Pig & Porter Caravan (was 3.6%)

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	11 Sep 2025
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	11 Sep 2025
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	09 Sep 2025
Hogan Sampling		09 Sep 2025	Now the third day on. Head and lacing, good, but lasting, poor. A good decant or two needed. This Tunbridge Wells' bitter came with a very malty bitter first bite. Its caramel and toffee infusions lending it a sweetness in among its maltiness. Tangerine notes emanating from its yeast and hops. A hoppy bitterness aided by its English hops, East Kent Goldings and First Gold, and a malty note or two playing out. This bitter was still moreish to my taste buds but only a pale imitation of its former self compared to when sampled on its premier day.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	07 Sep 2025
Hogan Sampling		07 Sep 2025	Fresh on today and presenting very good head and lacing and lasting throughout without a single decant needed. This Tunbridge Wells' bitter packed a very malty bitter first hit. A slightly sweet touch from the caramel and toffee infusions in its malts. A good fruity note rising from its tangerine hints in its yeast and hops. A pleasantly hoppy bitterness gently bobbing along aided by its English hops: East Kent Goldings and First Gold. Lashings of maltiness aided this bitter's final voyage downwards for me. Very moreish and so stuck to it but for a half of stout from the same brewer.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	15 May 2025
Hogan Sampling		15 May 2025	This bitter was still advertised on the blackboard as 3.6% but just a mere 3.4% by all accounts now, but at least its lesser gravity was reflected in the price with the CAMRA 30p discount rendering it £4.30. It came with good head and lacing as fresh on today and lasted well and for some 45 minutes on those two pints I bought before the 80 odd Charlton FC fans got in. A malty bitterness on the first hit on this Tunbridge Wells' bitter. Its maltiness prevailed in the bitter mouthfeel it presented with, aided by five different malts including Maris Otter, one of my favourites recently in a certain other bitter, and this helped to score all the right goals on my taste buds. Just a good old-fashioned bitter for me! Dark in appearance and not overly flavoured although presenting some caramel, toffee and fruit-infused flavourings. A pleasantly dry hoppy bitterness arising from those East Kent Goldings and First Gold hops lingered on and so won the contest for me.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	11 Jul 2024
Hogan Sampling		11 Jul 2024	Sweet to the taste-buds with caramel and toffee flavours and with some conditioning.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	14 Apr 2024	They can keep their ABV dumbed down beer
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	08 Feb 2024
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	29 Nov 2023
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	03 Sep 2023
Philip Pirrip		20 Aug 2023	An overly malty ale with an absence of hop bitterness. Little condition which might have carried it off if present
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	01 Jun 2023
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	31 May 2023
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	27 Mar 2023

The Crown, Hastings, East Sussex

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		28 Jun 2025	This Tunbridge Wells' bitter came with good head and lacing. A very malty first hit. A bitterness rearing up and not in the least sweet like the odd Harvey's or Speckled Hen can be and so especially welcome. In its finale, a bitter fruitiness was moderate and lingering.

Larkins' Alehouse, Cranbrook, Kent

The Freed Man, Walmer, Kent

Parkerville, Herne Bay, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		03 Feb 2024	Excellent condition. Had the initial smell and flavour of Gadd's No. 7 but with a much sweeter malt body. Very drinkable.

The Kentish Rifleman, Dunk's Green, Kent