London Vegan Events

Beer and food for charity

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If you are anywhere in the vicinity of Orpington this Saturday (July 30, 2016) you need to make time to get along to this wonderful event.

The Orpington Liberal Club is playing host to a fundraising night called Flap 4 F.R.I.E.N.D.S., with money going to F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Animal Rescue.

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The venue always has an amazing selection of quality vegan ales on offer and my friend Alternative Chef Steph sent me a preview of her special food menu for the night.

It includes:

Ponga Harvest Platter

BBQ jackfruit & smoky cheeze quesadillas
Chorizo & potato tortilla
Tomato salsa
Roasted padron peppers

Cheeze Taster Plate

Dragons Breath (chipotle chile cheddar)
Stilton style
Cheddar style

All served with freshly baked bread & home made green tomato chutney

Raw Cake Taster Plate

Bounty
Carrot with lemon cashew frosting
Ginger slice

All of that delicious sounding food is vegan as well as being gluten and refined sugar free.

On top of the wonderful food and drink being sold, the event will feature music and spoken word performances.

It will only cost you £5 on the door, you’ll have a fabulous night out and you will be helping F.R.I.E.N.D.S. carry on with their crucial work.

Get more details and RSVP on the Facebook event page.

By attending this event, you will be directly helping animals like Gary the goat (pictured below). If you are unable to attend this event but would like to support Gary and his friends, you can donate online.
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FGV beer

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There is big news and then there is ENORMOUS news.

In conjunction with The Dominion Brewery Company (home of Pitfield), I am beyond thrilled to announce a beer called Fat Gay Vegan.

Yes, that’s correct. My very own vegan beer.

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My love affair with Mexico has inspired my first beer.

A lot of Mexicans are partial to salt in their beer. This was first introduced to me by my friend Julio almost 7 years ago in a gay bar in Mexico City and I was instantly smitten.

When it came to making my own beer, I wanted to reference this Mexican style so ended up with one of the most delicious drinks around by combining pale ale, pink salt and fresh lime juice.

My buddy Laurie of mega-rad band SLAVES heard about my foray into beer production and was keen to get involved. Laurie is an incredibly talented artist with a style I can’t get enough of, so his take of me in a Mexican wrestling mask for my beer label is a dream come true. (Laurie has his first solo art show next month in Edinburgh!)

Bottles of Fat Gay Vegan pale ale are set to start rolling out across London and then the UK in a few weeks but if you can’t wait that long, you are in good fortune.

London Vegan Beer Fest is the first place anywhere in the world you can get a taste of this new beer. Andy from Dominion has kindly organised a strictly limited cask of Fat Gay Vegan to be served at the event on Saturday July 16, 2016.

Be one of the first people on the planet to try Fat Gay Vegan beer!

Please note that there is only one cask of Fat Gay Vegan beer being served. This is a special preview of my beer and it will probably go quickly (mostly into my belly). Be early if you want to buy a pint of Fat Gay Vegan.

Online tickets for London Vegan Beer Fest are only £5 plus small booking fee. Buy them now!

Beer talks this weekend!

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London Vegan Beer Fest isn’t just a place where you drink, eat and have a fab time. You can also learn stuff.

I’m absolutely thrilled to announce Oliver Coningham as a very special guest at our event this Saturday July 12, 2016.

Oliver knows a lot about beer and enjoys sharing his expertise and passion for the good stuff with others. It is for these very reasons we have asked Oliver to host two information sessions during London Vegan Beer Fest.

Session one taking place at 1pm will suit beer know-it-alls and novices alike as Oliver runs the assembled drinkers through the A-to-Z of vegan beer. Why is vegan beer vegan? Why is beer sometimes not vegan? How is vegan beer made? You’ll find this talk fascinating and it will equip you with all the info you need to go forward in life as a vegan beer expert.

Session two at around 4pm is set to feature Oliver telling you everything you need to know about different varieties of beer. Don’t know how to tell a porter from a stout or an IPA from a lager? This session will have you feeling like a beer expert in no time. Your new party trick down the pub will be explaining the brewing process for every drink being poured within your vicinity.

Oliver’s talks will be taking place in the gorgeous Galley, a stunning dining room featuring Thames views from every position. Sip your beer as you listen to our expert talk and make sure you come armed with some questions to ask. Buy your London Vegan Beer Fest tickets now.

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Make sure you visit Oliver’s brand new beer and food pairing website called The Fork & Carrot. You’ll find reviews, event news and more. You can also follow Fork & Carrot on Facebook and Twitter.

