Iron Pier Bitter

Tasting Summary

These comments are the opinion of the individual reviewer and represent what they thought of the beer on a particular day in a particular pub. If a review is less favourable, it may be because the beer suffered somewhere in the supply chain between them and the brewery.

The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	02 Oct 2025
Hogan Sampling		02 Oct 2025	Now its third night on for this Gravesend bitter from its Northfleet brewery. A tad thinner in flavouring and conditioning. Still displaying good head and lacing but not lasting as well as when tried on its first night on. A dry bitter first bite. A hoppy bitterness rising from its English hops, EKG (East Kent Golding) and Admiral. Subtle honey and toffee flavours veering upwards mixed with a mild maltiness. A spicy hoppiness from its First Gold hop in its finish and final descent downwards.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	01 Oct 2025
Hogan Sampling		30 Sep 2025	Fresh on and recommended and saw others supping this Gravesend bitter from just up the road at Northfleet. Head and lacing, very good, and lasting, good. A very bitter first bite. A malty bitterness rising with hints of toffee and honey flavours. A good spicy hoppy bitter note or two, from its exclusively English hops, playing out. Very moreish and so another followed.
Hogan Sampling		12 Jul 2025	Only its second night on was this bitter from Northfleet, just outside Gravesend and very minimal head was presented. Lacing non-existent and so it lasting is far from applicable. Still tasted ok with a very bitter first bite. A hoppiness rising from its English hops but not a lot of malt in the mix to help give it any body. A very watery taste and not a lot was left to linger on account of this. One sufficed again and a shame all round for this being the case on only its second night on.
Hogan Sampling		11 Jul 2025	Fresh on and came with good head and lacing on this Northfleet bitter from just outside Gravesend. It struggled to maintain it. A very bitter first bite. Not a lot of malt was evident as quite a thin-tasting bitter. A hint of hoppiness rising from the English variety involved. The merest whisper for my taste buds of honey and toffee. A very dry bitterness lingering. One sufficed for me.
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	14 Jun 2025
Hogan Sampling		13 Jun 2025	Third night on for this Northfleet bitter from just outside Gravesend and some head and lacing but not holding well some 10 minutes in. A very malty first hit. A moreishly bitter and malty hoppiness rising up from its English hops and malts used. The odd sweet note from its honey and toffee flavours and a hoppy bitterness lingering.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	12 Jun 2025
Hogan Sampling		12 Jun 2025	Second night on and good head and lacing to start with on this Northfleet bitter from just outside Gravesend. A few decants towards the end were needed. A very malty first hit from those 100% English malts involved. A malty bitterness rising up on the mouthfeel and a bitter-infused hoppiness lingering from using also 100% English hops.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	18 Mar 2025
Hogan Sampling		18 Mar 2025	Not as good as when on Sunday in terms of its head and lacing on this Northfleet bitter from just outside Gravesend. A first hit of a malty dryness. It had now developed a slight bite to it in the mouthfeel. Perhaps it was those spicy hops rearing their hoppy heads at me! Should have been prepared as had a mild curry-like home-cooked concoction indoors before setting out. A slightly sweetish aftertaste but a malty bitterness won through. One definitely sufficed.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	16 Mar 2025
Hogan Sampling		16 Mar 2025	Good head and lacing. A bitter first hit on this Northfleet ale just outside Gravesend. Not overly honey and toffee-flavoured as the tasting notes might suggest. A dryish bitterness in the mouthfeel with a spicy hoppiness lingering. I can only describe it as a slightly chewy one as it did not want to just slide down as most beers manage to do. Towards the end it needed a good decant or two to wake up its head and lacing.
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	08 Mar 2025
Hogan Sampling		07 Mar 2025	Fresh on was this Gravesend bitter but minimal head and lacing and did not last more than 5 minutes if that. A sweet mouthfeel from the honey and toffee flavours. A bitterness lingering but no life. Such a shame for being fresh on. The Mighty Oak Burntwood bitter which only came on the evening before had gone and because so good and on Fridays the place opens at 2pm rather than at 4pm Mon-Thur. Shows what is possible. How long will the Iron Pier bitter last? Not long I hope and for my next visit and the micro is open from 12 noon Sat but will not be queuing up for it.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	24 Oct 2024
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	24 Oct 2024
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	22 Oct 2024
Hogan Sampling		22 Oct 2024	Not a lot of head and no lacing which is not good for only its 2nd day on. Rather murky also in appearance. A bitter mouthfeel as you might hope to expect and with the odd spicy hint. An earlier Iron Pier bitter a few weeks back here also failed to impress.
Hogan Sampling		06 Sep 2024	2nd night on and still a good head and an immediate bitter mouthfeel.
Philip Pirrip		05 Sep 2024	Very ordinary
Hogan Sampling		05 Sep 2024	Fresh on and a good head and very malty to the bottom of the glass but also slightly sharp.
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	23 Aug 2024
Philip Pirrip		22 Aug 2024	Disappointing with little or no condition
Hogan Sampling		22 Aug 2024	Good head to start with but disappeared when at least half way down pint. Mouthfeel: not much in the way of flavours but bitter aftertaste.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	30 May 2024
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	05 May 2024
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	15 Feb 2024
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	19 Nov 2023
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	06 Aug 2023
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	04 Aug 2023
Philip Pirrip		03 Aug 2023	Zingy mouthfeel
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	16 Mar 2023
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	15 Mar 2023
Philip Pirrip		14 Mar 2023	Rather wet dog
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	07 Dec 2022
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	07 Dec 2022	Ran out
Philip Pirrip		06 Dec 2022	Mid brown but very unexciting
Philip Pirrip		15 Sep 2022
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	08 May 2022
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	06 May 2022
Philip Pirrip		23 Nov 2021	After yesterday's it seemed sour and a chore to finish
Philip Pirrip		22 Nov 2021	Toffee-ish
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	25 May 2021
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	23 May 2021
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	22 May 2021
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	27 Oct 2020
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	25 Oct 2020
Philip Pirrip		24 Oct 2020	New cask on - lacking the dry sharpness of a bitter I look for
Philip Pirrip		15 Dec 2019	A professional brew
Philip Pirrip		31 Mar 2019
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	25 Nov 2018
Philip Pirrip		20 Jun 2018

