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The Forest Tavern (Portobello Pub Company)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| 360° - Sussex #42 |  | 1 |
| Adnams - The Herbalist (collaboration with Magic Rock) |  | 1 |
| Anarchy - Smoke Bomb | | 1 |
| East London (ELB) - Nightwatchman | | 1 |
| East London (ELB) - Orchid Vanilla Mild | | 1 |
| Hackney - Best Bitter |  | 1 |
| Hammerton - N1 | | 1 |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Green Bullet | | 1 |
| London Fields - Hackney Hopster | | 1 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mister Squirrel (superseded by 4% version) | | 1 |
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | | 1 |
| Revolutions - Into Your Arms | | 1 |
| Rooster's - Buckeye | | 1 |
| Stewart - Zymic | | 1 |
| Stod Fold - Gold | | 1 |
| Adnams - Lighthouse | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Old Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Topaz Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams / Camden Town Collaboration - South Town | Not Tried | 0 |
| Belhaven - Caledonian Deuchars IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Blackjack - The Pokies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brains - SA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cottage - Norman's Conquest 5% | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Partridge Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Derventio - Et Tu Brutus | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - Hook Island Red | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hammerton - Penton (or Pentonville Oyster Stout) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hardknott - Coolfusion | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ilkley - American Smooth | Not Tried | 0 |
| Liberation (formerly called Jersey) - Liberation Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| London Fields - Shoreditch Triangle IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| RedWillow - Feckless | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rudgate - Battle Axe | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Yu Lu | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thwaites - Lancaster Bomber (please now use the Banks's entry) | Not Tried | 0 |
| TicketyBrew - Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tomos Watkin - OSB (Old Style Bitter) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Redhead | Not Tried | 0 |
| Volden - Pale (formerly Pale Ale) was 4.6% | Not Tried | 0 |
| Volden - Session (or Session Ale) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Volden - VIM | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
26 Jan 2018 (Stephen Harris)
Busy with Friday evening, after work drinkers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammerton - N1 | 4.10 | | Excellent, that has boosted my hop levels. |
| Hammerton - Penton (or Pentonville Oyster Stout) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
| Volden - Pale (formerly Pale Ale) was 4.6% | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Yu Lu | 3.60 | Not Tried |
01 Dec 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Early Friday evening. There is a throng in the front bar and just one lady sitting all alone in the back bar. After dithering for a moment or two, I decide to join the throng.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hackney - Best Bitter | 4.40 | | A traditional brown Bitter. Malty and quite dry. In rather flat condition but tasty enough. |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Redhead | 4.10 | Not Tried | This ran out whilst I was here. |
| Volden - Session (or Session Ale) | 3.80 | Not Tried |
29 May 2015 (Stephen Harris)
Busy Friday evening session.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adnams - The Herbalist (collaboration with Magic Rock) | 4.80 | | Lovely botanical beer that I stuck with all evening. |
| Belhaven - Caledonian Deuchars IPA | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Thwaites - Lancaster Bomber (please now use the Banks's entry) | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Lighthouse | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Volden - VIM | 3.80 | Not Tried |
16 Sep 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Brief, early-evening visit; I’m on a schedule.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| East London (ELB) - Orchid Vanilla Mild | 3.60 | | Tasty, vanilla-flavoured Mild. |
| Rudgate - Battle Axe | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Liberation (formerly called Jersey) - Liberation Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
09 May 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Early Friday evening and the front bar and outside tables are busy – nobody is yet in the back bar, which is primarily used for dining.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stod Fold - Gold | 3.80 | | Full bodied, well-balanced, golden beer. |
| Brains - SA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tomos Watkin - OSB (Old Style Bitter) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| TicketyBrew - Pale Ale | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams / Camden Town Collaboration - South Town | 4.90 | Not Tried |
29 Mar 2014 (Stephen Harris)
A small number of customers in at Saturday lunchtime. Most of them are sitting outside, on a pleasant spring day.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Green Bullet | 4.30 | | Amber in colour. Well-hopped with New Zealand Green Bullet hops. |
| 360° - Sussex #42 | 4.20 | | A straightforward, malty, brown bitter. |
| London Fields - Shoreditch Triangle IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Hook Island Red | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Ilkley - American Smooth | 4.30 | Not Tried |
25 Feb 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening visit and the number of customers is not into double figures – very pleasant though.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | 5.10 | | Flavoursome Porter. |
| Revolutions - Into Your Arms | 6.90 | | Very nice indeed. Aromatic, strong, Red IPA using Australian hops. |
| Belhaven - Caledonian Deuchars IPA | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | Not Tried | |
| Derventio - Et Tu Brutus | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hardknott - Coolfusion | 4.40 | Not Tried | Being sold off at £2 a pint as it had not proved popular with customers. |
04 Feb 2014 (Stephen Harris)
This pub is very quiet in the early evening tonight. Beer in notably good condition.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Fields - Hackney Hopster | 4.20 | | A golden, well-balanced, pale ale. Perhaps not as hop-driven as in the past. |
| Anarchy - Smoke Bomb | 3.90 | | A lovely, very smoky, dark porter. |
| Belhaven - Caledonian Deuchars IPA | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Cottage - Norman's Conquest 5% | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Old Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| RedWillow - Feckless | 4.10 | Not Tried |
20 Dec 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Busy in the early evening. The back room is now open as a dining area and there are several large groups in paper crowns and Christmas jumpers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster's - Buckeye | 3.50 | | Golden. Initially very dry after the previous pint. But actually quite balanced and I grew in to it. |
| Stewart - Zymic | 3.80 | | Golden. Pungent hop oil tastes. In fact, it tastes to me like a green hop beer. |
| Adnams - Lighthouse | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Partridge Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Blackjack - The Pokies | 3.60 | Not Tried |
05 Sep 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Opening night has been put back by a week and then delayed by a few hours. Builders still present around the bar and the pub name still being added to the fascia as I arrived. Very soon got really quite busy.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| East London (ELB) - Nightwatchman | 4.50 | | Lovely beer in absolutely superb condition. Dark and fruity and chocolaty and a bit roasty. The best I’ve ever tasted of this beer. |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mister Squirrel (superseded by 4% version) | 4.30 | | A straightforward, brown, traditional, premium bitter. Sweetish. |
| Adnams - Topaz Gold | 4.00 | Not Tried |
About The Forest Tavern
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 8 |
| 6 |
| 1 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Forest Gate, Greater London, E7 9BB.
This pub in Forest Lane was established in around 1870 as one of a line of three pubs right outside Forest Gate railway station. Its name – the Railway Tavern. It was a Cannon Brewery pub, later part of the merged Allied Breweries block. The pub was rebuilt in its present form in 1925 and is actually quite level – not at the jaunty angle that it appears to be in my photograph. Like many pubs, this one experienced difficult trading days around the turn of the century, closing down in 2005. Punch Taverns re-opened the pub in 2007, but it was not a roaring success. Antic the took on the pub, re-opening the doors in September 2013 and re-naming the pub the Forest Tavern. There is a large front bar, with a rear room that has now been brought back in to use and is primarily for dining. In typical Antic fashion, the pub features naked floorboards, bare brick walls, dim lighting and lovely staff. Pavement tables. Portobello took over from Antic here in 2020.
We have visited this pub 10 times, seen 42 different beers and tried 15 of them.
Postcode: E7 9BB