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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Abbeydale - Moonshine |  | 1 |
| Butcombe - Chris Moose | | 1 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride |  | 1 |
| Gower - Gower Power | | 1 |
| Greene King - Abbot | | 1 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) |  | 2 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 3 |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Otter - Bitter | | 1 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 4 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! Ho! Ho! | | 1 |
| St Austell - Step Into Christmas | | 1 |
| Timothy Taylor - Knowle Spring | | 1 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam) | | 1 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | | 1 |
| Westerham - Audit Ale | | 1 |
| Adnams - Broadside | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Black Sheep - Blitzen | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Oxford Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Daleside - Green Grass Old Rogue Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Exmoor - Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's Seafarers Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Courage Directors (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Jake the Snake | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Tina Tinsel | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Colmers | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Robinsons - Citra Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Robinsons - Hop & Under | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Darwin's Origin | Not Tried | 0 |
| Theakston - Old Peculier | Not Tried | 0 |
| Theakston - XB (was 4.6%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Timothy Taylor - Golden Best (was 3.5%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
23 May 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gower - Gower Power | 5.50 | | A well balanced strong bitter - very enjoyable |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Basic stuff |
| Exmoor - Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Daleside - Green Grass Old Rogue Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Darwin's Origin | 4.30 | Not Tried |
30 Apr 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeydale - Moonshine | 4.30 | | Good but very lacking in a distinctive flavour |
| Westerham - Audit Ale | 6.20 | | A good strong nightcapper |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Colmers | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | Not Tried |
16 Apr 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Man - Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Held good head and lacing |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | In OK condition |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | Not Tried |
25 Mar 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | First rate |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Seemed very full bodied tonight |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde Mild | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Oxford Gold | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Jake the Snake | 4.00 | Not Tried |
15 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. I had forgotten that Tramlink was closed through the centre of Croydon.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otter - Bitter | 3.60 | | Basic bitter |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Sweetish |
| Timothy Taylor - Knowle Spring | 4.20 | | |
| Adnams - Broadside | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Robinsons - Hop & Under | 4.20 | Not Tried |
05 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | IPA back to form? Best I've had for a long time |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | | A tasty drop |
| Theakston - Old Peculier | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Timothy Taylor - Golden Best (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Robinsons - Citra Pale Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried |
15 Jan 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Pretty much a full house after earlier TV football.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | | Best example of TEA I have had in a long while |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | Always changing balance of fruitiness and bitterness with every brew |
| Theakston - XB (was 4.6%) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's Seafarers Ale | 3.60 | Not Tried |
08 Jan 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Low footfall.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | Just a half. OK+ |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | 4.10 | | So difficult to judge these days being so variable in taste |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Courage Directors (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | 4.80 | Not Tried | Still living as a brand surprisingly |
20 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! Ho! Ho! | 5.50 | | Allegedly matured for longer than Tally Ho! in the brewery. Good enough to have a second one |
| Butcombe - Chris Moose | 4.10 | | Dark ale, nothing special in flavouring |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde Mild | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Tina Tinsel | 4.10 | Not Tried |
13 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. One anonymous ale on handpump to guess at. Clue hinted was of a Palmers trial brew.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam) | 4.30 | | Always good to resume a relationship with Ram Tam |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Basic pale job |
| St Austell - Step Into Christmas | 4.50 | | Unexceptional dark ale |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Blitzen | 4.00 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 265 |
| 135 |
| 18 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 197 times, seen 291 different beers and tried 94 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA