no. 022 | Pretty Decent Beer Co.

Join us as we head back to London’s Blackhorse Beer Mile and meet the couple behind a brewery that aims to make a positive societal impact.

Remember batch no. 013’s Exale? They and Pretty Decent Beer Co. this month’s feature brewery.,are neighbours. Located in Walthomstow, just a minute’s walk from Exale, Pretty Decent is one of several breweries on the Blackhorse Beer Mile.

Founded by James and Sarah Cassey, Pretty Decent began as an experiment. Having worked in the nonprofit sector, they wanted to find out if they could run a small business that also had the ability to create a positive impact on those that interacted with it.

on those that interacted with it. The idea crystalised in New York as the couple travelled the city’s taprooms. “We love beer, we hated our jobs”, says Sarah, “and we had a naive sense that we could make something we loved whilst also ensuring that we supported progressive causes which were close to our hearts. And so with nothing more than a £15,000 start-up loan, off we went”.

It’s been 6 years since the Cassey’s set out on their journey into beer an together they’ve created a sustainable business that not only supports good people making great beer, but a lot of incredible causes too. “We donate a percentage of our turnover each month to charity, whether we make a profit each month or not – and honestly, it’s a lot more of the not. But this has been baked into our model from day one and is something we’ll always stick by”.

The same egalitarian philosophy informs the beers themselves. Believing that beer is for everyone, Pretty Decent always aim to talk about it in a way that’s accessible to all. Brewing in small batches, they aim to present a broad range of beers and styles that are modern, progressive and seasonal. “We’re aiming to bring out a new beer every week”, James proudly proclaims.

James and Sarah are all too aware that their choice of brewery name isn’t indicative of the quality of their beer – “our biggest challenge thus far has been convincing people to buy our beer despite our name”, laughs Sarah. But in Blackhorse Road, they’ve found a supportive and inspiring community  of like-minded breweries that continue to keep them innovating and iterating on their beer offering. We hope you enjoy our selections from the 7-person team.