’re not ever quite sure it’s open, there’s no signage, no menu, and usually no one at the counter. Be brave, step inside and ask what’s good today coming in from the jerk drums out the back. Don’t forget to try the homemade hot sauces on the counter, they’re delicious but lethally spicy.
“The best Jerk house in South East London without a shadow of a doubt. I’d trade my last breath for their hot sauce recipe.” – Pete, Head Brewer
Salas Wraps
Another awesome quick bite recommendation is Salas Wraps on Rye Lane, serving Turkish-inspired wraps where the heady smell from the grill pulls you in to the unassuming food truck. A permanent fixture in Peckham for 5 years now, everything is made fresh; the dips, falafel, wraps for the perfect lunch option.
“A Peckham institution! The single best value for money meal I’ve ever eaten (in London). Big wraps, big flavours all made to order. It really has to be tasted to be believed. Top tip: go for the Falafel + Halloumi combination wrap.”
– Luke, Taproom Manager
Miss Tapas
Just around the corner from the chaos of Rye Lane is Miss Tapas. A small but always bustling and busy neighbourhood tapas restaurant ran by born and raised Sevillian, Blanca Rowe, Miss Tapas uses fresh ingredients, sourcing their meat from Flock and Herd Butchers just 5 minutes away, or importing ingredients from Spain themselves.
“The food, music and décor help to create an authentic Spanish feeling. The staff are chatty, attentive and recommend winning combinations every time! The menu changes up every so often so you don’t always get the same things and you can try all sorts of new stuff with each visit! The quail eggs and chorizo are divine…”
– Oscar, Credit Controller
Flock and Herd
Flock and Herd, a butchers on Bellenden Road, have built up a great reputation and super loyal customer base for their high-quality, high-welfare meat. Flock and Herd were also one of Brick Brewery’s very first customers, when Ian used to carry cases of bottles the 5 minute walk up the road from the brewery. They continue to stock us and Ian continues to go into Flock and Herd pretty much weekly.
“As soon as we step in Flock and Herd one of the guys behind the counter will say “Duck breasts? Steak?” We are creatures of habit! We buy all our meat here, it’s right next to our kid’s school so will drop by on the way home and have a great relationship with them from being one of our first customers. We love cooking up one of their awesome steaks on the BBQ any time of year, or duck breasts are our weekend go-to meal.” – Ian, Managing Director
Let us know your favourite place in Peckham or if this has made you want to make a trip! Our 6th birthday party is on Saturday 7th December at our Taproom in Peckham, more details on what we have planned here. Free entry, Midday to 1am, DJ from 7pm and loads of other things going on… everyone welcome!
Celebrating 6 Years of Brick Brewery: Our Guide to Deptford
Brick Brewery’s Guide to Deptford
Continuing our celebration of 6 years of Brick Brewery in the lead up to our birthday party on Saturday 7th December, this week we’ve put together a Brick Brewery’s Guide to Deptford. This nook of South East London, tucked between Bermondsey and Greenwich, has been home to our brewery since summer 2017 when we moved our brewing 2.5 miles east from our outgrown Peckham site (obviously now our Taproom). The base for our beer production, warehouse and office-based teams we think we’ve got to know Deptford quite well over the past two and a half years. So, in celebration of our adopted neighbourhood we’ve put together a Guide to Deptford if you ever find yourself in the SE8 postcode with recommendations from the Brick team on where we like to eat, drink and go in the area. Settle in and start planning a trip to Deptford…
Where to Drink
Just one stop away from London Bridge and a short bus ride away from the Bermondsey Beer Mile, we think Deptford should be getting lots more attention as a drinking destination, which Matt Curtis summarised brilliantly in this blogpost about Villages’ Beam fruited sour. Whilst Deptford doesn’t have the buzzing nightlife crowd of neighbouring New Cross or Peckham, our recommendations all have their own unpretentious charm and unique community vibe.
The Dog and Bell
The Dog and Bell is a traditional pub, ran by Charlie and Eileen Gallagher since 1988, tucked away between a quiet street and an empty plot of land next to the river. Once inside, The Dog and Bell wraps you into a warm blanket of comfort and familiarity you only get from the very best pubs, where time seems to run away from you and before you know it they’re calling last orders, you’re stumbling out onto the pavement and the spell is broken. Take a read of Boak and Bailey’s recent blog post on The Dog and Bell here, where they encapsulated its charm in better words than we could ever write! I think every single one of us at Brick would rate The Dog and Bell as our favourite place to drink in Deptford; we’ve spent a lot of evenings here with its cosiness and great beer irresistable after a long, cold day in the brewery but Pete summarises it up nicely;
“The Dog and Bell is one of the best community pubs in London. A great rotating selection of ales on cask, bottled Belgian beers and proper home cooked pub food. Prick up your ears up and listen out for a good story..”
