Wantsum UXB?

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 Tankerton Arms, Tankerton, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Magnus Greel		22 Apr 2026	Pleasant raspberry flavours twinned with chocolate roastiness.

The Conqueror Alehouse, Ramsgate, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Dosser		15 Apr 2026	Superb raspberry porter at £4.80. Expensive for ramsgit.

Gadds' Beer Shop & Taproom, Broadstairs, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		04 Apr 2026	4th beer of this visit: Came with very good head and lacing and lasting all the way on this deep red to almost black-coloured porter from the St Nicholas-at-Wade microbrewery set up in 2009 and between Herne Bay and Birchington-on-Sea. Just a hint of the Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town, from the Two Ronnie’s sketch, on the first hit with a fruity, jammy nose. The merest hint of raspberry on my taste buds rising on this windy spot outside Eddie’s taproom! Real raspberries or raspberry extract are used during the brewing or maturation process*. A hoppy bitterness prevailing, though the specific hop varieties are not detailed but the most likely candidates are Fuggles, lending a delicate balance of earthy, woody and mild spicy notes that complement dark chocolate malts without clashing with the raspberry, East Kent Goldings as often used by Wantsum and often cited in raspberry porter for its floral and honey aroma and sweet berry flavours, Bramling Cross, known for blackcurrant and dark fruit characteristics, and Northern Brewer, used in porters for its clean, neutral bitterness aiding the malt and raspberry to remain. A dark roasted maltiness winning over with a chocolatey roastiness derived from its chocolate malt. A dry hoppy abseil downwards as far too windy for a precipitation from above. Very moreish and served in superb nick! *Maturation refers to the final stage of brewing where "green beer" (young, fermented beer) rests to develop its final flavour, clarity and carbonation.

The New Inn, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		26 Jul 2025	Following the theme of fruitiness after the peach-infused pale ale at our last stop, this St Nicholas-at-Wade, from just outside Birchington-on-Sea, porter was a perfect carry-on! Head and lacing, very good, and lasting, good. Its creamy head led to a dry bitter and raspberry-infused first bite. Its bitterness rising up among its fruity hoppiness with a touch of chocolate in on the mix. Very moreish and not too overly tasting of raspberries! Very reasonably priced at £4.30.

The Mechanical Elephant, Margate, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Dosser		01 Mar 2025	Raspberry notes at the front of this porter.

Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House), Addiscombe, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		03 Dec 2024	Raspberry porter, a tasty brew

The County Hotel, Ashford, Kent

Wantsum Brewery (and Brewery Tap), St Nicholas-at-Wade, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Dosser		29 Mar 2024	Raspberry porter. Lovely.

The Pub Ramsgate, Ramsgate, Kent

The Lifeboat Ale & Cider House, Margate, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Magnus Greel		09 Jun 2023	Hit the dark fruits and raspberry description perfectly!

The Door Hinge, Welling, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		02 Jun 2023	The raspberry porter variant this time - intriguingly bitter raspberry porter. Subtle flavouring
Philip Pirrip		09 Dec 2022	Second consecutive night of this tasty raspberry porter where the raspberry is not too in your face
Philip Pirrip		08 Dec 2022	Tasty raspberry porter version

Royal Victoria Pavilion, Ramsgate, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Dosser		05 Jul 2020	Coldish.

The Long Pond, Eltham, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		23 Mar 2019	A Marmite beer I fancy, more a bitter plum than a sweet plum flavouring. I liked it but one would be enough

The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		12 Dec 2018	Not a very successful raspberry porter blend

The Robert Pocock, Gravesend, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		07 Nov 2018	Good condition but a rather sickly raspberry porter