East End Craft Brewery Tour

East London’s craft beer scene is best understood one taproom at a time, and this four-stop brewery walk gives you a clear route through it. Starting at The Five Points in Hackney, you move through Forest Road and Hackney Church Brew before finishing at Deviant & Dandy.

I like the mix of beer tasting and practical tuition, especially the focus on how to taste beer and spot flavour notes. I also like the small-group limit of 20, plus the fact that each brewery gives you a proper drink rather than one token sip.

The main thing to consider is the pace. Four stops at about 45 minutes each makes for a full evening, and the tour involves moving between venues. You will get more from it if you enjoy walking, conversation, and learning as much as drinking.

Key points to know before booking

• Four East London breweries: Visit The Five Points, Forest Road, Hackney Church Brew, and Deviant & Dandy.
• Paul leads the experience: He explains brewing, beer styles, tasting technique, and London’s changing beer scene in an easygoing way.
• One included drink at each stop: Choose a half pint or 2/3 pint of beer, or a soft drink, at the first three breweries. Deviant & Dandy offers fresh lagers, pales, and sours.
• A social evening, not a brewery-floor tour: The focus is on taprooms, beer tasting, and discussion rather than a detailed production-room visit.
• Convenient East London route: Start at The Five Points Taproom on Mare Street at 6 pm and finish at Deviant & Dandy, with directions to Hackney Central afterward.
• Small enough for conversation: The maximum group size is 20, and the experience is offered in English with a mobile ticket.

Four breweries, one East London beer story

The tour takes place in an area where brewery taprooms, railway arches, and local bars have helped reshape the East End’s drinking scene. Instead of spending the whole night in one pub with a familiar beer list, you get to compare four producers in their own spaces.

That comparison is the real value. A pale ale can taste very different from one brewery to the next, and the same is true of lagers, sour beers, and darker styles. Paul’s role is to help you notice those differences rather than simply hand you another glass.

Previous tours led by Paul have covered beer history, brewing methods, ingredients, and correct tasting technique. You might learn why a beer produces a certain aroma, how its foam is formed, or how the brewing process affects the final taste. His style is warm and informal, more like a well-informed evening with a friend than a formal lecture.

The route lasts about three to four hours. Each named stop is planned for roughly 45 minutes, so you have enough time to taste, ask questions, and get a feel for the place without settling in for a full meal at every venue.

Stop one: The Five Points Taproom on Mare Street

The tour begins at The Five Points Taproom & Courtyard, at 61 Mare Street, London E8 4RG. The 6 pm start gives you a useful early-evening meeting time, especially if you are arranging dinner or another activity later.

You receive a half pint or 2/3 pint of beer here, with a soft drink available instead. That choice matters if you are joining for the brewing side rather than the alcohol. It also lets you pace yourself from the beginning, which is sensible when three more breweries follow.

The Five Points stop sets up the evening. It is a good place to ask Paul about the basics of tasting before the route gathers speed. Focus on smell first, then flavour, mouthfeel, bitterness, sweetness, acidity, and the finish. You do not need to arrive with expert beer vocabulary. The point is to learn how to pay attention.

Allow about 45 minutes here. The tour description does not promise a full behind-the-scenes brewery visit, so you should think of this as a taproom tasting and teaching stop rather than a production tour. If you want machinery, tanks, and a detailed look at the brewing floor, this may feel less technical than expected.

Stop two: Forest Road Brewing Co. Taproom and Bar

The second stop is Forest Road Brewing Co. Taproom & Bar. Again, a half pint or 2/3 pint of beer, or a soft drink, is included.

This is where the side-by-side comparison starts to become useful. You have already had one brewery’s approach, and now you can think about how another producer handles body, bitterness, aroma, carbonation, and balance. Paul’s explanations are particularly helpful for people who usually judge beer with a quick like or dislike and want to understand why.

The setting is also part of the appeal. A taproom gives you a closer connection to the brewery than a standard pub usually can. You are drinking in a place tied to the producer, with the range presented as part of that brewery’s identity.

Keep your expectations sensible. The tour does not state that every beer available at the bar is included, so the included serving is the half pint or 2/3 pint choice. If you want additional pours, ask about the arrangements on the night rather than assuming they are covered.

Stop three: Hackney Church Brew

Hackney Church Brew is the third stop, with another included half pint or 2/3 pint of beer, or a soft drink. By this point, the value of the guided format becomes clear. You are not only collecting drinks. You are building a set of comparisons across different breweries.

Paul has been praised for explaining the evolution of beer in London and for making the science behind the pint understandable. That makes this stop useful for both beginners and regular beer drinkers. If you know little about brewing, you can ask basic questions without feeling out of place. If you already drink craft beer, you can use the stop to sharpen your tasting skills and try styles outside your usual order.

You may also appreciate the rhythm here. Forty-five minutes is long enough for conversation, but short enough to prevent the evening from becoming stuck in one venue. The trade-off is that you cannot linger indefinitely if you find a favourite taproom.

The supplied details do not specify the exact beer styles served at Hackney Church Brew on a given date. Beer lists change, so treat Paul’s guidance as more reliable than expecting a particular named pint.

Stop four: Deviant & Dandy’s courtyard finish

The final stop is Deviant & Dandy Brewery, at 185 Nursery Road, London E9 6PB. Its taproom sits in an old courtyard and offers fresh lagers, pales, and sours.

That selection gives the evening a broad finish. Lagers can show clean fermentation and crisp balance. Pale ales bring more hop character. Sours add acidity and a sharper edge. You might find this the most useful stop if you want to compare very different styles in one place.

