Dulwich Beer Dispensary

[DulwichFox]

Hemingway Wrote:

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> Penguin68 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > It's fair to say that (Barcelona apart) few

> > establishments have lasted very long on this

> site.

> > But to be any sort of destination it had to have

> a

> > consistent offer - which included (considering

> its

> > location) a consistent food offering. A 'beer

> > only' establishment might have worked on LL

> (where

> > there are numerous food outlets) - but stuck

> out

> > there if it couldn't offer food as well (on a

> > regular, consistent and quality basis) it was

> > surely doomed.

>

> recentish beer heavy offers haven't even worked on

> the Lane - place that followed Black Cherry (name

> escapes me) and to a lesser degree (offer and

> location) The Flying Pig.

Was it The Draft House.. ???

[Sue]

Yes! Didn't last long.

Then Franco Manca completely remodelled the space, which took ages.

[Sephiroth]

I think it was the space that did for both of those places

Franco Manca didn't send ages taking out that hump in the middle for no good reason - it was a major barrier to trade in both Black Cherry and Draft House incarnations

I think the ToastED space would really fly as a beer joint

[Sephiroth]

I suppose in the interests of fairness, I should point out before LouTwo does that beer is in fact already sold in multiple bars already in existence on the lane, it isn't very healthy and isn't particularly cheap

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Big windows in ToastED / Terriors.

Good to be seen sipping a beer in.

Sephiroth Wrote:

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> I suppose in the interests of fairness, I should

> point out before LouTwo does that beer is in fact

> already sold in multiple bars already in existence

> on the lane, it isn't very healthy and isn't

> particularly cheap

[Sephiroth]

Good shout HMB

as you are here - I wonder how much better Inside 72 would have done if it launched in the new beer world of the twenty teens instead of the early noughties...?

[Sue]

Sephiroth Wrote:

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> I suppose in the interests of fairness, I should

> point out before LouTwo does that beer is in fact

> already sold in multiple bars already in existence

> on the lane, it isn't very healthy and isn't

> particularly cheap

:)) :)):))

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Think it was very much of its time. For me anyhow.

Sephiroth Wrote:

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> Good shout HMB

>

> as you are here - I wonder how much better Inside

> 72 would have done if it launched in the new beer

> world of the twenty teens instead of the early

> noughties...?

[zerkalo]

That's a shame to hear that the Dulwich Beer Dispensary has closed down. Like some other people here, I wasn't never a regular only making a monthly visit or so since it opened. But it never felt like the ambience was quite right to enjoy more than a couple of pints there. For me personally, it was the prospect of good beer on offer locally that was particularly appealing, so I wasn't ever really put off by the lack of food available. I do however remember seeing a kiosk selling naans just outside for most of winter. Maybe this didn't quite catch on?

Ultimately, it proved to be a difficult location for the business to survive. I hope the London Beer Dispensary in Brockley and the Southey tap room in Penge are doing better!

[fishbiscuits]

A craft beer specialist bar could definitely work in ED. In fact this must be one of the few affluent London boroughs that doesn't have one, despite several failed attempts. Just having good beer isn't enough though, it needs to have the right atmosphere, decent food, accessible location, and prices have to be in the sweet spot.

Brick Brewery in Peckham is working really well, now they've moved the actual brewery off-site, and it's just operating as a bar. The food is just right, too. The jury's out on the new Brew By Numbers bar up on Bellenden Rd though. It's nice having a simple tap room to taste some nice beers, but it's a bit too austere to make me want to stay for long. Perhaps they will evolve.

[stepdown]

fishbiscuits Wrote:

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> Brick Brewery in Peckham is working really well,

> now they've moved the actual brewery off-site, and

> it's just operating as a bar. The food is just

> right, too.

I'm still mourning the loss of Slow Richie's burgers.

[zerkalo]

fishbiscuits Wrote:

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> A craft beer specialist bar could definitely work

> in ED. In fact this must be one of the few

> affluent London boroughs that doesn't have one,

> despite several failed attempts. Just having good

> beer isn't enough though, it needs to have the

> right atmosphere, decent food, accessible

> location, and prices have to be in the sweet

> spot.

Although not really a bar or a taproom, I think Hops, Burn & Black on East Dulwich Road cover a lot of the craft beer demand in ED. But it would be nice to have a specialist bar/pub in the area. I still go to Camberwell regularly to drink the beers I like.

[Applespider]

Agreed on Brick although I too am mourning the burgers. The hog roast isn?t the same. BBNo does feel a less welcoming space.

