Nine beers in three hours makes London taste different. On this London Secret Beer Tour, I like how the route starts in a 17th-century riverside tap room and quickly turns beer into something you can actually learn to taste, not just drink.

I also like the Bermondsey Beer Mile part of the tour, where you’re walking through an area famous for craft breweries and getting to sample beer tied to today’s brewing scene. One thing to consider: there’s no food included, so plan a solid meal first, or you’ll feel the pace fast.

Key Things You’ll Notice on This Beer Tour

• A structured tasting lesson: you’re taught how to taste beer, and the flavors can land as complex as wine
• A Bermondsey Beer Mile walk: you get the brewery-density feel of one of London’s craft corridors
• 3-hour pacing with 3–4 stops: enough variety to compare styles without turning it into an all-day crawl
• Fresh beer from a microbrewery: you’ll sample beers straight from the tank and learn how they’re made
• A wide style mix: stouts, sours, cask ales, wheat beers, wild fermented ales, and more
• A secret beer: one pour that’s part of the fun of the route

A 3-hour beer route that teaches your palate

This tour is built around one simple idea: beer has layers, and you’ll catch more of them when you taste with a method. In three hours, you’ll move through multiple venues and sample enough styles to make comparisons that actually stick.

If you like craft beer but you often feel stuck between two choices—IPAs are good, and everything else is either sour or stout—this tour helps you organize the chaos. You learn why different beers taste the way they do, and you’ll notice shifts in aroma, flavor, and finish rather than just going for volume.

And yes, it’s still a pub night. Past groups have described the guides as friendly and chatty, like you’re out with people who genuinely enjoy what’s on tap. In particular, Luke and Dave have shown up in guide reports with that mix of history talk and easy conversation.

Price and value at $127 for about 3 pints of samples

At $127 per person for a 3-hour private group, the price only makes sense if you’re going to use what you’re paying for. Here’s what you’re buying beyond the beers: guided tasting guidance, access to multiple venues, and a microbrewery visit where you hear how beer is brewed.

You’ll visit 3–4 venues and, on average, you’ll get around 8 samples, which are sized like small glasses—totaling roughly the equivalent of about 3 pints. The tour also promises nine beers across the experience, so you’re not just getting one or two “safe” pours.

If you were to build this yourself—booking a tasting, hopping between breweries, and adding a tank-to-glass microbrewery stop—you’d spend time and likely more money. The value here is the time saved and the structure that keeps you from turning it into random bar-hopping.

Meeting at Shad Thames Tower Bridge Piazza and getting your timing right

You’ll meet at Starbucks Shad Thames Tower Bridge Piazza, 49 Shad Thames, London SE1 2N. The start times are Friday at 5pm and Saturday/Sunday at 3pm.

You don’t get hotel pick-up, so you’ll want to arrive early enough to settle in and grab water before the first pour. This matters because the tour starts with tasting and history, not a long warm-up.

Also, plan for walking. The route connects historic central areas with the Bermondsey Beer Mile, and while it’s designed for a guided foot route, you’ll still be on your feet for part of the experience.

Stop 1: A 17th-century Thames tap room to set the beer scene

The first stop takes place in a 17th-century tap room by the banks of the Thames. This opener is about grounding you in London beer culture: where it came from, how it changed, and why modern craft beer has a revival story.

You’ll start with a selection of craft beers and get a look at how the venue embraced the movement. If you’re new to craft, this first hour style check is a win because it gives you a baseline: you’ll taste before you start overthinking.

You’ll also hear history tied to the brewing landscape around you. The tour mentions a spot where you can see the sight of what was once history’s largest brewery, plus context as you move onward. It’s not history as a lecture—it’s history that makes the next sips make more sense.

One practical note: the tour recommends having a substantial meal beforehand since no food is included. You can buy salty snacks at the venues, but snack pricing and snack sizes vary, so eat first and you’ll enjoy the tasting more.

Stop 2: Bermondsey Beer Mile and the walk through IPA DNA

Next comes the Bermondsey Beer Mile, an area known for craft brewing density—more than 16 breweries along that stretch. The tour doesn’t treat this as just a sightseeing stop. It’s a tasting route that’s supposed to help you understand why certain styles belong in London.

You’ll get to take in the idea that London beer didn’t just happen in one brewery. It formed through neighborhoods, competition, and experimentation. In the tour description, you’ll hear about the IPA’s invention in the capital, plus stops that connect beer styles to the place you’re standing.

What you’ll likely taste here varies by availability and weather, but the overall range is clear: expect styles like cask ales, wheat beers, and fruit sours, plus other options that can include wild fermented ales. That variety matters, because it prevents you from thinking beer tasting is only about hops.

This is also where the walking helps. When you move from place to place, your brain has something to do besides sip. You can focus on the guide’s explanations and compare the next beer against what you tasted earlier.

Stop 3: The microbrewery stop where beer comes from the tank

The final tasting part takes you to a microbrewery, where you sample a selection of beers that are described as being served fresh and close to production. The tour specifically calls out meeting the staff and tasting beers straight from the tank, plus learning about the brewing process.

