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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Brunswick - Black Sabbath |  | 5 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. |  | 1 |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | | 3 |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | | 1 |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | | 1 |
| Ossett - World Hop Series - France - pale | | 1 |
| Pennine Brewing (Bedale) - Golden Ramble | | 1 |
| Phipps NBC - Cobbler's Ale | | 3 |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | | 2 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - Distant Fog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - First Gold & Columbus Joined at the Hop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Milestone - Pacific Islander | Not Tried | 0 |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two Flints - Santiago | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
09 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A mix of regulars and the lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick - Black Sabbath | 6.00 | | Good head on being poured but its lacing not lasting on this Derby-brewed dark brown to black ale but for a decant as now its 4th day on. A malty bitterness on the first bite. A dry bitterness rising from its mix of UK hops. A maltiness winning over aided by its blend of dark-roasted malts, and Crystal malt imparting its characteristic toffee and caramel notes. Hints of liquorice, chocolate and spices sliding down. Strangely still quaffable. |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | | 4th day on since Monday and now with only minimal head and lacing and not lasting on this Northfleet-brewed bitter. A dry bitter first hit. A fruity hoppiness rising aided by its English hops including Goldings from Hukins Hops in Kent. Orange, plum, and spicy flavours coming to the fore. A gentle malty note winning over with a biscuity caramel flavouring joining in with hints of honey and toffee from its malt. A hop-infused maltiness playing out with the odd bitter pitter patter downwards. Not bad for its fourth day on but now lacking much of the conditioning that was there earlier in the week. |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pennine Brewing (Bedale) - Golden Ramble | 4.10 | Not Tried |
09 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick - Black Sabbath | 6.00 | | Stronger ale holding on after some days |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | | Tiring after a few day on |
| Pennine Brewing (Bedale) - Golden Ramble | 4.10 | | Little condition or USP |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
07 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. More fiddlers in the back room than topers in the front room.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick - Black Sabbath | 6.00 | | Holding up well since yesterday |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | | Little condition and odd tasting. Chore to finish |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Ossett - World Hop Series - France - pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
06 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A few regulars on parade for the last half an hour of serving and with one of them celebrating their birthday.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick - Black Sabbath | 6.00 | | Fresh on and presenting very good head and lacing on this Derby-brewed dark brown to black ale. A very malty fruit-infused first hit. A dark-fruited hoppiness rising from its UK hops. A maltiness winning over from its blend of dark-roasted malts. Its Crystal malt imparting toffee and caramel notes with hints of liquorice, chocolate and spices. Not holding its head to the end. Very pleasantly quaffable. |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | | Fresh on literally was this Northfleet-brewed Kentish bitter as the bitter I asked for, Phipps’ Cobblers Ale, ran out on being poured for me. Very good head and lacing and lasting all the way on this new one on. A very dry bitter first hit. A hoppy bitterness rising from its English hops, including Goldings from Hukins Hops in Kent, presenting orange, plum, and spicy flavours. A good dose of malt winning over with hints of honey and toffee. A dry hoppiness sailing out with a touch of malty caramelised biscuity flavouring. Very moreish but just a tad too fresh. |
| Phipps NBC - Cobbler's Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out on being poured for me! |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Ossett - World Hop Series - France - pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
06 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Perhaps a few earlier quiz dog-end attendees still in situ.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick - Black Sabbath | 6.00 | | Full bodied dark, possibly Old Ale style |
| Ossett - World Hop Series - France - pale | 4.20 | | Tasty but no head or lacing |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | New cask came on very late-on |
| Phipps NBC - Cobbler's Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
05 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Bank holiday weekend Sunday light footfall.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phipps NBC - Cobbler's Ale | 4.00 | | OK but rather bland |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. | 4.00 | | Did not find this hop forward as promised |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
