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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale |  | 2 |
| Five Points - Best |  | 2 |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale |  | 1 |
| Kent - Green Dwarf | | 4 |
| Kent - Green Giant (EKG) | | 1 |
| New Bristol - Coffee & Biscotti Stout | | 1 |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry! | | 1 |
| Salopian - Shropshire Gold | | 3 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Over the Tops (collaboration with Ossett) | | 2 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hedgerow Harvest | Not Tried | 0 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Mule (collaboration with Brasserie de la Mule) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Saltaire - Citra Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Stancill - Godiva | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Citra Idaho 7 Azacca | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
08 Nov 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | | As always the strength is there |
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 |  | Not right, cardboardy and hazy |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Mule (collaboration with Brasserie de la Mule) | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hedgerow Harvest | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
08 Nov 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
At least three tables of regulars on arrival for the last half an hour of serving and a few of the odd lesser spotted on top. Very rare to see 8 real ales on all at the very same time!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on today and presenting a very creamy head and lasting lacing on this Tunbridge Wells porter whose brew-house first got its copper fires roaring and their chimneys smoking back in 2012 just outside Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, on an industrial trading spot on the north-eastern edge of the town, not too far from the High Brooms area. A very dry bitter first hit. A chocolatey flavouring rising from its maltiness. Its Pale Malt laying down a sweet, bready foundation, and its Crystal Malt exuding a sticky, jammy flavouring with raisins and dark plum. Its Chocolate and Roasted Malts, and the most noted by my taste buddies, casting a dark cocoa powder, a hint of toasted nuts, and espresso grounds while its Smoked Malt behind its woodsmoke and spicy touches. A medley of dark orchard fruits, prunes and liquorice aniseed for me in on the malty mix. Its subtle bitter hoppiness lingering from its British Fuggles hops exuding flavours reminiscent of a damp earthy, leafy hedgerow, alongside a herbal spiciness and counteracting the malts’ dark chocolate and smoky fruit sweetness. Served in very good nick but just a touch fresh methinks. |
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on and presenting good head and lacing and lasting on this Hackney bitter from brewing which got its steaming coppers up and rattling back in 2013 and set up in an old black cab garage tucked inside the noisy railway arches of Hackney Downs station in East London and named after the famous five-way road junction cutting across Dalston Lane just a few yards away. A dry bitter first hit on this amber-copper hued best bitter which was launched in 2019. A hoppy fruitiness rising from its Kentish Fuggles behind hints of damp garden herbs, fresh grass and minty cedarwood, while its Ernest hops lending a punchy accent of stone fruits, apricot skin and a touch of orchard spice for me. A dry maltiness joining in from its Low Colour Maris Otter lending a mildly sweet base of freshly baked white loaves and shortbread biscuits, its Wheat Malt aiding a creamy thickness and a frothy head, its Crystal Medium spooning in a dollop of cooked caramel and sticky English toffee, and its Amber Malt tossing into the kettle a dry toasted flavouring alongside hints of wood smoke, nutty husks and baked pie crust. A dry fruited and floral hoppy bitterness prevailing with a touch of sweet fruit preserves. A lingering sharp herbal bitterness on the sail out. Served in very good nick with lasting head and lacing and plentiful conditioning. |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Mule (collaboration with Brasserie de la Mule) | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hedgerow Harvest | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
07 Nov 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A good few regulars on parade among the more occasional for the last three quarters of an hour of serving and a good turnover of beers for Charlton FC's earlier home-game winning 2-1 against Sheffield United.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Bristol - Coffee & Biscotti Stout | 5.