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The River Ale House (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Castle Rock - PromisesGood1
Goacher's - Gold StarExcellent1
Goacher's - Green HopExcellent2
Goacher's - Real Mild AleExcellent1
Kent - Green DwarfGood3
Mighty Oak - Saxon StrongAcceptable3
Mighty Oak - Simply the BestGood2
Siren Craft - MementoGood2
Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & NectaronAcceptable1
Tonbridge - Blonde AmbitionGood2
Tonbridge - Ebony MoonAcceptable1
Vocation - Bread & ButterExcellent1
Elusive - PortolaNot Tried0
Kent - Tropic AleNot Tried0
Monkey - Sea WallNot Tried0
Ossett - World Hop Series USANot Tried0
Park - KillcatNot Tried0
Vibrant Forest - PupaNot Tried0
Vocation - Chop & Change - Barbe RougeNot Tried0
Picture 1. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Picture 2. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Picture 3. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Stephen Harris

Visits Details

18 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last half an hour of serving with a few of the hardened in, the fiddlers resident in the rear seating area and the odd occasional dotted about.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Goacher's - Real Mild Ale3.40ExcellentMy second one of the evening: Packing a punch for its low gravity is this Maidstone-brewed mild. As fresh on, head and lacing to die for and lasting. A very malty first hit. The tasting notes mentioned chocolate and not my reason I tried it. I did not get the merest hint of chocolatiness until my sampling towards the end with a good swish in the mouth to give it the benefit of the doubt. A good dry maltiness rising care of its black malts. A subtle hoppy note lingering, but ever so slightly, thanks to its Kentish Fuggles hops. Amazing for its gravity as packing it all in!
Goacher's - Gold Star5.10ExcellentMy third one of the evening: Fresh on also and very good head and lacing and lasting on this Maidstone-brewed "heavy duty" pale at 5.1%. A highly fruited first hit. A hoppiness rising care of its superb East Kent hops. A touch of maltiness pleasantly paddling out. Glad I only sampled one half as a hill to climb going home afterwards! Not a single decant needed the whole evening for three different beers and my timing meant they were all fresh on.
Vocation - Bread & Butter3.90ExcellentMy first one of the evening: Fresh on this evening and as of 4pm when this micro opens from Monday to Thursday. This Hebden Bridge dry hopped pale from north-west of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, exhibited a fantastic head and lacing which hung on to the very end. A gently fruited hoppy first bite. A touch of fruitiness rising, aided by hints of pine, peach, lychee and citrus, but not in your face. A pleasant hoppy note winning over, care of its mix of US hops, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe, and sailing out minus any headwind. As my dad always said, beer is liquid bread, and never mind the butter which I did not taste in this one! The idiom, bread and butter, is for one's main source of income. Here in my case, it was the main source of liquid intake on this visit as very moreish to my taste buds which were giving it a hearty round of applause!
Mighty Oak - Simply the Best4.40Not Tried
Vibrant Forest - Pupa4.50Not Tried
Elusive - Portola4.30Not Tried
17 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong6.50AcceptableAs yesterday reasonable taste but tired
Kent - Green Dwarf3.70AcceptableLacking much condition
Mighty Oak - Simply the Best4.40Not Tried
Vibrant Forest - Pupa4.50Not Tried
Monkey - Sea Wall4.20Not Tried
Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron6.00Not Tried
16 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A large, raucous birthday party gathering at one of the tables out the front alongside some of the Sunday regulars on parade for the last 30 minutes of serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kent - Green Dwarf3.70GoodSecond day on for this Kentish green hopped session pale from Birling, north of West Malling. Still holding its head and lacing well and lasting. A gentle floral, grassy first hit. A fresh hoppiness jumping up with the odd one doing somersaults on my taste buds. A touch of oiliness helping this modern variety of Kentish hops slide down my hatch. Again, very moreish from trying the evening before and so stuck resolutely to it without any deviation.
Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong6.50Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Simply the Best4.40Not Tried
Vibrant Forest - Pupa4.50Not Tried
Monkey - Sea Wall4.20Not Tried
Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron6.00Not Tried
16 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Packed and noisy.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong6.50AcceptableTiring after a few days on
Mighty Oak - Simply the Best4.40AcceptableQuite home brew taste
Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron6.00AcceptableAwful looking and tasting brew. Vying to be worst of 2025 so far.
Vibrant Forest - Pupa4.50Not Tried
Kent - Green Dwarf3.70Not Tried
Monkey - Sea Wall4.20Not Tried
