North London Craft Brewery Tour

Craft beer has a local side. This North London brewery tour links four taprooms in one easy afternoon, so you can sample the area without sorting out routes, opening times, or which pour to order. I like the included half or two-thirds pint at every stop, and I like the chance to meet fellow beer fans in a small group. The main drawback is the fixed route and firm cancellation policy, so this suits you best if you are happy to follow the plan.

The tour begins at Blackhorse Road at 1 pm and lasts about three to four hours. Guide Paul Davies has impressed guests with his friendly manner and ability to answer questions about how beer is made. You should still expect a practical brewery visit rather than a full production tour at every stop, since the schedule allows about 45 minutes in each taproom.

Four North London beer stops in one afternoon

• Four breweries, one half-day: Visit Hackney Brewery and High Hill Taproom, Wild Card Brewery, Exale Taproom, and Signature Brew Taproom.
• Beer is included: Choose a half or two-thirds pint at each stop, or take a soft drink instead.
• A guide handles the route: Start at Blackhorse Road Underground and receive guidance to the nearest station at the end.
• Small-group setting: The maximum group size is 20 people, making conversation easier than on a large coach outing.
• A social way to explore: The friendly atmosphere suits solo visitors and people hoping to meet other beer lovers.
• A clear afternoon schedule: Start at 1 pm, spend roughly 45 minutes at each brewery, and finish in the E17 area.

Why this tour works for curious beer drinkers

I like the basic idea because it solves a real London problem. The city has many breweries and taprooms, but they are spread across different neighborhoods, and a first-time visitor may not know how to connect them efficiently. Here, the guide manages the sequence while you focus on tasting and asking questions.

The tour also gives you variety. Four stops mean you are not tied to one brewery’s house style or room. You can compare the feel of each taproom, the beers being poured, and the way each business presents its drinks. The provided details do not name the exact beer selection, so you should expect the available pours to depend on what each taproom is serving that day.

The included beer makes the $67 price easier to judge. You receive up to four tastings, one at each stop, plus a guide and the transport planning between venues. That is fair value if you want a structured afternoon and would otherwise spend time and money arranging several brewery visits yourself.

Still, this is not the cheapest way to buy beer in London. If you already know the breweries you want to visit, you may prefer to travel independently and order only what interests you. The tour earns its price through convenience, company, and explanation, not simply through the volume of beer.

Starting at Blackhorse Road at 1 pm

Your meeting point is Blackhorse Road Underground Ltd, on Blackhorse Road, London E17 6ND. The start time is 1 pm, so plan to arrive early enough to find the meeting place without rushing. The exact route between the breweries is handled by the guide, which removes much of the usual station-to-taproom guesswork.

This starting point places you in North London rather than central London’s most familiar sightseeing zone. That is part of the appeal. You are spending an afternoon in a part of the city many visitors skip, with a focus on local brewing rather than major monuments.

The group can include up to 20 people. That is not a private tour, but it is still small enough for the guide to keep the group together and take questions. If you are traveling alone, the format gives you a natural way to start conversations. One earlier participant from Holland began chatting with other people before the tour had properly got going, then met more beer fans along the route.

Hackney Brewery and High Hill Taproom

The first stop is Hackney Brewery and High Hill Taproom, with about 45 minutes set aside. Your included drink is a half or two-thirds pint, and a soft drink is available if you are not drinking alcohol.

Starting here gives you time to settle into the group before the afternoon gets moving. The guide can explain how the tour works, and you can get a sense of the pace. Forty-five minutes is long enough for a relaxed drink and conversation, but not so long that the whole experience becomes a single-pub visit.

The name combines the brewery with its High Hill taproom, so the stop is designed around tasting in the brewery’s own setting. The supplied information does not specify a brewing-floor visit or a particular beer lineup. I would treat this as a guided tasting stop and listen for the details Paul shares about the beer in your glass.

You should also pace yourself here. A half pint is modest, but a two-thirds pint across four stops adds up. The option of a soft drink gives you a sensible choice if you want to enjoy the social side without drinking at every venue.

Wild Card Brewery brings a second point of comparison

The second stop is Wild Card Brewery, again for roughly 45 minutes. You receive another half or two-thirds pint, or a soft drink, as part of the tour price.

This is where the four-stop design begins to pay off. Instead of forming an opinion from one brewery alone, you can compare what you find at Wild Card with your first drink. The guide can help put those differences into plain language, which is useful if you know what you like to drink but do not know much about brewing.

The schedule gives you enough time to enjoy the room without asking you to linger for an entire evening. That matters if you have dinner plans later or want to see more of London after the tour. It also keeps the group moving, which is helpful when four venues are packed into a half-day.

I would not book this expecting four lengthy behind-the-scenes tours. The published timing lists an admission period of 45 minutes at each stop, not a detailed production visit. Its strength is the combination of places, tasting, and guidance.

Exale Taproom keeps the afternoon moving

Exale Taproom is the third stop. By this point, you have had two chances to compare beers and settle into the rhythm of the group. You receive another included half or two-thirds pint, with a soft drink available.

Taprooms can be useful places to learn because the setting keeps the subject close at hand. You are not studying a long lecture in a classroom. You are looking at the drink in front of you, hearing about it from the guide, and having a chance to ask a direct question.

