The six best crates to buy from London breweries

Pillars is just one of the many breweries and taprooms on Walthamstow’s ever-expanding Beer Mile, but it was also one of London’s first craft lager strongholds. Originally titled Untraditional Lager, Pillars’s signature Hop Lager is simply unbeatable, combining the lightness of a lager with the heavy hops of a pale ale. Slightly dry with hints of citrus, it also comes in gorgeous little brown bottles – there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want an entire crate’s worth.

If you live in London and have gone to the pub at any point in the past five years, you’ll already know that Beavertown is the capital’s most on-trend pint. Gamma Ray and Neck Oil are everywhere: since the Tottenham-based brewery was founded in 2011, it’s spread far and wide – and for good reason. This crate features both of the above classics plus Lupuloid IPA, one of Beavertown’s more recent (and, at 6.7 percent, a little stronger) delights, the chance to get in on the Beavertown hype from the comfort of your own home.

Before Walthamstow became London’s brewery hotspot, Bermondsey was the epicentre of the capital’s craft beer scene. Fourpure stems from those years, instantly recognisable for the huge fonts and bold colours on its cans and bottles – and its crates are just as aesthetically pleasing. Fourpure’s beers are refreshingly simple: even this tangerine-infused Citrus Session IPA is uncomplicated and easy-going. It puts taste first, managing not to be too citrussy or too hoppy – it’s a marvellous balancing act.

Think of Beer Hawk’s Camden Canister like an emergency supply. Tuck it neatly away until you’re running low, and then whip it out and you’ll have three cans of the Camden Town Brewery’s unpasteurised delicacies ready to go. The canister contains pub favourites the Hells Lager and Pale Ale, as well as the Off-Menu India Pale Ale – so-called because the Camden brewers’ ideal IPA didn’t exist, so they made it themselves. Beer Hawk’s package is sleek and distinctive, a great gift but just as suitable for personal supplies.

Seasonal Affective Disorder got you down? What you need is a high dosage of pure positivity – which is exactly what’s on offer here. The Goodness Brewing Co. describes its Yes! brew as ‘a positive and joyful expression’, and ‘the embodiment of what we stand for’. Brewed in Wood Green, it’s also unfiltered, vegan, gluten-free and totally delicious, a mouth-wateringly fine mix of tangerine, citrus and oats. What’s not to like?

Kernel is one of London’s most interesting and varied beermakers, brewing and bottling everything from sour beers to stouts. Across 12 beers and 10 different types of beer, Kernel’s variety box gives drinkers a full tour of the brand.  The selection ranges from well-established Kernel staples like the Table Beer and Foeder Beer to variations on the Bière de Saison and a few different kinds of stout. But all the varieties are worth your time – Kernel is perfect for adventurous, wide-palleted drinkers.