15 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with a mix of the usual Saturday regulars, the hardened and the more occasional.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Simply the Best4.40GoodFresh on this Saturday and presenting good head and lacing and lasting throughout on this Essex best bitter from Maldon. A sweet malty first bite. A fruited hoppy note climbing from its British hops, Bramling Cross and Progress. A malty caramelised biscuity flavouring winning over. A toffee hint or two getting in on the act and lingering, making it rather too sweet for my taste buds. Just a half sufficed for me!
Kent - Green Dwarf3.70GoodFresh on this Saturday and good head and lacing and lasting well on this Kentish green hopped session pale from Birling, north of West Malling. A dry, grassy hop-infused first bite. A touch of oily hoppiness rising up from one of the latest modern hop varieties in Kent picked and brewed in September. Low in bitterness with just a gentle floral, grassy note slowing grazing downwards. Very moreish and so almost stuck to it but for a mere half of a new bitter on to also try.
Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong6.50Not Tried
Monkey - Sea Wall4.20Not Tried
Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron6.00Not Tried
Vocation - Chop & Change - Barbe Rouge4.50Not Tried
13 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A good mix of regulars and the more occasional for the last 40 minutes of serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Goacher's - Green Hop3.90ExcellentSecond night on and very good head and lacing and lasting throughout on this Maidstone-brewed green hop pale produced by Kent's oldest microbrewery, set up in 1983. A grassy hop-infused first bite. A dry bittered hoppiness from its Kentish Goldings hops from Ospringe, south-west of Faversham. A moreish oiliness descending on my taste buds before sliding downwards. Could have sampled many more without any difficulty but it was soon "Time, gentlemen, please!"
Siren Craft - Memento3.80GoodNow its fourth night on and surprisingly still displaying good head and lacing on this Berkshire bitter from south-east of Reading. Its lacing was even lasting to the bottom of the glass. A fruited hoppiness emanating from its English Cascade hops in its first bite. A malty bitterness with hints of biscuit and caramel. A very dry hoppiness lingering on with the odd citrus and herbal kick to it. Could almost have stuck to it but for a green hopped ale to also try.
Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong6.50Not Tried
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20Not Tried
Kent - Tropic Ale4.90Not Tried
Castle Rock - Promises4.50Not Tried
13 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong6.50GoodMore renowned for its strength than flavour I thought
Goacher's - Green Hop3.90GoodEnjoyable enough with well balanced hopping
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20Not Tried
Kent - Tropic Ale4.90Not Tried
Siren Craft - Memento3.80Not Tried
Castle Rock - Promises4.50Not Tried
11 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with almost a full house, with usual Tuesday regulars and the more occasional out the front and the fiddlers strumming their instruments out the back.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Siren Craft - Memento3.80GoodSecond night on and still displaying good head and lacing and lasting throughout on this Berkshire bitter from south-east of Reading. A very bitter first hit. A pleasantly dry bitterness rising from its English Cascade hops. A subtle biscuity and caramel flavouring from its emerging maltiness. A hoppy note or two winning over with hints of citrus and herbal notes and paddling out. Very moreish and so stuck to it.
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20Not Tried
Tonbridge - Ebony Moon4.20Not Tried
Park - Killcat3.70Not TriedRan out towards the end of serving.
Kent - Tropic Ale4.90Not Tried
Castle Rock - Promises4.50Not Tried
11 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Front room all seats in use, rear room the Irish fiddlers strumming.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20GoodHolding up well
Castle Rock - Promises4.50GoodWell balanced dry-hopped pale ale, fresh on today
Tonbridge - Ebony Moon4.20Not Tried
Park - Killcat3.70Not TriedRan out
Kent - Tropic Ale4.90Not Tried
Siren Craft - Memento3.80Not Tried
10 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Low footfall. Mea culpa ordering my drinks in the wrong order, dark before light.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20GoodNew cask on today - quite lively mouthfeel
Tonbridge - Ebony Moon4.20AcceptableTiring a tad since yesterday's
Park - Killcat3.70Not Tried
Kent - Tropic Ale4.90Not Tried
Siren Craft - Memento3.80Not Tried
Ossett - World Hop Series USA4.30Not Tried

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About The River Ale House

The pub sign. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional14
Excellent713
Good1863
Acceptable568
Poor46

Website.

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 1471 times, seen 1882 different beers and tried 1103 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE10 0RJ