Paul Davies has been praised for answering questions about making beer. That detail is worth noting if you want more than a list of brewery names. A guide who can explain the brewing process helps connect the taste to the work behind it, even though the available tour information does not promise a formal brewing demonstration.

Three stops can also make the tour feel more social than instructional. You have time to talk with the people around you, and the informal setting appears to be a major part of the appeal. One participant described the experience as feeling like spending time with an old friend, which points to Paul’s relaxed approach rather than a stiff, scripted presentation.

Signature Brew Taproom is the final pour

The last stop is Signature Brew Taproom, with another 45-minute visit. This is your final included beer or soft drink, and it gives you a last chance to ask questions or compare notes with the group.

Ending at a taproom makes practical sense. You can finish with a beer in hand rather than rushing back to a central meeting point. The route ends at Big Penny Ltd Head Office, 1 Priestley Way, London E17 6AL, and the group is guided to the nearest Underground station.

The end point is not the same as the start, so take note if you have another booking afterward. You should allow some flexibility after the stated three to four hours, especially if you need to cross London for dinner, a theatre booking, or a train. The tour does not promise a return to Blackhorse Road.

As with the other stops, the appeal is tasting and comparison rather than a guaranteed full brewery tour. You will have visited four named North London beer locations in one afternoon, but the exact beer range and the depth of the stop can vary.

Paul Davies gives the tour its human touch

The strongest praise attached to this experience concerns Paul Davies. He is described as friendly, easy to talk with, and able to handle questions about brewing. That matters because a brewery tour can feel flat if the guide simply moves a group from one bar to the next.

The social tone also seems important. The tour is built for conversation, not just quiet sampling. You might arrive knowing no one and leave having shared a few tasting notes with people from different countries. That is especially useful if you are visiting London alone or want an afternoon that feels less solitary.

At the same time, you should understand the limits of a small-group tour. With up to 20 people, the guide cannot give every person a private discussion at every stop. The experience will work best if you are willing to listen, ask questions, and join the group rather than expecting a custom beer consultation.

The available feedback is very positive, but only two ratings are shown. I would take the praise for Paul seriously while keeping the sample size in mind. The tour’s quality will also depend on the day’s group, the beer available, and how busy each taproom happens to be.

What $67 gets you

At $67, the tour is priced as a guided experience, not a simple bar crawl. The cost covers four beer tastings, route planning, and the guide’s time. You also get a ready-made social setting, which has real value if you do not want to spend your London afternoon researching breweries and working out public transport.

The included pours are half or two-thirds of a pint at each stop. Four two-thirds pours would be more than two full pints in total, while four half pints would be two pints, so you should think about your pace. You can choose a soft drink at each venue, which makes the tour more flexible than a package built only for beer drinkers.

You may find better financial value by visiting one or two taprooms independently. That option gives you more control and may cost less. But you would need to arrange the sequence yourself, decide how long to stay, and lose the benefit of Paul’s explanations and the built-in social setting.

For me, the price makes the most sense for a visitor with limited time. Four stops in three to four hours is efficient, and you do not need to gamble on which North London brewery will be easiest to reach.

Who should book this North London afternoon

I would recommend this tour to:

• Solo visitors who want an easy way to meet people.
• Beer fans who enjoy comparing breweries rather than sitting in one pub.
• Curious beginners who want brewing explained without a formal class.
• Small groups of friends who prefer a planned afternoon.
• Visitors staying outside North London who do not want to arrange several connections themselves.

I would be less likely to recommend it if you dislike group activities, want a private tour, or have a strict schedule after 4 pm. The four taprooms are the point, so you should be comfortable with moving on after about 45 minutes at each place.

You should also consider your drinking preferences. The tour includes soft drinks, so you do not need to drink alcohol at every stop. Still, the central subject is beer, and the experience will be most rewarding if you enjoy tasting, asking questions, and comparing styles.

Booking details are simple but firm. Confirmation arrives within 48 hours, subject to availability. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason, so book only when your London plans are settled. Service animals are allowed, and the tour is near public transport. Most people can participate, but the supplied information does not give specific details about step-free access at each venue.

Should you book the North London Craft Brewery Tour?

Book it if you want four named breweries, included tastings, and a friendly guide to handle the route. Paul Davies appears to be the main reason this feels like more than a sequence of bar visits, especially if you enjoy asking how beer is made.

Skip it if you want complete freedom, a private itinerary, or the lowest possible cost. The best fit is a curious beer drinker with one open afternoon, a flexible schedule after the 1 pm start, and an interest in seeing a less familiar part of London.

FAQ

How much does the North London Craft Brewery Tour cost?

The listed price is $67 per person.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately three to four hours.

What time does the tour begin?

It begins at 1 pm.

Where does the tour start?

It starts at Blackhorse Road Underground Ltd, Blackhorse Road, London E17 6ND, UK.

Where does the tour finish?

It finishes at Big Penny Ltd Head Office, 1 Priestley Way, London E17 6AL, UK. The group is guided to the nearest Underground station.

How many breweries and taprooms are visited?

The tour visits four stops: Hackney Brewery and High Hill Taproom, Wild Card Brewery, Exale Taproom, and Signature Brew Taproom.

Is beer included in the price?

Yes. You receive a half or two-thirds pint of beer at each stop. You can choose a soft drink instead.

How large can the group be?

The maximum group size is 20 people.

Can I cancel or change my booking?

No. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. Confirmation is received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability.