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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt Mill - Pintle Pale Ale |  | 2 |
| Copper Beech - Glovers | | 2 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve |  | 1 |
| Oakham - Scarlet Macaw |  | 2 |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On |  | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | | 1 |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | | 4 |
| Two by Two - Byker Pale | | 1 |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Series Golden Ale | | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thirsty Moose - Golden Goose | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Razorbill Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
16 Jul 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall with just a table or two of regulars among a few of the lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Scarlet Macaw | 4.40 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Fresh on today with head and lacing sticking to the end on this pale first launched in 2010 by the Oakham Brewery and so-named as set up in 1993 in Oakham, Rutland, before relocating in 1998 to Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, where they operate the largest brewpub in Europe. A slightly fruity tropical first bite from this pale. A gentle hoppiness rising up with flavours for my taste buddies of gooseberry and peach as well as combining floral and fresh pine notes. Its hops, a mix of the US Yakima Valley’s Amarillo behind its spice and fruitiness, and Summit, said to be the US’s most powerful bittering hop. A touch of maltiness for good measure from its Maris Otter English barley, Wheat Malt and Caramalt. A fruitiness winning over with also a hint of citrus and grape and a bitter dryness lingering. This ale is so-named by the brewery as the bitterness is described as "sharp as a Macaw's screech”! Served in very good nick with plenty of conditioning about it. It replaced Pig & Porter's Scarecrow in the last half an hour of serving. |
| Copper Beech - Glovers | 4.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on with very good head and lasting lacing on this golden ale that grew out of a brewing operation first set up in 2021 in a shed at the bottom of a home garden in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, before moving to a larger facility and public taproom in Britannia Road, Worcester City Centre, in 2024. A hoppy fruitiness in its first hit. A sweet fruity hoppiness rising with tropical flavours of lychee and passionfruit and balanced by a caramel maltiness. A hoppy fruitiness paddling out from its exclusively used Jester, a modern, locally grown British hop behind bringing New World tropical fruit flavours to us. Served in fine fettle. |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fourth day on for this Kentish bitter from East Peckham, Tonbridge, and good head and lacing to start with but not keeping it from about half way down the pint glass. A fruity bitterness in the first hit from its Kentish hops, Epic, Northdown and Fuggles. A malty note climbing from its UK-grown malted barley lending for me biscuity caramel flavours with a hint of coffee. A hoppy fruitiness winning over and lingering. A general lack of conditioning on its fourth day on. |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out. |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried |
16 Jul 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Scarlet Macaw | 4.40 | | New cask on today. Very lively pint, full of condition. Alas the standard one size fits all Oakham taste |
| Copper Beech - Glovers | 4.00 | | New cask on today. Good condition but drank without noticing |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | He is eternal |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried |
15 Jul 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until close. Few left in after earlier England World Cup TV match shown.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | | Some loss of condition since yesterday's |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | | Little life |
| Burnt Mill - Pintle Pale Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Byker Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
14 Jul 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for the last half an hour of serving with just a sprinkling of the regulars on parade alongside the more occasional.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | | Second day on for this deep bronze coloured Kentish bitter whose brewery was established in 2010 at Whiteoaks on Tudeley Road, in the rural outskirts south-east of central Tonbridge, before moving in 2013 to its larger premises in East Peckham, Kent. Head and lacing sticking around to the end. A dry bitter first hit. A gentle hoppiness rising from the scarce Kent-grown Epic hop variety with a hint of spice emerging, mixed with fellow Kentish hops, Northdown and Fuggles. A malty note joining in with subtle hints of coffee emanating from its UK-grown malted barley. A fruity hoppiness prevailing. A bitter maltiness winning over with biscuity caramel flavours emerging and lingering. Served in very good nick on its second day on and so stuck to it. |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Burnt Mill - Pintle Pale Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Byker Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
14 Jul 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. No large crowd for the first World Cup football semi-final on TV.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | | Malty bitter. More to my palate than repeated pales |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | 4.00 | | Little condition. Weak on taste and finish |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Burnt Mill - Pintle Pale Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | Poor old Ralph can't get to rest |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Byker Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