[fishbiscuits]

Applespider Wrote:

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> Agreed on Brick although I too am mourning the

> burgers. The hog roast isn?t the same.

Yeah the burgers were good. Although I recently tried the hog roast bap (with black pudding and hot sauce), and I enjoyed it... so I'm OK with the offering still. The cynic in me thinks that they've gone hog roast because it's easier to do in bulk, rather than cooking burgers to order, but I like the fact that they're trying something new. I guess time will tell whether it works out.

[fishbiscuits]

zerkalo Wrote:

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> Although not really a bar or a taproom, I think

> Hops, Burn & Black on East Dulwich Road cover a

> lot of the craft beer demand in ED.

I rarely buy "takeaway" beer there, because I'm afraid it stretches the wallet rather. But sitting outside on the bench on a warm evening with a couple of fancy beers is an interesting alternative.

[Sue]

Really nice people in HBB, too.

[jwinters]

A shame but hardly surprising, I imagine it's tough trying to get anything going on that strip of shop front between there and tile giant. That area seems like a bit of a no-mans land between East Dulwich and Forest hill. Never looked super full when I went past on the bus.

[jimbo1964]

Charlie Bravo Wrote:

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> I'm an ex publican, and chef, I spoke with the

> owners and told them they needed good food, I even

> offered to come in on a Sunday and do a Sunday

> lunch offer for them to help boost trade, it

> seemed to have either fallen on deaf ears or

> completely ignored either way that site is crying

> out for good honest reasonably priced food and I

> don't mean ?16 burgers.

>

>

> Most people who fancy a bite to eat and a good

> pint don't want to pay upward of ?17 for Sunday

> roast when they can do it at home what they want

> is a decent fill for about a tenner or tops twelve

> quid and it does exist Mrs and Mrs East Dulwich

> may have a couple of Children so factor them in

> and you're looking at ?100 for Sunday lunch that's

> most peoples normal shopping bill for a week. Make

> your food reasonable and they'll have a couple of

> extra beers make it ?20 for a main in a pub of all

> places and people will just not bother.

>

> Rant over

Completely agree. Anything for a tenner is good. For three of us I don't want a ?75 lunch bill.

[Humdinger]

I wish publicans all followed your lead. I never have a roast in a pub in London, as it is at least ?15 normally, and quite often is lukewarm, as much of the food is already cooked and sat around until someone puts an order in.

A decent meal for a tenner and you've got my custom, along with a couple of pints (providing they arent silly prices too).

Best value i have seen in ED seems to be bangers and mash in the EDT for ?8. Never tried it mind.

[jimbo1964]

The Ivy House gets the balance right i think. Good beer and quality Sunday roasts at keen prices.

[Sue]

Humdinger Wrote:

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>

> Best value i have seen in ED seems to be bangers

> and mash in the EDT for ?8. Never tried it mind.

I've had that a couple of times.

Very good and yes, excellent value.

[Humdinger]

I was told that in every Antic pub they do this, as their cheap menu option. The idea behind it is those with limited incomes who cant be bothered to cook after work of an evening, can still come to the pub and have a decent enough meal for a fair price. When they first started it the thinking was a hot dinner and a pint for around a tenner, but as prices have gone up that no longer possible, but i suppose still reasonable enough.

[jimbo1964]

Humdinger Wrote:

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> I was told that in every Antic pub they do this,

> as their cheap menu option. The idea behind it is

> those with limited incomes who cant be bothered to

> cook after work of an evening, can still come to

> the pub and have a decent enough meal for a fair

> price. When they first started it the thinking was

> a hot dinner and a pint for around a tenner, but

> as prices have gone up that no longer possible,

> but i suppose still reasonable enough.

A bit like Franco's menu del dia in Spain. There's always a good cheap option.

[Oily Telly Tyke]

Really interesting to read all the comments on here. I'm opening (subject to planning) a small 10-tap bottle shop/bar in Penge where I moved to. Right on the 176 route by the Homebase stop/just down from Penge West station. As a former ED resident I'm surprised there isn't more of this in ED. Hopefully if the Penge place takes off I can pop one in LL! I'll be crowdfunding for beer tokens soon so I'll keep you posted if you're interested. The taproom and shop will be a physical version of my online beer club www.craftmetropolis.co.uk which I run out of Penge. Cheers all! Speak soon, Oli

[Tuffstuff100]

Any ideas if something is due to go in it's place? Or is this location doomed for ever?

I left the area around june for a few months and used to like having this place closeby :)