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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold |  | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | | 4 |
| Castle Rock - Unchained Melody |  | 1 |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | | 6 |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | | 2 |
| Kent - Green Ernest |  | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | | 3 |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | | 1 |
| Oakham - Multi-Continental Cask Aged (collaboration with Oregon) | | 2 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Autumn Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Session Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Liquid Light - Day Tripper | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - The Shire | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Wonkey Donkey | Not Tried | 0 |
| Three Acre - Bonfire Beer | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Nectaron Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
25 Oct 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | Low on condition |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | | Basic light bittering. OK |
| Mighty Oak - Wonkey Donkey | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Liquid Light - Day Tripper | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Autumn Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
24 Oct 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall with a small turnout of Saturday regulars and the very occasional in for the last three-quarters of an hour of serving. Quite a turnover of beers and no doubt helped by a few Charton Athletic fans in after the home game by all accounts from fellow regulars in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Green Ernest | 4.60 | | 2nd beer of the visit: Fresh on as reported by a regular but possibly also on Friday if they had missed seeing it. Extremely good head and lacing and the like of which is very rare here. It emanates from a brewing caper set up in 2011, brewing at Birling Place Farm on Stangate Road near West Malling in Kent. A floral hoppiness rising on this pale-gold green hop pale. A sharp crisp fresh hoppiness prevailing and here in this brew, the natural oils running riot over my tongue. The Ernest hop, a Kentish heritage variety bred way back in 1923 by Professor Ernest Salmon at Wye College, emitting a punchy, "New World" personality with sparks of stone fruit, zippy citrus peel and herbs assaulting my taste buddies. Its British Extra Pale malted barley imparting a bready, biscuity sweetness that refuses to muck with the virgin hops. None too fruited in the least. A very pleasant fresh hoppiness descending down my plughole. Gone the following evening and so others also liked it! Served in perfect top dick condition and firing for me on all cylinders. |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | | 1st beer of the visit: Wrongly priced as in £5.00 on the display blackboard when it should be £5.10 for the CAMRA discount of 30p to be applied. So was correctly charged £4.80 instead of the expected £4.70. The ale was a tad fresh as in being slightly murky. Brewed by the Goacher outfit launched in 1983, it started boiling the copper in an old, creaking paper mill known as Hayle Mill, in the Loose Valley on the outskirts of Maidstone, Kent, before in 1990 hoisting the whole kit to a purpose-built gaff at Tovil Green Business Park, also in Maidstone. A fruited bitterness on its first bite from this marry-up of their Fine Light and Best Dark. It was first brewed as an exclusive treat for a local public house which sent the locals by all accounts absolutely barmy for it and so this brew continues. A sour fruitiness rising from a tossing of 100% traditional Kentish hops as in regional Fuggles and East Kent Goldings from local farms. Its Fuggles dropping a woody, earthy and herbal flavouring on my taste buds, while its East Kent Goldings lending a spicy floral hint and a touch of sweet honey fruitiness. For me in passing my pearly whites, a peppery spice rearing alongside the fresh-turned earth. A malty note joining in from its Maris Otter barley malt behind its bready biscuit base and Crystal malt throwing in a dollop of sugary caramel and toasted nuts. My taste buddies getting a full-on biscuit-and-toffee infusion and this flavouring staying as robust as a brick outhouse. A dry, fruity and bitter finish seeking its exit down my neck pipe. Served just slightly too fresh as in being a tad not ready for another and which all comes down to good cellarmanship. |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Autumn Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - The Shire | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Nectaron Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
22 Oct 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Rainy with start of first storm of the winter season brewing outside.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | Lost the haze from its first night on on Tuesday. Little condition |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Autumn Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
22 Oct 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with a good few regulars seated over a couple of tables at the front along with the lesser spotted dotted about for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | 1st beer of this visit: Now its third day on for this Canterbury ruby bitter and not presenting anything like the murkiness when first served on Tuesday evening. Still exhibiting good head and lacing and lasting all the way. A fruited hoppy first hit. A dry bitterness surfacing and a touch of maltiness prevailing. Served in an entirely more acceptable condition. For my full tasting notes, see my entry for it on Tuesday 20th October 2026 and when it was fresh on. |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fifth day on and now a head and lacing only on its initial pour but not keeping it. Still that dry bitter first hit. A coffee-infused maltiness and a chocolatey mouthfeel pervading. Served somewhat tired without its conditioning in the mouthfeel. For my full tasting notes, see my entry for it on Sunday 18th October 2026 and when it was fresh on. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Autumn Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
20 Oct 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Were the Tuesday back-room musicians there - I can't recall any noise?
