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The Craft Beer Co. - Clerkenwell
82 Leather Lane
Clerkenwell
London, England, EC1N 7TR
United Kingdom
020 74301123 | map
thecraftbeerco.com
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GJ40:
Reviewed by GJ40 from North Carolina
3.83/5 rDev -9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.5
3.83/5 rDev -9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.5
I stopped in based on BA reviews. It was a busy Thursday night. The staff struggled to keep up with the crowd and wasn't really on top of who was next. The selection was huge with at least 10 cask and at least 15 on tap. But I didn't see a list posted or a beer menu. I had to try to scan the tap heads and eventually just settled on something I recognized. We had the Kernel IPA and it was very good. And I was happy to see some Duck Rabbit in the cooler from my home state of NC. I enjoyed my visit but it was too crazy and disorganized to stay long.
Nov 15, 2012More User Ratings:
Reviewed by rbowser from New Hampshire
4.39/5 rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Well run bar with lots of good choices, around 25 taps, well chosen. I visited late on a Tuesday, and the place was loud and sticky and felt like a wrap up of a corporate group event. The bartender was apologetic of the mess.
It is a narrow modern bar with seating along the edges of the room. Beautiful mirrored ceiling and chandelier added a classic touch.
It was not my favorite of the Craft Beer emporiums around town, that went to the Covent Garden location, but a great place to visit.
May 28, 2019It is a narrow modern bar with seating along the edges of the room. Beautiful mirrored ceiling and chandelier added a classic touch.
It was not my favorite of the Craft Beer emporiums around town, that went to the Covent Garden location, but a great place to visit.
Reviewed by Maryobeerian from Illinois
3.01/5 rDev -28.5%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 4.5
3.01/5 rDev -28.5%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 4.5
This rating is for the CBC on High Holborn near Covent Garden. Wonderful selection and enjoyed some excellent ales, but they got the craft beer vibe all wrong. The decor is more like a slick hotel bar then a proper pub or beer venue and with all the amazing choices was stunned to find they don't offer flights. And the young woman bar tender was snarky and seemed annoyed to be there. Antithesis of the happy craft beer vibe you not only find throughout the states but at the Lots Road Pub and Dining Room in Chelsea Wharf where they may offer less choice but they do offer flights and the kind of knowledge, enthusiasm and hospitality your excpect from a place that is supposed to celebrate local, craft brews. Big disappointment.
Aug 24, 2015Reviewed by withliterature from Texas
4.21/5 rDev 0%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
4.21/5 rDev 0%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
I came to The Craft Beer Co. last summer while in London for a conference. Since this was my fourth extended visit to the city, I did some research in advance this time so that I could try a wider variety of beers and sample some London breweries. The Craft Beer Co. came up several times, and I chose the Clerkenwell location both because it was on my bus route and because it's near my favorite restaurant, St. John (highly recommended).
The atmosphere was fairly quiet, since it was a weekday afternoon around 3pm. I loved the mirrored ceilings and the lack of loud music. I don't actually remember if they were playing any music at all; if they were, it was unobtrusive. The clientele was quiet and content, and as a woman I didn't feel awkward sitting by myself with a book, my usual m.o. in pubs since I'm usually alone.
The staff here was phenomenal. I'm used to polite but disinterested service in most pubs, but these guys were happy to talk beer, and I was happy to join in since I had been alone in the city for several days! We chatted about British and American beer, and they let me sample several IPAs, one of which they brought up from their cellar.
I stayed for a couple of hours and had six half pints, all lovely cask ales that I trusted I would enjoy. I'll be visiting again this summer and coming to Craft Beer Co. at least once. I'm thinking about doing one of their Masterclass tasting sessions if I can get some colleagues to go in on one with me.
Mar 31, 2014The atmosphere was fairly quiet, since it was a weekday afternoon around 3pm. I loved the mirrored ceilings and the lack of loud music. I don't actually remember if they were playing any music at all; if they were, it was unobtrusive. The clientele was quiet and content, and as a woman I didn't feel awkward sitting by myself with a book, my usual m.o. in pubs since I'm usually alone.
The staff here was phenomenal. I'm used to polite but disinterested service in most pubs, but these guys were happy to talk beer, and I was happy to join in since I had been alone in the city for several days! We chatted about British and American beer, and they let me sample several IPAs, one of which they brought up from their cellar.
I stayed for a couple of hours and had six half pints, all lovely cask ales that I trusted I would enjoy. I'll be visiting again this summer and coming to Craft Beer Co. at least once. I'm thinking about doing one of their Masterclass tasting sessions if I can get some colleagues to go in on one with me.
Reviewed by Lare453 from Florida
4.93/5 rDev +17.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
4.93/5 rDev +17.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
A awesome, nice and spacious, very English pub. Lots of fun, very once people.
Q lots of fresh beer, good casks and hand pumped ales,
S the people there are also nice, friendly, knowledgable, helpful and fun. The bartenders know their shit and are great at helping you pick out beers.
S a ton of taps and hand pumped cask ales on all the time, a bunch of coolers, probably 300 bottle selection. Lots of good stuff from there too, cantillon, and other big stuff.
V reasonable for London. People from the us may be shocked by the price because of the exchange rate but well worth the money.
May 17, 2013Q lots of fresh beer, good casks and hand pumped ales,
S the people there are also nice, friendly, knowledgable, helpful and fun. The bartenders know their shit and are great at helping you pick out beers.
