Strange brew: Urban Sessions bring their inventive beers to Hackney Wick

Urban Sessions will be offering scrumptious beer. Photograph: Eleonore de Bonneval

From now until Hackney’s leaves begin to fall, one corner of the borough is offering beer lovers a taste of some of the most extraordinary drops you could hope to try.

The Old Baths in Hackney Wick are housing Urban Sessions, which aims to satisfy local appetites for inventive brews, sumptuous street food and collaborative happenings.

Mat Wale at Twisted Lemon Events and Mark Banks from The Lost Group are the men behind the merrymaking, says Greg Cannam from Urban Sessions. Cre8, which manages the venue, has also been heavily involved in the set-up and all is now in full flow.

“Our suppliers have been handpicked by our resident beer expert, Melissa Cole, to bring the finest beers from around the globe under one roof,” Cannam says.

Cole is running a series of brewing master classes, in collaboration with Honest Brew and a select number of industry specialists. One of which is Stuart Howe, head brewer at Sharp’s Brewery, who is leading the session on the evening of 14 August.

Howe says: “It takes a lot to shock and impress the good people of East London when it comes to beer but I’ll be doing my very best. I am considering the concept of a crustacean-themed brew, with freeze-dried woodlice boiled in the kettle to add sweetness and body to a beer,

“We’ll be brewing beer in front of your very eyes and offering tips for aspiring brewers who are already handling hops at home. Summer in Hackney calls for regular refreshment so there will, of course, be a bounty of special beers to sample on the night.”

Entry to Urban Sessions is free and there is also a token system in place to give you the option of getting more poured for your pounds.

Urban Sessions
Cre8 Centre, The Old Baths,
80 Eastway, Hackney Wick, E9 5JH
Until 31 October