Larkins' Alehouse, Cranbrook, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Wittenden	Not Tried	18 Jan 2025
Wittenden	Not Tried	06 Jan 2024
Wittenden	Not Tried	28 Oct 2023
Wittenden		14 Jan 2023	Trad, delicious and spicy.

Iron Pier Brewery & Taproom, Northfleet, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		04 Jan 2025	Good head and lacing. A bitter and hoppy first hit. A moreishly dry mouthfeel with a pleasant bitterness lingering.
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	14 Dec 2024
Hogan Sampling		02 Nov 2024	Good head and lacing. A very bitter, bitter. A touch of maltiness in the mouthfeel with a lingering dryness.

The Board Room, Folkestone, Kent

The New Inn, Canterbury, Kent

The Miller, Borough, Central London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		16 Nov 2024	Good head and lacing. A good bitter taste, not sweet, with a pleasantly dry and hoppy lingering mouthfeel.

The Hoptimist Taproom & Bar, Dover, Kent

Nelson Arms, Tonbridge, Kent

The Monument, Canterbury, Kent

Fuggles Beer Cafe, Tonbridge, Kent

The Tankerton Arms, Tankerton, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Jack William		25 Apr 2023
Jack William	Not Tried	21 Jan 2022

The Green Goddess, Blackheath, Greater London

The Freed Man, Walmer, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Jack William		09 Feb 2023
Jack William	Not Tried	08 Sep 2022

The Pub Herne Bay, Herne Bay, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Jack William		12 Jan 2023	Trad bitter in good nick.
Magnus Greel	Not Tried	10 Jan 2023

The Just Reproach, Deal, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Jack William		10 Mar 2022

The Handsome Sam, Whitstable, Kent

The Flippin' Frog, Rochester, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		21 Feb 2020	OK

The Lanes, Dover, Kent

Leyton Orient Supporters Club, Leyton, Greater London

The Firkin Alehouse, Folkestone, Kent

The Broken Drum, Blackfen, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		26 Nov 2019	Rare duff one here. Last out of cask it turned out to be. Barely drinkable, ugh
Philip Pirrip		18 Nov 2019
Philip Pirrip		15 Apr 2019	Acknowledged as past its best
Philip Pirrip		08 Mar 2018	A wet dog sort of bitter which still needs some refinement to endear me

The Hovelling Boat Inn, Ramsgate, Kent

Little Green Dragon, Winchmore Hill, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
ChrisE		31 May 2019

The Dead Pigeon, Rochester, Kent

The Kentish Belle, Bexleyheath, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Magnus Greel		15 Mar 2019

The Music Shop (formerly The Made Inn), Ashford, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Magnus Greel		28 Feb 2019

The Yellow Stocks, Sittingbourne, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		28 Feb 2019	A tad too chilled

The Hangar, Sidcup, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Magnus Greel	Not Tried	14 Jan 2019
Philip Pirrip		18 Jun 2018	Full flavoured bitter

Mind the Gap, Broadstairs, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
ChrisE		10 Jan 2019

Donna's Ale House, Sittingbourne, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
ChrisE		11 Oct 2018
ChrisE		24 Mar 2018

Gidea Park Micropub, Gidea Park, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
ChrisE		01 Oct 2018

Kent Beer Festival 2018, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		20 Jul 2018	Chestnut

The George & Dragon, Swanscombe, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Magnus Greel	Not Tried	13 Jun 2018
ChrisE		07 Apr 2018

Harbour Arms, Margate, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Jack William		01 May 2018	Traditional bitter with an excellent balance of hops and malt in super condition.

The Door Hinge, Welling, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		20 Apr 2018	Best example of this beer I have had so far

Old Bay Alehouse, Minnis Bay, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		19 Apr 2018	Good enough to god back for a second one. Old fashioned English mid-brown bitter, once a staple for us all

The Compass Alehouse, Gravesend, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	05 Apr 2018	Ran out
Philip Pirrip		27 Jan 2018	Very high levels of bittering not quite balanced with the other beer flavours

Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival 2018, Margate, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		30 Mar 2018	Old school mid brown bitter