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | New cask tonight, second pint out, hazy, not settled. Taste full on |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Holding up OK |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | 3.80 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Multi-Continental Cask Aged (collaboration with Oregon) | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Unchained Melody | 4.20 | Not Tried |
20 Oct 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over for the last half an hour of serving with a table and a half of regulars and some odd lesser spotteds out the front conversing above the strains from the fiddlers' last movements drifting in from this micropub’s rear.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 |  | 3rd beer of this visit: Third day on and still exhibiting a very good head and lasting lacing. A dry bitter first hit. A coffee-infused maltiness rising up with lashings of chocolate flavourings for me. Still served in a very good form with plenty of conditioning in the mouthfeel. For my full tasting notes, see my entry for it on Sunday 18th October 2026 and when it was fresh on. |
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | 3.80 |  | 1st beer of this visit: This was the last semi-drinkable pint out of the barrel and on its fourth day on and certainly flat tasting. Another was ordered by someone else and was then thrown away by the barmaid as by that time totally murky. It was dutifully drunk but not enjoyed by me. For my full tasting notes, see my entry for it on Saturday 17th October 2026 and when it was fresh on. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | 2nd beer of this visit: This Kentish ruby bitter from just outside Canterbury replaced Mighty Oak’s Captain Bob which had just run out. It was heavily murky which is not the norm for Canterbury Ales unless they have gone totally vegan-friendly on this one. As further pints were being poured for customers, it resolutely refused to lose its soup-like consistency. Amazingly its appearance was much worse than its bite, although it did possess a good head and lacing which it also hung onto, and with its first bite for me a very dry fruited bitterness. Canterbury Ales was set up 2010 as a craft micro-brewery pitching its tents on the leafy outskirts of the historic cathedral city at the Stour Valley Business Park in Chartham, Kent. As for the tipple itself's background, it was among the first batches to boil in their eight-barrel kit. Its name, The Miller’s Ale, was inspired by the flour-dusted pilgrim created by the 14th-century poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, whose work, The Canterbury Tales, brought the diverse voices, humour and gritty reality of medieval society to life in the everyday language of its time. A dry but lightly fruited bitterness rising. A red berry-infused hoppiness emerging from the brewers tossing a bundle of fruity British and New World hops into the boiling copper. The fruity British variety for me imparting a sharp, refreshing quality. Its New World aromatic hops delivering a citrus and punchy applely flavouring. A lightly sweet malty note prevailing from a heavy wallop of specialised Toffee Malts mixed with its pale barley base. For me the toasted grains dropping a sweet, biscuit-like foundation, and the caramelised roasting malts lending a buttery treacle sweetness but not too much so for my taste buddies with a touch of meat pie flavouring filling my cheeks. Served in a none too handsome state as a well-kept pint of it pulled from a traditional cask should be clear and bright. So here someone has made a right mess of the cellar work. |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Multi-Continental Cask Aged (collaboration with Oregon) | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Unchained Melody | 4.20 | Not Tried |
19 Oct 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Multi-Continental Cask Aged (collaboration with Oregon) | 5.00 | | Citrus job as one expects from Oakham |
| Castle Rock - Unchained Melody | 4.20 | | New cask on today |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Holding up OK |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried |
18 Oct 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Usual sprinkling of regulars and the odd lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving. One of our now more occasional barmen was in performing from his repertoire of old ballads with Karaoke-style backing music. He was thankfully not too loud for conversation still to rule the roost.