– Pete, Head Brewer
Little Faith
Little Faith Beer’s taproom based in the historic Deptford Creek and once the home of the docks, Little Faith fits in to the creative surroundings that are now found in Creekside with its vintage metal signs all over the walls and mismatched seating. Brilliant beer selection, including theirs (brewed in nearby Bermondsey) and guest breweries, from 15 of their taps with a guest street food vendor every Friday and Sunday. Their beer garden is great in the summer too.
Hop Burns and Black
Hop Burns and Black‘s sister site to their original Peckham store, this bottle shop in an archway and right next to Deptford station is a go-to on the way home for takeaway beers. Often a pitstop for us on the way to Villages taproom, you can drink in too. If the weather is okay sit outside and people watch city workers scurrying home or squeeze inside next to the shelves of hot sauces. Nathan the manager is always ready to recommend something decent if you’re overwhelmed by all the beer choice.
Villages
Villages Brewery, a small independent brewery brewing in the heart of Deptford, is a fundamental drinking hole for us. The brewery transforms into a Taproom from Thursday to Sunday and their Rafiki Session IPA often pulls us to their archway for post-work pints. Ran by brothers Archie and Louis, they’ve created an essential beer destination for the area.
“Archie and Louis are two of the nicest guys in the industry, I’m not the first person to say that! The ethos of Villages and vibe at the Taproom is testament to them and the team they’ve assembled. Always welcoming and always seeking to integrate with the local community, it’s a cracking space for a beer! They also know how to throw a pretty mean party.” – Stu, Sales Director
Gin and Beer
Gin and Beer, situated in between Hop Burns and Black and Villages in another railway arch, is a modern cocktail bar specialising in gin and Belgian beers that remains relaxed and the perfect pre or post-dinner spot.
“A cocktail menu with over 10 different types of negronis was enough for me to love Gin and Beer from my first visit. The extensive list of Belgian beer is an added bonus, 2 specialities done really well.”
– Nadia, Marketing and Events
Big John’s Biltong Bar
Just over 1 year old, owner Big John opened London’s first bar dedicated to biltong, Big John’s Biltong Bar, in a former shoe shop after 9 years living in Deptford. Native to New Zealand, and whilst working as a painter and decorator a South African colleague introduced John to biltong and he was hooked. Since opening he’s created a cheerful and socialable space where people from every community in Deptford chat across tables, the walls decorated with erotic rugs, old maps, photos and no sense of theme whatsoever. A small bar with only 3 or 4 beer taps and a whole wall of spirits and wine. This is no bar for people who want to sit quietly in the corner with a book, Big John’s almost demands you to be the most sociable version of yourself… it’s great!
The Royal Albert
In the blurr between New Cross and Deptford is The Royal Albert. A Victorian freehouse we love to head to particularly when the sun is out, commandeer a big bench on the terrace and order endless bowls of chips. Showcasing a range of independent UK breweries… we always get a squeal of delight from Sam when there’s Burning Sky Plateau on cask.
” The Royal Albert always has a good selection of cask and keg, with awesome good value pub grub and bar snacks. Make sure you order a portion of frickles and settle yourself into one of the many well worn-in Chesterfield sofas” – Sam, Brewer
If you’re less about booze and more into coffee, The Waiting Room and Lomond Coffee do the best brews in the area.
Where to Eat
Whether it’s on the high street or surrounding streets we are never short of choice of something amazing to eat for lunch, Deptford is a complete mish-mash of cultures and eateries that have been around for decades and newer, more modern places that have brought in a different crowd of people to discover its charm. We do have our favourites though, as recommended below…
Eat Vietnam
Deptford’s large resident Vietnamese community means you’re spoilt for choice of excellent Vietnamese eateries (and no queues snaking down the street like you have to endure on Shoreditch’s “Pho Mile”). Our favourite, however, is Eat Vietnam. A small restaurant on Evelyn Street it’s also, conveniently, just a 5 minute walk away from the brewery. Super friendly staff, always busy, fresh ingredients and massive portions with change from a tenner.
“Their spicy Imperial Hue pho will blow out any cold and has been the cure to many post-tap takeover hangovers. We’ve also recently discovered how good their Bánh xèo is, a crispy pancake stuffed with prawns, pork, beansprouts and herbs… so good.” – Nadia, Marketing and Events
Manze’s
Manze’s on Deptford High Street is one of the few remaining pie and mash shops in South East London. Open for over 100 years by the Manze family, Manze’s looks exactly like a pie and mash shop should; bench seating, white tiles and tall serving counter. Making their beef mince pies fresh every day, with the addition of mash and liquor for the perfect comfort food.
