Could it be magic?

Tucked away at the end on an industrial road in north London, among car dealerships and building supplies warehouses, is the capital’s newest brewery – Magic Spells.

As I arrive, the brewery’s charismatic founder Stacey Ayeh greets me with a broad smile and a firm handshake. He’s just received the AWRS paperwork he needs to start brewing in earnest, and is busy overseeing the painting of a giant mural on the building.

Stacey has been in the drinks industry for more than 15 years, and already has several significant successes under his belt, including the introduction of Kopparberg and Rekorderlig ciders to the UK. He’s always been fascinated by brewing, and – as the sweet imported ciders came under pressure from domestically-produced rivals – spotted the potential in the nascent craft beer industry.

“I applied for loads of jobs with the craft breweries, but they didn’t seem to think my experience would be that valuable to them,” he says. “There was a bit of an attitude of ‘our customers just come to us – we don’t need anyone out selling’. After a brief spell at London Fields, which was a fantastic experience, I then left to start Magic Spells with my business partner Jas Hare.”

Stacey’s now looking to hire a full-time brewer of his own, so that he can concentrate on making the business a success – something he believes his experience will definitely help with. 

“A lot of craft brewers I think aren’t ambitious enough on the commercial side,” he says. “I’m already talking to people about exports and getting our distribution channels sorted out. We want to make great beer, but we also want to get it into as many people’s hands as possible.”

Although they’re only just into their permanent home, Stacey and Jas have already put out three beers, brewed on a small bespoke kit, bought second hand from a local pub. These are an IPA, a pale ale and a lager, the first of which is a real standout, packed with juicy tropical flavours from the Cascade and Columbus American hops.

“They’ve only been out a couple of weeks but there’s already a lot of interest around these beers,” says Jas. “People are really behind what we’re doing, there’s a lot of curiosity and a lot of good will. And most importantly, if someone comes in to buy a case, they’ll almost always come back for more, so we know it’s not just novelty.”

The next few months will see this modest operation ramp up dramatically though, with the installation of a new 10-barrel brew kit and facilities for visitors.

“Making this somewhere that people want to come is a big part of the business plan,” says Stacey, gesturing to the spacious courtyard at the back of the brewery, currently home to six rusty shipping containers. “It’s going to be an all-weather space with a bar, where we can hold brewing classes and other events. That’s all happening in the next few months, ready for Spring. 

“There’s been a lot of waiting to get everything lined up, so I’m excited about actually getting into the beer now. We’ve got some great collaborations in the pipeline and a couple of different styles I want to try. I feel like I’ve got something to prove and I can’t wait!”