Ted rakes it in

.. and makes good progress in finding a little gem hidden in plain view in a very old part of town and my personal favourite of course Borough Market, which has recently celebrated 1000 years (yep that’s not a typo) of trading.  Many Londoners and non-Londoners alike can find a link back somewhere in their family tree to some ancestor (near or far) who sold produce here – apple sellers seem to have been especially popular.  So what have you found Ted … well I don’t think it was ever lost actually but I recently stumbled across The Rake pub. Owned by the two chaps who operate the Utobeer stall in the market, the aim of the Rake is to only stock beers that are brewed in their country of origin and never have anything that is brewed under license – so naturally that rules out the ubiquitous big global brands of bubbly nonsense. 

Fittingly, the pub mantra proudly displayed above the bar on a bright yellow sign is “no crap on tap”. Obviously it’s a mecca for beer lovers and with 7 keg pumps and 3 casks ales of draught beer on tap changing daily there’s never any chance of getting bored with the selection.

If that’s not enough there are regular brewery takeovers, festivals, and usually over 100 bottles in the fridge. The pub itself is tiny, but there never seems to be a space problem, maybe because it borders on the covered Jubilee market within Borough Market which provides one of the biggest all weather extensions to accommodate that peculiarly British habit of standing outside the pub drinking in all seasons.

Inside the décor is unique to say the least. The walls are decorated with messages and scribblings from visiting brewers and only brewers and beer critics (like the inestimable Melissa Cole SomALEier) may actually write on the walls. 

Throw in a few wobbly tables and stools and well used patio furniture to complete the picture. The staff are clearly lovers of their products and very knowledgeable about what’s on offer. Fantastically, there’s absolutely no product snobbery going on here. Want to try a sample or two or three or four even to decide what you might like is not only not a problem but positively encouraged, because it’s about what you might enjoy (pay attention for a customer service lesson here big outfits!!). Go on a weekend and you might even be lucky enough to meet the lovely Alex and her taste buds.