Sambrooks Brewery

Pizza and Beer

I don’t like working from home, too many distractions, not enough focus and I haven’t got anything like a proper desk. So when I recently started contracting for a number of companies, I decided that in order to ensure that I actually fulfilled on my promises it would be best to do so in surroundings that encourage work rather than shirk. Luckily for me homeworkspace.com had a new opening in the Young’s brewery development in Wandsworth, that is only about a quarter of an hours walk from my flat.

One of the ironies of the Young’s development is that one of the talked about new tenants in the old brewery is the Sambrook’s new brewery. This dominates the east side of the complex and having spent every other morning and evening walking past it on the way to or from my rented desk, I felt I should pay it a visit.

Constant exposure to pizza and beer advertising, had left my mouth in permanent state of arousal. This would only be sated by the consumption of cheesy savoury goodness washed down with a cold frosty one. When a friend agreed to accompany me, my delight was only tempered by the fact I had to wait 3 weeks till the actual event.

Finally after counting down the days like a kid in anticipation of Christmas, the evening finally arrived and I was stood waiting for my friend outside Wandsworth Town station. Across the road was a stag party elegantly attired in velvet dinner jackets who made me feel scruffy, old and unworthy at the same time, almost as if I’d come second in a Wurzel Gummidge look alike contest.

The venue is only about a 5 minute walk from the station, and has to be entered through the developments main courtyard. Reservations are very much encouraged, and I’m still not sure if you can turn up on spec.

Inside the venue, no one in particular appeared to be minding the door and it took some time before we were escorted to what was obviously a VIP table next to the loos and a raucous 30^th birthday party. With the DJ turning up the dial to 11, my friend and I attempted to communicate by sign language, until it became apparent that neither of us knew any.

Whilst perusing the pizza menu (where there are also side dishes,) we ordered a pale ale to kick start the taste buds. My companion enjoyed this, but I found the taste a bit too cloying and close to the over flavoured products of some microbreweries, at about £5 a pint, it wasn’t bad value though.

As preordained we both ordered pizza, with my companion going for the most expensive on the menu at £16, Mac Daddy, mozzarella, ham and burrata. The burrata is positioned as sort of centre piece in the middle of the pizza, which as my friend sliced it and ate it separately made it almost two dishes in one.

I went for the Big Poppa at about £12. This was meant to include double pepperoni, and I guess it might have done, since there were at least 2 slices, and there might have even been 4. I had a garlic mayo dip, which was good and the crust of the pizza was crispy and tasty so that helped ease my disappointment.

As the night went on the pizzas were consumed, the loos got busier and the music louder. Having finished our food, we moved onto a second pint, this time pilsner which was delicious…light and refreshing, so much so that we took it outside with us when we moved to be among the lurkers and smokers on the outside tables, vainly hoping to retain at least a bit of our higher frequency hearing. We paid our bill which at £70 for 2 pizzas and 4 pints and service was about the right level to my mind.

The outside seating was attractively lit, well served by heaters and populated not only by a generally older crowd, and though smokier it was much quieter. This was the perfect spot to finish our evening, and where I’ll be heading for if I ever look to repeat the Sambrook’s brewery experience.

Sambrook’s brewery

1 Bellwether Ln, London SW18 1UD

www.sambrooksbrewery.co.uk