Mason & Taylor

It's a rather exciting time to be a beer-loving Londoner. Not only is the capital's craft-brewing scene blooming, there's also a bevy of new specialist beer bar openings too - see the likes of Draft House, the Southampton Arms, the Euston Tap and Cask Pub & Kitchen.

This bar, spread over two floors and found where Bethnal Green Road meets the middle of Brick Lane, is another place that bigs up boutique beer.

The guys behind the Duke of Wellington in Dalston have taken over what was Green & Red, a Mexican restaurant and tequila bar, and crammed it with an incredibly impressive collection of craft beers.

Behind a concrete bar, a dozen draught taps draw both the obscure and the accessible with Brooklyn Lager and Bitburger rubbing shoulders with a milk stout from Colorado, De Koninck from Belgium and Thornstar - a collaborative creation from Thornbridge and Dark Star - two of the UK's leading microbrewers. The approach to cask is quality rather than quantity, with just three real ales on handpull.

There are plenty of bottled brews to peruse too, with a 40-strong beer menu divided loosely by colour.

Local London beers include Kernel IPA and Meantime Raspberry while a blossoming British artisan brewing community is rightfully well-represented in the shape of beers from Marble in Manchester, Otley in south Wales and Harveys from Sussex.

As well as American craft beers, barrel-aged brews and the best of Belgium and Germany, the 'oddities' section includes beers brewed with chocolate, heather and seaweed. There's even a gluten-free beer called Mongozo Pilsner, brewed in Belgium.

It's not the biggest beer list in town but there's plenty to get excited about: the menu changes every couple of months and the friendly staff know their stuff without being snobby.

Also, for the undecided or uninitiated, beer is available in taster flights of three or six third-of-a-pint glasses (equalling one or two pints respectively), which is a nice touch.

As well as some decent ciders, the spirits selection is small yet strong and there's a sound choice for those who prefer grape to grain. Tapas-style small plates of food, broadly with a British bent, include whitebait, smoked salmon with horseradish cream and roast butternut squash with bacon.

Urban and a little industrial, it's not the snuggest place to sip; there are school-style chairs and tables, concrete ceilings and plenty of metal about the place.

But with big wall-to-ceiling windows, it'll be bright and light during the summer and well-placed for watching east London walk by.