Once upon a time, the beer scene in London was nothing short of diabolical. Back in the 1970's, the chances of finding a locally produced brew in the capital were few and far between. The industry was dominated by large monopolistic corporations such as Watneys and Whitbread and Bass, producing bland, boring watery bitters.
Fast forward 40 years or so, however, and the beer industry in the city is thriving. Just last year over 30 new breweries opened in London alone, whilst the overall number of active breweries is around 80. Furthermore, the variety of beer on offer has soared, as the 'craft' movement has swept through the city. Pop into a pub in London today and you will likely find a range of styles, from classic IPA's and lagers, to intriguing belgian saisons and fruit beers.
Following the news last week that The Office of National Statistics have added craft beer to their basket of goods used to calculate the Consumer Price Index, here is a rundown of five of the best breweries on offer in the capital.