The bad news
I’m sad to report the closure of two London independent breweries. Leyton based Queer Brewing, founded in 2019, announced in June that the business was unable to continue and that they would close on 31 July. At least they went out on their own terms, without taking anyone else with them. Ironically, this came at the start of Pride Month, which should have been their busiest time of year. The company won the Diversity Champions of the Year award at the 2026 SIBA Business Awards. Lily Waite-Marsden, one of the founders, bravely made the announcement in a video on Facebook and it was hard not to share in the deep disappointment.
Similarly, Redemption Brewing Company of Tottenham went into administration in June. Founded by Andy and Sam Moffat in 2010, it is the familiar story of ever-increasing operating costs catching up with what had been a thriving business. The brewery continues in operation and the administrators are working hard to sell it as a going concern so that all might not be lost. The brewery had close links to the Antwerp Arms, the community pub in Tottenham, but the pub is not affected by what has happened to the brewery.
It is not just the financial aspects that matter here. In both cases good people have seen their ambitions and hard work come to nothing. We thank all involved for their efforts to date and wish them the very best for the future. I wonder if the situation would have been different if they had been able to sell their beers more widely, as outlined in CAMRA’s Beer in the UK report.
While not a closure, it is similarly sad to see the Portobello Brewery leaving London. This is due to happen sometime during the summer. It is understood that they have been priced out of their original North Kensington site by a rent increase. Now owned by the Sunrise Beverages group who also own the St Peter’s Brewery in Suffolk, it has yet to be announced where brewing will be moved to. There are long term plans to re-establish a presence in London with a taproom and microbrewery. The Portobello pub chain is now a separate company.
Rother Valley closes
Although not London-based, Rother Valley Brewery beers were occasionally seen in London, usually at CAMRA beer festivals. Sadly, the company closed in May. Based in Northiam, near Rye, the brewery was founded in 1993 and specialised in brewing with English hops. It is understood that the closure came about when the head brewer retired and there are no reports as to the brewery’s future.
Changes at Gosnells Drinks
Happily, London’s only producers of mead are doing well enough to make plans for the future. They have outgrown their brewery in Peckham and so have reached an agreement with Sandford Orchards, an independent cider producer in Crediton, Devon, for their mead to be produced there. Gosnells will retain control of the recipes and quality control. Management of Gosnell’s taproom in Enid Street, Bermondsey has been passed to Big Hug Brewing. It will continue to sell Gosnell’s products as well as Big Hug’s own beers, giving Big Hug their own outlet for the first time. Gosnell’s will retain the management of John the Unicorn, their pub in Peckham.
Fleeing the coup
The Old Speckled Hen beer brand was created by Morland Brewery of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and passed into Greene King’s hands when GK acquired Morland in 2000. GK have since added variations to the range in the form of Old Golden Hen, Old Crafty Hen, Old Master Hen and Low Alcohol OSH. It was announced in May that GK were selling the brand to the independent Spanish brewers S. A. Damm. Readers will recall that Damm recently acquired the Eagle Brewery in Bedford from Carlsberg Britvic and that they are brewing their Estrella lager for the UK market there. Damm have said that it is their intention to brew other beers in Bedford, including, possibly, cask ale and so this may be what is happening. All the same, it seems a bit odd that GK should sell off one of their major beer brands when they are spending £40 million on a new brewery. In the meantime, GK continue to sell off pubs, although there were none in London in the latest batch.
International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day
The IWCBD reached a new peak this year, with 88 different beers being brewed around the world. 1,153 brewers participated and an outstanding £33,889 was raised for women’s causes. This is the second year that the competition has been organised by UK based Women On Tap CIC, a social enterprise championing gender equality in beer, and it has seen IWCBD grow into a global movement. The founder of Women On Tap CIC, Rachel Auty, commented, “The growth we’ve seen in 2026 is genuinely extraordinary, but what moves me most isn’t the numbers, it’s the stories. Women coming together in breweries, taking up space, supporting each other, and turning their passion for beer into lasting impact for the causes that need us. This is exactly what IWCBD is for.”
Is it Orange or IPA?
Well, that was the problem that I had with a can of Signature Brew in front of me for tasting. It is a can coloured orange but the beer is Backstage IPA (5.2% ABV) and what a pleasant drink it is. ORANGE is a company that has been around the music industry since 1968, producing amplifiers, record players and the like; they proudly say ‘Orange is built to bring music to life’. And in many ways that is what Signature Brew has done. The beer is a collaboration that sees one of their core beers reimagined. It will be available exclusively in independent music venues on draught and in specially redesigned cans, as well as from Signature Brew’s webshop. Profits from every pint sold in participating venues will be donated to the Featured Artists Coalition, the UK representative body for music artists. This is Signature Brew all over: strong supporters of live music and brewers of great beer. Make sure you have some when you are next at a gig (especially at Signature Brew itself) or purchase a can or two from their webshop. Full details can be found at https://www.signaturebrew.co.uk/.
John Cryne