THE bottle shop
overviewTYPE: The Bottle Shop (BS)
HOOD: Bermondsey (Southwark) STREET: 128 Druid St TRANSIT: Tube Map HOMEPAGE: The Bottle Shop TAPS: Yes FOOD: No |
The Full Pour
This is the part of our London tour where we come to required reading and a strong visitation advisory. First and foremost, it should be said that you should come to The Bottle Shop based entirely on what it has to offer as a stand alone destination. With that statement out of the way, it is also paramount to inform you that the Bermondsey district, encompassing the area where The Bottle Shop resides, will probably offer up one of the better experiences one can possibly have in London. This is not only from a craft beer perspective, even though the options are many, but just as a generally excellent day of wandering about. So it would be advantageous to budget for significant exploration time here, for a variety of reasons, but we'll get to more on that a bit later.
Founded in 2010, The Bottle Shop is a multi-level structure operated by fantastic and kind people. The creative use of old railway arches has become increasingly popular in London, but this one is even more exemplary because it doubles as a gold mine. There are three entities under The Bottle Shop umbrella, with the other two operations in Kent and Margate. For more information on those, go HERE. Getting back to the flagship taproom in Bermondsey, their broad bottle options cover the UK quite well, and the educated staff is happy to talk about what's exciting in the local scene. From an international perspective, this is also the place where you'll find some rarities that one might otherwise think to be unavailable in the London area. In speaking with the staff, this has clearly been the main mission since inception. As a California expat, it was exciting to see the likes of Port, Lost Abbey, Alpine (er, Green Flash), Alesmith, etc. But that's just one state, there are far more US options alongside many tasty options from respectable breweries all around Europe. Are you still with me?
Now let's briefly talk about the Bermondsey district of Southwark, before you ditch this read and head over to The Bottle Shop without finishing. The first thing you'll notice about this fairly trendy area of London is that it is cross-sectioned with elevated railway lines, many of which have been repurposed for various businesses and creative points of interest. While these structures are the results of rapid industrial expansion in the 19th and 20th centuries, this most visible layer really only scratches the surface of a deep history dating back for several centuries. While there are far more extensive guides out there for historical coverage on the Bermondsey area, the two main present-day attractions to be aware of (for your introduction purposes) are the Maltby Street Food Market and the Bermondsey Beer Mile.
The Maltby Street Food Market is an open-air food paradise. It could probably be best described as an eclectic foodie haven, possessing an overwhelming array of options to temp you. The overall vibe is simply perfect for a Saturday or Sunday stroll, which are the only two days of the week it is open. Keeping in theme with other small businesses in the area, most of these food entities are housed underneath the railway arches, with many additional stands lined up and down the street. There are seating areas intertwined with clever little shops, many of which feature home/architectural accents and other trinkets that you had no idea you needed in your life. But you're mainly here for the food, so just know that It's a good idea to stroll through the entire street, before making a final decision. Each area of food specialization can seem better than the last.
And then there is the Bermondsey Beer Mile, a beautiful institution to which The Bottle Shop calls home. If you're not familiar with it, this is why you're most likely going to need to plan for at least one full day in this area. Stay tuned for a much more in-depth post about this beautiful institution here on The Hop Leaves. The initial catalyst for this famed beer mile is The Kernel Brewery (est. 2009), an operation renown for their amazing IPA's, Pale Ales and Stouts. While their Bermondsey location is now only open for bottle takeaway on Saturday's, their overall success and impact to the culture continues to be as contagious as ever. A multitude of new breweries have now set up shop in this section of London. The growing list includes favorites such as: Anspach and Hobday, Brew by Numbers, Fourpure and Southwark to name a few.
Founded in 2010, The Bottle Shop is a multi-level structure operated by fantastic and kind people. The creative use of old railway arches has become increasingly popular in London, but this one is even more exemplary because it doubles as a gold mine. There are three entities under The Bottle Shop umbrella, with the other two operations in Kent and Margate. For more information on those, go HERE. Getting back to the flagship taproom in Bermondsey, their broad bottle options cover the UK quite well, and the educated staff is happy to talk about what's exciting in the local scene. From an international perspective, this is also the place where you'll find some rarities that one might otherwise think to be unavailable in the London area. In speaking with the staff, this has clearly been the main mission since inception. As a California expat, it was exciting to see the likes of Port, Lost Abbey, Alpine (er, Green Flash), Alesmith, etc. But that's just one state, there are far more US options alongside many tasty options from respectable breweries all around Europe. Are you still with me?
Now let's briefly talk about the Bermondsey district of Southwark, before you ditch this read and head over to The Bottle Shop without finishing. The first thing you'll notice about this fairly trendy area of London is that it is cross-sectioned with elevated railway lines, many of which have been repurposed for various businesses and creative points of interest. While these structures are the results of rapid industrial expansion in the 19th and 20th centuries, this most visible layer really only scratches the surface of a deep history dating back for several centuries. While there are far more extensive guides out there for historical coverage on the Bermondsey area, the two main present-day attractions to be aware of (for your introduction purposes) are the Maltby Street Food Market and the Bermondsey Beer Mile.
The Maltby Street Food Market is an open-air food paradise. It could probably be best described as an eclectic foodie haven, possessing an overwhelming array of options to temp you. The overall vibe is simply perfect for a Saturday or Sunday stroll, which are the only two days of the week it is open. Keeping in theme with other small businesses in the area, most of these food entities are housed underneath the railway arches, with many additional stands lined up and down the street. There are seating areas intertwined with clever little shops, many of which feature home/architectural accents and other trinkets that you had no idea you needed in your life. But you're mainly here for the food, so just know that It's a good idea to stroll through the entire street, before making a final decision. Each area of food specialization can seem better than the last.
And then there is the Bermondsey Beer Mile, a beautiful institution to which The Bottle Shop calls home. If you're not familiar with it, this is why you're most likely going to need to plan for at least one full day in this area. Stay tuned for a much more in-depth post about this beautiful institution here on The Hop Leaves. The initial catalyst for this famed beer mile is The Kernel Brewery (est. 2009), an operation renown for their amazing IPA's, Pale Ales and Stouts. While their Bermondsey location is now only open for bottle takeaway on Saturday's, their overall success and impact to the culture continues to be as contagious as ever. A multitude of new breweries have now set up shop in this section of London. The growing list includes favorites such as: Anspach and Hobday, Brew by Numbers, Fourpure and Southwark to name a few.
Why is this on THL?
The Bottle Shop is featured on The Hop Leaves because of their meaningful contribution to the local culture. The fact that it sits beneath an old railway is a rather appropriate metaphor, as it seems to function as a gateway for breweries near, far and wide. With 12 taps, and a collection of 400+ bottle options at the time of this reportage, most brew travelers will be quite satisfied with their range of options. The staff is also responsible for a commending performance, with genuine interest in maximizing your decision at the point of sale. With the added bonus of popping in and out of nearby breweries (literally steps away), you have an excellent resource for getting to know what's what in this hometown of the original IPA.
WHAT'S NEARBY?
(<2k/1.25m)
MORE HOP LEAVES:
The Rake
The Rake