Timber Batts @ The Compasses (formerly The Compasses Inn) (Free House)
Andrew Chenery
Visits Details
21 May 2022 (Wittenden)
Knowing we'd be in the area, and our interest piqued by Jack William's comments, we thought we'd reacquaint ourselves with this remote pub. Unfortunately they were unable to cater for walk ins for lunch, so we enjoyed our beer and moved on.
Kernel (The Kernel) - Brown Ale | 5.30 | | Not sure how to rate this, as am unfamiliar with the style.Some tartness;caramelised nuttiness.Enjoyable, so perhaps I'm a bit harsh. |
Kernel (The Kernel) - Dry Stout | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
Farm Yard - Sheaf | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
01 May 2022 (Jack William)
Early evening, back for some more with the family.
The pub is actually closed for the beer festival - except one room in the dry and ad the loos. Cold and drizzly so we only stayed about an hour. Spoke to new owner who has been here since November 2021 - everyone seems pleasant but I get the feeling that this is there first pub venture. I hope it goes well - lovely location and building.
Leigh on Sea - SS9 | 9.00 | | Just had to go for a half of the top ABV - based as "Impy Stout" quite superb. |
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - chairman of the Board | 8.50 | | Only had this in a bottle before - Eddie knows his stuff all right, delicious. |
Unity - Root & Branch | 6.00 | | A good pint to finish on. |
Farm Yard - Chaff | 4.70 | | marked up as "Chaff Session IPA" @ 4.7%
Very milky (unfenced) and a rather lemonady taste to me - ok, but not my style. |
30 Apr 2022 (Jack William)
Early afternoon- there is a beer festival all weekend: “Cask 22”. Marquee in the garden with a very varied selection of about 25 cask ales. All beers at £5 a pint with a token system. Some strong beers in the selection (not all listed).
This pub is now a Freehouse again after many years as a Shep’s house. This event looks like a good start.
(New beers to be added - will have to do this on my desktop - scrolling through brewers is painful on iPad and iPhone)
Unity - Root & Branch | 6.00 | | A splendid beer, dark golden "Negroni IPA" |
Time and Tide - ESB 2021 Harvest | 5.80 | | |
07 Mar 2015 (Jack William)
Mid afternoon - good cycle out from Canterbury - disappointingly only Master Brew on - with two pump clips showing "coming soon".
Shepherd Neame - Master Brew Bitter | 3.70 | | |
31 May 2014 (Jack William)
Early afternoon - eaters had all departed - swift half on my way past (by cycle). Nice to see a guest ale on, I thought this was a solid Sheps pub now.
Bootleg - Urban Fox | 4.20 | | |
Shepherd Neame - Master Brew Bitter | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
29 May 2014 (Andrew)
It was very quiet in the car park when we arrived but a couple of bikes pushed up against the wall suggested it was open. The landlord was very pleasant and we sat inside for some lunch. It's been years since I've been here. In essence it doesn't change much.
Shepherd Neame - Samuel Adams Blonde Ambition | 4.50 | | Nice refreshing pale gold beer. Grapefruit and green leafy hop bite |
Shepherd Neame - Master Brew Bitter | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
14 Aug 2008 (Andrew)
Adrian and I drove over from Canterbury through patchy rain and behind an array of slow moving country vehicles. Ah the Compasses! I remember summer afternoons sitting outside the pub drinking pints of Fremlins and flirting (in our heads at least) with female horse riders. But that was years ago so I was interested to see how the pub had changed since then. Well, obviously gone was the Fremlins but other than the beer line-up not much else was different. The front bar is still lovely and cosy with its low ceiling and huge fire place and the garden looked much as it did all those years ago.
Shepherd Neame - Master Brew Bitter | 3.70 | | I don't say this often about a Shep's regular beer but this was damn fine. The condition was excellent and the flavours rounded and fresh. The malt had a nice edge of hazelnut and the hops were earthy and pleasantly resinous. Top stuff. |
Shepherd Neame - Spitfire (or Spitfire Amber Ale) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Shepherd Neame - Whitstable Bay Organic Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |