Boris Says Beer

London Mayor, Boris Johnson, officially opened the new Discover Greenwich centre yesterday and with it Meantime's new bar-brewery, the Old Brewery.

In an uplifting and characteristically Borisian speech, he proclaimed Greenwich his favourite place to take his family in all London. He went on to conclude that the lesson that he had learned from looking around the exhibition space was that Britain owed its maritime prowess, not to the discovery of the sextant, not to Henry VIII's foundation of the navy, not even to Greenwich's lucky situation on the Prime Meridian. It was, he said, entirely down to beer. Consequently it was hugely fortuitous that a brewery had been laid on as part of Disvover Greenwich to enable visitors to celebrate this incredible fact.

So saying he then departed to pour an official mayoral pint of London Pale Ale in the Old Brewery bar, before being shown the new brewing plant by Meantime founder and brewmaster, Alastair Hook.

The culmination of a 15 months gestation, the Old Brewery, is Meantime's flagship venue, expressly designed to remind Londoners and tourists alike that London was once the 'brewing capital of the world', and that London's beers not only travelled around the globe but shaped the face of brewing the world over.

This is made plain in the very fabric of the building, with the three story brewery against the north wall being flanked by a timeline detailing the history of brewing in London.

In addition to its regular houise beers - Hospital Porter and Kellerbier - the The Old Brewery will be home to the College Beer Club, a fixed membership connoisseurs' club dedicated to 'forensic brewing' in order to resurrect extinct beer styles, rediscover lost brewing techniques and recreate beers made with long forgotten ingredients.

If you would like to register your interest in becoming a member of the College Beer Club please email info@collegebeerclub.com.

Countdown to Old Brewery Live

Check out the link for latest OLD BREWERY pics

Old Brewery Fires Up After 140 years

Meantime Brewmaster Alastair Hook (right) and Old Brewery brewer, Rod Jones have had a busy few days of late firing up the copper in our new brewhouse at the Old Brewery, Greenwich, to make sure we have beer for our grand opening on March 22nd.

It's been a fun but fraught time as they familiarise themselves with the brand new equipment, which is literally bristling with valves which (if left in the wrong position) can easily leave the unwary brewer wondering why the copper is empying while his wellies are filling up.


First beer brewed on February 27th was our Old Brewery 'house beer' Meantime Kellerbier. At 4.6% ABV this traditional Franconian style is completes its maturastion in the cellar from the vessel from which it is served. The same would have been true of the original brews produced on the site between 1717 and 1860 when the site was occupied by the brewhouse of the Royal Hospital for Sailors.


The first brew was a low key affair as there was a rather greater need to concentrate on getting it right than there was on celebrating the return of brewing to this historic London setting after a break of 140 years. Fear not, however. There will be celebrating aplenty once the new brew is declared ready to drink.

Meantime Informs the Financial Markets

Financial guru's  looking  for the hottest industry analysis got words of wisdom from Meantime last week when Bloomberg sent their cameras down to Greenwich for a news feature on the strength of the micro sector.

Follow this link to hear the thoughts of the Brewmaster and some of our regular customers too.