S a ton of taps and hand pumped cask ales on all the time, a bunch of coolers, probably 300 bottle selection. Lots of good stuff from there too, cantillon, and other big stuff.
V reasonable for London. People from the us may be shocked by the price because of the exchange rate but well worth the money.
Reviewed by flyingpig from Scotland
3.98/5 rDev -5.5%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
3.98/5 rDev -5.5%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
Reasonable price for a London pub with a huge selection of draft beers, I counted 21 kegs on-tap and another 7 casks pumps. Never noticed hope many bottles they had though.
Atmosphere wasn't up to much though, a few drunks about and the worst part, it shut at half 11 on a Friday night. Shocking for a seemingly great pub although that's more to do with London license laws than the actual pub. It's probably a place I would stop into again if I was in the area but I certainly wouldn't say it was one of the worlds best....great selection though.
Aug 04, 2012Atmosphere wasn't up to much though, a few drunks about and the worst part, it shut at half 11 on a Friday night. Shocking for a seemingly great pub although that's more to do with London license laws than the actual pub. It's probably a place I would stop into again if I was in the area but I certainly wouldn't say it was one of the worlds best....great selection though.
Reviewed by BlackHaddock from England
3.11/5 rDev -26.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4
3.11/5 rDev -26.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4
Had high hopes for this place after being told how wonderful it was by some London based beer geek mates. Sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. We arrived fairly early on a Saturday evening (20.00 hours, 28th April 2012) and found a single but large bar room full to the rafters of drunks blocking the bar, filling every seat and being very noisey.
My party of eight struggled to find a space let alone a gap big enough for all of us but we squeezed in anyway and then tried to reach the bar: we almost gave up but split into pairs and weasled our way through. Chairs and half a table for three of us after the first pints.
Loads of choice but no chance of seeing a beer menu: they'd been eaten, we just choose what beer we could see once we hit the front of the bar. There might have a chalk board but I don't remember seeing one. Stayed for two expensive pints then left. Beer quality we thought poor and I ended up helping people finish their pints because they were not enjoying them.
Staff over run but trying hard, dirty glasses and tables (and floors) but left because of the beer pouring frenzy.
Jul 19, 2012My party of eight struggled to find a space let alone a gap big enough for all of us but we squeezed in anyway and then tried to reach the bar: we almost gave up but split into pairs and weasled our way through. Chairs and half a table for three of us after the first pints.
Loads of choice but no chance of seeing a beer menu: they'd been eaten, we just choose what beer we could see once we hit the front of the bar. There might have a chalk board but I don't remember seeing one. Stayed for two expensive pints then left. Beer quality we thought poor and I ended up helping people finish their pints because they were not enjoying them.
Staff over run but trying hard, dirty glasses and tables (and floors) but left because of the beer pouring frenzy.
Reviewed by JohnW from England
4/5 rDev -5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
4/5 rDev -5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
This pub recently opened (early 2011) is in an previous old pub, but refitted and decorated in a mix of the original and new. It is half way down Leather Lane past the Markets, corner of Leather Lane and Hatton Wall, so not far from Yea Old Mitre and Cittie of York.
They have 15 hand pulls serving UK real ales from various breweries - ever changing, and the price for each beer is fixed by its ALC - a small price board showing the prices. They also have 21 beer taps serving a variety of imported beers from around the world - at time of our visit in Nov 2011, two Rogue beers from the US, several from Belgium and Germany (including the Hacker Pschorr OtkoberFest!) though at higher prices than the UK ales! In addition, a large selection of imported bottled beers from around the world.
The bar area has seating against the walls, and a few tables and bar seats, and an additional seating area upstairs.
Serving staff were efficient and knowledgable, and seemed keen on the beers. Very mixed crowd at lunchtime, many office workers who were obviously enjoying the real ale selection as well as younger folk.
Busy but calm atmosphere, beer being the primary concern - no loud music or blaring TVs.
I don't think any food is served other than packets of nuts and crisps etc.
Highly recommended as a new pub serving good range of beers, and although small inside, is well worth searching out.
Prices reasonable for UK ales in a central London Pub.
JohnW
Bham UK Nov 2011
Dec 01, 2011They have 15 hand pulls serving UK real ales from various breweries - ever changing, and the price for each beer is fixed by its ALC - a small price board showing the prices. They also have 21 beer taps serving a variety of imported beers from around the world - at time of our visit in Nov 2011, two Rogue beers from the US, several from Belgium and Germany (including the Hacker Pschorr OtkoberFest!) though at higher prices than the UK ales! In addition, a large selection of imported bottled beers from around the world.
The bar area has seating against the walls, and a few tables and bar seats, and an additional seating area upstairs.
Serving staff were efficient and knowledgable, and seemed keen on the beers. Very mixed crowd at lunchtime, many office workers who were obviously enjoying the real ale selection as well as younger folk.
Busy but calm atmosphere, beer being the primary concern - no loud music or blaring TVs.
I don't think any food is served other than packets of nuts and crisps etc.
Highly recommended as a new pub serving good range of beers, and although small inside, is well worth searching out.
Prices reasonable for UK ales in a central London Pub.
JohnW
Bham UK Nov 2011
The Craft Beer Co. - Clerkenwell in London, GB2, United Kingdom
Place rating:
4.21 out of
5 with
17 ratings
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