UPDATE: As of April 2019, CRATE successfully raised the sum of £500,000 to fund a major refurbishment of The White Building in Hackney Wick. The refurbishment includes the opening of Silo, the world’s first zero waste restaurant from Douglas McMaster; a new experimental brewery; an affordable work space; an extended ground floor bar; and a new event space.
CRATE Brewery teams up with Douglas McMaster to launch Crowdfunding campaign to bring the zero-waste chef’s legendary restaurant, Silo, to London.
London’s craft beer scene has seen enormous growth in recent years. In fact, the number of breweries has tripled in the last five years, and now there are over 130 breweries based in London. But standing out can be tough, that’s why CRATE Brewery is launching a crowdfunding campaign.
CRATE – which is actually a microbrewery, bar and pizzeria – was launched in 2012 by siblings Tom and Jess Seaton along with their friend Neil Hinchley; and with it’s opening they lit the touch paper for Hackney Wick’s now booming craft beer and food scene, and it’s about to get even better.
Their location, known as The White Building, began life as a print factory. Its spot is unrivalled, on the canal side, moments from the Olympic Park, meaning it isn’t unusual to see kayakers and hipsters drinking shoulder to shoulder, especially in their beer garden in the coming sunnier months.
With an ambitious growth plan and a desire to enhance the Hackney Wick food scene they have just announced a Crowdfunding campaign with hopes of raising £500,000.
But what does £500,000 get you nowadays?
Well, in CRATE’s eyes it’s a refurbishing of The White Building, a top of the range brew kit to focus on experimental brews, an even larger bar, additional event space, and an affordable work space…phew! – and it doesn’t stop there!
The re-imagined CRATE is more than just beer, bar, work and event spaces – they have a social conscious. That’s why they are partnering with award-winning chef Douglas McMaster (Silo, Cub) to bring his zero-waste restaurant, Silo to CRATE. Originally founded in Brighton and shortlisted for the World Restaurant Awards 2019, Silo will serve up a sustainable, zero-waste menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Additionally, Dougie and the CRATE team will work together to ensure that sustainability is a focus of The White Building, including hosted workshops, activities and talks that sit alongside CRATE’S passions: food, beer, art and culture.
If you want to find out more check out their Crowdfunding campaign, you can register your interest here. In the mean-time, we’d recommend their oh-so-quaffable Session IPA. It’s refreshing, packed full of flavour, and is low on the ABV ringing in at 3.6%. Look forward to seeing you at the bar soon!
CRATE Brewery, Unit 7 Queen’s Yard, Hackney Wick, London E9 5EN
Words – Whitney Special