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Get Your Craft Ale Fix In Southampton

Get your Craft Ale fix in Southampton!

Post date: 4th March 2020
Written by: Guest Blogger - Toby Jackson

There is no denying that the hype around craft beer has exploded across the UK in the last ten years, breaking the stereotypes of what beer is and how you should drink it.

Craft Beer is a growing culture of not just great drinks, but also independent businesses, especially around Southampton. Allowing greater creativity and a sense of community and family, which was missing from the bar culture before now. People are starting to choose quality, independent, locally produced food and drink over the common mass-produced brands.

Inside the bar and seating area at Beards & Boards, Southampton

Since Brewdog opened the flood gates for craft beer back in 2007 there has been more micropubs, breweries and hotspots opening up all over the UK, reversing the decline in British pubs and starting a new era of social drinking.

Black and white image of people gathered inside a pub

Southampton's first micropub and dedicated craft beer outlet was the famous Butchers Hook in Bitterne Triangle. Opened in 2014, Butcher's Hook is a micro-pub in an old butchers shop unit serving delicious cask beers, around 20 bottled beers and several craft keg beers.

2014 also saw the opening of the incredible Dancing Man Brewery at the bottom of town in the old wool store. This 14th Century building stands with two storeys of stone rubble, a tiled roof and is a beautiful piece of must-see Southampton history, plus you are always guaranteed to get a great jar or two.

We are lucky in Southampton to have so many great breweries producing some of the country's best award-winning beers. Across the city we have Unity Brewing and Good Libations just to name a few. We also have a few brewpubs such as London Road Brewhouse and Brewhouse & Kitchen which have working breweries inside for all to see.

Today Southampton is one of the craftiest cities in the UK, boasting over 20 craft beer bars and breweries in a 10-mile radius. Next time you decide to pop out for a drink don't just settle for the norm, check out one of the crafty hotspots below and by doing so you'll be supporting local businesses and drinking better beer!

Craft Beer bars in Southampton
Beards & Boards – 33 Bedford Place, Southampton SO15 2DG
Brewdog - 18A Upper Bannister St, Southampton SO15 2EF
Belgium & Blues - 184 Above Bar St, Southampton SO14 7DW
Bookshop alehouse - 21 Portswood Rd, Southampton SO17 2ES
Clockwork - 323 Shirley Rd, Shirley, Southampton SO15 3HW
Overdraft - 383 Shirley Rd, Shirley, Southampton SO15 3JD
The Witches Brew - 220 Shirley Rd, Southampton SO15 3FL
The Steel Tank - 1, The Central Precinct, Winchester Road, Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh SO53 2GA
Butchers Hook - 7 Manor Farm Rd, Southampton SO18 1NN
Olafs tun - 8 Portsmouth Rd, Woolston, Southampton SO19 9AA
Guide Dog - 38 Earls Rd, Southampton SO14 6SF

Craft Breweries in Southampton
London Road Brewhouse - 67-75 London Rd, Southampton SO15 2AB
Unity Brewery - 23-27 Princes St, Northam, Southampton SO14 5RP
Tap It Brewery - Unit 6, Muira Industrial Estate, William St, Southampton SO14 5QH
Brewhouse & Kitchen - 47 Highfield Ln, Southampton SO17 1QD
Dancing Man Brewery - Town Quay, Southampton SO14 2AR
Steamtown Brew Co- 1 Bishopstoke Rd, Eastleigh SO50 6AD