A day with Ben at Gravity Well
Gravity Well
This is Ben - he makes delicious beers in his Leyton brewery and taproom - Gravity Well.
It’s about 2 minutes from my flat, which I’m happy to confirm is as wonderful for me as it sounds.
I first encountered Ben in summer 2019 when he threw open the shutters of the brewery to sell pints on a Saturday afternoon. It was a fairly modest set-up at that point, but it soon started fermenting, if you will.
Fast forward to early 2020 when I found some Gravity Well cans in a local shop. One was called Hubble Bubble and was a hazy, chewy, gorgeous, fruity double IPA.
Once the pandemic got past the worst of the first wave, Ben was selling cans from the brewery on a Saturday, while setting up his new taproom in another archway by Leyton Midland Road station.
The brewery had also got a lot more substantial. Bursting at the seams with vats, ingredients and miscellaneous equipment that boggled my brain. I was loving his beers and it was pretty clear I wasn’t the only one.
So after a few Saturday afternoon chats I arranged to spend some time with him to see what his day looked like while he brewed a double batch of Galaxies Apart.
It was fascinating to watch how much work goes into it. All day, Ben was calmly shifting between brewer, taster, cleaner, mechanic and business owner, all while chatting to me and giving me beer recommendations.
The only time he looked a little concerned was when he heard a few unfamiliar noises and was quickly scanning the room for the source of something he needed to deal with. Thankfully it was just the noise of the shutter in my camera.
The thing I enjoyed the most was how Ben’s presence was so calming and focused among the busy-ness of the space - a sign that the success of his beers are outgrowing the home he’s created for them.
It felt like just the right time for me to document Ben and Gravity Well, judging by the local reaction to the beers, not to mention my obsession with his NEIPAs and DIPAs.
Once late afternoon hit, he was checking his email while the beer was doing its thing, and the orders started rolling in from the taproom up the road. It looked like the local fans had already taken up most of the socially-distanced seating.
Big thanks to Ben for letting me into his world for the day - I’m looking forward to seeing where the journey goes. And on that note, I think it’s time for another order.
