I was completely oblivious to the existence of The London Beer House until last week when it was brought to my attention by Twitter. The diminutive tap room stocks cans of Island Records Session IPA, which I’ve been invited to review on the Beer O’clock Show next month, so I had the perfect reason to drop by.
It’s a very cosy place, so cosy in fact that it feels like you’re in a friend’s living room rather than a pub. It has nine rotating keg lines and numerous bottles and cans, which come with a 10% discount if bought to takeaway. There’s another room upstairs which has some period items giving it the feel of a Victorian parlour; I for one felt I could have been drinking my Fourpure Northern Latitude in the company of Jean Passepartout, valet to Phileas Fogg. I’m weird like that.
If I have one criticism of The London Beer House – and it’s a small one – it’s that its Twitter and Instagram accounts are practically dormant. It always bemuses me when pubs neglect social media; maybe the owners are content with business and see no need to engage with the online beer community. Back in the real world, the bartender was friendly and engaging, and it was a really pleasant pit-stop on what was a day of long walks through London’s historic centre.
I don’t often have cause to visit west London but luckily Gemma’s starting a new job nearby soon, so I’m sure I’ll be a frequent visitor. It’s also a good option if you have friends in town and have been dragged to the tourist traps or high-end shops and need to sate your thirst.