It wasn’t just about the ale; there were talks and tastings on offer for the true connoisseur
It was a momentous occasion when the Bermondsey beer festival opened its doors to the first beer-loving punters on Friday, 17th July 2026, as all the sessions had sold out for the two-day event in Southwark Park. I had gone along for the Saturday afternoon session with two ale-loving pals to enjoy the beverages and the summer sun, writes Michael Holland.
On entry, you knew there were far more breweries with stalls than there was time to get round to them all. We had to be selective and not waste time on any fruit-based concoctions. The Session ales seemed to be the main choice, as we didn’t want to peak too early and be out of the game before we’d even really started. That meant not being lured in to the ABVs in double figures.
There was a real festival vibe about the place. In the shade of the tents, DJs would be doing their thing. In the sunshine, there was the whiff of excitement and the wafting aromas of pizza, wings, tacos, and meat on barbecues. The event, which showcases over 150 breweries from all around the world and over 800 different beers, has been put together by We Are Beer, who curate the annual UK Top 50 Beer Awards (a black stout from Bermondsey brewer Anspach & Hobday came first last year), and the London Craft Beer Festival.
Small cliques greeted each other with smiles and not team-based sneers. They swapped tips about an excellent Czech lager a couple of stalls down, or the latest Proper Job IPA that was going fast.
There was also a real nod to sustainability and organic beers. Outlets had information about their planet-saving brewing techniques, which is a necessary USP in these days of extreme weather.
But it wasn’t just about the ale; there were talks and tastings on offer for the true connoisseur; games were scattered about the site; water stations dotted around to refill bottles, wash out your glass before sampling another tasty beer, and, of course, a bar every few yards.
It was difficult to choose a winner, but I believe we were unanimously agreed on the Bass being the worst. I blame myself for talking the others into taking a small glass of the old Staffordshire brewery’s biggest seller in days of yore. ‘It was in Édouard Manet’s 1882 masterpiece, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère,’ I added for cultural leverage. It was probably one of the reasons warm English beer got such a bad press in the last 50 years, which then became the catalyst for CAMRA championing the good side of our ale, and the flourishing brewing industry of recent years.
As time passed, so did my early plan to keep the ABV at a decent level. Mine crept up and up at each bar stop, and writing this one day after, I’m glad they had sold out of the 11% Hazy Triple IPA when I proffered my glass to the barman…
I wasn’t so lucky at one outlet that had a peanut butter option! They had plenty left. Thankfully, I only had a small shot of that demonisation of a sacred art…
At the other end of the spectrum was a Lucky Saint tent for low and no-alcohol beers, that looked quite popular as we marched past.
The festival is very well organised. Each person is handed a plastic glass, which will probably hold about half a pint, but the brewers were only filling them halfway, allowing you a greater opportunity to try many of the hundreds being showcased. Yes, your £64.50 ticket allowed you to drink as much as you want in the 5-hour session, but nobody wanted to do pints.
There was security, which didn’t look like it was going to be needed, and Thirst Aiders, who were patrolling and gently asking if people were okay and not getting too overwhelmed with the overflow of beers there. To be honest, it was a very well-behaved crowd. The laughing got louder as the hours passed, but no obnoxious shouting was heard. There was a good proportion of women enjoying the festival, and because there were so many outlets, there were rarely any queues. But first and foremost, there were some truly fantastic beers to be tasted and enjoyed.
Overall, for us, the London Craft Beer Festival was a success, and we hope to see it return next year.
Check beer list: https://beerlist.wearebeer.com/bcbf-2026-beer-list
Check for future events: https://linktr.ee/londoncraftbeerfestival