You can see the full list of beers being served at London Vegan Beer Fest here and the full food menu here. Tickets are £5 in advance online or £8 on the day depending on available space.

RSVP and invite friends on the Facebook event page.

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Beer at London Vegan Beer Fest

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Each year at London Vegan Beer Fest we have at least a few attendees who attempt to taste all the beer on offer.

All I can say for anyone looking to achieve this feat in 2016 is good luck.

Look at the line up of beer from some of the most-celebrated craft brewers in the London area. Buy your £5 online tickets here and start your drinking plans now!

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Pressure Drop is a small, independent brewery operating out of a railway arch in Hackney. I am thrilled to have them represented at the event this year.

Wu Gang Chops The Tree 3.8%ABV (bottles) – foraged herb Hefeweisse – great with curry
Pale Fire 4.8%ABV (bottles) – fresh and tasty pale ale
Bosko 6.5%ABV (bottles) – sweet and hoppy IPA
Nanban Kanpai 6.5%ABV (bottles) – wheat IPA with yuzu, orange and grapefruit

Look who’s back! Moncada are one of the superstar breweries from London Vegan Beer Fest of years gone past and we have their beer again in 2016. You gotta try that Blonde.

Notting Hill Blonde 4.2%ABV (bottles) – light body/citrus and herbal hop aroma
Notting Hill Amber 4.7%ABV (bottles) – strong malt backbone & smooth caramel finish
Notting Hill Stout 5.0%ABV (bottles) – dark & velvety with defined roasted flavour

Beavertown is one of the most popular and loved indie breweries around so it makes perfect sense that their beer is at London Vegan Beer Fest on July 16. Stout in a can? Heaven!

Neck Oil 4.3%ABV (keg) – all day easy drinking IPA
Gamma Ray 5.4%ABV (cans) – juicy tropical with aromas of mango & grapefruit
Holy Cowbell 5.6%ABV (cans) – Indian stout style that is extra hoppy
Black Betty 7.4%ABV (cans) – Black India pale ale with aniseed tones
Smog Rocket 5.4%ABV (keg) – a smoked porter inspired by London smog

Orbit Brewery takes my two loves of music and beer to create a range of sonically-inspired brews that are brewed and bottled in SE17.

Neu Altbier 4.7%ABV (keg) – Malty, bitter, nutty & dry
Nico Köln Style Lager 4.8%ABV (bottles) – light, crisp & fragrant
Ivo Pale Ale 5.3%ABV (bottles) – elegant & aromatic
Peel Blonde Ale 4.3%ABV (bottles) – light bitter ale with lemons & peppery notes

Blast from the past! Five Points Brewery were at the very first London Vegan Beer Fest back in 2013. Their beer disappeared from our radar for a few years but now they are back in the mix. If you are new to this brewery, you will be blown away.

Pale 4.4%ABV (keg) – fresh, zesty & aromatic pale ale
Hook Island Red 6.0%ABV (bottles) – full bodied red rye ale bursting with flavour
IPA 7.1%ABV (cans) – lush & flavoursome IPA with tropical notes
Railway Porter 4.8%ABV (bottles) – classic London porter with hints of caramel & coffee
London Smoke 7.8%ABV (bottles) – Imperial Porter with smoked barley & wheat malts

This next brewery is an FGV favourite. Partizan from Bermondsey knocked our socks off last year so it was crucial that we saw their beer again in 2016.

Saison Raspberry & Lemon 4.0%ABV (bottles) – a summery beer where the name says it all
Pale Ale 5.8%ABV (bottles) – citrus aromas with sherbet & straw
X Ale 6.3%ABV (bottles) – malty chocolate taste with dark fruits
Indian Pale Ale 6.5%ABV (bottles) – classic IPA with dry aromas

Redchurch is an East London favourite only steps from Bethnal Green Underground. They serve up some of the most-loved brews on the eastside and I am thrilled to welcome their beers back to London Vegan Beer Fest in 2016. They are always a crowd favourite.

Paradise Pale Ale 3.7%ABV (bottles) – American style pale ale with intense hop character
Bethnal Pale Ale 5.5%ABV (bottles) – juicy fruit-packed pale ale with a huge hoppy nose
Hoxton Stout 5.9%ABV (bottles) – a deep black dry stout with complex malt flavours
Urban Farmhouse Saison 3.8%ABV (bottles) – seasonal packed packed with Summer aromas

Fourpure is a London-based family brewery with some of the tastiest drinks in the capital. A real favourite with vegans around the city.

