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The Kentish Belle (Free House)

[More Visits]

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Pig & Porter - Caravan (was 3.6%)Good2
Beerblefish - Barrel-aged Black BeerbleExceptional1
Iron Pier - Whiteout IPAExceptional1
Arbor Ales - Chasing CaterpillarsExcellent1
Brew York - SkedaddleExcellent1
Buxton - Downfall CitraExcellent1
East London (ELB) - Peacock English Pale AleExcellent1
Iron Pier - BitterExcellent1
Iron Pier - Dana & Bullion Joined at the HopExcellent1
Orkney (Sinclair) - Dark MunroExcellent1
Saltaire - Amarillo (was Amarillo Gold)Excellent1
Beerblefish - 1892 IPAGood1
Hand Brew - Kora - Old AleGood1
Redemption - HopspurGood1
Redemption - Victorian Mild (collaboration with The Kernel)Good1
Titanic - Plum PorterGood1
Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%)Acceptable1
Brass Castle - Northern BlondeAcceptable1
Sureshot - Not Now Silent SingerAcceptable1
3 Piers - Golden SmilerNot Tried0
Arbor Ales - Sean of the RedNot Tried0
Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%)Not Tried0
Cloudwater - Popularity ContextNot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Young's London Special (was Special)Not Tried0
Goacher's - 1066 Old AleNot Tried0
Little Critters - King CrowNot Tried0
Marble - Pint (was 3.9%)Not Tried0
Nene Valley - Simple PleasuresNot Tried0
New Bristol - French ToastNot Tried0
New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPANot Tried0
One Mile End Brew Co. (formerly Mulligans at the White Hart and then WH Brew Pub) - Dockers DelightNot Tried0
Redemption - Big ChiefNot Tried0
Redemption - TrinityNot Tried0
Siren Craft - Suspended in MagicNot Tried0
Siren Craft - Yu LuNot Tried0
St Austell - Proper JobNot Tried0
St Austell - TributeNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - JaipurNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Tiramisu LucariaNot Tried0
Time and Tide - BitterNot Tried0
Timothy Taylor - LandlordNot Tried0
Vibrant Forest - Kick-StartNot Tried0
Wadworth - SwordfishNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Kentish Belle, Bexleyheath, Greater London
Picture 2. The Kentish Belle, Bexleyheath, Greater London
Picture 3. The Kentish Belle, Bexleyheath, Greater London
Jason Jones

