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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak |  | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Crowd Pleaser |  | 2 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | | 2 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - XGA |  | 2 |
| Elusive - Tenacious C | | 3 |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | | 2 |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | | 3 |
| New Bristol - Palms | | 1 |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | | 2 |
| Ossett - Trip Hop #7 | | 2 |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Fashionably Late (collaboration with Steam Town) | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
23 Aug 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busier than usual footfall with just regulars on parade, with some though more occasional, for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ossett - Trip Hop #7 | 4.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second day on for this pale and displaying very good head and lacing and lasting still from a brewing operation founded in 1997 in Ossett, West Yorkshire. A fruity hoppy first hit. A subtle grapefruit-like infusion for me rising. A dry resinous hoppiness winning over from its Amarillo lending sweet orange and zesty grapefruit notes, and Cascade behind an earthy floral pine, and both from the USA, and Galaxy from Australia, exuding passion fruit and peach flavours. Its British malted barley lending it a crispness. Served in still top nick and even more so as its slight fizz on the tongue noted on the evening before had gone. Just its fruitiness prevailing on its sailing out. |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Second day on at least and still presenting very good head and lacing and lasting on this pale gold to light yellow-coloured IPA from a brewery founded in 1993 in Oakham, Rutland, before relocating in 1998 to the Woodston area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, and in addition to operating a smaller brewing set-up at their brewpub, The Brewery Tap, in Westgate, Peterborough. They are known for their bold use of New World hops. Certainly, a fruitiness in its first hit from this India Pale Ale first brewed in 2011 and conceived as the "big brother" to their flagship Oakham Citra ale. A veritable juicy cocktail of passion fruit, pineapple, mango, lychee and fresh citrus zest lending lemon and lime flavours and subtle notes of pine all hitting my taste buddies from its 100% USA-sourced heavily double-hopped Citra hops. A slightly sweet caramel-infused biscuity malt backbone for me from its Low Colour Maris Otter barley malt blended with a touch of Wheat malt to lighten its body and aid its head retention. A dry lingering citrusy, resinous bitterness sailing out. Served in good nick but wins the award for being one of the most expensive ales for a micropub even with the 30p CAMRA discount applied and at still £5.50 a pint. A mere half sufficed for me as also greatly too tropical for my taste buddies! |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | | 1st beer of this visit: Second day on for this vegan bitter from brewing set up in 2017 at Northfleet, Kent, just outside Gravesend, and with Iron Pier brewing its very first beer in January 2018, making it the first commercial brewery to operate in the area since 1932. Coming up with a natural haziness as unfined and where I avoided it the day before believing its murkiness was due to it being too fresh on. It defiantly displayed very good head and lasting lacing to prove it had gone through its second fermentation in the barrel. A very dry hoppy first hit. A floral spicy hoppiness rising from its 100% English hops sourced locally from Hukins Hops near Biddenden, Kent, with the blend including East Kent Goldings lending earthy, herbal and sweet honey flavours, Admiral behind its citrus bitterness and First Gold behind its spicy, orange-peel and marmalade fruit flavours. A bready, biscuity maltiness joining in with hints of honey and toffee from its traditional British malted barley. A touch of orangey fruitiness emerging. Served in good nick once I understood it was intended to be naturally cloudy. |
| Elusive - Tenacious C | 5.00 | | 4th beer of this visit: This stout from Finchampstead, Berkshire, near Wokingham, where brewing was set up in 2016, now on at least its second day, or possibly third, was still displaying a good head and lacing at first. A chocolatey first hit. Still layers of creamy chocolate and coffee mixed with a vanilla sweetness for my taste buds to contend with. Its dry but sweet bitterness rising from its specialty malts, and namely its dark and roasted malts aiding its espresso and chocolate flavourings. Its lasting sweetness emanating from its Madagascan vanilla. Challenger and Goldings, its bittering hops, doing battle with its roasted malt sweetness before its slide downwards. Its vanilla lingering on in its slide downwards. Still served in good nick though not keeping its head and lacing as well as it did on the evening before and now with a slight loss of conditioning. |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried |
23 Aug 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | | Its strength helps keep its condition up |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | | Basic English hopped golden ale |