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | 3.80 | | 1st beer of this visit: Second day on and still presenting very good head and lacing and lasting all the way. Its fresh sharpness has mellowed since Saturday’s servings. A bitter fruity hoppiness in the first hit. Its maltiness gently rising and undulating before the sail out. Served in better nick for losing its initial sharp freshness. For my full tasting notes, see my entry for it on Saturday 17th October 2026. |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Undoubtedly one of my favourite Five Points' beers and here not disappointed with this porter fresh on this day presented with a handsomely creamy topping and lacing sliding down the sides of my pint glass. Brewed by Five Points in East London’s Hackney, these East End mash-tun gaffers first got their boiling coppers roaring back in 2013 inside a smoky, bricked-over railway arch down by Hackney Downs station, next to the bustling five-way road junction that gave the outfit its name, before expanding their liquid empire to a warehouse operation located at 61 Mare Street in the heart of Hackney. A smoky, chocolatey first bite on this near-impenetrable, deep ebony hued porter and one of their first brews whose recipe has remained untouched since the very first mash was struck. A very dry bitterness bobbing up from British East Kent Goldings hops exuding an earthiness of wood and floral spice aiding a crisp, herbal and dry finish that cleans up the dark chocolate afterglow as the porter cleared my throat. Its maltiness shining through from an alliance of seven distinct British malts. Maris Otter behind its sweet, bready base, and its Munich aiding a flavouring of toasted cracker, bread crusts and Grape-Nuts cereal, an American breakfast cereal that famously contains zero grapes and zero nuts made entirely from whole-grain wheat flour, malted barley flour, salt and yeast. Alongside is Crystal and Dark Crystal malts lending heavy dollops of sweet caramel and dark fruits on my taste buds, and its Brown, Chocolate, and Black grains exuding hints of roasted coffee beans and bitter dark cacao. A good dose of dark chocolate on a bed of toastiness prevailing throughout its show without it ever feeling like a muddy bucket of sludge before the slide down my chute. Served in first-rate condition. |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Multi-Continental Cask Aged (collaboration with Oregon) | 5.00 | Not Tried |
18 Oct 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. A live solo singer pumping out crooner's faves.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Good nightcapper |
| Oakham - Multi-Continental Cask Aged (collaboration with Oregon) | 5.00 | | Usual citrus offering |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | | A new Canterbury regular from a new brewer. OK |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried |
17 Oct 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy gathering of Saturday regulars and the odd lesser spotted for the last three-quarters of an hour of serving. There had been a good turn-over of beers since my last visit on Thursday.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | 3.80 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on with a very good frothy topper of a head that would look right proper at home inside a smoky Victorian tavern. Lasting lacing to boot on this East Anglia 2023 CAMRA Champion amber session bitter and named in honour of Captain Bob Roberts, the famous sea dog who skippered the Thames Sailing Barge, Cambria, along the coastal waters and into the bustling London docks. The brew is from an outfit of mash-tun gaffers who first got their boiling coppers firing back in 1996 in Brentwood, Essex, before migrating over to West Station Yard in Maldon in 2001. A hoppy fruited first hit on this amber ale. A bitter maltiness rising with a caramelised bready biscuity sweetness pervading from its malted barley. Also, for me exuding flavours of toasted biscuit and raisins. Its fruity hoppiness winning over from its New Zealand Nelson Sauvin and affording my taste buds hints of grape, elderflower and gooseberry from its hops’ oils bursting onto my taste buds in unleashing a fruity and hoppy punch. A grassy bitterness that cuts through the sugars of the grain lingering with a floral fruitiness as it slides down my hatch. Served in top form but a touch fresh with a sharpness about it noted. |
| Oakham - 3 Witches | 4.40 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on with a very long-lasting head and lacing on this Peterborough-brewed amber-coloured ale, first launched in 2005, and now every October it is Oakham Ale's Halloween seasonal treat. Oakham Ales was originally set up in September 1993 in the market town of Oakham, Rutland, before its move in 2006 to Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, to the Woodston district. A very fruited first bite care of its vibrant New World hops hitting its traditional British malt bases. A fragrant hoppiness rising from its American hops, Amarillo, Willamette and Cascade, with berry flavours among the pervading orangey citrus hits. Its dark crystal malt lending it a lightly caramelised flavouring for me. I think its punchy grapefruit was behind hours of indigestion afterwards despite only having a half of it. A crisp and dry fruity finish with its bitterness lingering. Served perhaps a tad fresh! |
| Kent - Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Bonfire Beer | 6.70 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Multi-Continental Cask Aged (collaboration with Oregon) | 5.00 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 18 |
| 840 |
| 2259 |
| 782 |
| 66 |
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 1848 times, seen 2069 different beers and tried 1234 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