05 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Very quiet footfall no doubt reflecting the great Easter escape (derived from The Great Escape, a World War II film directed by John Sturges and featuring Elmer Bernstein’s iconic musical score, and the motorcycle jump stunt performed by Bud Ekins standing in for Steve McQueen) with a notable Sunday regular absent and so just a table and a half of the hardened for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phipps NBC - Cobbler's Ale | 4.00 | | Now its third day on but still exhibiting a good head and lacing and lasting on this East Midlands' Northampton Brewery Company's golden amber-coloured bitter. From the day before, its caramelised but dry bitter first hit continuing. Its biscuity and toffee-infused sweetness still rising before its malty bitterness wins over. A dry hoppiness persisting from its fruited English hops before its slide out with biscuity notes to aid it. Still quaffable but slightly less conditioning than on the previous evening. |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
04 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for the last half an hour of serving with just a sprinkling of the Saturday regulars in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phipps NBC - Cobbler's Ale | 4.00 |  | Second day on for this East Midlands' Northampton Brewery Company's golden amber-coloured bitter, based on a historic recipe from the 1930s that was conceived as a tribute to Northampton’s local shoe-making industry. Here exhibiting superb head and lacing and lasting the whole way. A very fresh hoppy first hit suggesting it could almost be fresh on and with pronounced caramel and candied orange notes with hints of roasted malt. A dry bitterness prevailing with a hint of sweetness such as butterscotch from its biscuity and toffee-infused sweetness. A malty bitterness winning over its sweetnesss from its darker standard malts characteristic of pre-WWII session beers. A moreishly dry hoppiness lingering from its traditional English hops lending a hoppy fruitiness. Its biscuity notes playing out. Very quaffable and served in top notch condition! |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Ossett - World Hop Series - France - pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Distant Fog | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
02 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for the last half an hour of serving with some of the hardened on parade among a birthday gathering which filled the place up.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | 4.30 | | 1st beer of this visit: Second day on for this Ramsgate-brewed amber ale/session bitter* with its head lacing still lasting well. A lightly fruited hoppy first hit. A fruity hoppiness rising aided by its Goldings and Fuggles hops. A dry bitterness winning over with a hint of maltiness from its crystal malt lending it a tangerine/amber colouring and a touch of sweetness to balance its heavy hopping. A good Kentish hoppy fruited note sailing out. Top notch and very quaffable. *Originally a one-off brew, it has become a year-round staple thanks to its popularity. |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Third day on and only just hanging onto its head and lacing on being poured but not now lasting on this Tunbridge Wells-brewed porter. A dry hoppy first bite accompanied by a chocolatiness from its roasted grains. A rising dark fruitiness along with the odd hint of aniseed flavouring. Although not listed, it is likely that a mix of traditional and experimental hops were used to aid its bitter hoppiness. Smoked malts lending it a roasted and caramelised flavouring. A sweet fruity bitterness sailing out. A half sufficed as now on its third night; there was a loss of conditioning that aided its tasting when fresh on two days earlier. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Pacific Islander | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - First Gold & Columbus Joined at the Hop | 3.80 | Not Tried |
02 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. 70th birthday celebrations here made for a noisy large crowd.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | 4.30 | | First full day on tap - good condition that dissipated as pint went down |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | | Tired after a few days on |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Pacific Islander | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - First Gold & Columbus Joined at the Hop | 3.80 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 15 |
| 754 |
| 2043 |
| 663 |
 | 58 |
The pub is found in East Greenwich, Greater London, SE10 0RJ.
Micropub in Woolwich Road in a former street corner lingerie and hosiery business premises and which opened on 13th September 2017. Comprises a front room with bar counter and with real ales and ciders served on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled cellar room behind the bar, and a rear room down one step. Each day a pre-prepared paper ale menu sheet, with tasting notes, is provided to every table. Bare-board flooring throughout and all seating at wall mounted high settles and hand made wooden high tables. CAMRA card holders' discount on pints and halves of real ale and cider. Card payments accepted. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2019. Local CAMRA branch 2019, 2022 and 2024 Pub of the Year and its Cider Pub of the Year too in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. CAMRA Greenwich District Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 1632 times, seen 1966 different beers and tried 1158 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