London: Craft Brewery Tour with Tasting of 4 Beers

Hackney’s Five Points Brewery gives you a close look at how a working independent brewery turns grain, hops, yeast, and water into beer. The best part is the tasting: you sample four beers fresh from the tank while seated above the brewery, with the machinery and packaging lines still in view.

I like the behind-the-scenes access and the way the tour connects brewing science with the odd, often funny stories of London beer. I also like the generous 1/3-pint tasting pours, plus the 10% discount on food and your first round afterward. The main drawback is that the tour is fairly short, so anyone seeking a long, technical brewery course may find it light.

Key points at a glance

• Four fresh beer samples: Taste at least four Five Points beers in 1/3-pint measures.
• A working Hackney brewery: See the brewhouse and packaging lines rather than only a display area.
• Mezzanine tasting terrace: Drink while looking over the brewery floor.
• London beer stories: Hear unusual facts, jokes, and background on brewing in the capital.
• Useful post-tour discounts: Save 10% on your first round of drinks and on food at the taproom.
• Simple, flexible booking: The tour lasts 1.5 hours, is wheelchair accessible, and allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.

Entering Five Points Taproom in Hackney

You begin at the main bar of Five Points Taproom. Check in there when you arrive, and if you are early, you can buy a pint while you wait. That small detail matters: you do not have to stand around wondering where the tour begins, and the taproom gives you an immediate sense of the brewery’s working character.

Five Points is in Hackney, an area well known for its independent businesses and food-and-drink scene. This tour places you inside a real brewery rather than in a museum built to imitate one. You see a business that is still making, packaging, and serving its own beer.

The activity lasts about 90 minutes. That is a good length for fitting into a London afternoon, especially if you are planning other things in Hackney or nearby parts of east London. It is long enough to cover the main stages of brewing and leave time for four samples, but it does not take over your day.

The tour is in English, with a live guide. One host named Bex has been praised for being warm and fun, and the guiding style appears to favor clear explanations over a lecture full of technical terms. The guides also bring in the stranger side of London beer history, which keeps the science from becoming dry.

Seeing the brewhouse and packaging lines

The first main part of the tour takes you through the brewhouse. You see where the beer is made and get a practical explanation of the stages involved. Your guide explains what goes into producing good craft beer, including the basic science behind the process.

The value here is the setting. You are not simply looking at photographs or listening to a description of equipment hidden behind a wall. You are close to the machinery and can see the brewery as a place of work. The tour also includes the packaging lines, showing what happens after the beer has been brewed.

That behind-the-scenes view helps you understand why a pint is more than a finished product at the bar. Brewing requires a chain of careful steps, from ingredients and fermentation to handling and packaging. The guide fills in the gaps, explaining how those steps affect the beer in your glass.

I would not book this as a specialist brewing qualification. The available details point to an accessible introduction rather than an advanced technical session. If you already spend your weekends studying yeast strains and hop chemistry, some of the material may feel familiar. For most beer drinkers, though, the balance should be right.

The brewery setting also gives the tour a sense of honesty. You are seeing an independent company at work, including the practical side of getting beer ready for sale. That is more useful than a polished presentation that only shows the glamorous part of brewing.

Four beers on the mezzanine terrace

After the brewery walk, you sit on a mezzanine beer terrace overlooking the production area. This is the most appealing part of the experience for many people. You can taste the beer while still looking into the place where it is made.

You receive at least four different Five Points beers, each served in a 1/3-pint measure. Four samples give you enough variety to compare the brewery’s output without turning the tour into a drinking contest. The pours are also larger than tiny tasting sips, so you get a proper sense of each beer.

The beer is served fresh from the tank, which adds a direct link between the tour and the brewery floor. You are not tasting a random selection brought in from elsewhere. The samples come from the company you have just been learning about.

The guide talks through the beers and the brewing process as you taste. This is where the earlier explanations become more useful. You can connect what you are drinking with the ingredients, methods, and decisions discussed in the brewhouse.

The tasting is also handled at a sensible pace. You have time to drink, listen, and ask questions rather than rushing through four glasses. One guide was praised for being generous with the portions, which is worth noting because small pours can make a tasting feel poor value.

You should pace yourself. Four 1/3-pint servings equal more than a pint in total, and you may also choose to buy a drink before or after the tour. The provider can refuse service to anyone who is intoxicated or behaving in an anti-social way, so arrive ready to take part sensibly.

London beer stories with a lighter touch

The tour is not only about tanks and ingredients. Your guide also covers the history of beer in London, including unusual facts and amusing stories. This gives the experience a local frame instead of making it a generic craft beer lesson that could take place anywhere.

I like this combination because beer history can easily become a list of dates and brewing terms. Stories about London’s drinking culture make the subject easier to remember, while the humor keeps the tasting social and relaxed.