Visits Details

28 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
4th visit of the outing: Back to the Kentish Belle as almost next door to Bexleyheath station and shortly after 6pm with the walk from the Broken Drum only taking 35 minutes. This was with one other real ale enthusiast who was doing their best to keep up the same rate of knots! Same barman on as earlier in the day and served promptly although busier and for their last couple of hours of serving before the Sunday evening finish at 8pm.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Sureshot - Not Now Silent Singer4.80AcceptableOnly some head and lacing to start with on this Manchester-brewed stout. A very malty first bite. A dry, dark fruitiness rising. A hint of chocolate malt, roasted barley, red rye and flaked and golden oats in on the mix as detailed by the report on it. Flavourings of molasses, cocoa nibs and caramelised brown sugar joining in. A hoppiness winning over aided by its British-grown Chinook and Cascade hops and with a good measure of fruitiness paddling out.
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur5.90Not Tried
Redemption - Hopspur4.50Not Tried
Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%)3.40Not Tried
Nene Valley - Simple Pleasures3.60Not Tried
Redemption - Victorian Mild (collaboration with The Kernel)6.00Not Tried
28 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
2nd visit of the outing: This micropub just doors away afforded a warm refuge after the William Camden. Friendly, prompt service from the staff member with a good few real ales to choose from. Ticking over for my early afternoon visit with a few mostly situated around one of the very large tables this sizeable micro manages to house.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Redemption - Hopspur4.50Good1st beer of this visit: Good head and lacing and lasting on this north London-brewed amber bitter from Tottenham. A very dry bitter first hit. A hoppy bitterness rising. A fruity hoppiness winning over from its blend of American hops, Magnum, Cascade and Liberty, lending it hints of citrus sweetness, grapefruit and piney flavours. A touch of biscuity malt flavouring with caramel, toffee, honey and hazelnut notes aiding it on its downwards journey. Very moreish!
Redemption - Victorian Mild (collaboration with The Kernel)6.00Good2nd beer of this visit: This Tottenham brew's collaboration with south-east London's Kernel Brewery presented good head and lacing to start with but not lasting on this dark, strong mild ale. A spicy first hit. A hint of dark fruitiness from the likes of cranberry and damson in its hoppiness rising. A dry bitterness riding up with a moreish bitter fruitiness winning over. A hint of caramelised spiciness paddling out but not overly sweetened to my taste buds despite its sweet malt, molasses and treacle in on the mix, lending it flavourings of caramel, toffee and burnt sugars. This brew is said to be inspired by what mild ales of the Victorian era might have tasted like.
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur5.90Not Tried
Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%)3.40Not Tried
Nene Valley - Simple Pleasures3.60Not Tried
Sureshot - Not Now Silent Singer4.80Not Tried
08 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
4th visit of the outing: A return trip to the Kentish Belle as just moments from Bexleyheath Station for train back to East Greenwich. Unlike my very early visit just after its opening at 1pm, this time around it was mid-evening and it was packed with everyone seated around these huge dining room-sized tables, left behind by the previous people running it, and but for a couple of smaller round tables. I managed to time it just right for a table and chair and again prompt service at the bar. Same 4 ales on as earlier in the day but two of these ales then ran out towards the end of my 30 or so minutes' visit.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Pig & Porter - Caravan (was 3.6%)3.40AcceptableMinus much head and lacing unlike earlier in the day on this bitter just north of Tunbridge Wells at High Brooms. This time around what little lacing there was did not last. Still a dry bitter first bite. A fruity bitterness rising and its East Kent Goldings and First Gold hops lending it a dry hoppiness. A malty note edging up with hints of caramel and toffee. A dry maltiness ebbing out with a fruity finish aided by its tangerine flavouring. I observed it was taken off but I was not in time to see what replaced it.
Redemption - Trinity3.00Not Tried
Redemption - Big Chief5.50Not Tried
Hand Brew - Kora - Old Ale6.50Not TriedRan out during my second visit of the day.
08 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
1st visit of the outing: this is to the Bexley borough and which claims to have the most micros in the whole of London. This micropub is conveniently just outside Bexleyheath railway station by a few minutes. This is my first visit since early 2024 as I recall. On my first visit a few years before that, I walked straight past it as pretty non-descript looking from the outside in a parade of shops. Not busy for my early afternoon visit with just a few others in and well timed as opens on a Saturday at 1pm. Friendly, prompt service from the barmaid on. Although it has changed hands in recent years, its furnishings have not changed much. Full of very large dining-room sized tables at the normal height unlike many micros with high benches and stools so that even the seated are at the same height as those left standing. A good range of cask ales from a cold room at the rear and some KeyKeg ales as well.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Pig & Porter - Caravan (was 3.6%)3.40GoodGood head and lacing and lasting on this bitter just north of Tunbridge Wells at High Brooms. A dry bitter first bite. A gentle maltiness rising with hints of caramel and toffee. A dry hoppiness from its East Kent Goldings and First Gold hops winning over. Going out with a fruity finish aided by a touch of tangerine flavouring derived from its English Ale yeast. Very palatable!