Hullaballoo
Deptford’s only vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant, Hullabaloo opened just over 2 years ago by Baloo. Formerly a chef in Mayfair, Baloo started Hullabaloo to be closer to home and serve food he loves to cook and will happily chat to you as he bakes fresh naan and rotis. Extremely popular with locals due to its fresh vegetarian dishes, awesome staff and all served in the small restaurant where the walls are covered in Bollywood film posters. Hullabaloo is our first choice for a collab brew day lunch when we have guests to feed, with Ian zipping off on his scooter to pick up our monstorous sized takeaway.
“Hullabaloo is so tasty, never oily like many other takeaways with a homemade kind of feeling. Satisfies even a non-vegetarian like me, you don’t even notice there’s no meat – Boom!” – Oscar, Credit Controller
Welcome Inn
Our local chippy. Nothing special to separate it from the typical fish and chip shop you’ll find anywhere, the curry sauce is pretty good though, but we love it because the portions are huge and Eric the owner will never fail to put you in a good mood with his contagious happy vibes.
W H Wellbeloved
A butchers at the New Cross end of Deptford High St open since 1829, Wellbeloved’s history adorns the walls with photos through the decades celebrating the heritage of this simple and traditional butchers. We’ve recommended it as somewhere to eat as they also sell excellent homemade meat pies. Ian has been known to nip out on his scooter and come back with a big bag of steaming hot pies for us all, amazing value and packed to the brim with slow cooked beef.
Marcella
The sister restaurant to the brilliant Artusi in Peckham, Marcella is no less fantastic. A relaxed Italian on Deptford High St with a short and ever-changing menu, and on Sundays have a 3-course menu for £20, Marcella is a sign of gentrification tricking its way into the area… but also an example of that not always being a bad thing. Perfectly executed Italian dishes and made for sharing, it’s a favourite of ours for long, lazy lunches or relaxed evenings.
“Their incredible pasta dishes are always excellent, which change seasonally so you’ll never feel disappointed. They use fresh ingredients to created flavours that are simple yet inventive. The hospitality is real and not scripted, always happy to have a chat. Couldn’t rate it more highly” – Fred, Sales Manager
Honey’s Caribbean Takeaway
Honey’s is an excellent takeaway serving hearty and full of flavour West Indian food on Deptford High St. Always buzzing with customers and chatter, their huge portion of jerk chicken and rice and peas is a winner when you’ve got a craving for something spicy.
“Honey’s do the best veggie pattie and red pea soup this side of Old Kent Road. They’ve warmed my hands on many a cold day!” – Pete, Head Brewer
M + D Japanese
Slap bang in the middle of Deptford High St is M+D Japanese restaurant with its painted bright pink exterior hard to miss. Serving great value Japanese curries, sushi and ramen where you squeeze into the small eating area and sit elbow to elbow with strangers.
“It’s Monday, it’s cold and you got up late so had no time to prepare a lunch. That’s okay because M&D Japanese are there for your Monday blues comfort food. With amazing noodle dishes with a spicy kick to katsu curries, yakisoba and sushi you’ll soon be looking forward to every Monday!” – Ian, Managing Director
What to Do
To be completely honest much of our activity in Deptford revolves around eating and drinking, but there’s some stand out things we love to do regularly on our lunch breaks and after work. Need the complete set of James Bond films on VHS? Head to Deptford Market. Not to be confused with the regenerated Deptford Market Yard area around the station, Deptford Market is the best kind of bric-a-brac market you’ll find anywhere in London, as well as fresh fruit and veg, clothes, fresh fish and hot food vendors. Only on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays we’ll always come back to the brewery with a new mug, photo frame, bag of £1 bowl fruit or a Christmas jumper (only ever Sam).
Every Wednesday Little Faith hold their Strange Brew Comedy night from 7:30pm. Free-admission and different comedians each week it’s a great way to tackle mid-week blues. It’s always pretty busy so get there early to nab a good seat. Every Thursday, it’s worth getting to Villages’ taproom for their weekly pub quiz at 7:30pm. Ran by Joe, the questions are often weird and difficult but it’s great fun (blind tasting crisp round, paper aeroplane round for example). For a long time Lewisham was one of the 2 only boroughs in London not to have a cinema, so Deptford Cinema is a community-led not-for-profit organisation that was set up to bring cinema and arts to the community. The 39 seat venue regularly shows regular screenings, encouraging independent and interesting cinema based on what the community wants to watch. Deptford Cinema is also a venue that hosts films as part of the annual New Cross and Deptford Free Film Festival (NXDFFF) which, in its 7th year, is a free neighbourhood festival that takes over cafes, libraries, pubs, churches etc to show films and encourage community involvement through film. We’ve been delighted to host the opening night at the brewery for the last 2 years and can’t wait to join in again next year!
Let us know your favourite place in Deptford or if this has made you want to make a trip! Our 6th birthday party is on Saturday 7th December at our Taproom in Peckham, more details on what we have planned here. Free entry, Midday to 1am, DJ from 7pm and loads of other things going on… everyone welcome!