The exact depth will depend on the guide and the questions in your group. The activity is only 1.5 hours, so you should expect highlights rather than a full account of London’s beer past. Still, the mix of facts, jokes, and practical brewing information gives the tour more character than a simple walk around the equipment.

The guide’s role matters here. Bex, who has led one of the tours, was praised for being pleasant and engaging. Another guide was described as fun and well informed. I would expect the strongest part of the experience to be the human delivery, particularly if you enjoy asking questions and hearing stories rather than silently inspecting machinery.

The taproom after the tour

When the guided portion ends, you return to the taproom. This is not a hard stop where you are ushered out. You are welcome to stay and make use of the brewery’s food and drink service.

Tour participants receive 10% off their first round of drinks and 10% off the food menu. That makes the tour easier to build into a full afternoon. You can treat the tasting as the main event, then stay for something to eat instead of searching for another place nearby.

The discount is useful, though I would not choose the tour solely because of it. At $26.94 per person, the core value comes from the guided access, four pours, and the chance to learn about the brewery. The discount is a pleasant extra that improves the overall calculation if you already plan to order more.

The taproom also gives you time to decide which beer you liked best. The tasting samples are small enough to compare, while a full round lets you settle on a favorite. The food discount may help make the experience work well for a relaxed lunch or afternoon stop.

Is $26.94 a fair price?

For the price, I find the tour reasonable if you care about both beer and place. You are paying for a live guide, access to a working brewery, four 1/3-pint samples, and the chance to continue at the taproom with discounts.

The value is less convincing if you only want four inexpensive drinks. You could spend less on beer elsewhere, but you would miss the brewhouse visit, the packaging lines, and the explanation of how the beer is produced.

The format also avoids a common problem with brewery tours: long stretches of technical talk followed by a token sample. Here, the tasting is a real part of the event, and the portions are substantial enough to make the comparison worthwhile.

Reserve and pay later is available, which helps if your London schedule is still changing. You can also cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Starting times vary, so check the available slot before planning your other activities.

Who will enjoy this brewery visit?

I would recommend it most to adults who enjoy craft beer and want to see how an independent brewery operates. It also suits couples, small groups, and solo visitors who like a guided activity with a social setting but do not want to give up an entire day.

The tour is a good choice if you are already spending time in Hackney. It gives you a focused local activity and leaves room for other food, shopping, or cultural plans in the area. The 90-minute schedule is especially handy for a free afternoon.

It is not suitable for children under 18. You also need to bring a passport or ID card, and a copy is accepted. Open-toed shoes, sandals, and flip-flops are not allowed, so wear closed shoes. That rule is practical in a working brewery, where equipment and production areas make sturdy footwear the sensible choice.

The experience is wheelchair accessible. Since the tour includes a brewhouse, packaging lines, and a mezzanine terrace, you may still want to confirm any personal access needs when booking, but the activity is listed as accessible.

What the tour does not promise

This is not a large historical attraction with elaborate sets or a long guided route. The main appeal is the real brewery, the beer in the glass, and the guide’s ability to make brewing and London beer history interesting.

You should also keep your expectations in check about novelty. The experience offers a solid look at brewing, but it is not designed to reveal every secret of modern beer production. If you have visited many breweries, the format may feel familiar.

That is not necessarily a weakness. The straightforward structure makes it easy to enjoy. You see the operation, taste four beers, hear the stories, and return to the bar. For a first brewery tour, that clarity is a strength.

Practical advice before you book

Arrive early enough to check in at the main bar. If you want a pre-tour pint, allow time to finish it responsibly before the guide begins.

Wear closed-toe shoes and bring photo identification. Do not arrive intoxicated, since the provider may refuse service. Remember that the tasting includes at least four beers, so plan your later travel with a clear head and do not treat the session as a race.

Use the post-tour discounts if you want to turn the visit into a longer meal or drinking stop. If you are mainly interested in the guided portion, you can leave after the tour ends back at the taproom.

Should you book Five Points Brewery?

Book this tour if you want a short, well-priced introduction to independent London brewing with real equipment, four properly sized samples, and a relaxed taproom finish. The fresh-from-the-tank tasting and mezzanine view give the experience a clear sense of place.

Skip it if you want an advanced brewing workshop, a long tour, or a broad tasting of beers from many London breweries. For everyone else, especially adults already planning time in Hackney, $26.94 buys a useful look behind the bar and enough beer to make the visit feel worthwhile.

FAQ

Where does the brewery tour begin?

Check in at the main bar at Five Points Taproom in Hackney. If you arrive early, you may buy a pint while waiting.

How long does the experience last?

The guided brewery experience lasts 1.5 hours.

How many beers are included?

You taste at least four different Five Points beers, served in 1/3-pint measures.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The activity has a live English-speaking guide.

Is the brewery tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What identification should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card. A copy is accepted.

Are children allowed to join?

No. The activity is not suitable for children under 18.