The brewery
Gorgeous might seem like a bit of a odd choice of name for a brewery whose labels are more reminiscent of funky arcade games and album covers from '70s rock bands, but say "Gorgeous Brewery" in a South London accent and suddenly it takes on a little more meaning. This new kid on the North-London-block is an independent, family-run microbrewery in the beer garden of The Bull on North Hill in Highgate. It all started as a two-barrel brewing kit in the pub's kitchen, until founders Rob and Sam Laub decided to give The Bull a facelift and built the five-barrel brewery around the back. The brewery's name is a nod to their grandmother, who was born and raised in a London pub, and was often heard saying the phrase “it has to be gorgeous”. The pub already has eight beers ready to go, alongside a pretty decent selection of other guest brews behind the bar, too.
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The beer
If you like your beer with a little added haze and funk, you'll be pleased to know that seven out of eight of the beers brewed by Gorgeous are unfined and unfiltered. That also means they're vegan-friendly, too. The crisp, perfumey Gyrocopter session IPA packs a hoppy, grapefruit punch on the nose and is a bit of a belter on the lips in spite of its 4.1% strength. If you're looking for something more on the bitter side, the amber-coloured Gunpowder IPA is the way to go. For something more mellow try Goofyhoof Pacific pale ale, which carries some of the subtly sweet stone-fruit flavours you'll find in West Coast-style pales.
What else?
The beer garden is, well, gorgeous. Grab yourself a pint and hoist yourself up onto the tall, cushioned booths to take it all – including the shiny, open-plan microbrewery – in. If you happen to be there on a Saturday, Gorgeous Brewery also pulls out all the stops with its bottomless beer brunch. If you reckon you can sink more than one pint before 1pm, then it's a pretty decent offering at £35 per person.
13 North Hill, N6 4AB; gorgeousbrewery.com