Celebrating 6 Years of Brick Brewery: Our Collaborations
Celebrating 6 Years of Brick Brewery: Our Collaborations
Continuing our celebration of 6 years of Brick Brewery in the lead up to our birthday party on Saturday 7th December, this week we are looking back on the collaborations we’ve been part of over the years and led us to exciting endeavours that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise!
Collaborations are so commonplace nowadays with a new collaboration release out every week, epitomising the industry’s desire for sharing ideas, innovation and experimentation. Brick first dipped into collaboration beers in July 2017 with the release of Melange Imperial Stout, a collaboration with Peckham-based Melange chocolatier. They Using their dark chocolate cocoa nibs along with 7 malts and vanilla pods for a creamy and rich mouthfeel, plus a wrapped square of chocolate around the neck of the 660ml bottle.
Since then we have released 18 collaboration beers, plus collaborated with 7 breweries at their sites. With each collaboration, our aim is to push our own creative and brewing boundaries by releasing a style we might not have previously, using a new ingredient or collaborating with a different trade to combine their knowledge to produce an innovative final product that we all want to drink! We’d had on the brewing wish list to explore jerk smoking techniques and flavours within a beer for a while, so when we collaborated with 1251 Restaurant in November 2018 we used owner and Head Chef James Cochran’s we used James’ knowledge of Jamaican flavours to create a Jerk Spiced Stout using his famous secret jerk spice blend and smoked malt that James took to Whitstable, where he grew up, to smoke in a traditional smokehouse. The result was a subtly smokey, mildly spiced but full-bodied stout with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and sweet scotch bonnet, encapsulating each collaborator’s heritage and expertise to create something unique yet big on flavour.
This mantra to collaborate on beers that are more experimental and fun has continued throughout many of our collaborations. When we went over to The Garden Brewery in November 2018 to brew a Rosehip and Wild Sorrel Sour, Pete foraged the ingredients with The Garden team from the woodlands around Slijeme for a truly Croatian-centric beer.
Another great example; our Combined Harvest brewed in collaboration with Hawkes Cider. The Brut Graff, a hybrid between beer and cider, was made using 1.5 tonnes worth of Braeburn apple juice which Hawkes brought along to the brew day and was added to the whirlpool and then co-fermented with their house yeast and London Fog Ale yeast to create a beer that is super dry with hints of sweet spice and gentle cider tartness from the Braeburn apple juice. This release challenged some tasting notes… was it a beery cider? A cidery beer? As shown so eloquently on Untappd by some drinkers; “Like a London farmyard snakebite”. It split opinion but definitely challenged our knowledge and shifted our comfort zone.
2019 saw us approach some collaborations with breweries in a slightly different way by creating opportunities to add a charity and fundraising element to our collaborative projects. When we started putting together ideas for our 3 Peaks Challenge Collaboration Beers at the start of the year, being able to give something back to each community was an important part of the planning process. Born from our love of escaping London for the countryside and fresh air whenever we can, pushing our boundaries and collaborating with like-minded breweries we collaborated with 3 breweries all located within close proximity of the 3 highest peaks in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon). Those 3 breweries were Fallen Brewing, Hawkshead Brewery and Wild Horse Brewing. Breweries of different sizes, locations and brewing styles but like-minded all the same, the 3 beers were inspired by each peak. Released in 440ml cans for the first time, a % of sale was donated to each collaborative brewery’s chosen charity; Start Up Stirling, Fix The Fells, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation and Peckham Platform. Alongside these 3 Peaks inspired beers, we completed the 3 Peaks Challenge itself on 14th July 2019, with at least 1 member from each brewery taking part as we climbed all 3 peaks in 24 hours. We had so much fun collaborating all together to create 3 very special beers, travelling to new places and generally being inspired by the stunning surroundings these breweries are situated. Read more about that collaborative project here.
Our charity and fundraising-focussed collaborations have continued in 2019, with releasing Preferred Pronouns in collaboration with The Queer Brewing Project for the official London Craft Beer Festival beer, with 10% of sales going to Galop; the UK’s largest LGBTQ anti-violence charity. Our involvement in The Skyline Project, which saw us collaborate with Brooklyn-based KCBC to release Boysen Was The Cure, an Imperial Sour, contributed to £1 from each box being donated to Trees for Cities.
Our collaboration beers brewed at our site also gives opportunity to work with a new local artist for each label design. The most ‘free’ of all our beer labels, our collaboration labels gives each artist a lot of freedom to interpret the beer in their own unique way and showcasing their artistic style. This freedom has seen our collaborations go further than just creating the beer, with the label design being produced by our collaborators also. For our ‘Je Ne Saison Quoi’ Apricot Sour Saison release with Clapton Craft Forest Hill, then-manager Ben Weetman used his graphic design skills to translate the summer holiday inspiration with fun graphics and heady, summery colours onto the label. Lily of The Queer Brewing Project is also a talented artist who transformed a digital painting of hers, in a project exploring gender through art, from when she was a student at Camberwell College of Arts into a vibrant label design.