12 Jul 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall with a table or two of the usual Sunday regulars in and the odd lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnt Mill - Pintle Pale Ale | 4.30 | | Fresh on with very good head and lasting lacing on this golden-straw coloured American-style pale from this independent craft brewery in Stowmarket in Suffolk, having been initially set up on a former dairy farm in Badley, Suffolk, in 2017. A hoppy first hit from being dry-hopped with US Citra and Australian Cascade and these hops were also added to the hot beer wort after the boil was over and before the liquid was cooled down for fermentation, and a process referred to as whirlpool hopping. A touch of Kazbek hops from the Czech Republic are known to be also added on occasions. A malty sweetness rearing and assisted by its barley and Vienna malt or flaked barley depending on what is used for each seasonal batch. A dry hoppiness winning over with a light citrus-fruited note lingering with a hint of mandarin, lime and grapefruit, alongside for my taste buds tropical hints of mango and pineapple. Served in good nick with much conditioning. |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | Ran out. |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Byker Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | Came on belatedly to replace Pig & Porter's Jumping Frog. |
| Two by Two - Razorbill Pale | 5.00 | Not Tried |
12 Jul 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Faced with board full of citrus pale ales I was tempted but did not move on quickly to a local Wetherspoon. Please bring on some basic English hopped mid-brown bitters and milds.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnt Mill - Pintle Pale Ale | 4.30 | | Just another citrus job. OK for a half |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | | Poured flat, little life |
| Two by Two - Byker Pale | 4.00 | | New cask put on late-on. Vary murky with no pre-warning. OK as a half I suppose |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | Ran out when ordered |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | Would have been affected during chiller failure here earlier in week |
| Two by Two - Razorbill Pale | 5.00 | Not Tried |
11 Jul 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Arriving in time for what would have been just half an hour of serving remaining turned into an endurance test after returning from a pleasant but long day in many of Hastings’ Old Town’s great pubs. Serving carried on until about half past mid-night to reflect the World Cup’s England v Norway game’s extra time. I was surprised by the low footfall of regulars in among a sprinkling of the more occasional. A trio of some of the absent Saturday regulars were back after about nearly a month’s absence as part of the regulars. The only new beer on appeared to be Vibrant Forest’s Pupa which is hazy and rather fruity with citrus and ripe tropical fruits. The bitter was still on from Tuesday but given the chiller was not working in the cold room from last Sunday until about the end of this week, this also was not going to be entertained by me. The low footfall perhaps reflecting the beers being on for some time and without the chiller for nearly a week to help their longevity and also the World Cup football has no doubt not helped.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Series Golden Ale | 3.70 | | 4th day on for this golden ale from Hardley, a small village on the eastern edge of the New Forest National Park in Hampshire, following the brewing operation's move there in 2019 after being set up in 2011 in Totton, just west of Southampton. Little head and lacing and soon dissipating on being served. A dry but heavily fruited first hit. A hoppy fruitiness persisting from its US Cascade hops. The brewer uses both the US variety and also Cascade UK, a British-grown version adapted to grow in local UK soils since 2002. For me, a peachy fruitiness though these US hops are known to contribute grapefruit and citrus alongside floral flavours of rose, lavender and cut grass. The Cascade UK variety is also said to be behind tangerine and lychee and so perhaps combined, this was giving me that peachy touch? A hint of maltiness but not hugely from its Maris Otter lending a slightly sugary biscuity edge with hints of breadiness. Not overly sweet-tasting with a pervading fruity hoppiness sailing out with a resinous pine also getting in on the act. A chore really but perhaps from the tired selection or the very fruited fresh one on, the best of a bad bunch. A mere pint and a half I made last for some two hours of World Cup football with England beating Norway. |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Razorbill Pale | 5.00 | Not Tried |
09 Jul 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Did not dally after my one half.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | | Cooling here seems to be part working today. Poured flat in glass, chore to finish. Tried no other ales |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Series Golden Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Thirsty Moose - Golden Goose | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Razorbill Pale | 5.00 | Not Tried |
09 Jul 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busier than of recent visits for the last half an hour of serving with a mix of regulars with the more occasional.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | 4.10 | | Third day on with only very limited head and lacing to begin with. The chiller in the cold room had been malfunctioning since Sunday by all accounts and so this has not aided the longevity of this amber coloured Hertfordshire bitter from a brewing operation set up 2010 at Boxted Farm in Potten End, a small village near Hemel Hempstead. A very malty first hit. A dry bitterness with a floral hoppiness rising. Its Chinook, Harlequin, and Olicana hops with a hint of citrus and pine resin and a tropical note of orange zest still working for me. A sweet maltiness now winning over its fruitiness that was detected on Tuesday. Its biscuity and caramel malt flavours staying the course and arising from its traditional floor-malted barley. A very dry malty bitterness paddling out. Served in poor condition and no doubt not aided by the chiller in the cold room not working properly since this beer's first appearance on Tuesday and so rather tepid and minus its earlier conditioning. |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Series Golden Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Thirsty Moose - Golden Goose | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Razorbill Pale | 5.00 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 15 |
| 782 |
| 2159 |
| 716 |
| 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 1734 times, seen 2015 different beers and tried 1189 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