Burnt Faith: A cool new brandy distillery in Walthamstow
When you imagine a Cognac distillery – if you imagine one at all – it’s probably a bucolic scene set around the rolling vineyards of the French countryside. It is almost certainly not a commercial estate in Walthamstow.
But thanks to Burnt Faith, that’s exactly what you can now find at the rapidly-expanding Blackhorse Road booze hub, which already includes six breweries, a winery and a gigantic taproom. Well, not exactly – what Burnt Faith creates in its urban stills is not Cognac, legally speaking, rather brandy made in a manner similar to Cognac, using wine grapes and created with similarly exacting standards.
The advantage of being Cognac-adjacent is that Burnt Faith is not forced to adhere to the strict impositions that label brings with it, allowing it to experiment with different ageing methods (Cognac proper must be matured in oak barrels sourced from the Tronçais or Limousin forests, for instance). One such creation as an innovative spirit aged in cherry liqueur barrels, which is quite unlike anything you’ll find in the west of France.
Burnt Faith has also created a new destination in an area not short on destinations. Its distillery is put together with the same combination of tradition and idiosyncrasy found in the liquid it produces. There’s a huge Charentais still (the biggest allowed under Cognac guidelines and the only one of its kind used to make brandy in the UK) that was shipped over from France – but they have painted it bright purple.
And, thanks to a slight tape-measure malfunction, there is also a viewing platform – also known as a big hole – in the first storey floor, cut through the concrete when it became clear the equipment wasn’t going to fit. It adds character to what will soon be a bar open to the public, serving cocktails, local beers and, of course, brandy.
If this all sounds highly ambitious, well, it is. But it comes with the pedigree of Simon Wright, the founder of Hawkes Cider, which was sold to Brewdog, and Oliver Kitson, who helped set up the Sipsmith distillery in Chiswick.
The bar is slated to open in September and you can already buy a bottle of Batch 001 from the Burnt Faith website for £36.
Three more things to do in Blackhorse Road
London’s Renegade Urban Winery recently expanded from its Bethnal Green base to occupy a huge space in the Blackhorse Road beer mile. You can encamp on the terrace or take a seat on the indoor mezzanine to sample the wine list, or enjoy food from a rotating cast of guest chefs.
Big Penny Social may be the most famous of the “breweries” in Blackhorse Road (it’s also the only one that doesn’t actually brew any beer on site), but for our money the best of the bunch is Signature Brew, which features a sun-trap terrace, live music and outstanding lager.
Nothing says “gentrification” quite like a gourmet restaurant sharing a space with an artisan jeans-making factory. SlowBurn is a “vegetarian and vegan friendly” restaurant that opens Friday to Sunday, with a diverse and ever-changing modern European menu.
If you need a pick-me-up after all the food and booze, Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters has an outpost in the adorably named Inky Cuttlefish Studios. Damn fine coffee.