What Anspach & Hobday does

Anspach & Hobday is an independent London-based craft brewery founded in 2014 by Paul Anspach and Jack Hobday, operating from the Bermondsey beer-mile arches and a larger Croydon production facility opened in March 2020 that tripled brewing capacity. The portfolio centres on London Porters and other traditional British beer styles, with London Black — a 4.4% ABV nitro porter using nitrogen rather than CO2 carbonation — established as the flagship and accounting for approximately 73% of packaged goods output. Other core SKUs include The IPA (Champion IPA of Britain 2024), Ansbacher Premium Lager, The Porter, Bermondsey Pale Ale, and Hop Pickers Pale Ale, alongside specialty releases such as a gluten-free pilsner produced with Prolyl Endoproteasse enzyme and limited-edition collaborations with partners including Restaurant Story, To Øl, Maldon Salt, Tate, and UCL.

Technical capabilities are grounded in traditional brewing science rather than digital technology: specialised nitro cellar and dispense-line installation expertise for trade venues, gluten-reduction enzyme processing, and ingredient-led collaboration brewing (e.g., terpene pairing with foraged botanicals). The company has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, digital platform, or app, and operates a Squarespace-based webshop rather than a proprietary e-commerce platform.

The business runs a hybrid go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer revenue comes through the company webshop (single cans, twelve-packs, cases of 24, and Beer Club monthly/quarterly subscriptions at £28.50), three owned venues — The Arch House (Bermondsey taproom), The Pigeon (Camberwell bar), and The Croydon Taproom — plus brewery tours and private/corporate hire. Trade distribution is handled by a dedicated sales team covering North London, South London, and Rest of UK & Export, with national wholesale handled by James Clay & Sons (England) and New Wave Beer (Scotland) and international export distributors across France, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Spain, and Australia. Two community equity crowdfunding rounds (2018 and 2021) have funded expansion to over 140 retail investors, and the company is a member of SIBA.

Name

Anspach & Hobday

Legal name

Anspach & Hobday

Website

https://anspachandhobday.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Anspach & Hobday is a London-based independent craft brewery founded in 2014 that produces nitro porters and traditional British beer styles at its Bermondsey and Croydon sites. It sells through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, three owned taprooms, UK trade wholesale, and export to six international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Nitro porter production
• Independent microbrewery
• London craft beer
• Taproom venue operations

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Beer Sales (Webshop): Direct-to-consumer packaged beer sales through company webshop, offering individual cans, multi-packs, and mixed case subscriptions. Includes merchandise, prints, and glassware.
2. Venue Sales: On-trade sales through three company-owned venues: The Arch House (Bermondsey), The Pigeon (Camberwell), and The Croydon Tap. Draft and packaged beer served on-site.
3. Trade/Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale supply of packaged and draft beer to independent pubs, bars, and restaurants across London and nationally. Includes managed distribution through third-party wholesalers.
4. Subscription Boxes: Monthly and quarterly mixed case subscriptions delivering rotating selection of core beers and new releases to subscribers, providing predictable recurring revenue.
5. Venue Hire and Events: Private hire of venues for corporate events, tastings, and special occasions. Brewery tours at Croydon location.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Anspach & Hobday is an independent London craft micro-brewery that produces a core range of traditional and modern British beer styles led by its flagship nitro porter London Black, alongside IPAs, lagers, pale ales, and specialty/collaboration brews. The company sells these beers directly to consumers through its own webshop and three company-owned taproom venues (The Arch House, The Pigeon, The Croydon Tap), and supplies the on-trade wholesale channel across the UK and internationally.

Product overview

Anspach & Hobday is a south London independent craft brewery operating from Bermondsey and Croydon locations. The product portfolio centers on their core beer lineup including flagship London Black (nitro porter), The IPA (Champion IPA of Britain 2024), Ansbacher Premium Lager, and seasonal specialties. The brewery also operates three venue locations (The Arch House, The Pigeon, and The Croydon Taproom), offers a monthly Beer Club subscription service, and provides brewery tour experiences. Their specialty releases include collaborations with partners like To Øl and Kirkstall Brewery, plus limited edition prints and merchandise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Arch House: The Arch House is their Bermondsey taproom located at 118 Druid Street.
• The Pigeon
• The Croydon Taproom

Products and services

• London Black London Black is a 4.4% ABV nitro porter that serves as the company's flagship beer, featuring notes of roasted coffee and chocolate balanced by red fruit from hops, delivered with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel through nitrogen carbonation. It has been named the UK's No. 1 beer at the Top 50 UK Beer Awards. Sold as single cans, twelve-packs, and cases of 24 in 470ml cans.
• The IPA (6.0%) A 6.0% ABV West Coast-inspired IPA brewed with British malt and American hops (Summit, Ekuanot & Enigma), described as dank, resinous, and fruit forward. It won Champion IPA of Britain 2024 and Silver Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2024 at CAMRA awards. Sold via webshop to UK consumers and trade.
• Ansbacher Premium Lager A 5.0% ABV premium lager and modern take on a world classic, drawing on family heritage as London's nod to Bavarian Helles Lager tradition. It is bright gold in colour, clean, crisp, and refreshing with traditional and contemporary hop aromas. Sold through webshop and on-trade venues.
• Bermondsey Pale Ale A 3.4% ABV English pale ale produced as a tribute to the hard-working families of Bermondsey who would travel to Kent during hop picking season. Sold as part of the core range on the webshop.
• Hop Pickers Pale Ale

