Hammerton Brewery & Taproom

Just what London needs - another craft brewery tucked away in some industrial estate pretending to be Brooklyn circa 2012. The Hammerton Brewery & Taproom in London's Islington follows that tired formula of exposed brick, railway arch aesthetics, and bearded staff who probably homebrew in their bathtubs. At least, that's what I thought before I actually visited the damn place.

Let's talk about finding it first, because that's half the adventure. Wandering down a back alley that smells alternatively of industrial laundry and hot pizza dough, you'll question your life choices at least twice before stumbling upon what turns out to be - and I hate admitting this - a genuinely charming spot that manages to avoid most craft beer clichés.

The thing about Hammerton Brewery & Taproom that really gets under my skin is how they've made it impossible to maintain my professional cynicism. The beer selection rotates frequently enough to keep even the most jaded hop-head interested, with their core range showing the kind of consistency that makes you wonder if they've sold their souls to some brewing deity. Their N1 Pale Ale, in particular, is frustratingly good - the kind of beer that makes you forget you're supposed to be taking notes for a review.

Then there's the pizza situation. Because apparently making excellent beer wasn't enough, they had to go and install a proper wood-fired oven. The audacity of serving legitimately good Neapolitan-style pizza in a brewery taproom is the kind of thing that would make me roll my eyes if I wasn't too busy shoving another slice into my mouth. The dough has that perfect char-spotted bottom that makes authentic pizza nerds weep with joy, and they're not stingy with the toppings either.

The space itself defies expectations. Yes, it's in an industrial unit, but they've managed to create something that feels neither contrived nor uncomfortable. The music selection veers heavily toward what could only be described as "dad rock greatest hits," but somehow it works. It's like they've accidentally created the perfect environment for both serious beer enthusiasts and people who just want somewhere decent to hang out on a Friday night.

What really throws me off is the staff. In an era where craft beer venues often come with a side order of pretension, the team here displays an almost offensive level of genuine friendliness and knowledge. They'll guide you through the tap list without making you feel like an idiot if you can't tell your Brett from your Berliner Weisse.

During quiz nights, which I reluctantly admit are actually entertaining, the place transforms into something approaching a proper community pub, albeit one where the beer selection would make a traditional landlord have a nervous breakdown. The outdoor seating area, while not exactly the Riviera, provides a surprisingly pleasant spot for soaking up whatever sunshine London deigns to offer.

For those who can't make it to the taproom, they offer delivery, though I maintain that beer this good deserves to be enjoyed fresh from the source. Their payment system has dragged itself into the 21st century, accepting everything from contactless to credit cards, which is more than can be said for some allegedly more sophisticated establishments in the capital.

Look, I didn't want to like Hammerton Brewery & Taproom. I have a reputation to maintain, and singing the praises of yet another London craft brewery doesn't exactly help my image as a hardened critic. But here we are. If you find yourself in this corner of London, possibly lost on your way to somewhere else, do yourself a favor and follow the scent of pizza and hops. Just don't blame me when you end up spending an entire afternoon here, contemplating whether you could make it as a professional brewer yourself. You can't, by the way, but after a few of Hammerton's finest, you might convince yourself otherwise.