A beer-focused Islington pub on Danbury Street near Angel, pouring around twenty rotating taps with a board that lists every ABV.
The Earl of Essex sits on Danbury Street, a quiet corner of Islington just round from Angel, and runs as a beer bar first. A back wall chalkboard lists around twenty rotating taps with the brewery, style and ABV of each.
Come for the range, with a beer garden out back for warm evenings. Skip it if you want cocktails or a quiet snug, because the draw here is the breadth of beer and a knowledgeable bar.
The room is a plain, beer-led pub with the chalkboard tap list as its centrepiece. Londonist describes it as a destination for drinkers who want choice rather than decor.
A substantial beer garden sits at the back, the seat to ask for in summer. The pub once ran its own on-site brewery, though that has since stopped.
The order is whatever is freshest on the board, which lists around twenty keg and cask lines plus a deep fridge of cans and bottles. Halves are the smart way to taste across the range.
CAMRA and Des de Moor's beer writing both rate the selection as one of north London's strongest, so ask the bar for a steer toward a style you like.
The crowd is Islington beer fans, Angel locals, and craft drinkers who treat the board as a tasting menu, knowledgeable and relaxed rather than rowdy.
What to order
- 01
A half from the chalkboard
- 02
A cask ale
- 03
A can from the fridge
- 04
A garden pint in summer