| Elusive - Tenacious C | 5.00 | | Unimpressive being flat in glass |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Ossett - Trip Hop #7 | 4.00 | Not Tried |
22 Aug 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Charlton FC played away but not that far away against West Ham to ensure all the beers that had been on, on my last visit on Thursday, were now history. A completely new line-up was presented for the last half an hour of serving with a mixture of Saturday regulars and the odd lesser spotted. My first spotting of the new barmaid we had heard about and by the name of Rachel.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on with very good head and lacing on show and lasting on this Kentish golden ale from brewing set up in 2011 just outside Canterbury at Stour Valley Business Park in Chartham, Kent. A lightly fruited first hit from this brew inspired by the hop gardens grown on the family farm. A dry hoppiness rising from its traditional trio of English hops: Target, the bittering hop there to balance the sweet malt base, Goldings behind its earthy, sweet, floral and subtly honey-like flavours, and Challenger lending a spice-infused cedar-wood flavouring and crisp citrusy notes. A fruity spicy sweetness prevailing and lingering on its descent from being brewed with traditional malted barley. Served in top form. |
| Ossett - Trip Hop #7 | 4.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on was this pale ale with lasting head and lacing from a brewing operation founded in 1997 with its very first commercial beer into the following year at a micro-brewpub at the back of the Brewers Pride public house on in Ossett, West Yorkshire, before moving to a larger facility next door at Kings Yard. A hoppy first hit with sweet floral notes. A sharp hoppiness rising from its triple-hop combination featuring Amarillo aiding a sweet orange and zesty grapefruit hint, and Cascade behind its crisp grapefruit and earthy floral pine, and both from the USA, and an abundance of Galaxy from Australia, behind its passion fruit and peach flavours, the latter suggestive of the smells of fresh cannabis, sticky pine sap, and a damp, earthy forest floor. A malty touch from its British malted barley lending it a crispness. Served in top nick but a slight fizz on the tongue suggesting perhaps just a tad too fresh. |
| Elusive - Tenacious C | 5.00 | | 3rd beer of this visit: This vanilla stout was fresh on since my last visit on Thursday and displaying a very healthy, creamy head and lasting lacing from a brewing operation founded in 2016 and located on an industrial estate in Finchampstead, Berkshire, near Wokingham. So-named is this stout in paying tribute to one of Chris Bingham's most fondly remembered beers from his former brewery. Chris is a legendary figure in the UK craft beer scene, best known as the founder and head brewer of the former Bingham’s Brewery based in Twyford, Berkshire, and who co-brewed with Andy Parker, the founder of Elusive Brewing, Tenacious C as a special brew in following Chris’s award-winning vanilla stout recipe. A chocolatey first hit. Rising for me are layers of creamy chocolate and coffee mixed with a vanilla sweetness. A malty dry bitterness emerging from its specialty malts, lending a selection of dark and roasted malts behind its espresso and chocolate flavourings. The addition of Madagascan vanilla aiding its lasting sweetness. Its traditional English bittering hops are Challenger and Goldings and balancing the roasted malt sweetness before its slide downwards. Served in very good nick with lots of conditioning on the mouthfeel. |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried |
20 Aug 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for the last half an hour of serving with a mix of the regulars and a few of the odd lesser spotted.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | | Fresh on and so well timed for this Maidstone-brewed cross between Goacher’s Fine Light and Best Dark from brewing first set up in 1983 at Hayle Mill, a former paper mill on the outskirts of Maidstone, and since 1990 brewing at its larger site at Tovil Green Business Park, Maidstone, Kent. Pleasingly, exhibiting a very good head and lasting lacing. A dry hoppy first bite. A mildly floral bitterness rising. A touch of sweet maltiness winning over from its 100% floor-malted British barley, including crystal malt and lighter malts lending for me caramel, honey and toffee flavourings alongside from spun sugar its cotton candy touches. A floral hoppiness prevailing from its 100% whole Kentish hops, utilising local varieties like East Kent Goldings noted for lending a subtly sweet honey, earthy lavender and thyme, and a hint of citrusy spice, and Fuggles behind an earthy, woody cedar flavouring with hints of fresh grass, herbal mint and mild tobacco. A lingering dryness in the mouthfeel. Served in top notch condition and a fine example to all other real ales and so resolutely stuck to it. |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - XGA | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Crowd Pleaser | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Palms | 4.50 | Not Tried |
20 Aug 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | | Fresh cask on today. Most drinkable condition |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - XGA | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Crowd Pleaser | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Palms | 4.50 | Not Tried |
