Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) London Best

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.

Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club, Tonbridge, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		07 Feb 2026	6th beer of the visit: This amber-coloured East London best bitter from Hackney Wick was delivered to my glass with a very good head and lacing and lasting throughout. I was pleased to end on such a fine specimen of a traditional ale. A biscuity bitter first bite from its caramelised malt. A dry hoppiness rising from its Fuggles and Challenger. The merest hint of herbal fruitiness present with its moreish bitterness winning over. A malty note putting in an appearance with the flavouring of a toasted bread crust before a very bitter infusion slithering downwards. A very good balance of the malts and hops and indeed a very fine specimen to end this very entertaining festival of beers on. My fellow real ale enthusiasts were all in agreement that overall all the beers had been shining unlike the sun on this somewhat damp overcast day in a very sodden environment in Tonbridge where the river and rain have taken over some of the nearby park. The rugby club is thankfully suitably on higher ground for its entrance and its construction ensures it is well off ground-level and given Tonbridge's recent history of floods such as in 1968 and 1987.