Food & Drink

South west London’s new No Boring Beer

A new craft beer shop has opened up on Lavender Hill in Battersea, as the founders of No Boring Beer continue to grow their south London Empire.

Beer enthusiasts Nikita and Roman started their first small beer shop in Deptford in 2019 due to their love of beer that is anything but boring.

Nikita said that they wanted to offer support to local economies by exclusively stocking local UK beers from independent microbreweries.

He added: “People tend to buy locally, so this is for local people and businesses.”

Moreover, Nikita explained that one of their main goals is to reduce their carbon footprint as much as they possibly can by only using electric cars, and sticking to UK breweries to minimise logistics and negative travel implications.

That means no matter how good a Belgian or German beer is, you won’t see it stocked in No Boring Beer.

Their Battersea store has only been open for about a month and a half, but is already generating a lot of interest and establishing a few regulars.

Walking into the shop, it’s cosy and quiet, an intimate tasting setting for craft beer lovers.

Music plays in the background and a large kayak sits on the wall as part of the aesthetics of No Boring Beer’s brand.

The wall is lined with fridges, packed with a colourful selection of ales, lagers, stouts and sours from all across the country.

There is also a selection on tap behind the bar, usually one IPA, two PA’s and something that Nikita believes is particularly special.

They rotate what’s offered on tap every couple of weeks to keep the experience fresh and interesting.  

Nikita knows a lot about the craft beers they stock, and is ready to answer any questions you may have when wondering which, out of the hundreds of beers, you should try.

FAR FROM BORING: Lavender Hill’s No Boring Beer. Credit: Nikita Stepanov

Out of the different beers he gave me to try, the Polly’s X Big Mountain pale ale on draught was my favourite. It was citrusy and summery, with a strong hoppy flavour whilst also very cloudy and silky.

Having never tried a soured beer before, I was pleasantly surprised by Pressure Drop’s Hidden meaning yuzu sour and its light and fruity taste. The beer was brewed with a Japanese yuzu citrus fruit which made it particularly citrusy, almost like a cocktail. I will definitely be taking Nikita’s recommendations again.

They want to continue to grow their brand through their online business, improve advertising, and potentially start selling through Deliveroo.

Nikita said there is a new store on the horizon after the success of their three existing spaces and he hopes they can introduce a simple dining experience to go with the beer tasting in the future.

There is space in the Lavender Hill store for a tasting room, which they hope to get off the ground in a few months time, offering an immersive craft beer tasting experience.

There’s nothing boring about the beer they stock, and their eco-friendly nature and impressive expertise is enough to find myself in and out of their Battersea branch.

Featured image credit: Nikita Stepanov

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