Green hops, old hands — Geezers take on the Walthamstow Beer Project

News in and around Bow, The Geezers, Where's my Boozer Gone?
Walthamstow beer project with greyhound
The hops were green but the Bow Geezers were old hands.

Signing up for the Walthamstow Beer Project in early spring, the Geezers nurtured hop plants at home in their gardens, on their terraces and allotments and in their plot at Stepney City Farm.

Long time Geezer Roy Feltwell shared some Memories of family hop picking in Courage’s Farm, East Farley, Kent from 1954.

Photos of Geezer Roy’s Mum, Nan, Grandad and other family members
Geezer Roy’s dad, brother and other family

In early September the Geezers joined other project members at the East London Brewery to take their hops off the bine, enjoy a barbecue and to see the first steps in the brewing of a beer they could call their own.

Old soldier Johnny Mac proudly wearing his hops.
“Very nice and just like hopping food”
– Roll out the barrels –
Zaffer, John, and old hand Roy get picking.

In a few short weeks they were sampling Green Hopped Ale at Ye Olde Rose & Crown in Hoe Street.

Ye Olde Rose & Crown in Hoe Street.
The Geezers enjoy the fruits of their labour
One bottle top per pint

This year the project’s hops also went into the making of a Harvest Porter. The Geezers found both very refreshing.

2 IPAs and 2 stouts went home with every geezer

‘Getting involved in growing and picking hops — and beer making — is a natural project for the Geezers, and it does link to a part of East End summers that the older Geezers remember and talk about.’  – Eddie Snooks, chief of the Geezers

Find more information about the Walthamstow Beer Project here: https://www.walthamstowbeerproject.co.uk/