All of these collaborations over the years have set us new challenges, taken us to different parts of the world and made some great new friends. A big thanks to everyone who has collaborated with us over the years, these beers and projects have been a real highlight of our journey so far. We have big plans for 2020 and can’t wait to play host to some amazing new breweries, visit new places and brew even more beers. Stay tuned! What’s been your favourite collaboration we’ve done?
Our 6th birthday party is on Saturday 7th December at our Taproom in Peckham, more details on what we have planned here. Free entry, everyone welcome!
Celebrating 6 Years of Brick Brewery: Our Taproom
Celebrating 6 Years of Brick Brewery: Our Taproom
Continuing our celebration of 6 years of Brick Brewery in the lead up to our birthday party on Saturday 7th December, this week we are looking back on the many chapters that have made up our beloved Taproom (and of course original brewing site) in Peckham.
Transforming the small arch way under Peckham Rye station into a commercial brewery in 2013 soon also turned into the perfect site for Ian to test out his latest brews on the public and get immediate feedback. The spare space in the brewery was filled with a small bar, benches and malt sacks for seating and the original Taproom was born!
However, by April 2015 the brewery had expanded to fit in 3 more 30HL tanks (followed by 4 x 16HL in July 2016) and there was no more room for the bar so it went the only place it could… outside! Ian took delivery of a bright red shipping container and built an outside seating area from pallets… and of course who can forget (as much as we try!) the urinals made from old kegs. A surprising amount of you regularly reminisce fondly to us about those keg urinals, by the way… you strange bunch! It was all a bit rough around the edges, but it was cosy and busier than ever.
Fast forward to the beginning of 2017 we were at full brewing capacity with no space left unused in the brewery. By October 2017 we had begun our transition over to our new, much bigger, production site in Deptford.
Taking most of the equipment with us left us with all the space for a new bar space, indoor seating, sheltered outside space, improved accessibility and proper toilets! A month long renovation at the start of 2018 transformed the arch into the Taproom it is now…
We now have 22 lines, allowing us to have a great range of our Foundation Range permanently pouring, all of our latest specials and putting on beers from our favourite breweries. Our dedicated exhibition wall invites different local artists and creatives to display their work for 2-3 months on a rotating residency. We love having the freedom and opportunity to use the Taproom to test our small-batch and experiemential brews (anyone remember Rhubarb and Custard Sour?!), as well as hosting free and open tasting sessions for every new beer on our Friday launch nights.
Of course, we can’t reminisce about the Taproom’s various changes in the past 6 years without mentioning Slow Richie’s. We first met brothers Alex and Richie in summer 2015 when they took on the outside kitchen residency, serving up their infamous beef burgers topped with their homemade hot sauces, and they’ve been with us ever since! Taking over our red shipping container when we renovated meant they could make themselves more at home and in March 2019 transitioned to juicy pulled pork buns and given their hot sauces a fresh rebrand.
The Taproom has seen a lot of changes over the past 6 years but one thing that remains is our amazing customers. This celebration is dedicated to every single one of our customers; the loyal ones who have been around since Day 1 and continued to enjoy our beer as we have grown, the ones who come in for that much-needed pint of Peckham Pils on the commute home, the ones who come in for Slow Richie’s and get a beer simply to wash it down with, and the ones who come in thinking we are Peckham Springs/Bar Story and can’t be bothered to walk across 20 feet quite yet. And everyone else in between… you’re all fantastic! Thanks to all and hope you continue to enjoy the Taproom way into the future as much as we do.
Our 6th birthday party is on Saturday 7th December at our Taproom in Peckham so keep your eyes peeled on our social media for more details on that soon…
Celebrating 6 Years of Brick Brewery: Our Artists
A Celebration of Our Artists
It is our 6th birthday this December! In the build up to our Taproom birthday party on Saturday 7th December (more on that soon!) each week we will be celebrating a different significant aspect of Brick’s journey so far over the next 6 weeks. First up, Our Artists.
It all started in August 2017 with our Rhubarb Sour and our first Sour Series label artist Iris Loi. Not only did this beer kick off our Sour Series, now a key feature in our range of beers which sees a new kettle sour beer release every 4 – 6 weeks, Rhubarb Sour was the first special beer we canned so launched the practice of working with local artists to create the vibrant, eye-catching designs our one-off small pack labels always feature. Our many specials, the Sour Series in particular, has been a pivotal enterprise within our 6-year history and working with these artists has been a key part of this so it only made sense to celebrate the their talent and contributions!