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second day on for this Coffee & Biscotti Stout from the New Bristol Brewery which first got their brewing boots laced up and their mash tuns bubbling away in 2013 in the heart of Bristol City Centre on Wilson Street in St Pauls. Good head and lacing on being served but not hanging onto it. A dry bitter first hit on this pastry stout. A biscuity and coffee-infused flavouring rising from its combination of Dark Roasted Malts throwing down flavours of bitter dark chocolate, toasted cocoa husks and sweet molasses. The Flaked Oats and Wheat lending a thickness to its body. A bready and chocolatey layer for me on its dark-baked biscuit base. A dry bitterness prevailing from its traditional British bittering hops behind a touch of leafy cedarwood, dry garden herbs and a subtle spice. Real Extract Coffee Roasters beans and Italian biscotti biscuits tossed straight into the mix with the Coffee Beans letting fly aromatic espresso, dark-roast bitterness and smoke. The baked Biscotti Biscuits dissolving into the brew to lend a hint of almond sweetness, icing sugar, and buttery, caramelized pastry. A creamy espresso bitterness and sweet biscuit pastry lingering deliciously long for me before the slide downwards. Served in good condition apart from not keeping its head and lacing. |
| Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry! | 4.00 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on a very frothy head and lasting lacing on this Tunbridge Wells amber hued bitter from brewing which got its boiling coppers fired up in 2012. A dry and slightly fruited first bite. A hoppy bitterness rising with the flavours of autumn-dried orchard fruits. Its Kentish Fuggles hops letting fly a bouquet of damp, woody earth, forest floor, and herbal spice, while its Kentish Bramling Cross sweeping in with a sharp, wild blackcurrant, dark loganberry and hedgerow fruitiness. A sweet maltiness joining in but none too sweet for me from its Maris Otter Ale exuding a foundation of fresh baker's bread and toasted biscuits, Caragold and Carapils lending a sweetness and its frothy white head, Crystal 150 tossing in a sticky dollop of dark toffee and candied caramel and the Low Colour Chocolate malt aiding a subtle, lightly roasted hint of roasted nuts and cocoa bean dust. I detected a touch of sticky toffee pudding from the mixture of malts. A fruity-bitter finale with a hoppy lip-smacking dryness with hints of sweet marmalade lingering. Served in good nick for its head and lacing and taste-wise but perhaps a tad fresh as very murky in appearance. |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Mule (collaboration with Brasserie de la Mule) | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
05 Nov 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with a good few tables of regulars in among the odd lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving. *CONTINUED FROM 2ND BEER OF THIS VISIT: The botanical engineers at BarthHaas, a historic German hop giant, teamed up with the Boston Beer Company (BBC) in the United States to brainstorm a way to make hops work harder and taste purer. What they came up with are 100% natural, highly concentrated hop pellets. The BBC pellets are put through a special sub-zero milling process at a freezing minus 35°C to strip away the useless, bitter woodiness to leave only the pure lupulin which is the sticky, golden dust inside the hop that holds all the aroma. Dissolving in the cold beer, they throw a punch of fruit and pine without making the drop taste like grass or old hedge-clippings. The Spectrum Hop Enhancement completely dispenses with the solid flower altogether. It is a 100% pure, flowable liquid hop extract specifically designed for "dry-hopping" in adding hop aroma after the beer has finished boiling. Here the tropical terpenes, juicy oils and fruity notes of a hop variety are turned into a thick, brown liquid paste with zero vegetative leaf matter and dissolves completely in cold beer like ink in water. With no physical leaves or solid pellets to soak up the liquid, the brewers keep every single drop of precious beer. A mere 1 kg of this golden liquid packs the same aromatic wallop as 5 to 8 kg of standard pellets and lends an aroma of pineapple and citrus that stays fresh in the cask for ages without going stale.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Green Dwarf | 3.70 | | 1st beer of this visit: Third day on and still exhibiting very good head and lasting lacing. Still a very hoppy first punch from this Kentish green hopped pale. An oily hoppiness reigning for me superbly and lingering to the end. For my full tasting notes, see my entry for it on Tuesday 3rd November 2026 and when it was fresh on. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Over the Tops (collaboration with Ossett) | 4.50 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on and presenting a foamy head and lasting lacing on this collaborative English pale ale between Thornbridge Brewery which first fired up its coppers back in 2005 at Thornbridge Hall in Bakewell, Derbyshire, and Ossett Brewery which got their own show on the road a bit earlier in 1998 in the heart of Ossett, West Yorkshire. Thornbridge took the reins for the physical production and advanced hop processing of Over The Tops and are behind introducing the sub-zero milled Boston Beer Company pellets and the pure liquid Spectrum extracts for the pineapple and lime aromatics. Ossett ensured that despite Thornbridge’s high-tech hop enhancements, the beer maintained a smooth, highly sessionable malty baseline that would sit perfectly in a traditional Yorkshire or North West cask cellar. A lightly fruited first bite on their exclusive collab and this light-bodied golden ale was