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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Castle Rock - Venus in Flares |  | 1 |
| Elusive - Krusher |  | 1 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | | 5 |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale |  | 3 |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | | 1 |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | | 1 |
| Kent - Frostbite | | 1 |
| Kent - Old Skool | | 1 |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter | | 1 |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | | 3 |
| Oakham - Winter Wisp | | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | | 3 |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | | 1 |
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | | 2 |
| Vocation - Winter Bloom | | 2 |
| Iron Pier - Perry St Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - The Right Waves Gather | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Sanctum Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - HPA Hoppy Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
18 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A good crowd in for the annual Christmas carols put on by a local church choir. Got in at about my usual time of about half-ten. There was an extension way beyond 11pm. Not as many regulars as is normal on a Thursday.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | | Second night on for this Northfleet-brewed bitter from just outside Gravesend and still presenting good head and lacing and almost lasting. A slightly fruited note in its bitter first bite with hints of honey and spice. A dry bitterness clambering up with a degree of hoppiness from its First Gold, East Kent Golding and Admiral hops. Fruity orange and plum notes rising and in tune with the carol singers before climaxing with a good rousing finale of bitterness mixed with toffee malt. |
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | 7.00 | | Second night on for this Baltic porter* from just outside Hardley, south of Southampton's estuary across Southampton Water. Good head and lacing with a creamy top to it and lasting. A malty first hit from its seven different malts and fermented with house lager yeast. A fruity spiciness rising with hints of biscuity sweetness. Hints of toasted bread, coffee, chocolate, and caramel emerging. A dry maltiness winning over with the odd bitter note abseiling out. One half sufficed at 7% and after a good few Iron Pier bitters! *A Baltic Porter is a strong, dark beer style that bridges the gap between traditional English Porters and Russian Imperial Stouts, emanating from the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea (such as Poland, Estonia and Finland) in the 18th and 19th centuries. |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - HPA Hoppy Pale Ale | 3.60 | Not Tried | Came on belatedly to replace Oakham's Original Pale Ale. |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Winter Wisp | 4.10 | Not Tried |
18 Dec 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit with a midnightish extension that I did not fully avail myself of. On my arrival the local carol singers were inside reaching a crescendo.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | | Bordering upon being poor. Murky, tasted incomplete. One other seen sending theirs back |
| Oakham - Winter Wisp | 4.10 | | New cask on. A bit fresh |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - HPA Hoppy Pale Ale | 3.60 | Not Tried | Came on late on |
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | 7.00 | Not Tried |
17 Dec 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | 7.00 | | Needed more condition to carry off this 7% stronger ale |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Simply tired |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
16 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
For the last half hour of serving, the usual regulars and the more occasional and out the back, the fiddlers were on mass for their Christmas line-up of songs and carols they were playing and singing along to.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Now its third day on for this Maidstone strong pale ale and still presenting head and lacing. A good hoppy first hit. A healthy kick to it from its slightly fruited hoppiness rising aided by those East Kent hops in on the equation. A gentle hoppy note sailing out with a touch of sweetness on my palate from its Maris Otter malt . Very drinkable as it said on the tasting notes' packet but a half sufficed for me to end on. |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | | Fresh on was this Northfleet-brewed IPA from just outside Gravesend and presenting very good head and lacing and lasting. A very fruited first bite. A tropical fruitiness rising with hints of citrus and pine from its Citra and Simcoe hops. A gentle bitterness winning over accompanied by the odd dry fruited note tap-dancing downwards. |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | | 3rd night on for this Peterborough-brewed pale ale since Sunday when brought on very late that evening and still presenting very good head and lacing and lasting. A lightly fruited hoppy first hit. A gentle fruitiness rising aided by its five USA-sourced hops: Sterling, Amarillo, Centennial, Cascade and Chinook. A dry hoppy, citrusy tanginess abseiling in its final stages. |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | | I asked for a taster to see whether this Maidstone-brewed bitter had woken up from Sunday when I first tried it and when it was fresh on. This amber-coloured session ale appeared less murky now on in its third night and tasted palatable enough to then try a pint of it. Reasonable head and lacing to start with but not lasting. A lightly bittered first bite. A fruity bitterness rising and a maltiness winning over. The odd hoppy note detected from Goacher's generally used Kentish hops, comprising Goldings, Fuggles and WGV (Whitbread Golding Variety). A slight medicinal kick on the final mouthful as if to tell me to try something else next which I did. I normally like Goacher's but not this one. |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Venus in Flares | 4.20 | Not Tried |
