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The Crosse Keys (Wetherspoon)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Dapper DogExcellent1
Wolf - Woild MoildExcellent1
Liberation (formerly called Jersey) - RougeGood1
Banks's - Feral Australian IPAGood1
Moorhouse's - Ruby WitchGood1
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Plum PuddingGood1
Rooster's - CogburnGood1
Batemans - Brouwerij 't IJ IjbokGood1
Palm - Steenbrugge Dubbel BruinGood1
Rhymney - Iron BrewAcceptable1
Burton Bridge - Golden FlameAcceptable1
Tring - Brookman's Winter AleAcceptable1
White Horse - War HorseAcceptable1
Marston's - Ishii Brewing Minagof Pale AleAcceptable1
Great Newsome - Winter WarmthAcceptable1
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - SiluresAcceptable1
Shepherd Neame - Švyturys Baltijos Red AlePoor1
Arkell's - Noël (lower strength)Poor1
Palm - Steenbrugge BlondPoor1
Joseph Holt (see also Holt's) - HumdingerPoor1
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Essex BeastNot Tried0
Brains - SA GoldNot Tried0
Brewster's - PandoraNot Tried0
Titanic - Plum PorterNot Tried0
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)Not Tried0
Greene King - AbbotNot Tried0
Salopian - Lemon DreamNot Tried0
Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin)Not Tried0
Harviestoun - SchiehallionNot Tried0
Tring - Side Pocket for a ToadNot Tried0
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Umbel Ale (aka Special Coriander Ale)Not Tried0
Picture 1. The Crosse Keys, City, Central London

Visits Details

19 Jan 2013 (Martin the Mildman)
Fairly quiet mid afternoon on a Saturday.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - Silures4.60AcceptableStrong golden bitter with a dryish bitter flavour and a little hop in the finish. My score 14/20.
Tring - Brookman's Winter Ale4.30AcceptableFairly dry, bitter and malty red ale with crystal malt dominating and little hop character. My score 14/20.
05 Jan 2013 (Martin the Mildman)
Fairly quiet mid afternoon on a Saturday.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Great Newsome - Winter Warmth4.60AcceptableMid brown/red beer with a spicy flavour from ginger and probably something else. Not really to my taste. My score 13/20.
Arkell's - Noël (lower strength)5.00PoorStrong amber bitter with no real dominating flavours. Faint sweet maltiness, slight fruitiness and a dry finish. My score 10/20.
20 Dec 2012 (oz11)
Loads of beers on, did not note them all.
BeerABVScoreNotes
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Plum Pudding4.80Good
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90Not Tried
06 Nov 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Mid evening visit on a Tuesday and quietening down as the city crowd disperse.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Rhymney - Iron Brew4.50AcceptableNot terribly inspiring amber bitter. Just adequate levels of hop and malt and a dryish finish. My score 14/20.
White Horse - War Horse4.90AcceptableRuby/brown bitter with a dry, bitter malt flavour and little hop character. Dry finish. My score 13/20.
Palm - Steenbrugge Blond6.00PoorNot to my taste being tart and spicy with strong bitterness and a dry finish. My score 11/20.
24 Oct 2012 (Stephen Harris)
It’s the first night of another Wetherspoon beer festival and the pub is crowded. I arrive rather late and my friend is well down the list by the time I get here, but I do some rapid catching up. Service very slow at 7:30, but improves as the crowd thins later on.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Moorhouse's - Ruby Witch4.60GoodDecent red ale with spicy and orangey hop flavours.
Batemans - Brouwerij 't IJ Ijbok6.00GoodTastes exactly like an authentic Dutch Bokbier (which is not my favourite style I have to say). Reddish, sweet, strong, little hop character.
Palm - Steenbrugge Dubbel Bruin6.00GoodCask-conditioned and served via handpump. Dark, fruity, malty and a bit spicy.
Liberation (formerly called Jersey) - Rouge4.50GoodThis sample let down by flat condition. Red and a bit grainy, but good Nelson Sauvin hop flavours.
Banks's - Feral Australian IPA5.50GoodI think there is a really good beer in here, and all the IPA ingredients are there – pale colour, good body, sparkling hops. But it has the overall slight blandness that I associate with Bank’s and which I guess must come from their yeast?
Marston's - Ishii Brewing Minagof Pale Ale4.30AcceptableI was disappointed by this. Copper-coloured, thin and a bit sweet, with the hops barely detectable.
Shepherd Neame - Švyturys Baltijos Red Ale5.50PoorNot sure if this was infected, wrong, or just poor beer. Had a tinny, chemical taste.
16 Oct 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Reopened after a long period of closure. Not a great deal has changed.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Dapper Dog4.80ExcellentDark brown porter style beer with a well rounded mix of hop and malt flavours. Full bodied with a sweetish finish. My score 16/20.
18 Jul 2012 (Stephen Harris)
It feels like ages since I’ve been in here, and a look at this website suggests that it is ages. Tolerably busy on a Wednesday evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Burton Bridge - Golden Flame4.50AcceptableVery pale (possibly some lager malt?) and hopped with Target and Challenger. Potential pretty good, but suffers from the ‘green apple’ taste I am beginning to associate with this brewery.
Joseph Holt (see also Holt's) - Humdinger3.50PoorUnimpressive, pale honey beer. But in poor condition, and may well be better than this elsewhere.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Salopian - Lemon Dream4.50Not Tried
Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin)4.50Not Tried
Harviestoun - Schiehallion4.80Not Tried
Tring - Side Pocket for a Toad3.60Not Tried
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Umbel Ale (aka Special Coriander Ale)3.80Not Tried
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Essex Beast6.20Not Tried
Brains - SA Gold4.30Not Tried
Brewster's - Pandora4.80Not Tried
01 May 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wolf - Woild Moild4.80ExcellentMy first mild for May 2012. Dark brown and in fine form with strong malty flavours of chocolate and caramel, low hop rate and a fruity finish. My score 16/20.
20 Apr 2012 (Dosser)
afternoon and packed
BeerABVScoreNotes
10 Apr 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
BeerABVScoreNotes
Rooster's - Cogburn4.30GoodVery pale bitter with citrus hop dominant, leading to a dryish finish. My score 15/20.

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About The Crosse Keys

The pub sign. The Crosse Keys, City, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional3
Excellent35
Good64
Acceptable62
Poor18

Website.

The pub is found in City, Central London, EC3V 0DR.

Big and busy JDW pub in the heart of the City in Gracechurch Street. Huge sports screen on one wall. Wonderful building with lots of high ceilings and marble. The lights in particular are worth noting. Oval bar towards the rear serves numerous handpumps (I saw 18) including guest beers not on the JDW usual guest list. This is definitely worth going to if you are in the City during the week.

We have visited this pub 89 times, seen 401 different beers and tried 181 of them.

Map location

Postcode: EC3V 0DR