Beartooth Brown Ale 5.3%ABV (cans) – flavours of caramel, chocolate & light coffee
Brewery Oatmeal Stout 5.1%ABV (cans) – fullbodied & creamy with chocolate & coffee aromas
Pils 4.7%ABV (keg) – dry crisp & refreshing with a spicy aroma
Session IPA 4.2%ABV (keg) – big & bold IPA with a powerful hit of hops
Flatiron American Red 4.7%ABV (keg) – malty & hoppy with notes of caramel & toffee

Savour Beer is a fabulous collection of beers designed to promote produce and produce farmers. It’s farmhouse brewing crashlanding in 2016 and it’s wonderful!

Saison 5.0%ABV (bottles) – floral, lemongrass & citrus notes
Blonde 5.8%ABV (bottles) – pine & floral notes with a biscuit sweetness
Dubbel 7.0%ABV (bottles) – burnt caramel & dark fruits with smooth maltiness
Sparkling Beer 10.5%ABV (bottles) – floral, spicy, rich & smooth

The Kernel Brewery is one of the true superstars of the local beer landscape. When you ask ‘what’s good?’ in a craft beer bar, the server often points you toward The Kernel.

Table beer 3.3%ABV (bottles) – fresh green vibrant aroma with citrus notes
Pale Ale 5.1%ABV (bottles) – premium hoppy pale ale
Indian Pale Ale 6.6%ABV (bottles) – dry & fruity with a refreshing dry finish
Export Indian Porter 6.5%ABV (bottles) – cocoa, roses & a hint of orange
1890 Export Stout 7.0%ABV (bottles) – huge dark taste with rum, raisin & smokey espresso

I adore that Howling Hops brew in an old Victorian warehouse in Hackney Wick, just as much as I adore their unique and delicious brews.

Bohemian Pils 4.6%ABV (bottles) – Pale, light & crisp Czech-style lager
Farmhouse Saison 5.5%ABV (bottles) – Seasonal Summer beer
Pale XX 5.0%ABV (bottles) – strong pale ale
IPA 7.2%ABV (bottles) – Gold IPA with fruity aromas

Good beers are brewed all over London, but something special is going on south of the Thames thanks to Brixton Brewery.

Reliance Pale Ale 4.2%ABV (bottles) – biscuit malt with pine & citrus aromas
Atlantic American Pale Ale 5.4%ABV (bottles) – bold bursts of citrus & tropical fruit
Effra Amber Ale 4.5%ABV (bottles) – zesty, dark & smooth
Windrush Stout 5.0%ABV (bottles) – rich, chocolatey & smooth

This is a London Vegan Beer Fest special announcement. New Zealand beer superstars Yeastie Boys are represented at our event in 2016!

Pot Kettle Black 6.0%ABV (bottles) – Porter described as ‘mindbendingly delicious’
Gunnamatta 6.5%ABV (bottles) – Earl Grey IPA with a bold floral nose

Phew! What a list.

There will also be bottles of cider plus a HUGE range of more mainstream vegan beers such as Peroni and Camden (kegs and cans!) should the mood take you! There is also a world exclusive keg beer to be announced just before the event, so stay tuned. Our lips are sealed.

Need something gluten-free to drink? We will have a few specialty bottles on the day. Ask the servers if you want one.

Not into beer or cider? The Old Ship W6 has a fantastic line up of vegan wine for the day. If you wanna get tipsy, we have got what you need.

Remember to plan your eating as well by checking out the mountains of food planned for the day.

Book your £5 (plus booking fee) ticket now or pay £8 on the day if we have space!

Food at London Vegan Beer Fest

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The 4th annual London Vegan Beer Fest is racing closer and closer.

For many people, the main attraction is of course the wide range of beers available (list coming soon!) while others take the opportunity to catch up with old friends or even make new ones.

In 2016, I predict a brand new typer of punter at the event. The foodie.

Check out the INCREDIBLE menu that will be served on the day, tell me what you are most looking forward to at the event and buy your cheap online tickets here.

rainbow potato

First up is the extremely irresistible Rainbow Potato stand.

