You could say hops and Cockneys go together like pie and mash. For generations whole East End families spent their holidays hop picking (hopping) in Kent.
Now in a new take on old tradition, the Bow Geezers are planting their own hops at Stepney City Farm. As part of the Walthamstow Beer Project, a community hop growing and beer-making initiative, next September the Geezers will see their freshly-picked hops go into a green-hopped pale ale at the East London Brewing Company.
For Susy Langdale, community programme manager at Stepney City Farm, hops are a good fit for the site and its history: ‘The Crossrail archaeologists found hop seeds when they excavated the moated mediaeval mansion that stood on this site.’ The Geezers’ hops will grow and cover the fences on the Crossrail side of the farm.
Hopping is important to a shared past for the Geezers, who either took part themselves or know all about it from their parents and grandparents. In the early 2000s, founding Geezer the late Ted Lewis recorded his hop picking memories.
As a member of the Walthamstow Beer Project, you can supply your own hop plants or get them from the project in March. The Geezers put in more than 20 bare root plants from Essentially Hops in Kent. ‘We went for the variety the Walthamstow Beer Project recommends, called Prima Donna,’ says chief Geezer Eddie.
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Stepney City Farm is open 10:00 to 16:00, Tuesday-Sunday, https://stepneycityfarm.org/.
To join the Walthamstow Beer Project 2024 go to walthamstowbeerproject.co.uk.
You can buy your hop plants when you sign up to the project, or from essentiallyhops.co.uk.
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