Brewhouse and Kitchen Highbury wants to be 'community hub'

Brewhouse and Kitchen at 2a Corsica Street, Islington, is a pub and microbrewery located near Highbury and Islington station.  

The brewpub, which opened seven years ago, offers brewing sessions and often hosts community events, such as a games night and a comedy night once a week.

But manager Justin Dove said that the pub now wants to find new ways to involve itself in the community.

He said: “We would like to find charities that we can work with and support.

“We have supported events like these in the past, but we now want to get involved more and see what we can do to help more people in the community.”

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The bar area at Brewhouse and Kitchen, serving beers brewed on-site as well as those from other small breweries (Image: Alex Marsh)

The pub recently provided beer, vouchers and raffle prizes for an Islington netball club event, and would like to similarly support other charitable causes in the area.

There are also plans to install a chalk board in the pub where community groups could display leaflets and notices of upcoming events.

One of 24 Brewhouse and Kitchen pubs in the south of England, punters are able to brew their own beer at the venue under the supervision of head brewer Michael Bradnam.

Michael, who began his brewing career at home more than a decade ago, runs Friday and Saturday brewery experience days at the pub costing £95.

Those who take part can either take a keg of beer home with them, or wait six weeks for the beer they have brewed to be ready. 

The pub offers an all-day brewing experience for punters (Image: Alex Marsh)

A total of 11 or 12 of the pub’s offerings are brewed on-site, while the bar also serves beers from other small breweries on a six month rotating basis.

Michael said that favourites include Kölsch beer and West Coast IPA, both of which are brewed on-site.

Another brewery that has recently sold its beers at the pub is Forest Road Brewery, which is based in Hoxton.

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From left to right: West Coast IPA (brewed on-site), Legend lager, and Kölsch larger (brewed on-site) (Image: Alex Marsh)

The pub serves a wide-selection of other drink, snacks and meals, and also retains a large upstairs events room that can host up to 100 people and can be booked for private events and parties.

Brewhouse and Kitchen has two other sites in London – one at 397-400 Geffrye Streetin Hoxton, and one near Angel station.

The Angel site will be shut for the next two years while refurbishment work is carried out.