There's loads to go at these days. Leyton became an overspill for the hipsters who couldn't afford Hackey about 8 or 9 years ago so there's loads of places for a drink now. A lot of the small breweries aren't too far from there either so you can drink in their taps, often on small industrial parks.
You're still not too far from shit London of Forest Gate, Wanstead and it's only a short tube/DLR ride to get stabbed in Newham, but I'd be happy going there for an away day.