Hand Brew - Kora - Old Ale6.50GoodThis dark ale from just north-west of West Worthing railway station did not present much head and lacing and so no lacing to report lasting. A very dry malty first hit. A dry bitterness jumping up to greet me. Crystal and chocolate malts tap dancing on my taste buds with hints of treacle and dried fruits such as dates and raisins. The odd sweet biscuity note or two joining in before sliding out on their downwards journey.
Redemption - Trinity3.00Not Tried
Redemption - Big Chief5.50Not Tried
29 Dec 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit. Several small groups in.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90GoodOn the slightly bitterer than plummy side of this ale's taste spectrum
Redemption - Hopspur4.50Not Tried
Siren Craft - Yu Lu3.60Not Tried
New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA4.20Not Tried
05 Oct 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit, my first under the new operators. Been off my radar for a long time deliberately.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brass Castle - Northern Blonde3.90AcceptableA little bit of zest but little head or lacing
Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%)3.40AcceptableRather flat
Marble - Pint (was 3.9%)3.40Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Tiramisu Lucaria4.50Not Tried
03 Mar 2020 (Magnus Greel)
Mid to late evening, friendly welcome as always from Nick the guv, we spent our entire time chatting to him at the bar and getting in the way of other customers ordering their drinks! Only three beers on tonight, Thursdays were advised as the best time to visit with a much wider range put on.
BeerABVScoreNotes
East London (ELB) - Peacock English Pale Ale4.20ExcellentRed fruits caramel and biscuit for ths complex fare..
Time and Tide - Bitter4.00Not Tried
Cloudwater - Popularity Context4.00Not Tried
15 Mar 2019 (Magnus Greel)
Venue for this months FEG, we arrived mid afternoon and luckily wasn't too busy just a few others dotted about hence procured a few free tables leaving plenty of room for others who joined us later. Excellent atmosphere and beer range as always, when I left 5.5 hours later the place was rammed, standing room only!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Iron Pier - Whiteout IPA5.30ExceptionalThis stood out by far - wheat beer style bursting with tropical fruit flavours combined with a spicy aroma. Faultless.
Saltaire - Amarillo (was Amarillo Gold)4.50Excellent
Iron Pier - Bitter4.00Excellent
Buxton - Downfall Citra4.30Excellent
Iron Pier - Dana & Bullion Joined at the Hop3.80Excellent
Vibrant Forest - Kick-Start5.70Not Tried
Arbor Ales - Sean of the Red5.10Not Tried
Little Critters - King Crow7.20Not Tried
New Bristol - French Toast4.40Not Tried
13 Dec 2018 (ChrisE)
A group of us met here at 12:00 opening time for a tour of micropubs in the Bexleyheath and Sidcup areas.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Orkney (Sinclair) - Dark Munro4.00Excellent
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale6.70Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Young's London Special (was Special)4.50Not Tried
St Austell - Proper Job4.50Not Tried
Wadworth - Swordfish5.00Not Tried
12 Aug 2018 (Stephen Harris)
I just popped in for one on passing. But the beer range was so enticing I ended up staying for much of the afternoon.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Beerblefish - Barrel-aged Black Beerble5.30ExceptionalA strong version of their Stout which has been barrel-aged (possibly for as much as a year if I heard right). It is superb. Faultless.
Arbor Ales - Chasing Caterpillars4.90ExcellentVery pale gold. Very nice, smooth and hoppy. Arbor at their best.
Brew York - Skedaddle4.20ExcellentGolden. Ever-reliable brewery, with a light, hoppy pint.
Beerblefish - 1892 IPA6.90GoodMurky-brown in colour – not pleasing to the eye. Tastes better than it looks though and has a big alcohol kick.
One Mile End Brew Co. (formerly Mulligans at the White Hart and then WH Brew Pub) - Dockers Delight4.50Not Tried
3 Piers - Golden Smiler4.00Not Tried
Siren Craft - Suspended in Magic4.00Not Tried

[More Visits]

About The Kentish Belle

The pub sign. The Kentish Belle, Bexleyheath, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional4
Excellent17
Good13
Acceptable6
Poor1

Website.

The pub is found in Bexleyheath, Greater London, DA7 4QW.

Micropub in Pickford Lane, near to Bexleyheath railway station, a shop conversion which opened on Saturday 17th March 2018. Serves real ales and ciders / perries on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled rear cellar room. Bar counter at the back of the pub and bench seats and normal height tables throughout. Upstairs Gents. CAMRA London Regional Cider Pub of the Year 2019. Changed hands in autumn 2023.

We have visited this pub 19 times, seen 100 different beers and tried 39 of them.

Map location

Postcode: DA7 4QW