specifically whipped up to celebrate the St George’s Beer Festival, hosted at St George's Hall by the folk of Liverpool's Ship & Mitre public house. A dry hoppiness with a good hint of resin rising from the brewers packing the kettle with New Zealand Cascade alongside advanced, concentrated Boston Beer Company and Spectrum hop enhancements*. The New Zealand Cascade bursting with a punchy citrus zest and deep tropical fruit notes. The Boston Beer Company & Spectrum Hop Enhancements throwing down a sharp punch of pineapple, zesty lime and a whisper of fresh pine. Faint hints of pineapple and sweet citrus hitting my taste buddies. Its traditional premium Pale malt lending a slightly sweet and biscuity, cracker-like flavouring and joined by speciality grains, exuding a toasted grain depth of cereal in the mouthfeel. A very earthy crisp hoppiness prevailing with floral notes, resinous pine and a pithy lime bitterness lingering on its downwards journey. Served in very good nick with plentiful conditioning. *CONTINUED UNDER THE GENERAL COMMENTS HEADING. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Idaho 7 Azacca | 5.00 | Not Tried |
05 Nov 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Green Dwarf | 3.70 | | Still feels fresh so holding up well |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Over the Tops (collaboration with Ossett) | 4.50 | | New cask on today - as expected basically a lemon juice ale |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Idaho 7 Azacca | 5.00 | Not Tried |
04 Nov 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Only 2 known faces in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | | Slightly copper coloured ale. Enjoyed it as a contrast to the earlier green hopper |
| Kent - Green Dwarf | 3.70 | | A very tasty drop of green hop |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Idaho 7 Azacca | 5.00 | Not Tried |
03 Nov 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A bustling crowd in after Charlton FC’s home-game against Bolton losing 0-1. Due to Charlton’s mid-evening kick-off, an extra hour was afforded for serving making it one and a half hours in total serving time from my point of arrival.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on this evening and presenting superb head and lasting lacing on this tawny copper hued bitter from brewing which got its steam up and engines purring in 2010, pitching their brewing tents just outside Canterbury's city walls at the Stour Valley Business Park in Chartham, Kent. A very dry fruited first hit. A hoppy bitterness rising from a tossing of a trio of traditional Kentish greens into the copper, namely Target behind its sharp bitterness, Goldings exuding honey and an earthy flora, and Challenger punching a sharp, spiced cedar-wood and zesty citrus. A malty note joining in from its roasted English malts behind a slightly nutty, earthy flavouring. Almost for me a roasted hazelnut fresh off the barrow. A biscuity hint standing tall and proud like a gent's finest Sunday waistcoat. A prevailing hoppiness giving me a good dose of tart orchard berries and dark forest fruit, and rendering a crispness that leaves a fellow charmed and eager for another tuppence worth. Served in top nick with lasting conditioning. |
| Kent - Green Dwarf | 3.70 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on and presenting a handsome head and lacing and lasting all the way on this Kent green hopped ale from brewing set up in 2010 at Birling Place Farm, in Birling village, near West Malling in Kent. By 2011 the ten-barrel copper plant was steaming away like a runaway railway engine. A fresh hoppy first bite on this but once-a-year harvest of a green-hopped pale ale. A moreish oiliness reigning for my taste bud’s delight. Instead of using the dried-out pockets from the oast houses, the freshly harvested, undried green cones come from the latest modern hop varieties grown in Kentish soil, tossed straight into the brew completely raw and straight from the bine, preserving that oily punch for me. A pleasantly vibrant hoppiness rising and stealing the show from the likely candidates: First Gold behind a sharp bitterness and a burst of spicy citrus and sharp orange peel that slices through the malt; Harlequin, a new-age variety punching tropical fruit and a sweet passionfruit aroma, combined with a resinous, piney oiliness; Ernest behind juicy apricot and a citrus-fruity snap; and Pioneer, a short-growing dwarf hop born out of the famous Wye research stables in Kent, lending a herbaceous, cedar-like woodiness. Its premium pale malted barley aiding a field-fresh cracker and biscuit-like flavouring. Its rolled oats and malted wheat lending a thickness to this green hopped ale. A sharp, oily and grassy bitterness prevailing with a hint of herbaceous flavouring. A crisp, resinous hoppiness lingering before the slide down my funnel. Served in superb condition. |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Idaho 7 Azacca | 5.00 | Not Tried |
02 Nov 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. A different pack of regulars about.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salopian - Shropshire Gold | 3.80 | | In OK condition |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Stancill - Godiva | 4.00 | Not Tried |
