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The Crooked Billet (Young's)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| By The Horns - Collaborative |  | 1 |
| By The Horns - Stiff Upper Lip (downgraded from 3.8% in 2023) |  | 1 |
| Clouded Minds - Luppol Ale Golden Ale | | 1 |
| Clouded Minds - N253 Oatmeal Pale Ale | | 1 |
| East London (ELB) - Lamplighter |  | 1 |
| East London (ELB) - Nightwatchman | | 1 |
| East London (ELB) - Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | | 2 |
| Hammerton - N7 | | 1 |
| Kent - Altered States | | 1 |
| Redemption - Trinity | | 1 |
| Signature Brew - Session | | 1 |
| Siren Craft - Driftwood | | 1 |
| Siren Craft - Love of Work | | 1 |
| Triple fff - Citra Sonic | | 1 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Champions Ale | | 1 |
| Weird Beard - Hive Mind | | 1 |
| Adnams / Camden Town Collaboration - South Town | Not Tried | 0 |
| Beavertown - Smog Rocket | Not Tried | 0 |
| Belleville - Battersea Brownstone | Not Tried | 0 |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner | Not Tried | 0 |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift | Not Tried | 0 |
| Clouded Minds - Clout Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Revelation | Not Tried | 0 |
| East London (ELB) - Foundation Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| East London (ELB) - Jamboree | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - Red Rye | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Bengal Lancer | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hackney - Golden Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hackney - Hackney Homegrown | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hammerton - N1 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Milestone - Shine On | Not Tried | 0 |
| Moncada - Notting Hill Ruby Rye | Not Tried | 0 |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Gold Top | Not Tried | 0 |
| Portobello - American Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Hopspur | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Junction | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Four Grains | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Weird Beard - Fade to Black | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Guardsman | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
20 Jan 2016 (Stephen Harris)
Late afternoon / early evening. A very welcoming place this.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | | The landlord here has an arrangement to get this beer unfined “for extra flavour” and it is indeed a particularly tasty pint. |
| Siren Craft - Love of Work | 3.60 | | Golden beer with hops and Earl Grey tea – very lovely. |
| Windsor & Eton - Guardsman | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Hammerton - N7 | 5.20 | Not Tried |
02 Nov 2015 (Stephen Harris)
A rather sparse scattering of customers here in the early evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | | All Five Points beers are good in my experience, and this one was excellent. |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Champions Ale | 4.70 | | A very nice, brown-coloured Premium Bitter, enlivened by southern hemisphere hop flavours. |
| East London (ELB) - Foundation Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Hammerton - N1 | 4.10 | Not Tried |
24 May 2015 (Stephen Harris)
Still plenty of people chomping on Sunday dinners in the early evening and the garden is particularly busy.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clouded Minds - Luppol Ale Golden Ale | 4.20 | | Slightly hazy, golden and hoppy. Tasting very fresh from cask. |
| Triple fff - Citra Sonic | 4.10 | | Amber-coloured and hoppy, although not dominated by hops. |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Shine On | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner | 4.00 | Not Tried |
08 Jan 2015 (Stephen Harris)
Time for a quick pint in here in the early evening before taking a bus to Leyton. CAMRA discount claimed.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clouded Minds - N253 Oatmeal Pale Ale | 3.90 | | Yellowish-gold in colour. Citrusy smell and fruity hop tastes. I’m assuming for now that N253 is an as yet unnamed hop variety. |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Revelation | 5.70 | Not Tried | |
| Belleville - Battersea Brownstone | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Clouded Minds - Clout Stout | 5.60 | Not Tried |
12 Nov 2014 (Stephen Harris)
I met a friend here in the early evening when the pub was quiet.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siren Craft - Driftwood | 4.30 | | Dark Mild with bitter chocolate tastes. Somewhat flat condition. |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Gold Top | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner | 4.00 | Not Tried |
10 Oct 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening visit and I found myself propping up the bar with Ray and Bill, as the pub started to fill with after-workers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signature Brew - Session | 4.00 | | A pale beer, nicely-hopped with NZ Pacifica. |
| Hammerton - N7 | 5.20 | | A really nice, hoppy, Pale Ale. |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Belleville - Battersea Brownstone | 4.80 | Not Tried |
16 Apr 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Evening visit – this is the first pub on an extensive CAMRA pub crawl of the area. It is a large, and loosely organised group, and I find that there are only one or two folk here that I know.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | | Very enjoyable light, hoppy pint. |
| Kent - Altered States | 4.70 | | Well-hopped brown ale. |
| Dark Star - Revelation | 5.70 | Not Tried | |
| East London (ELB) - Jamboree | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams / Camden Town Collaboration - South Town | 4.90 | Not Tried |
29 Nov 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Beer festival in progress, pitting West London beers on a stillage in the back garden against East London beers on the main bar. It becomes so busy that the rear bar has to close for a while in mid-evening. Samples being passed around from a couple of forthcoming London breweries.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| By The Horns - Collaborative | 5.90 | | This is apparently the same beer as the one formerly called ‘Black & White’. A tasty, dark wheat beer. |
| East London (ELB) - Lamplighter | 4.50 | | Deep ruby red. |
| Weird Beard - Hive Mind | 5.60 | | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Four Grains | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Bengal Lancer | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Beavertown - Smog Rocket | 5.40 | Not Tried | |
| Moncada - Notting Hill Ruby Rye | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Weird Beard - Fade to Black | 6.30 | Not Tried | |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Hackney - Hackney Homegrown | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Portobello - American Pale Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried |
09 Oct 2013 (Stephen Harris)
I join a CAMRA social group here at this busy and likeable pub.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| East London (ELB) - Nightwatchman | 4.50 | | Dark beer in very good form here. |
| East London (ELB) - Pale Ale | 4.00 | | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | This one ran out. |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner | 4.00 | Not Tried |
15 Aug 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Doing a good trade in the early evening, with most outside in the large garden.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| By The Horns - Stiff Upper Lip (downgraded from 3.8% in 2023) | 3.40 | | Golden. Some fragrant hops. But lacking body and lacking condition. Fell flat very quickly. |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hackney - Golden Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Red Rye | 6.00 | Not Tried |
About The Crooked Billet
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 13 |
| 5 |
| 1 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Clapton, Greater London, E5 9JP.
One of the longest established pubs in the area, in Upper Clapton Road, the Crooked Billet was present here in Clapton by 1731, when the landlord was fined five shillings for opening on a Sunday. The present, large building dates from the 1950s and is now opened out into a single large room. A Watney’s pub in its day, it became Jack Beard’s (at the Crooked Billet) in 2002, by which time fortunes were somewhat faded. The pub closed for refurbishment in 2013 and re-opened under independent ownership in July of that year. In one of those “only in Hackney” moments, the former car park has been covered in decking to become an extension of the rear garden. There are plans to install an in-house micro-brewery. Since late 2023 operated by Young's.
We have visited this pub 11 times, seen 47 different beers and tried 17 of them.
Postcode: E5 9JP