PubsandBeer
Past & Present (now use new entry after relocation) (Free House)
We believe this building is NO LONGER a pub
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Piers - Golden Smiler |  | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Sunburst |  | 1 |
| Elephant School (sub-brand of Brentwood) - Aussie Blonde | | 1 |
| Gemstone (brewed on Nelson plant) - Amethyst Bitter | | 1 |
| Gemstone (brewed on Nelson plant) - Coral | | 1 |
| Goody Ales - Bleangate Brewery - Good Heavens |  | 1 |
| Grainstore - Ten Fifty (1050) | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Bellowhead Revival | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop | | 1 |
| Lincoln Green - Tuck Porter | | 1 |
| Mad Cat - Platinum Blonde (previously Meaney's Platinum Blonde Ale) | | 1 |
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Island Hopping | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 7 | | 1 |
| Romney Marsh - Cinque Porter | | 1 |
| Summerskills - Westward Ho! | | 1 |
| Turners - American Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Vale of Glamorgan (VOG) - Dark Matter | | 1 |
| Whitstable - East India Pale Ale (or EIPA) | | 1 |
| Whitstable - Oyster Stout |  | 1 |
| Adnams - Broadside | Not Tried | 0 |
| Burton Bridge - Burton Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Brewers - Foundry Man's Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Isle of Purbeck - Fossil Fuel | Not Tried | 0 |
| Loddon - Hullabaloo | Not Tried | 0 |
| Northumberland - ResALEution | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - Late Red | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Miller's Mirth | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
02 Dec 2019 (Stephen Harris)
Mid-afternoon and a welcome refuge on a cold day.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitstable - East India Pale Ale (or EIPA) | 4.10 | | Slightly flat. |
| Vale of Glamorgan (VOG) - Dark Matter | 4.40 | | Chocolate and blackcurrants. |
| Adnams - Broadside | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Isle of Purbeck - Fossil Fuel | 3.80 | Not Tried |
04 Nov 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Pre-football crowds squeezed into here.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romney Marsh - Cinque Porter | 4.20 | | A rather dry, black Porter. |
| 3 Piers - Golden Smiler | 4.00 | | A somewhat thin-tasting Golden Ale. |
| Gemstone (brewed on Nelson plant) - Coral | 4.50 | | Golden and very bitter. |
| Burton Bridge - Burton Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried |
15 Feb 2015 (Dosser)
Lots in enjoying quiz questions. Our first visit.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitstable - Oyster Stout | 4.50 | | Great beer. |
26 Jan 2015 (thebrewingman)
Just after five with 5 or 6 in which our party of four almost doubled. Warm welcome.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grainstore - Ten Fifty (1050) | 5.00 | | |
| Lincoln Green - Tuck Porter | 4.70 | | |
| Elephant School (sub-brand of Brentwood) - Aussie Blonde | 4.00 | | |
| Northumberland - ResALEution | 4.30 | Not Tried | One of our party had a half and it went off shortly afterwards. |
02 Dec 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 1900 hours close. Now run by just one couple so some hours have been drawn in to accommodate this. A further move round of tables and chairs - still work in progress. Now open Mon / Tue 1200-1900, Wed 1200-1800, Thu 1200-2100, Fri / Sat 1200-2300, Sun 1200-1600.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Bellowhead Revival | 3.70 | | |
| Wantsum - Miller's Mirth | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Brewers - Foundry Man's Gold | 4.00 | Not Tried |
15 Nov 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Late-afternoon visit immediately following football at Priestfield. Crowded, hot and steamy in here, once I found the place.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Island Hopping | 3.90 | | Labelled as ‘Swannay Brewery’, which confused, although an internet search reveals that as the name of the brewery premises. A nice, citrusy, Pale Ale. |
| Turners - American Pale Ale | 4.70 | | A Pale Ale, presumably with US hops, where the hops flavours could have been a little more prominent I thought. |
| Shepherd Neame - Late Red | 4.50 | Not Tried |
27 Oct 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until pretty prompt close. Just one other couple in. I tried a third of toffee apple cider which they were drinking.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Cat - Platinum Blonde (previously Meaney's Platinum Blonde Ale) | 4.20 | | |
| Summerskills - Westward Ho! | 4.10 | | Mid brown English bitter |
| Loddon - Hullabaloo | 4.20 | Not Tried |
20 Sep 2014 (ChrisE)
This pub should have been easy to find, unfortunately too many maps do not show pedestrian only streets and seem to assume that you just want to race through town centres in a car. The result was that we walked up and down the wrong part of Skinner Street and then discarded the map. The pub was busy and very welcoming, three ales were on offer although I have only listed one of them.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop | 3.70 | |
28 Aug 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. A few subtle changes - a shelf added here, a low table exchanged there. All part of getting it right.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemstone (brewed on Nelson plant) - Amethyst Bitter | 4.20 | | Nicely dry |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | | |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | 4.30 | Not Tried |
14 Aug 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Brief visit turned into a couple of hours. Immediately friendly welcome, conversation and (sometimes adversarial) banter. Medway has long needed a place like this. Most enjoyable evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Only £3 pp - cheapest Harvey's BB I have had for a long time and it was unusually on gravity too |
| Dark Star - Sunburst | 4.80 | | Preview pint as not on the board yet |
| Goody Ales - Bleangate Brewery - Good Heavens | 4.10 | | |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 7 | 3.80 | |
About the Past & Present (now use new entry after relocation)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 1 |
| 6 |
| 10 |
| 4 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1HD.
Opened on Sunday 10th August 2014 as a micropub conversion from previous use as Benjy's second hand shop in Skinner Street at the west end of the High Street. Opened by 2 couples keen to bring the Micropub concept to Medway. Subsequently one couple exited. Small interior with seating on low and high seating. Cask beer and cider (and wines too) are served on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled room. An attractive wall display of photographs shows local closed pubs plus a selection of Kent Micropubs to contrast the past from the present. Small rear yard which smokers may use. A welcome addition to Medway's pub scene. Unisex toilet to the rear. Available beers and ciders are listed on a large wall blackboard. Local CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year 2017, 2018 and again in 2020 and subsequently CAMRA West Kent Pub of the Year 2018. Local CAMRA branch Cider Pub of the Year 2016, 2017 and 2018. Moved from Skinner Street to new larger premises in Canterbury Street ME7 5TP in spring 2020. See new entry.
We have visited this pub 10 times, seen 30 different beers and tried 21 of them.
Postcode: ME7 1HD