01 Nov 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy footfall with regulars around a table and a half and the odd lesser spotteds dotted about on my time of arrival just a little before the remaining half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salopian - Shropshire Gold | 3.80 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on and displaying a very good frothy cream top and lacing totally lasting on this golden bitter from the Salopian Brewery founded in 1995 and setting up in the heart of Shrewsbury. In the early days it was operating on a two-barrel kit, but as the years rolled on, the enterprise outgrew its boots and in 2014 the head gaffers moved the entire boiling apparatus to a purpose-built home in the village of Hadnall on the outskirts of Shrewsbury. They first boiled the copper for Shropshire Gold back in 1999, providing the thirsty public with a session bitter that has been filling flagons ever since. A dry bitterness rising with a hoppy note joining in from the tossing in of two hop varieties into the copper kettle, Brewers Gold lending a twiggy bitterness alongside a dark fruitiness and Cascade delivering a punch of floral spice and zesty citrus. A malty touch from its Pale laying down a biscuity and bready foundation and Crystal malts throwing down a gentle touch of toasted honey and light caramel. A dry crisp maltiness prevailing for me. A gentle hoppiness sliding down my hatch with hints of dried fruits, raisins, and fresh meadow flowers as sharp as a tailor's shears. Served in very good nick on its first day on with plentiful conditioning. |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | 1st beer of this visit: Second day on and good head and lacing and lasting on this Kentish bitter from Goachers Brewery in Maidstone set up in 1983 with their copper boilers by the old, damp stones of Hayle Mill in the Loose Valley before in 1990 packing up their dray and shifting to Tovil Green Business Park also in Maidstone, where they keep the mash tun bubbling today. A dry, slightly citrusy first hit on this straw-to-pale-amber coloured tipple originating from the kettle being sparked up for Fine Light in 1984. A hoppy bitterness rising from the tossing in of native Kentish bines into the kettle, namely Whitbread Golding Variety lending a woody note with a hint of fresh garden soil, and East Kent Goldings behind its floral spice and a whisper of sweet honeyed lavender. A malty note joining in from its traditional floor-malted, low-colour Maris Otter winter barley providing a sweet and bready biscuit base, throwing off a doughy breadiness from the baker’s oven with a hint of honeyed sweetness. A gentle crisp garden-fresh hoppiness sliding out. Served in good nick with a visible carbonation throughout. |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Only its second day on and this stout is presenting no lasting head and lacing within minutes of being poured from an outfit that set up their copper boilers in 2013, taking over the brick and bones of the old Royal Tunbridge Wells brewery site in Chapman Way, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Said to have a dry, roasted-bitter punch and a dance of dark chocolate, rich caramel, fresh coffee beans and the subtle fruitiness of a Victorian Christmas cake, my slice of Belgian chocolate cake therefore was not out of place to accompany it. A malty bitter first hit on this black-as-midnight stout. A touch of dark fruitiness rising from its Willamette hop lending a herbal, peppery spice mixed with a mild, woodsy floral bitterness that is taming the sugary caramel and the roasted malts for me. A dry bitter maltiness emerging and lingering from its Maris Otter hosting a sweet and bready biscuit base, Roasted Barley and Black Malt lending a dry, roasted coffee flavouring and midnight colouring, Chocolate Malt aiding its semi-sweet dark cocoa flavours, Flaked Barley and Oats lending a silky touch to its mouthfeel, Crystal Malt and Caragold spooning a dollop of sticky caramel sweetness alongside a hint of dark-fruit. A chewy mocha-toffee feast wrapping my taste buddies in a heavy wool coat, in delivering a robust dark chocolatey and espresso punch. A crisp, dry and fruity cherry-cake finish that literally sliced through the thickness of the mash for me. Served not at its best methinks just a second day on with very little conditioning. |
| Saltaire - Citra Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Green Giant (EKG) | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Stancill - Godiva | 4.00 | Not Tried |
01 Nov 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Hardly a usual suspect was absent.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salopian - Shropshire Gold | 3.80 | | Others extolled its virtues. Quite a contrast to the Green Giant drunk before it, good condition |
| Kent - Green Giant (EKG) | 6.00 | | A good strong green hopper |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Saltaire - Citra Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Stancill - Godiva | 4.00 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 20 |
| 847 |
| 2276 |
| 788 |
| 67 |
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 1866 times, seen 2075 different beers and tried 1239 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