A year ago, Langley & Hart was two people, a borrowed fermenting vessel, and a lot of optimism. Twelve months on, we’re in our own workshop, stocked in a handful of shops we genuinely admire, and making drinks we’re proud of.
It hasn’t been straightforward. The first three months were mostly failure - batches that tasted flat, batches that tasted like vinegar, one memorable batch that exploded in Tom’s hallway cupboard at 2am. But each failure taught us something, and slowly the recipes started to click.
The moment it felt real was seeing our bottles on the shelf at Hop Burns & Black in East Dulwich. We stood in the shop pretending to browse for about fifteen minutes. It was ridiculous. We loved it.
Looking ahead, we’re working on our third expression - something darker and more savoury - and we’re starting conversations with a few restaurants about getting onto drinks lists. More to come.
Thank you to everyone who’s bought a bottle, shared a photo, or told a friend. It means everything.
James & Tom