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The Palm Tree (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Oxfordshire Ales - Neck 'n NeckExcellent1
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Truman's RunnerExcellent1
Northern (see also Blakemere) - Blakemere GoldExcellent1
WharfeBank - Tether BlondGood1
Beer Rocks - LordsGood1
Springhead - Bramley BitterGood1
Otley - O1 OriginalGood2
JW Lees (see also Lees) - HopmeisterGood1
Mighty Oak - Three KingsGood2
Warwickshire - Moustache BeerGood1
St Austell - TributeGood1
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Acceptable1
Highgate - Davenport's Irish Whiskey AleNot Tried0
Belhaven - Caledonian Deuchars IPANot Tried0
Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin)Not Tried0
Picture 1. The Palm Tree, Bow, Greater London
Picture 2. The Palm Tree, Bow, Greater London
Picture 3. The Palm Tree, Bow, Greater London

Visits Details

26 Dec 2012 (Philip Pirrip)
Afternoon visit after a bus journey from Stratford at walking backwards pace as the Tube industrial dispute clearly pushed frenzied shoppers into their cars. All the time on the journey wondering will it be open or will it be closed. First visit here to an amazing family run free house. Lots of heritage and memories of past locals and happy times all in an area that must have been heavily bombed during WW2. We tried both bars.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Otley - O1 Original4.00GoodA very light coloured golden ale. On each pint the initial very fresh hoppy welcome in the head soon dissipated to a rather appley taste. It was the surroundings which made the day
Mighty Oak - Three Kings4.20GoodOK but undistinguished
26 Dec 2012 (ChrisE)
We caught a number 339 bus from Stratford City to here, it should have taken 16 minutes, but traffic congestion around the Bow Flyover and Fish Island meant that it took 58 minutes and we were gasping for a pint by the time we arrived. Fortunately the pub was open and busy. The East London fives dartboard was in full use in the public bar whilst the saloon had a good crowd of locals.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Otley - O1 Original4.00GoodWe waited for a new cask to be put on, the beer had a terrific nose to start with, but seemed a little thin towards the end.
Mighty Oak - Three Kings4.20GoodYet another golden beer.
11 Sep 2012 (Stephen Harris)
Here for a CAMRA Branch meeting from 8:00pm onwards. 25 members present (which counts as a good turnout these days) and we have exclusive use of the Saloon Bar. Even without our group, the pub would have been busy.
BeerABVScoreNotes
St Austell - Tribute4.20Good
Beer Rocks - Lords4.20GoodIt has been said to me that this beer is contract brewed for Beer Rocks at the Dark Horse Brewery in Yorkshire. It is a pale beer with quite a good hop character.
11 Jul 2012 (HSB)
Cracking pub, proper East End boozer.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.80Acceptable
03 Nov 2011 (ChrisE)
A group of us jumped on a No.8 bus and came here after attending a meeting in Central London. A quiet Thursday afternoon, we stayed longer than planned as all of us were very impressed with this pub.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Truman's Runner4.00ExcellentContract brewed by Nethergate this is a classic copper coloured British ale. It was nice to see the Truman logo on a pump clip in a pub so proudly displaying the Truman Black Eagle.
Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin)4.50Not Tried
17 Oct 2011 (ChrisE)
We had a couple of pints in the main bar, and a good chat with the landlord, he offered to open up the saloon bar which I had not seen before, we had only been in this bar for a few minutes when it suddenly filled up with customers. This bar is adorned with photographs of East London, and East London boxers. I was particularly pleased to see a traditional London fives dartboard.
BeerABVScoreNotes
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Hopmeister3.60GoodA good session beer.
Warwickshire - Moustache Beer4.10Good
15 Sep 2011 (ChrisE)
A quiet relaxing couple of pints, and some good conversation. I was assured that the scaffolding outside was merely for maintaining the window frames, and no alterations would be made to the pub.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Springhead - Bramley Bitter3.80GoodA number of people thought that this would be a cider and ordered something else. In fact it is a straw coloured lemony ale named after one of Springhead's pubs.
Belhaven - Caledonian Deuchars IPA3.80Not Tried
18 Jun 2010 (ChrisE)
I really like this pub, a good friendly atmosphere, and two ales that are not normally found in the area.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Northern (see also Blakemere) - Blakemere Gold4.30Excellent
WharfeBank - Tether Blond4.10GoodGood condition, but not my favourite beer.
15 Mar 2010 (ChrisE)
Isolated canalside pub in what must have been a built up area at one time. It now stands alone with a new address of 127 Grove Road, although it used to be 24/26 Palm Street. To find it go to the West end of Haverfield Road, and it is there by the canal. It is typical of what Trumans pubs used to be like.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oxfordshire Ales - Neck 'n Neck3.70Excellent
Highgate - Davenport's Irish Whiskey Ale4.40Not Tried

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About The Palm Tree

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent9
Good16
Acceptable2
Poor-

The pub is found in Bow, Greater London, E3 5RP.

Large canalside pub in all that remains of what was once a built up area. A real find, a pub seemingly stranded from other buildings in a sort of small park, from another era. A former Truman's house now in private ownership that remains completely 2 separate bars with the only way between them for customers being via the street doors and each bar has its own Gents and Ladies. The Public Bar has a rare East London 5s dartboard in regular use. One of 21 inter-war pubs across the country granted a Grade II listing by Historic England in 2015. 2 handpumps sport an ever changing range of small brewers' ales.

We have visited this pub 19 times, seen 30 different beers and tried 23 of them.

Map location

Postcode: E3 5RP