Quantifiable outcome

• 110% year-on-year revenue growth for London Black
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tate Britain / Tate ModerncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2021Collaboration to brew Hogarth Golden Ale celebrating Tate Britain's Hogarth and Europe exhibition. Beer exclusively available at Tate galleries and A&H venues. Label designed by A&H illustrator Alan Batley, featuring artwork displayed at The Tate.
• Restaurant StorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichelin-starred restaurant collaboration producing The Story Pale (house beer), The Smoked Brown, and various Story Saison iterations using seasonal ingredients including clementines, blood oranges, sea buckthorn, and foraged botanicals.
• Beddington Farm Beer Festival Guest BreweriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeaturing Orbit, Brew By Numbers, Drop Project, Elusive, Bullfinch, Signal, Solvay Society at inaugural Beddington Farm Beer Festival.
• Brew YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on The Indiana Stout and The Last Brewsade.
• Elusive BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisiting collaboration brew at Elusive Brewing in Reading with Andy Parker. Mentioned for winning UK's Best American IPA at World Beer Awards 2021.
• To ØlcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCopenhagen-based craft brewery collaboration on 45 Days Later Baltic Porter. Fermented with ale yeast at cold temperatures (twist on traditional lager yeast method). Multiple collaboration events at The Arch House.
• Kirkstall BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Jumbo IPA for Kirkstall's Great Exhibition of Prize Ales festival in Leeds. Artwork inspired by historic Croydon brewery Nalder & Colly's.
• Maldon SaltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with 140-year-old Maldon Salt for Sea Salt & Lime Gose, brewed for their 140th birthday celebrations. Featured in Maldon's Salt Stories marketing.
• Land ChocolateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration using cocoa husks from London-based independent chocolate producer for The Chocolate Brown beer. Husks added to mash and secondary nib addition for chocolate flavour.
• MuntonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with historic maltsters Muntons on The Bock, showcasing British ingredients with German twist. Featured at SIBA's BEERX convention.
• Tanker (Estonia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstonian brewery collaboration for kettle sour using birch leaf tea method (Tanker's Sauna Session technique). Collaboration at Tanker lager festival.
• O/O Brewing (Sweden)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Tack! NEIPA with Olle from O/O (former Stigbergets Bryggeri). Master of NEIPA technique bringing haze-positive brewing methods.
• James Clay & SonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational distributor for England handling London Black installations and distribution outside London area.
• New Wave BeercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScottish distributor for London Black installations and distribution in Scotland.
• London Distillery CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNeighbouring gin supplier for The Pigeon bar, providing gin for G&Ts and Negronis.
• DarkstarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Henry's Burton Ale using recipe from beer historian Ron Pattinson.
• ThornbridgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Aquilla (cask beer mentioned as highlight of year).
• SIBAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSociety of Independent Brewers membership, advocating for independent brewing.
• Neptune (Liverpool)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration brew of Janus (maple and oak brown ale) at Neptune brewery. Return collaboration planned for March 2020.
• The Beer Shop (Nunhead)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on The Triple Mashed Mild mild ale for 5th birthday celebration.
• Hukins Hop FarmminorOthersKent hop farm supplying Ernest hops for Hop Pickers' Harvest green hopped pale.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Five Points Brewing: Independent East London craft brewery of similar scale, founded around the same period. Direct peer in UK craft brewing with comparable product portfolio, London on-trade distribution, and venue operations.
• The Kernel Brewery: Bermondsey-based London craft brewery operating in the same arches district as A&H. Direct competitor in London craft with similar independent positioning, cask and keg focus, and trade/on-trade distribution.
• DEYA Brewing: UK craft brewery whose Steady Rolling Man pale ale was the previous UK No. 1 beer (2024) before being unseated by A&H's London Black. Highly relevant peer given direct competitive overlap on UK craft beer rankings.
• Pressure Drop Brewing: London craft brewery of comparable size and vintage, operating in Bermondsey/Hackney. Direct peer in London craft with overlapping taproom and wholesale distribution model.
• Hackney Brewery: London-based craft brewery with comparable scale, venue strategy (Hackney taproom), and trade distribution across UK on-trade. Direct peer in London independent craft segment.
• Brixton Brewery: South London craft brewery operating in similar geography to A&H. Direct peer with comparable scale, cask/keg portfolio, and on-trade focus across London.

Broad incumbents

• Beavertown Brewery: Larger London craft brewery now owned by Heineken. Broad incumbent peer offering overlapping craft beer products across UK on-trade and off-trade at greater scale and marketing budget.
• Camden Town Brewery: Larger London craft brewery acquired by AB InBev. Broad incumbent with overlapping London craft heritage and significantly broader UK distribution and marketing resources.
• BrewDog: Major UK craft brewer with extensive own-brand taproom network, international footprint, and broad craft portfolio. Broad incumbent competitor in UK on-trade and packaged craft segment.
• Fuller's: Historic London brewery (referenced in A&H data as a benchmark whose 1991 ESB win A&H matched at CAMRA 2024). Broader incumbent spanning pubs, brewing, and hospitality with overlapping London heritage positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AnspachHobday
• Facebookfacebook.com/London-Black-101874725489319
• Instagraminstagram.com/londonblack_ah

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Anspach & Hobday