16 Dec 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Average in all respects with a cloying aftertaste |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | | Suffering from several days of cellar cooler failure |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | Holding on there |
| Castle Rock - Venus in Flares | 4.20 | Not Tried |
14 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A good mix of the Sunday brigade, the hardened and the not so frequent for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | | Fresh on is this Peterborough-brewed pale and exhibiting a very good head and lacing and lasting well. A dry fruity first hit. A hoppy bitterness rising from its assortment of five USA-sourced hop varieties: Sterling, Amarillo, Centennial, Cascade and Chinook. A dry citrusy note playing out. |
| Elusive - Krusher | 4.50 | | Good head and lacing on this pale from Finchampstead, south-west of Wokingham, and almost lasting. A tropical fruited first hit. A hoppiness winning over with its heaps of Simcoe DynaBoost* and Cryo hops. A fruity feast playing out with peach, candied berries (fresh berries coated in a layer of hardened sugar) and passion fruit no less! *DynaBoost, a highly concentrated, beer-soluble hop oil extract, has a variety-specific alpha acid content and can be used as an early bittering or late aroma addition in the kettle. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Very good head and lacing on this Maidstone-brewed strong pale and lasting on its first day on. A somewhat hazy appearance behind this pale with a dry fruited first hit. A dry hoppiness rising from its East Kent hops and a malty note playing out from its Maris Otter malted barley. |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | | This Maidstone-brewed bitter, a mix of Goacher's Fine Light and Best Dark, was murky from the start and minus any head and lacing which is unusual for Goacher's. Only its first day on but a chore to drink and such a shame. I nearly took it back but persevered best I could. |
| Iron Pier - Perry St Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Venus in Flares | 4.20 | Not Tried |
14 Dec 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Unexpected haze. Tolerable |
| Castle Rock - Venus in Flares | 4.20 | | Bulk standard citrus fare |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | | Tepid, awful, murky, tasted more like unfermented wort than ale. No off flavours. Left half my glass |
| Iron Pier - Perry St Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | Came on unadvertised at very end of session - for the cognoscenti only? |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Krusher | 4.50 | Not Tried |
13 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with many a Saturday regular on parade among the hardened for the last 40 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Old Skool | 4.10 | | 2nd night on for this Birling-brewed bitter, north of West Malling in Kent, and presenting very good head and lacing but not overly lasting. A dry bitter first hit. A good fruited bitterness with hints of plum and even fig rising. A barrage of hops leaping up for a pat or two to make any good dog's tail wag with the likes of East Kent Goldings and Fuggles. There were certainly no aggressive citrus or tropical notes found in this recreated traditional bitter and unlike what you find in modern American-style hopped pales. A very dry, crisp bitterness alongside those subtle fruited plummy notes and from the odd fig or two playing out. |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | | 3rd day on for this High Brooms' porter, north-east of Tunbridge Wells. Again as on Thursday, good head and lacing but not lasting. A dry fruited, malty, dark chocolatey and smoky first hit. Definitely getting a good hint rising of dark fruit, the odd prune or two, and aniseed flavouring. A moreishly dry bitterness winning over. A hoppy note competing and emanating from its Columbus and Fuggles hops and sailing out. |
| Iron Pier - Perry St Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Sanctum Gold | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Krusher | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - The Right Waves Gather | 5.30 | Not Tried |
11 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy with regulars and the less frequent for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | | First night on for this High Brooms-brewed porter, north-east of Tunbridge Wells, with a good creamy head and lacing lasting. A malty and dark chocolatey first bite complete with a moreish smokiness from its roasted grains and Beech smoked malt. A good hoppy note from its Columbus and Fuggles hops rising. Hints of sweet sherry in on the concoction alongside dark fruit, prune and aniseed. A dry bitterness intermingling with its six different malts lingering. |
| Vocation - Winter Bloom | 3.80 | | 2nd night on for this winter session pale ale from just outside Hebden Bridge, north-east of Manchester, and presenting very good head and lacing and lasting. A hoppy but juicy tropical fruited first bite from its Rakau, Mosaic and Citra hops. A gentle bitterness rising in among its fruitiness. A good assortment of fruity notes including from zesty citrus and ripe stone fruit playing out. |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter | 4.20 | | Its 3rd night on and less murky than when 1st on Tuesday. This Manchester-brewed bitter, going west of the city centre to Salford, presented some head and lacing but not overly lasting. A very bitter first bite. A hoppy sharpness rising from its Cascade, Ekuanot and HS EXP hops, the latter an experimental hop variety. A lemony hint pervading the mouthfeel. A bitter but sour note winning over and lingering. As on Tuesday, just one pint sufficed as for me not quite my ideal bitter. |
11 Dec 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | | Initial poured head dissipated very quickly |
| Vocation - Winter Bloom | 3.80 | | Poured flat |
| Kent - Frostbite | 5.00 | | Poured flat in glass |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 14 |
 | 715 |
| 1908 |
| 594 |
| 51 |
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 1507 times, seen 1898 different beers and tried 1117 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