Since August 2017 we have released 42 one-off beers within our Sour Series, collaborations and other one-off specials. Alongside these beers, we have had the pleasure of working with 17 graphic designers, illustrators and creatives to design labels for these beers. Being based in South East London we are priviledged to have a wealth of creative talent on our doorstep thanks to Camberwell College of Arts, London College of Communication and Goldsmiths University as well as South East London generally being a hub for counterculture art, creative spaces and energy. Luke Merryweather, who has designed many of our labels including the Indian Trilogy in January 2018, also runs the Art Hub Studios in Deptford which has been in Deptford and Woolwich for over 30 years and is an integral part of the South East London artist community. Also Lily Waite, who we collaborated with The Queer Brewing Project for Preferred Pronouns, is also a talented artist who transformed a digital painting of hers from when she was student at Camberwell College of Arts into a vibrant label design.
Working with different creatives, often freelance and/or graduates of our surrounding Universities, has allowed our labels to be a canvas for showcasing their individual artistic style, with the ingredients, flavours, colours and inspiration of the beer dictating the design and we love seeing how each individual inteprets our briefs.
So, as we near 6 years old, we celebrate and thank the creative talent we have worked with so far:
Iris Loi
Custhom Design
Luke Merryweather
Luke Bedford
Lauren Vaughan
Danielle-Louise Watt
Jessica Partridge
Ted Low
Mathilda Della Torre
Karthik Sowbaghyanathan
Dan Chapman
Jon Schwochert
Lily Waite
Gisela Navarro
Tor Ewen
We’re always looking to expand our portfolio of artists so if you’re a creative and would like to work with us please drop an email to nadia@brickbrewery.co.uk with examples of your work and we may be in touch.
Our 6th birthday party is on Saturday 7th December at our Taproom in Peckham so keep your eyes peeled on our social media for more details on that soon…
New Taproom Exhibition: Helen Johannessen Ceramics
Textures of Time
Last week we welcomed a new exhibition to our Taproom wall. Curated by Helen Johannesen, a local ceramist, the wall installation pieces showcase how she explores solidifying liquid clay through casting, mark making with coloured slip clay using screen printing or other methods that all contribute to the on going development of her work. The pieces displayed make up an installation called Textures of Time, evoking a sense of place or journey. It’s so fun having another different medium on the wall, Helen’s pieces truly change throughout the day depending on how the light is hitting them through the window and we encourage you to get up close to fully appreciate the intricacies and detail of each piece… just no touching, please!
We sat down with Helen to find out a bit more about her and her work…
Helen, tell us a bit about yourself…
I graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2017 with a Masters in Ceramics & Glass and was then awarded a scholarship to study in Konstfack Art School Stockholm in 2018. This year I have received the Zsuzsi Roboz Schlolarship at Morley College where I will be developing new work for a gallery installation exhibition in September 2020. Previously I ran a ceramic design business Yoyo Ceramics for 15 years. I’ve lived in Peckham for 8 years now, I have a studio at Cockpit Arts, Holborn so it’s a bike ride through the park and over the bridge.
What is your background and where did you grow up?
I was born in Croydon, my father is Norwegian and my mother was born in Bow and brought up in the Isle of Dogs – so two contrasting backgrounds! As a family, we then moved all around the U.K; the West Country, the east and the Midlands before I settled back in London 1991 when I studied at Middlesex University Ceramic BAHons. I’ve worked in the film industry as a model maker and have taught creative subjects in Universities since 1999 part time.
What does a typical day look like for you…
I have no fixed routine really, other than when I teach. I enjoy being a free spirit and changing my plans of a day or having them changed because that’s how life can be. It’s the benefits of working for yourself. I’ll probably either hop on my bike to my studio or to teach, or walk to gain a different perspective on life and slow the pace down a bit – London can feel a bit frenetic for me sometimes it’s its’ charm – and occasional drawback if you’re not in the mood for it!
How do you like to work?
I share my studio space which I enjoy, if I worked on my own I’d probably never switch off! I enjoy the sociability and community nature of my studios. Despite my work being usually clean lined and minimal, I work in a bit of a chaotic state, ceramics is messy and I am too . Weirdly, I like it that way, if everything is in its place I feel distant from it. My mind whirs best in an energetic surrounding.
What/who inspires you and your work?
I’ve always admired Brigit Riley and her ability to displace you with her paintings. The huge ceramic of Jun Kaneko for their graphic and sculptural qualities. I enjoy light and the natural shift throughout the day, especially on the bridges when I cycle over them.
Where or what is your favourite spot in South East London?
Always a view, so up a hill or Franks rooftop bar, I enjoy the the varying views around Peckham and Camberwell, just dipping down streets and seeing all the amazing buildings and architecture. The South London Gallery is also a lovely place to visit regularly, having fun exhibits on.
Helen’s work will be displayed until mid-October.
See more of her work here: helenjohannessen.co.uk and helenjohceramics
Preferred Pronouns, 4.2%
Preferred Pronouns, 4.2%
Preferred Pronouns, a Sour New England Pale Ale, is our latest collaboration brewed with The Queer Brewing Project. It’s also the official beer of London Craft Beer Festival, which kicks off this Friday 9th August.
