BREWING
Head Brewer Reuben Moore, owners Rob Laub, Sam Laub (with bulldog Rodney) and brewer Joe Conlan
Gorgeous gets going… A new brother/sister operation for Highgate, London
By Shane McNamara
With more than 110 breweries in London, constant take- overs and strategic partnerships by larger breweries (Camden Town: 2015 AB InBev; London Fields: 2017 Carlsberg; Brixton: 2017 Heineken; Fourpure: 2018 Lion; Beavertown: 2018 Heineken; Fuller’s: Asahi 2019) it is hard to imagine there’s space for everyone in the capital. However, let’s not forget that London has a thirsty pop- ulation of over nine million residents (not including daily commuters from the South East, business travellers and tourists) so there is still room for a quality independent.
Gorgeous Brewery The Bull, 13 North Hill Highgate, London United Kingdom N6 4AB
the pub they moved to a larger brewery at The Bohemia in North Finchley. Fast forward to 2016 and brother/ sister duo Rob and Sam Laub took over the site. At rst the brewing operation continued in the existing brewhouse, – without any speci c name or branding – to satisfy continued demand at the pub. However, in March 2017 the Gorgeous Brewery brand was created and at the start of 2018 a purpose-built home for a new 8hL brewery was installed. Taking advantage of the ample space in the beer garden outside the pub, this was a wise choice; the pre- vious brewhouse was in the kitchen of the pub, the wort was then transferred down to the fermenters in the cellar where cask and keg lling was also
T his isn’t the wild west that was the London beer and brewing scene in circa 2012, where beer quality was sketchy, batch variations almost guaran- teed, and drinkers happy to gulp down any old London murky. No, now it’s 2019 and the starting point is quality-consistent beer – not brewed by a couple of mates who quit of ce jobs to start a brewery with zero quali cations or experience. So to see a brewery like Gorgeous spring up and nd itself ourishing, not only means it is producing quality beer but the brand- ing is on point too.
The location Gorgeous Brewery is located amongst the hills just north of the City of London, in Highgate. The brewery sits behind The Bull , an historic public house which dates back to 1730. Nestled in the heart of Highgate this location snuggles one in to give the feeling of a proper country pub. Interestingly, Gorgeous Brewery is not the rst brewery to be born out of The Bull . Following a renovation in 2011 the pub previously housed the London Brew- ing Company and a small 4hL brewery to produce various cask ales. Outgrowing
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