Everything is not only 100% vegan on the mini-deli showcase, it is also 100% gluten-free. You will be able to build your perfect meal by choosing from the options below:

Choose 1 of the following: Baked sweet potato – Pink fir potato – Maris Piper potato

Add 1 of the following: Guacamole – Traditional hummus with extra virgin olive oil – Ranch dressing by Follow Your Heart – Sriracha Vegenaise by Follow Your Heart – Extra virgin olive oil with salt & pepper

Choose a further 4 toppings: Spiced sweetcorn salad (with mango, chilli, coriander & pomegranate) – Spiralised courgettini (with mint, lime, cashew crush & red quinoa) – Beetroot (with basil, balsamic & black quinoa) – Spicy smashed cauliflower (with chickpea, chive & coconut cream) – Zingy ginger carrot salad (with rose petal harissa & pistachio nuts) – Roasted peppers (with garlic, fresh oregano & extra virgin olive oil) – Mozzarella shreds by Follow Your Heart – Cheddar shreds by Follow Your Heart

karma wrap

Next we have Karma Wrap. This stand will be serving warm rolled flour tortilla crammed with delicious ingredients.

Choices?

The Naughty Falafeller – homemade falafel, pickled cucumbers & carrots, hummus, marinated white cabbage, fresh mint, parsley and chilli.

Holy Moley Guacamole – braised black beans, Cheddar shreds by Follow Your Heart, jalapeño, plum vine tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, lime, tortilla chips, spicy guacamole, organic sprouts and red quinoa.

Brunch O’Clock – hot sausage, scrambled VeganEgg by Follow Your Heart, hash brown potato, chestnut mushrooms and brown sauce.

Marrakesh Sesh – roasted aubergines & peppers, garlic, cous cous, hummus, coriander spinach, pickled beets and Mozzarella shreds by Follow Your Heart.

burger bar

You can’t not have a Burger Bar at a beer festival, right?!

Check out the varieties on offer:

Mock duck burger – Royal kombu seaweed pesto, organic sprouts and Chinese cabbage

Smoked tofu burger – Cashew cream, ginger garlic, chilli, fresh coriander and rocket

Falafel burger – Hummus, fresh mint, baby gem lettuce, pickled carrot, sliced plum tomato

Beetroot and quinoa burger – Pickled cucumber, ranch dressing, baby mixed leaves and Cheddar shreds by Follow Your Heart

guilty pleasures

Imagine an FGV event without sweet treats? Yeah, right!

The Guilty Pleasures stand will be home to a stunning chocolate, sweet potato and date brownie as well as an amazing array of cupcakes and sorbets.

fruit stall

Last but not least, we have the Fruit Stall. This is where you will pick up Fruit Kebabs, Chilli roasted pineapple with Duppy Share Rum plus Strawberries with coconut cream.

Wow.

If you were at London Vegan Beer Fest last year, I’m sure you’ll agree this year’s food line up is a vast improvement on our set up in 2015. We now have multiple food stands, professional chefs who are used to cooking huge quantities of fresh food and a pub kitchen that is quickly becoming one of the most vegan-friendly in London.

In addition to all these wonderful vegan food stands outside, the entire pub is turning vegan for the day meaning attendees can order food inside or outside The Old Ship W6 safe in the knowledge that it is all plant-based.

Fine food, cold beer, wine, cider, live music, outdoor setting, beer info talks, river views, pet-friendly, family-friendly, gluten free options for food and drink…. I could go on and on.

Online tickets are just £5 plus 50p booking fee. Click here to book.

Tickets on the day will be £8.

You can RSVP and invite friends over on the Facebook event page.

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Free VeganEgg!

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As you probably know, London Vegan Beer Fest is just one week away.

The 4th annual version of the event is taking over The Old Ship W6 in Hammersmith on Saturday July 16, 2016. There will be multiple food stands, cold beer, wine, cider, live music, beer info talks and a gorgeous uninterrupted view of the Thames.

This is one event you don’t want to miss.

The event is sponsored by the world-leaders in compassionate food, Follow Your Heart. Not only is the company supplying many of their ingredients to add that extra kick to meals and snacks served on the day, it is also donating 600 boxes of their groundbreaking VeganEgg product for our guests to take away at no extra cost.

veganegg-packaging

Yes, you read that correctly. 600 retails packets of VeganEgg.

Each packet retails for £6.99 but one can be yours for no extra money if you are one of the first 600 guests to visit the Follow Your Heart tent at London Vegan Beer Fest and leave them your email address. (One packet per person)

Advance purchase tickets for London Vegan Beer Fest are just £5 plus small booking fee and you can grab them online now.

Tickets will be £8 on the day depending on availability.

