El Topo – ABV 10.0%

El Topo is a dangerously drinkable Tropical Triple IPA Double dry-hopped with El Dorado and Citra and then re-fermented with mango, passion fruit, pink guava and champagne yeast.

The North London Craft Beer Route

Could this be North London’s answer to the Bermondsey Beer Mile?
We took a trip to explore some of North London’s best spots for craft beer, from the lofty heights of Highgate Village to the fringe of the congestion zone.

Here’s the map.

There’s about 15 minutes walking between each pub (total walk of c.6km), but there’s a range of buses and underground stations on or close to the route if you want to reduce the legwork.

If you don’t mind mighty hills when you’re a few sheets to the wind you could go South to North – but we chose to do it with gravity on our side and started with a tube ride to the Northernmost point in Highgate Village.

You won’t find many nicer places to indulge your love of craft beer than the Dukes Head so it’s no surprise to learn Time Out just voted it Best Pub in Highgate for the third year running.

20 taps equally split between cask and keg and a ‘Sacred Gin Bar’ tells you everything you need to know about why this pub is such a hit.

After a couple of IPAs we begin our descent into town with a stroll through Waterlow Park, exiting opposite the entrance to Highgate Cemetery, then continuing downhill to Gospel Oak where we arrive at the Southampton Arms.

The Southampton’s as fine an example of a traditional London pub as you’re likely to find. It serves an ever changing selection of craft beer and cider (cask and keg) – alongside hot meat sandwiches, pies and veggie scotch eggs to die for.

After a couple of cask ales and a bite to eat we continued down Highgate Road and Kentish Town Road to Camden’s Daughter.

This pub’s owned by Camden Town Brewery and serves up their full range of beer, usually with the addition of unfiltered and limited release versions and always decent guest beers for those who aren’t Camden Town Brewery fans. There’s also more hot meat sandwiches if you didn’t get your fill at the Southampton Arms (as we did).

(there’s usually an alternate route via Camden Town Brewery tap room – but at the time of writing this closed for refurb expected to reopen in Feb 2017).

A couple of unfiltered beers later and we went back out into the fresh air and continued down the road and under the bridge into Camden Town and found our way to Brewdog Camden.

Tucked away on a side road set back from Camden High St this was Brewdog’s first bar outside Scotland. It’s a great place to sample some of their rarities alongside a selection of guest beers that’s second to none.

A couple of strong halves later and we were ready for the last leg and a 10 minute walk to the Euston Tap.

Located in a former gatehouse at the entrance to the grounds of Euston Station it may be small, but it boasts a mighty selection of 20 kegged and 150 bottled beers. Seating is limited, but there’s a heated beer garden for when the weather allows and you’ll be perfectly positioned for a multitude of transport options for the journey home.

Just don’t fall asleep on the tube.

We estimate the walk at about 6km, but pubs are well spaced out and the downhill gradient makes it seem like a lot less.

Remember – if this sounds like too much walking we can send you boxes of imperial strength craft beers  to your door!

Click here for more details.