A Sour New England Pale Ale, this is a beer for fans of hazy, juicy pales and fans of tart, fruity sours. Using a brewing technique called back-souring, by separately brewing a New England Pale Ale and base kettle sour, and then blending them together we have had complete control over the level of acidity and overall balance of the beer. It’s heavy with tropical fruitiness and extremely refreshing from the slight tartness to lift the juiciness and add a bit of bite. At 4.2% it’s the ultimate tangy, fruity refreshment needed for the summer beer festival!
Preferred Pronouns also showcases a hop called Strata. Straight from Oregon, US; it brings layered notes of tropical fruit including; mango, passion fruit, fresh berry, and some citrus in the form of grapefruit. Along with this comes a dank herbal note. A fairly new hop into the market, we’re very excited to be the first brewery in the UK to commercially use the hop in a beer. The Strata hops are complemented and supported by Vic Secret and Citra which add to the dank and citrus notes.
Launch Event
We will be launching and pouring Preferred Pronouns for the first time this Wednesday 7th August at Mother Kelly’s Bethnal Green. We will be joining Lily in an evening of enjoying the beer, giving away some cans and merchandise, as well as a free tasting of the beer at 6pm with Lily and our Head Brewer, Pete. We will also be welcoming a representative from Galop, who will talk a bit more about the charity and the incredible work they do across the UK. Check out the Facebook event for the beer launch here.
From the name and artwork, to the final outcome of the beer every element of Preferred Pronouns has been a true collaboration of people, ideas and talents. Below is a contribution from Lily, founder of The Queer Brewing Project, which explains this further.
A word from Lily…
I was incredibly honoured to be asked by Greg, co-founder, of the London Craft Beer Festival, to brew the official beer of this year’s festival. Having already been in conversation with the lovely Brick Brewery, it made complete sense to bring them into this three-way collaboration.
Preferred Pronouns is already a beer that means a lot to me. From the reason it was brewed, to the vital work that it supports—Galop are the UK’s largest LGBTQ anti-violence charity, to the beer itself, it’s a beer heaped with meaning.
We asked our followers on social media to help us name the beer, and though we loved the frankly vast number of puns in the suggestions, one in particular stood out: Preferred Pronouns. Pronouns, whilst oft overlooked by many people outside of the LGBTQ community, are incredibly important, especially to those whose gender isn’t the same as assigned at birth, trans and non-binary people. Whether they use he, she, they, or other pronouns, asking someone their preferred pronouns is an important sign of respect and consideration, especially when using the wrong one can cause so much harm. The Queer Brewing Project is as much a conversation-starter as it is a fund-raiser, so using a beer that will have a wide reach, as well as a platform at the country’s leading craft beer festival, to raise the topic of pronouns, is a wonderful thing.
Given that pronouns exist in both binary and non-binary formats (see those listed above), the artwork for this beer is a jumbled mix of the two. The label artwork comes from a digital painting I did whilst at art school (in nearby Camberwell), and comes from a period in my creative practice when I was exploring what gender meant to me through visual art. Originally in pink and blue, I tweaked the colours of the piece to fit with the tropical flavours of Preferred Pronouns, resulting in the summery blast of colour you see on the can. The label represents the beer, too: two distinct entities meeting and blurring together in an explosive, expressive manner; tropical, juicy NE Pale, and zingy kettle sour, merging to become something new.
Preferred Pronouns will be pouring across every session on our bar at London Craft Beer Festival… come say hi!
The 330ml cans will be available from our webshop later this week.
Peckham Session, 4.2%
The newest addition to our Framing Range of beers, Peckham Session is back in stock this week after the first release flew out back in May. A 4.2% Session IPA, we wanted to create a light and easy-going IPA and just the beer we want to sessionably drink after a long, hot day in the brewery or cracking open on Peckham Rye. Talking a bit more about the beer is our Lead Brewer, Tom, as we continue to refine and improve on each release of Peckham Session…
“With Peckham Session we wanted to brew something heady yet balanced, showcasing new season Simcoe. With our hop allocation for this year we have split all of our varietals between Cryo and T-90 pellets. In this beer we use both to bring out maximum fruit as well as the classic necessary savoury dankness. Backed-up by Citra in the whirl; we’re aiming for a classic, resinous US hop character.
Besides the hop-focus, our yeast for Peckham Session is unique. We decided to bring in a second house ale strain that ferments thoroughly at a leisurely rate whilst kicking out massive pineapple esters. We like to give this beer an extended maturation to ensure all of those intense aromatics are stabile in the right places. This should leave you with a huge whack of fruit bowl deliciousness and a clean finish.” – Tom
We’re really happy with the second brew of Peckham Session (packaged last week and out now) and after a few more tweaks on the water profile batch three is bubbling away.”
