Brick Brewery, Peckham… worth the detour

BY BILL LACY

In such a tough operating environment for brewers, it’s more important than ever to support our bars and taprooms.

So it was that I made my way to Brick Brewery’s classic taproom under the arches of Peckham Rye railway station.

Of course, I had seen it before, the buzz of the outdoor space drifting upwards and into the train carriage every time it stopped at Peckham Rye on the way to London Bridge.

I wanted to be there. But incredibly I had never set foot here before, even though Brick is now – having recently celebrating its 10th birthday – almost a veteran player in the South London beer scene.

Perhaps it was the landscape of Peckham, vibrant and colourful, but not necessarily the best place for good pubs, that didn’t bring me this way before. But it was worth the detour.

Their beers are well-known – Brick are one of the most energetic outfits in establishing their beers with bars and pubs across south London, and indeed beyond, as well as conducting regular tap takeovers in other venues and showcasing at events such as the Lambeth County Show and London Craft Beer Festival.

Many a time have I reached for one of their classic brews – easily recognisable by the clean, brick design on all of their cans – and even in an indifferent pub at least the presence of Brick almost made me stay for one more.

Session, Pils, Pale and Rye (a red beer – see what they did there?) are all deservedly well-known beers.

Perhaps the best place I’ve supped a Brick Beer is while watching Dulwich Hamlet FC, for whom Brick are the official beer suppliers.

But at that taproom you can find more than their core range.

Founded in 2013 after years of shed-brewing, in 2017 it moved brewery production to Deptford and the brewery premises converted to a taproom, with space inside where the brewing used to take place while attractive space outside was added, giving it an almost Caribbean shack look, with an urban sprinkling of graffiti art.

I was pleased to see to addition of beers from microbreweries from locals such as Village brewery in Deptford. And of course there’s the classic Brick range as well as many sour beers, which they excel in.

Food is served courtesy of Taca Tacos.

As the trains rumbled overhead, I pondered the interesting name of Peckham Rye (apparently from the old England for ‘brook’), which I group with Hackney Wick and Wimbledon Chase into stations with an interesting suffix.

Now I will always associate Brick Brewery too.

Brick Brewery, Arch 209, Blenheim Grove, Peckham, SE15 4QL