22 Breweries and Beer in London.

The Great Breweries are those of :

Barclay, Perkins and Co., Park-st., Southwark
Meux and Co., Tottenham-Court-Road
Combe, Delafield, and Co., Castle-st., Long-acre
Whitbread and Co., Chiswell-street
Truman, Hanbury, and Co., Brick-lane, Spitalfields
Godding and Co., Belvedere-road, Lambeth
Reid and Co., Liquorpond-street., Grays-Inn-lane
Calvert and Co., 89 Upper-Thames-street
Elliot and Co., Pimlico

The visitor should exert his influence amongst his friends to obtain an order of admission to any one of the largest I have named. The best London porter and stout in draught is to be had at the Cock Tavern, 13, Fleet-street, and at the Rainbow Tavern, 15, Fleet-street, immediately opposite. Judges of ale recommend John O'Groats, 61, Rupert-street, Haymarket; and the Edinburgh Castle, 322, Strand.

source: Hand-Book of London, Peter Cunningham, F.S.A., John Murray, London, (1850) p. xxiii and xxiv

This entry is at the front of the hand book amongst the list of facilities and places of interest. The invitation to exert influence amongst friends reveals much about the time. Many of the institutions and collections in societies needed a member's introduction in order to be viewed.
Obviously this wasn't a day when the general riff raff could come and go as they please poking their noses into matters that shouldn't concern them!


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