19 Aug 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Bristol - Palms | 4.50 | | New cask on today. Just yet another lemon juice ale. Help! |
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | 4.30 | | Poured flat and lifeless. Unappetising but no off flavours |
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - XGA | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Crowd Pleaser | 3.80 | Not Tried |
18 Aug 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A sprinkling of regulars on parade accompanied by but a fraction of the regular fiddlers for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | | Second beer of this visit: Now its third day on for this Essex-brewed black stout from Maldon and where brewing moved to in 2001 having first been set up in 1996 in Brentwood, Essex. Not now exuding as creamy a head as when poured on Sunday but still a good visible one. The lacing, I would say, actually sticking better than when first on a couple of days before. An espresso coffee and dark chocolate-infused dry maltiness in its first bite. I would also say its smoke-infused bitterness was now more evident than two days earlier and funnelling up from its UK First Gold and US Cascade. A dry fruited malty bitterness emerging from its floor-malted Maris Otter, flaked barley, roast barley and oats, before its sliding down my swallow. Still not bad conditioning and doing better in hanging onto its head and lacing than when fresh on. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Crowd Pleaser | 3.80 | | First beer of this visit: Third day on for this Kentish session pale ale from the 2010-launched independent microbrewery at Chartham, outside Canterbury, and still exhibiting lasting head and lacing. A lightly fruited first bite. For me a touch of hoppy oiliness and resin coming to the fore. A floral hoppiness winning over with a helping of fruit involved from its Ernest Kentish hop showering my taste buddies with apricot and citrus. A crisp bitterness emerging from its New Zealand hop, Green Bullet. A dry and mildly fruited hoppiness paddling out and balanced on its slide downwards by local floor-malted barley. Served still in very good form and for me not too citrusy fruited. |
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - XGA | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Fashionably Late (collaboration with Steam Town) | 4.50 | Not Tried | Came on Sunday, was on Monday, but this evening came on only after the last bell was rung. Perhaps this was in an effort to move some of the other 5 real ales more quickly? |
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | 4.30 | Not Tried |
17 Aug 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - XGA | 5.20 | | Same as yesterday's |
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Fashionably Late (collaboration with Steam Town) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Crowd Pleaser | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | 4.30 | Not Tried |
16 Aug 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall with just a table or two of the hardened in for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Crowd Pleaser | 3.80 | | Second beer of this visit: Also fresh on and presenting lasting head and lacing on this Kentish session pale ale from this independent microbrewery set up in 2010 at Stour Valley Business Park, Ashford Road, Chartham, and just outside Canterbury. A fruited first hint. A touch of wild floral hoppiness rapidly rising emanating from its Ernest Kentish hops behind its apricot and citrus notes, and New Zealand hop, Green Bullet, lending a crisp bitterness. A fruited hoppiness paddling out and balanced by its local floor-malted barley. Served in very good nick with plentiful conditioning throughout. |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | | First beer of this visit: Fresh on and presented with a very good creamy head and lacing on this Maldon brewed black stout and where brewing moved to in 2001 having first been set up in 1996 in Brentwood, Essex. A dry malty first hit with hints of espresso coffee and dark chocolate. A smoke-infused bitterness rising from its UK First Gold and US Cascade with dark fruits emerging. A dry malty bitterness emanating from its floor-malted Maris Otter, flaked barley, roast barley and oats, sliding downwards. Good conditioning but struggling to keep its head and lacing some minutes in. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - XGA | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Fashionably Late (collaboration with Steam Town) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | 4.30 | Not Tried |
16 Aug 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. All the usual suspects.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - XGA | 5.20 | | A pot pourri of 5.2% flavours. Never really grew on me |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | | Soon went flat in glass |
| Siren Craft - Fashionably Late (collaboration with Steam Town) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Crowd Pleaser | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | 4.30 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 15 |
| 804 |
| 2199 |
| 742 |
 | 63 |
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 1778 times, seen 2040 different beers and tried 1209 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