Blackhorse Rides Again - in E17 and N17 with my Passport (28 June 2026)

As a South London boy, I have always been more likely to feel the magnetic pull of Bermondsey than that of the Blackhorse Road.  This inclination was reinforced when I was there for their anniversary celebration last year. The fact that Exale was temporarily closed because of plumbing issues was unfortunate.  The two empty spaces that had previously been occupied by Hackney and Wild Card (sob) further dampened the mood.

It was, as is often in the case, my Beer Passport which prompted me to give it another try.  There were new venues, which suggested a vibrant recovery.  That plus the fact that two of my kids can now be found in that part of the world.

Let me describe this part of town for those who have not seen it before and are thinking of giving it a go.  It is very different in vibe from Bermondsey.  You exit Blackhorse Road Station onto the big road junction and find Blackhorse Lane (if you pass Yasar’s Kitchen on the right and Mannequin House student accommodation on your left, you are on the right track).  Then you walk up the main road that is Blackhorse Lane and you find the beer action through two different roads leading into industrial estates to your left.  Go past the inimitably named “Hookers Road” and you are approaching Blackhorse Beer South.  Hackney Church taproom is on the main road to the left.  Then turn into Priestley Way which leads to the excellent Big Penny Social (not in the Passport but a great space with a good selection of beer, and scene of my “Oscar Ceremony” when I was nominated for a Guild of British Beer Writers Award in 2024).  Follow the road round and you find Signature, Pretty Decent and Exale in close proximity.  Back on the main road, continue north until you get to the Blackhorse Beer North that is Lockwood Way, with East London on your left and 40FT opposite on your right.

There are also a couple of wineries (I have to say that when it comes to wine I am more inclined to get a brilliant supermarket bottle for a tenner than to pay almost that for a glass of something orange from Renegade Urban Winery - but you may disagree). And Burnt Faith English Brandy House, which I do like very much indeed - the bottles are as beautiful as the contents.

This is hardcore industrial estate territory.  Which I don’t mind - it conditions my brain to believe that when the show is like this, the substance must be great.  I wouldn’t want to be wandering around there by myself in the dark, but on a sunny Sunday afternoon it is fine.  The punters are quite spread out, although crowds do gather around Signature in particular for the live music that it regularly hosts.  I was about to tell you confidently that it is more spread out than Bermondsey because it feels that way, but actually a quick glance at a (Google) map tells me that this is not so - it is only half a mile from 40FT to Hackney Church.

Opening times are better than Bermondsey - do check before travelling, but a few of the venues (not Exale or Hackney Church) are open seven days and everything is open Thursday-Sunday.

Anyway, I was reunited with two of my offspring in the Blackhorse Workshop Cafe, just off the main road to the right,  to fuel up before starting to explore.  I have to say that it was the best fried eggs on toast I had ever tasted, and no I am not being sarky.  My daughter, a busy teacher, had to leave us to go and do teacher things, leaving my son and I to start our assault.

Hackney Church

Cranachan honey beer

St Clements Weisse

Exodus hazy pale

Son of a Nutcracker maple syrup, chocolate and M&M pastry stout 
So we began at Hackney Church, founded in 2018 by a group of people linked to St John’s Church Hackney.  I had visited their Hackney taproom last year and been struck by their inventiveness.  They have, as of early this year, relocated production to Blackhorse where they have a bigger space.  The (in)famous Gazpacho Gose was, sadly, off.  But we enjoyed four halves for the price of two with the Passport.  These were a combination of the sensible and the outlandish.  You have to really know what you are doing if you are making something like “Nutcracker”, and they do.

East London

Cowcatcher APA

Quadrant Oatmeal Stout
I decided to stick with the new places.  Nothing against Exale, Signature or Pretty Decent, but there is only so much beer a man can drink in one day, and I have spent a good few hours in that part of Blackhorse before.  So we walked up to the north end and found East London - they have been going in Leyton since 2011 and recently occupied the space vacated by Wild Card.  My son was intrigued to taste an APA (I see it is described online as the “younger cousin of IPA” - a bit lighter and less hoppy).  For the other half of our BOGOF offer, I mused out loud that it was a slightly warm afternoon for a stout, but mine enthusiastic host persuaded me to give it a try, and I am glad I did.  Excellent quality.

40FT

Jam raspberry sour

Rewind west coast IPA

At this point, I noticed that 40FT just across the way had a big screen showing the cricket.  So I suggested that we grab our next two halves over there.  We like a sour (and “Jam” is my son’s nickname).  But it was the westie that made the impression on me - 6%, not overpowering hoppy but a great flavour.  A good westie is hard to find.

(At one point Ben Stokes took a wicket and the England team went slightly more beserk than the normal level of sycophancy shown when your captain does something good - I must find out what was going on there…) 

My son suggested that a better way of getting home would be the scenic route through Walthamstow Marshes to Tottenham Hale station.  It was a lovely walk, and I would highly recommend it after an afternoon around Blackhorse.  My son is a plant expert, and he pointed out some wild hops along the way.  

The thing about going to Tottenham Hale was that it took me close to one of the final items on my bucket list of new Passport venues for 2026.

Pressure Drop

Bosko West Coast IPA

King, Queen, Knave New England Hazy

Clematis New England Pale

The Gradients New England Pale

These guys (named after the Toots and the Maytals song of that name) have been going since 2013 but are new to the Passport this year.  This was a lovely end to the day.  Partly because they had a petanque court (I won.  One day my son will take my place as king.  But not today…).  Partly because it was another industrial estate venue with really well crafted beer.  Hackney Church wins the day’s prize for big ideas and flair; these guys take it for the beautifully composed subtle variations.  For example, Bosko and King / Queen / Knave had the same hop mix, but the wonders of dry hopping were indeed wondrous to behold.

Being in this part of the world prompts me to give a shout out to Redemption - another excellent brewery recently sadly passed into administration.  While I was hoovering up Passport venues last year, I took a deep breath, girded my loins and visited their Spurs Matchday Taproom, ensuring that all signs of my Gooner-ness were well concealed.  The records show that I sampled their Victoria Strong Mild collab with Kernel - which was an amazing concept that had me quite excited, although my memory tells me that I enjoyed their Fellowship Porter even more.  It almost feels crass to record that this day saw one of Spurs’s many home defeats of last year (3-1 to Fulham).

For completeness

a) my thanks to one of my locals - Sambrooks of Wandsworth - who provided aircon and a big screen for the cricket during the worst of the heat wave.  I tend to associate Sambrooks with the word “nice” as opposed to anything more fulsome, but the Payday Helles really hit the spot on a fiercely hot day

b) with a short time to kill today before an appointment, I took refuge in the Gladstone Arms, famed “Desi pub” near Borough.  Lovely White Rhino Indian pale ale (as in pale ale from India, not IPA).  I shall return.

c) as a Brewdog “Punk Who No Longer Has Equity”,  I have been offered a complimentary shareholding in Second Best Beer, the latest venture of James Watt.

All reminders of Cap'n Watt remind me of a quote from a famous staff report on an Army officer: “his men would follow him anywhere, if only out of morbid curiosity”.