A courtyard setting can also make the final stop feel less like a classroom and more like a relaxed end to the night. Still, the practical details are worth noting. The information provided does not state a separate included serving for Deviant & Dandy, while the first three stops clearly include one. Ask Paul or the operator how the final tasting is handled before you book if the number of included drinks is important to you.

The official end point is Deviant & Dandy. Afterward, the group is guided to the nearest train station, Hackney Central. That is helpful if you do not know East London well, but you should still check your route home before setting out.

What Paul adds to the evening

A brewery tour can be little more than a sequence of bar stops. Paul’s contribution is what turns this into a learning experience.

He explains the history and development of London beer, the basic brewing process, and how to taste properly. His teaching includes the details many casual drinkers never notice, such as foam production and the role of the beer’s head. He also encourages questions, so you can steer the conversation toward the styles or techniques that interest you.

The tone is not stiff. Paul has been described as personable, entertaining, and easy to spend an evening with. That matters in a small group, where the guide’s attitude shapes the whole experience. A serious beer expert who cannot read the room can make a tasting tiring. The aim here is more relaxed: learn something, try good beer, and enjoy the company.

Noel has also helped Paul on at least one East London tour. The regular guide you should expect is Paul, but the exact guide team may vary, so check your confirmation if a particular leader matters to you.

How much beer do you receive?

At the first three stops, the included serving is a half pint or 2/3 pint of beer, with a soft drink offered as an alternative. Over three venues, that gives you a useful range without forcing you to order a full pint everywhere.

The supplied details do not clearly state the total number of included drinks across all four stops. Deviant & Dandy is described as a brewery with fresh lagers, pales, and sours, but no specific complimentary serving is listed for that venue. I would clarify this before booking if you are comparing the cost with a self-guided pub crawl.

You can also choose soft drinks, which makes the tour workable for someone who is curious about brewing but does not want alcohol. The experience is still built around beer, so non-drinkers should book for the instruction and brewery settings, not for a wide range of non-alcoholic alternatives.

Pace yourself. Four stops in three to four hours is manageable for many people, but the evening is not designed as a quick tasting flight. Eat beforehand or plan food afterward, since no meal is listed as part of the experience.

Is the tour good value?

The tour price is not provided in the information available here, so I cannot judge it against a specific ticket cost. I can tell you what you are paying for beyond the drinks: a planned route, access to four named taprooms, a guide who explains beer in context, and help finding Hackney Central at the end.

That can be worthwhile if you would otherwise spend time working out which breweries to visit and how to connect them. The route also reduces the risk of choosing four venues that feel too similar. Paul’s tasting guidance gives the evening a purpose, rather than leaving you to sample randomly.

A self-guided evening may cost less, especially if you only want one drink at each stop. It may also give you more freedom to stay longer, eat, or order exactly what you want. The guided tour earns its value through the explanations and social element.

With a maximum of 20 people, the group is not guaranteed to be tiny. It should still be more personal than a large coach excursion, but you may need to speak up if you have detailed questions. A smaller group can also make the evening more intimate, as one past booking became a private-feeling experience for three people when others dropped out.

Who will enjoy this East End brewery route?

I would recommend it most strongly if you fit one of these descriptions:

• You enjoy beer but want to understand styles, ingredients, and brewing methods better.
• You are new to craft beer and would like a guide to help you taste without feeling lost.
• You want a social evening in East London rather than a formal museum-style tour.
• You are interested in London’s modern brewing scene and the taprooms where it is made and served.
• You prefer a planned route to researching four breweries yourself.

It may be less suitable if you want a long technical tour inside a working brewery, a full dinner, or complete control over the beer list. The experience is also not ideal for someone who dislikes walking between venues or prefers a single relaxed pub table.

Most people can take part, and service animals are allowed. The tour is near public transport, begins at Five Points, and ends with guidance toward Hackney Central. Confirmation arrives within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability.

Booking and cancellation details worth noting

You receive a mobile ticket, and the tour is offered in English. The maximum group size is 20, so booking confirmation is subject to availability rather than automatic entry.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 6 pm start time for a full refund. Within 24 hours, you cannot receive a refund, and changes made during that period are not accepted. The cut-off uses London local time, so check the clock carefully if you are booking from another time zone.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want four brewery settings plus a guide who can explain what is in your glass. Paul’s strengths are beer tasting, brewing technique, London beer culture, and creating an easy social mood. That combination gives the evening more shape than a normal bar crawl.

Think twice if your priority is the lowest possible cost, a full meal, or a long behind-the-scenes look at brewing equipment. Also confirm how the final Deviant & Dandy tasting is included before paying if the drink count affects your decision.

For curious drinkers, couples, small groups of friends, and anyone looking for a different East London night out, this is a well-focused choice. The 100 percent recommendation rate from the available feedback supports the idea that the experience delivers what it promises: good beer, useful lessons, and a pleasant route through Hackney.

FAQ

Where does the East End Craft Brewery Tour start?

It starts at The Five Points Taproom & Courtyard, 61 Mare Street, London E8 4RG, UK.

What time does the tour begin?

The tour begins at 6 pm.

Where does the tour finish?

It finishes at Deviant & Dandy Brewery, 185 Nursery Road, London E9 6PB, UK. The group is guided to the nearest train station, Hackney Central.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately three to four hours.

Which breweries are included?

The route includes The Five Points Taproom & Courtyard, Forest Road Brewing Co. Taproom & Bar, Hackney Church Brew, and Deviant & Dandy Brewery.

Is a drink included?

A half pint or 2/3 pint of beer, or a soft drink, is included at The Five Points, Forest Road Brewing Co., and Hackney Church Brew. The supplied details do not clearly state a separate included serving at Deviant & Dandy.

How large is the group?

The activity has a maximum of 20 people.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations and changes made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund.