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The Old Nun's Head (Laine Pub Company (now part of Patron Capital))

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Autumn RedExcellent1
By The Horns - Stiff Upper Lip (downgraded from 3.8% in 2023)Good1
Laine - Laine's BestGood1
Belleville - Chestnut PorterGood1
King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Laine's RepublicAcceptable1
Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.)Acceptable1
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Captain LockwoodPoor1
Laine - BreakerPoor1
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - RedheadNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - ZephyrNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Bow BellsNot Tried0
Sharp's - Doom BarNot Tried0
Hackney - Best BitterNot Tried0
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked LadiesNot Tried0
Belleville - Battersea BrownstoneNot Tried0
Gipsy Hill - BeatnikNot Tried0
Clouded Minds - EuroNot Tried0
Sambrook's - WandleNot Tried0
East London (ELB) - Pale AleNot Tried0
Windsor & Eton - Eton BoatmanNot Tried0
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - SundancerNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Old Nun's Head, Nunhead Green, Greater London
Michael Croxford

Visits Details

07 Feb 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit and hardly a table was vacant. 3 ale handpump clips showing but as soon as ordered 2 were turned round to "we have sold out of these just".
BeerABVScoreNotes
Laine - Breaker4.10PoorServed with more than an inch of head before requested top up. Hazy, amateur brew. All I wanted to do was swig it and leave
07 Aug 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit, the place is now open until midnight most days.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Captain Lockwood4.20PoorSome haze and tasted tired. Lemonade dashes made it finishable
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Redhead4.10Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Zephyr4.40Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Bow Bells4.20Not Tried
Laine - Breaker4.10Not Tried
22 Sep 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Strange musak style playlist over the tannoy.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Autumn Red4.40Excellent
King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Laine's Republic3.80AcceptableIrritatingly not a mention of true provenance (just said Laine's Republic) on the clip. Only when I asked the barman which Laine's brewery site it came from that he said it was from King under contract. When will this practice be outlawed?
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
East London (ELB) - Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Windsor & Eton - Eton Boatman4.30Not Tried
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Sundancer3.70Not Tried
31 Jan 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. 3rd pub of a Nunhead Green crawl. Rejuvenated large suburban pubs turned into real ale and keg beer haunts for gentrified local residents are now de rigeur.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Laine - Laine's Best4.00GoodVery sharp tongue rasping bitterness
Belleville - Chestnut Porter4.90Good
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies4.40Not Tried
Belleville - Battersea Brownstone4.80Not Tried
Gipsy Hill - Beatnik3.80Not Tried
Clouded Minds - Euro5.90Not TriedAbout to come on
18 Nov 2013 (Stephen Harris)
A comfortable, spacious pub with two blazing fires. Just four other customers at 7:30 on a Monday evening. Let down by its beer quality this-evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.)4.20AcceptableBrown, thin, malty, over-chilled and lacking in condition. Not great.
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Hackney - Best Bitter4.40Not TriedA thick, end-of-barrel pint that was visibly undrinkable. I had to point this out – it was then happily replaced and taken off sale.
27 Apr 2012 (HSB)
Late morning so quite quiet. Barman showed us the old assembly room upstairs.
BeerABVScoreNotes
By The Horns - Stiff Upper Lip (downgraded from 3.8% in 2023)3.40Good

About The Old Nun's Head

The pub sign. The Old Nun's Head, Nunhead Green, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent1
Good3
Acceptable2
Poor2

Website.

The pub is found in Nunhead Green, Greater London, SE15 3QQ.

1930s roomy pub on Nunhead Green, modernised ex Punch Taverns's house, but retaining many original features. Foodie (aptly named street food prevails) with 4 handpumps. Wooden panelled walls décor and has an upstairs function room and a courtyard garden.

We have visited this pub 6 times, seen 21 different beers and tried 8 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE15 3QQ