Deviant & Dandy Taproom

Not the best taproom going, but it’s a good hub to try the D&D range... which are ok. A bit spit and sawdust - hodgepodge of rickety furniture and makeshift outdoor seating. Service was a bit slow. It’s worth a visit when you’re down checking the other places out, but you won’t need to stay long.

My favourite of the places under the railway arches in Hackney. This one is on the opposite side to the other four. There's a caravan from which they serve the beers, a large outdoor seating area and a magical inside place beyond the gleaming stainless steel tanks which are decorated with fairy lights. There are lots of little cubicles, some at ground level and some upstairs. It reminds me a bit of some of the ruin bars in Budapest. The beer selection is good and the service very friendly. You might need to pick your time to visit carefully though as I've heard it can be full of mad young revellers at times (and we did once see some evidence of this but it was big enough to accommodate us as well as them and they provided a bit of entertainment).

The one brewery tap room bar south facing, it's just past all the others if coming east from Hackney Central where the road goes under an arch. Currently service is from a converted shipping container in the yard, the actually brewery is open and lit-up to view, with tables and chairs open the elements in the same yard as the bar. It serves its own brews in half measures as its smallest serving.

A fairly basic setup. As of October 2018, the setup in the 'courtyard' just outside the brewery arch, and has a true ramshackle vibe about it. Around five D&D beers on keg. During my visit, the local Maregade Brewery also had a couple additional taps pouring. Service was friendly enough. D&D beer is fairly mediocre, so I wouldn't make this place a destination, but given its proximity to other beer places in the area (Experiment, Hackney at St. John, Cock Tavern, Pembury Tavern) it's worth swinging by here for a quick visit.

Friendly welcome by one of the brewer, formerly by the Camden Town Brewery, who told us about the beers sold from a small and colourful caravan placed just outside the main arch room. The place is located just around the corner from The Experiment arch or straight down from the Morning Ln. Six of their own beers on taps. Cool and friendly, special place. (Visited with Finn, 28.09.2018).