Location: 96 Druid Street
Opening hours: Saturday 1100-2300
Other days: Sunday 1100-1800, Wednesday-Friday 1600-2300
Official site: http://wearehawkes.com/
Last updated: 28/12/2018
Should we be talking about this on the Beer Mile? After all, there are a couple of oh-so-trendy gin distilleries on the route, and we're not saying anything about those. Well, there are definite links between cider and craft beer, and especially this cider: early in 2018, BrewDog made a substantial investment in Hawkes, seeing the purchase as a way of plugging one of the acknowledged gaps in the offerings at their bars.
You can see what attracted BrewDog to Hawkes in particular: there's a similar sort of attitude in the decor, complete with the slogan 'The Cider Revolution Will Not Be Televised' over the bar itself. They've done a nice job of using the space in their arch - big old tanks visible in the back, seating and tables at the front, larger communal benches in an upstairs balcony. (The latter claims to have 'the biggest TV screen in Bermondsey', which made for a raucous atmosphere during the England/Sweden World Cup quarter-final.) If you need food at this stage in the day, they have a range of pizzas on offer, plus Scotch eggs and the like available at the bar.
As for the drinks, there are typically seven or so different varieties of cider, mostly by Hawkes themselves but with the odd guest. There are also one or two guest beers for people who just don't get on with cider, usually from Druid Street neighbours like Anspach & Hobday. (You may even get to see collaborations with the latter on offer as a graff, a cider/beer genetic hybrid. It actually works surprisingly well.)
Now walk 110m to Anspach & Hobday ----->
<----- or go back 50m to The Barrel Project
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