London Vegan Beer Fest is child and dog friendly. You can RSVP and invite friends on the Facebook event.

Read more about VeganEgg and the entire Follow Your Heart range online.

For art’s sake

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How about flying your vegan flag proudly while at the same time supporting an amazing art show in London?

Check out these details sent in by Louise:

ANIMUS is an international group show exploring human treatment of other animals, as well as the vegan identity and what it means to see with ‘our’ eyes. The aim is to support animals hidden from the public gaze to be seen. Animals will feature in all works, and provide the overarching theme.

exhibition panel

We’re showing some of the most celebrated vegan artists, like Sue Coe (Graphic Artist/UK & US), Jo-anne McArthur (Photographer/Canada), Roger Olmos (Illustrator/Spain), and Amy Guidry (Surrealist Painter/US) whose painting Mother Nature is the featured image for this campaign and will be an exhibit. Also Philip McCulloch Downs (Painter/UK), Matthew Maran (Photographer/UK), and Jana Schirmer (Digital artist/Germany).

To celebrate this exhibition, we are hosting a magical evening at the Private View at Kabaret @ Karamel on Friday July 29, 2016 with speakers, a party later with DJs, and of course the chance to take in the exhibition itself, and mingle with fellow art lovers.

We’ll also be hosting representatives from our supporters: The Vegan Society, and Vegan Life magazine.

The official opening party for this groundbreaking exhibition – the first by Vegan artists- is entry by INVITATION ONLY – which you get when you contribute £10 (or more) to our crowd-funding campaign. A free glass of wine & nibbles are included! Click here to donate & secure your invitation.

We can’t wait for this exciting event and look forward to meeting you there!

Click here for the Facebook event for the launch party and even if you cannot attend, donate now to help this show happen!

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New vegan event in London

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I don’t know much about this event called Vevolution, but I thought I would share what I do know in case it is of interest to you.

You can follow Vevolution over on Twitter to stay updated with how the conference takes shape. You can sign up to an email list at their website.

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Fundraising party in East London

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London vegans, I need you to get together and support this event in large numbers.

Erin reached out to me with the hope that I would tell you all about a charity gig she is running on Thursday 26th May at Briki on Exmouth Market, East London.

The event is in memory of Erin’s friend Katie who sadly died recently due to mental health issues. All the money raised will go directly to two small charities who supported Katie during her life.

The whole event is entirely vegan – there will be amazing Korean food by street-food artisan North or South, vegan desserts and drinks sponsored by Fentimans, Orchard Pig, Orbit Brewery, Track Brewing Co., Partizan, and Bramley & Gage.

The evening’s entertainment will include performances from Echo Trails’ lead singer Dimitra Tzanakaki, Joe Boyle on double bass, Gareth Kerr on cajon and Clerkenwell band The Futuristic.

Tickets and further information about the charities being supported are available by clicking here.

If you cannot attend but would like to help Erin honour Katie and support these crucial charities, there is an option to donate money on the ticket page.

If you can’t support the event in either of these ways, please share this post as widely as you possibly can.

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Vegan anti-oppression collective

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Have you been wondering how a vegan might consider that their personal choices and the language they employ can be linked to furthering or challenging a wide range of oppressions? Is this something you would like to discuss with other curious vegans in a supportive, safe space?

The vegan community in the UK does a lot of valuable outreach, education and activism with the goal of improving outcomes for non-human animals, but many of us are also coming to understand that our animal-positive activities shouldn’t stand alone from other oppressive concerns.

We can and should be considerate of how our activism can perpetuate negative stereotypes and oppressive forces in the world. We can challenge inequality and inequity related to sexism, queerphobia, ageism, ableism as we fight to improve outcomes for animals. We don’t need to choose which type of oppression we resist and fight to redress, we can work against multiple oppressions at the same time.

So what about a vegan anti-oppression learning collective?

I am hoping to find vegans who are interested in forming a collaborative group of people who want to meet regularly in London (and hopefully in other UK locations) to explore topics of connected oppressions and intersectionality theory via suggested readings, public screenings and meeting guest speakers.

Maybe there is already a group like this operating in the capital, so please let me know if there is.

There is a now a private Facebook group you can join where you can help develop the shape, intentions, shared content and outcomes of the collective. We can start to discuss a safe space policy for the group, how we would like the Facebook page to be managed and who will be willing to take on administration duties for the page and future real life meetings.

If you have been thinking about these topics, join the closed Facebook group to help commence the building of the collective.