Get Peckham Session from our online shop here.
3 Peaks Challenge Collaboration 2019
After months of planning, training and travelling up and down the country to breweries tucked away in hills of Wales, Lake District and Scotland, we are so excited to announce the launch of our 3 Peaks Challenge Collaboration project.
Born from our love of escaping South East London for the countryside and fresh air whenever we can, pushing boundaries and collaborating with like-minded breweries… we have collaborated with 3 breweries all located within close proximity to the 3 highest peaks in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon). Those 3 breweries are Fallen Brewing , Hawkshead Brewery and Wild Horse Brewing Co. Ian said about the conception of the collaboration: “We love the areas in which the challenge takes place, and have long admired the work of some of the local breweries there. It was a no-brainer to team up with like-minded beer folk and concoct this series, inspired by the three peaks.”
Staying true to form with all our special releases, we have worked with local artists from around each Peak to create 3 stunning label designs that relate back to each Peak and the beer inside. Released in 440ml cans, a percentage of each sale will be donated to the breweries’ chosen charities. Allow us to introduce each beer…
Starting on Heaven, Session Helles 3.8%
Brewed in collaboration with Fallen Brewing. Inspired by that first blissful sip of a pint straight after a long hike, safe in the shelter of a warm and cosy pub, we’ve created a light and crisp Session Helles with Fallen Brewing. Super light, sessionable and approachable German-style Helles lager using Weyermann malt, its refreshing body has an added depth of citrus flavour from dry-hopping with Mandarina Bavaria and Idaho 7. Named ‘Starting on Heaven’ as our challenge begins at Ben Nevis, Gaelic translation: Mountain of Heaven. Artwork by Zain Kapasi and LemonTop Creative.
A percentage of proceeds from the sale of these cans will go to Start Up Stirling, a charity project focussed on relieving poverty, suffering and distress of people on crisis across Stirlingshire.
Scroggin’, Imperial Stout 10.0%
Brewed in collaboration with Hawkshead Brewery. Inspired by ‘scroggin’; a mixture of dried fruit, nuts, and other food eaten as a snack by hikers and typically known as scroggin in New Zealand, we used these elements and ingredients of the snack to create a deep and rich Imperial Stout. Flavours of chocolate, nuts, raisin will be apparent from fruity crystal malt, cacao nibs, pecans and peanuts with the addition of lactose to create a decadent and creamy mouthfeel to complement the high ABV and rich ingredients. Artwork by Bethan Thorsby.
A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these cans will go to Fix the Fells, a Lake District maintenance and preservation charity looking after the area’s mountain paths and landscape.
Summit Fever, East Coast IPA 6.7%
Brewed in collaboration with Wild Horse Brewing Co. The perfect beer to kick back and celebrate after conquering Wales’ highest peak, we headed to Llandudno to brew an East Coast IPA. The punchiness of Mosaic and El Dorado hops were combined with the heavily citrus and wine-like characteristics of Motueka and Nelson Sauvin, perfectly balanced by the soft fruit esters of London Ale III yeast. Artwork by Lee Owen and More Than Equal Studio.
A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these cans will go to Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, operating to assist those in difficulty in the area surrounding Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia, Wales and are completely volunteer-led.
The 3 Peaks Challenge
Not stopping there, we’ve taken the collaboration one step further and will be undertaking the 3 Peaks Challenge itself next Saturday 13th July! Starting at Ben Nevis and ending at Snowdon, we’ll be attempting to climb all 3 peaks in 24 hours. We’ve been training hard, and are very much looking forward to celebrating each summit with cracking open each beer to enjoy (especially the Scroggin’ Imperial Stout at the top of Scafell Pike on Saturday evening!). We’ve had so much fun collaborating to create 3 very special beers, travelling to new places and generally being inspired by the stunning surroundings these breweries are situated.
We will, of course, be heavily documenting our challenge across our social media from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon so please tune in and keep us going!
Launch Events
We will be officially launching these beers at our Taproom on Saturday 13th July… whilst we are halfway through our challenge, gasping for a beer and rest in a cosy pub, you can enjoy all 3 beers pouring at the Taproom from 12pm. We will also be holding 2 FREE tasting sessions throughout the day at 3pm and 5pm where you can try all 3 beers in a tasting session and Q&A led by one of our brewers. Find out more about each beer’s journey and get a generous tasting measure of each.
No rest for the wicked, straight after we finish at Snowdon on Sunday morning a bunch of the challenge team will be heading to Jack in the Box at Mackie Mayor, Manchester for a well-deserved few beers and Tap Takeover. Brick, Wild Horse, Hawkshead and Fallen will be taking over their keg and cask lines and will include a keg of each of the collaboration beers. We will be there from 2pm so please come along, chat to the brewers and share a drink with us as we celebrate our achievement!
More details to come soon on where you can get hold of the cans where you are!