London Beer Week ‘smashes’ predictions

London Beer Week’s first festival attracted 8,500 attendees with more than 16,000 £3 signature beers served generating an estimated £50,000 for London bars.

Launched by the same team behind London Cocktail Week, now in its sixth year, and London Wine Week, in its second year, the festival took place from 16 to 22 February in partnership with Craft Beer Rising. More than 100 venues were officially part of the London Beer Week Beer Tours, each serving a speciality beer for just £3 or a boilermaker for £5 to those wearing a wristband.

Hannah Sharman-Cox, festival founder, said: “We can’t believe the fantastic response London Beer Week has received in its first year. The support from the beer industry has been huge – both from the larger companies, and also the small independent brewers, who we are committed to supporting. On top of that, the feedback from consumers so far has been incredibly positive! We’re thrilled to have launched such an exciting addition to London’s beer calendar so successfully”

London Beer Week partnered with Carnaby for its central hub where attendees collected their wristbands and enjoyed 25 different beers at the pop-up beer bar run by the team from Craft Beer Rising. In the same area, a pop-up by Hobo Beer, the Czech Lager from beer expert Ben McFarland, hosted events and played live blues music each evening.

More than 70 events took place, kicking off with London’s first “Beer Run” which saw 100 beer-lovers run 5k for charity, finishing at the central London Hub where they were rewarded with an ice-cold beer from Two Fingers Brewing. Other brands such as Affligem, Meantime, Fuller’s, Innis and Gunn, Camden Brewery, Beavertown and Orbit Brewery also put on events, as well as the launch of London’s first open brewery, Ubrew.