A lot has changed in London in the six years since the Euston Tap opened, shifting the city’s beer scene away from Camra-pleasing alehouses and towards new-age, high-ABV brews in the process.
Thankfully, the Tap team has excluded half a decade’s worth of craft beer tropes from the aesthetic of its new outpost – you’ll find no filament bulbs or scruffily chalked-up beer lists here. Okay, okay, so it’s in a railway arch, but given that it’s just a short dash from Waterloo station, we’ll chalk that one up to architectural necessity.
Though European and American big-hitters (Konig, Lagunitas) do feature, the beer selection is British-focused, with the North especially well represented (no surprise, given the original Tap is in Sheffield). If it’s on, try anything from Manchester’s Cloudwater Brew Co, whose one-off, seasonal brews are never around for long.
The 20-strong keg selection (plus six on cask) is presented on big TV screens either side of the bar – a good idea in theory, except that each only displays half the list, so anyone ordering from the end of the bar may miss out on something brilliant.
Still, the Waterloo Tap is a bar that encourages a lingering visit, so there’s plenty of time to explore what’s on offer. Got a train to catch? Start thinking of excuses for your tardiness now.