This stop is the most practical if you’re the type who wants to understand how something gets made, not just what it tastes like. When you’re watching the brewing process through a guide’s explanation—and then drinking something that came from that system—it’s easier to connect flavor to process.

One example from past guide routes: Long Arm Brewing has shown up as a favorite stop for at least one group, and the brewer there gave enthusiastic descriptions of beers and the ingredients and process behind them. Even if your itinerary changes, the takeaway is consistent: the microbrewery portion is built to make the science human.

Drawback to keep in mind: because the itinerary is subject to availability and weather, the exact breweries and beer list can shift. That doesn’t ruin the experience, but it does mean you shouldn’t plan this tour as a guarantee for a specific brewery you’ve already researched.

The beer lineup: what nine beers usually feels like

The tour sets up a wide style spread, including the following kinds of beers: London Black, a historic IPA, smoky stouts, tingling sour beers, smooth ales, cask ales, wheat beers, wild fermented ales, and a secret beer.

Nine beers in three hours can sound like a lot, but the tour uses sample sizing that’s meant to keep you tasting without turning it into one long heavy pour. You’ll be comparing styles, not chugging them.

Here’s how to approach the lineup so it feels meaningful:

• Start by tracking what you notice first (aroma vs flavor).
• Compare how the beers finish rather than just how they start.
• Note which style makes your palate want the next style (sour to stout, IPA to ale, etc.).

If you’re worried you’ll dislike some of the styles—like sours or wild fermented beers—that’s a fair concern. The tour format helps because you’re tasting multiple types, so one style that’s not your thing doesn’t dominate your whole experience.

And because you’re learning a tasting method, even beers you don’t love can teach you what you prefer next time. That’s one of the most useful outcomes of a structured route like this.

How the tasting lesson changes what you notice in each glass

A standout part of this tour is the way it teaches the correct way to taste beer. The point isn’t snobbery. It’s that beer flavors can be just as complex as wine, and you can pick up those complexities with attention.

During the tour, the guide cues you to slow down and taste with intention. You learn how flavors show up differently in different beers—why a sour might feel sharp or bright, why a stout can bring roasted depth, or why a smooth ale might feel rounded rather than aggressive.

This also makes the comparisons more fair. When you know what to look for, your preference stops being random and starts being reasoned. You’re no longer saying this one is good; you’re able to say what you liked about it.

For me, that’s the difference between a beer crawl and a tasting tour. A crawl gives you variety. This gives you a way to remember what the variety means.

Snacks, water, and pace: simple moves that keep it fun

The tour includes beer samples, but it doesn’t include food. That’s why the advice to arrive well fed is so important.

During the tour, you’ll have a chance to purchase salty snacks from venues. That helps if you start feeling too dry or you want something crunchy between tastings, but it’s not a substitute for a meal.

The best approach:

• Eat a real meal before you go.
• Sip water between beers when you can.
• Pace yourself on the sour or stronger styles, because they can make later beers feel sharper than they would otherwise.

One more thing: because the itinerary can change, keep your schedule flexible. If weather or availability shifts a stop, your guide will still keep the tasting experience moving.

Who should book this London Secret Beer Tour?

This tour is a great fit if you want:

• A guided beer tasting that teaches you how to taste, not just where to drink
• A walk through Bermondsey Beer Mile so you see London craft beer as a neighborhood thing
• A microbrewery experience where you hear about brewing and taste something served fresh

It’s also a good choice if you’re traveling with people who like beer but don’t agree on style. Because the tour plans a broad spread—IPAs, stouts, sours, ales—there’s plenty to discuss as you go.

You might want a different option if you’re a total beginner who doesn’t want to handle alcohol at multiple stops, or if you’re strictly hungry-first and want food included. With no food on board, you’ll need to plan your meal timing.

Should you book this tour?

If your goal is to leave London with a better palate and a clearer sense of craft beer styles, I think this is worth it. The mix of a 17th-century Thames tap, the brewery-dense Bermondsey stretch, and a microbrewery tank-side tasting gives you variety plus context.

The price is steep compared to buying a few pints alone, but the tour’s structure is what justifies it: 3–4 venues, about 3 pints equivalent in samples, a tasting lesson, and brewing explanations. Add in the friendly guide vibe that’s shown up with names like Luke and Dave, and it becomes more than a checklist tour.

If you book, do two things: eat beforehand, and show up curious about styles you usually skip. That’s when nine beers in three hours turns into a real learning experience you can carry home.

FAQ

How many beers will I try?

The tour includes tasting nine beers. Included samples are described as averaging around 8 samples, with each sample roughly the equivalent of a small glass.

How long is the London Secret Beer Tour?

The duration is 3 hours.

Is food included on the tour?

No. You’re advised to have a substantial meal before you arrive because no food is included, though there will be an opportunity to eat at the end of the tour and your guide will suggest options.

How many venues does the tour visit?

You’ll visit 3/4 venues during the tour.

Where do I meet the guide?

Meet at Starbucks Shad Thames Tower Bridge Piazza, 49 Shad Thames, London SE1 2N.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

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