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Nelson Arms (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA |  | 2 |
| Mad Cat - Unsinkable Sam | | 2 |
| Surrey Hills - Gilt Trip | | 2 |
| Brunswick - Father Mike's Dark Rich Ruby | | 1 |
| Cairngorm - Wildcat | | 1 |
| Green Jack - Baltic Trader | | 1 |
| Green Jack - Gone Fishing E.S.B. | | 1 |
| Green Jack - Trawlerboys Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Hammerton - City of Cake | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest | | 1 |
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB | | 1 |
| Kent - Motueka Single Hopped Pale | | 1 |
| Kent - No Kinda Plan | | 1 |
| Kent - Old Jamaica | | 1 |
| Kent - Old Skool | | 1 |
| Kent - Starry Night | | 1 |
| Kent - Twelfth Night | | 1 |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Bitter Simmonds 1880 with Goldings | | 1 |
| Ledbury Real Ales - Ledbury Dark | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster Stout | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | | 1 |
| Three Acre - Extra Special Best | | 1 |
| Triple fff - Comfortably Numb (spent a while at 5.4%) | | 1 |
| Cerne Abbas - Community Green Hop 2024 |  | 1 |
| Cerne Abbas - Legless Jester | | 1 |
| Drop Project - Choppy | | 1 |
| Hop Union (formerly Great Western (GWB)) - Maiden Voyage | | 1 |
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | | 1 |
| Kent - Prohibition | | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | | 1 |
| Triple fff - Pressed Rat & Warthog | | 1 |
| Two by Two - Nelson IPA | | 1 |
| Black Lodge - Grimble Grumble |  | 1 |
| Triple fff - Alton's Pride | | 1 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - 1984 Sweet Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Dangerous Grounds | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Devils Dyke Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Tripod IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - Citrus Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Good Chemistry - Chinook Smash | Not Tried | 0 |
| Green Jack - Ripper Tripel | Not Tried | 0 |
| Gun - Chummy Bluster | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Green Ernest | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Juice Junkie | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - The Quiet American | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Wai-Iti | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Small Pale Ale Chinook | Not Tried | 0 |
| Lakedown - Magic Hour | Not Tried | 0 |
| Left Handed Giant - Dark Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Left Handed Giant - Mosaic Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Liquid Light - Ramble On | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Cat - Big Stik! | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Cat - Crispin Amber | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Cat - Golden IPA (previously Meaney's Golden India Pale Ale) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Cat - Green & Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Moor - Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Moor - Resonance | Not Tried | 0 |
| New Bristol - Cinder Toffee Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| New Bristol - Small Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 3 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rother Valley - Alliance | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rother Valley - Blues | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rother Valley - Valley Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | Not Tried | 0 |
| Stonehenge - Sign of Spring | Not Tried | 0 |
| Surrey Hills - Greensand IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Three Acre - Pineapple Dream | Not Tried | 0 |
| Triple fff - Sundown | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
01 Apr 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Good crowd in on the Victory Sports Bar side for TV football.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Jack - Baltic Trader | 10.50 | | A sipping nightcap |
| Kent - Motueka Single Hopped Pale | 4.50 | | Clean on palate and mellow bittering. First rate |
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | 5.00 | | One of the first if not the first out of a new cask. Slight haze, fresh and tasted of a sourer hop that I am used to |
| Drop Project - Choppy | 4.80 | | Lost head and lacing rather too quickly |
| Stonehenge - Sign of Spring | 4.60 | Not Tried | The green 'un |
| Mad Cat - Golden IPA (previously Meaney's Golden India Pale Ale) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Gun - Chummy Bluster | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Small Porter | 3.00 | Not Tried |
11 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairngorm - Wildcat | 5.10 | | As smooth as silk on the palate |
| Kent - Twelfth Night | 7.40 | | Barley wine with no harsh notes whatsoever |
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | | New cask just on. Just a tad fresh |
| Mad Cat - Crispin Amber | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Tripod IPA | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - 1984 Sweet Stout | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Left Handed Giant - Dark Mild | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Small Pale Ale Chinook | 4.20 | Not Tried |
18 Jan 2025 (Ian)
Quiet Saturday lunchtime. A few groups in. Good beer list as always.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triple fff - Pressed Rat & Warthog | 3.80 | | Typical dark mild in good nock |
| Cerne Abbas - Legless Jester | 4.70 | | Good golden bitter |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | | Citrus apa |
| Triple fff - Alton's Pride | 3.80 | | Middling bitter |
| Black Lodge - Grimble Grumble | 4.60 | | Collab with Only With Love. Odd aroma but rest of beer is fine |
| Cairngorm - Wildcat | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Green Jack - Ripper Tripel | 8.50 | Not Tried | |
| Rother Valley - Blues | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Surrey Hills - Greensand IPA | 4.60 | Not Tried |
10 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Seemed all the Barden community was in here for a Christmas sing-a-long. All only became sane again by 10.15!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster Stout | 6.20 | | THE way to end a session with a spot-on nightcapper |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest | 5.00 | | One of the best examples of this I have ever had |
| Kent - Starry Night | 4.20 | | Maybe I just picked up on the hint of cinnamon or maybe not! |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Bitter Simmonds 1880 with Goldings | 5.90 | | Only a half but The Kernel quality shone through |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 3 | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Cinder Toffee Stout | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Liquid Light - Ramble On | 3.90 | Not Tried |
19 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit until close. The early knockings of a Green Jack tap takeover this week.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Jack - Gone Fishing E.S.B. | 5.50 | | A proper ESB oooooooooomph |
| Green Jack - Trawlerboys Best Bitter | 4.60 | | First rate bitter. Pub is having a Green Jack tap takeover |
| Surrey Hills - Gilt Trip | 4.60 | | Surrey Hills is a very competent brewer with consistency as illustrated on this one |
| Hammerton - City of Cake | 5.50 | | Perfect nutritious nightcap |
| Kent - The Quiet American | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Rother Valley - Valley Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Left Handed Giant - Mosaic Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Left Handed Giant - Dark Mild | 3.40 | Not Tried |
29 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit until close. Serendipity brought Ray, former Guv at The Door Hinge, Welling, and his son James and myself to reminisce old times. I also learned how Uber can not always provide a cab - for them home.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | | Excellent condition |
| Kent - Old Jamaica | 5.10 | | Full bodied |
| Surrey Hills - Gilt Trip | 4.60 | | Spot on with usual Surrey Hills quality |
| Three Acre - Extra Special Best | 5.40 | | Best Three Acre ale I have had |
| Cerne Abbas - Community Green Hop 2024 | 4.00 | | Good condition on what seemed a quite amateur brew |
| Mad Cat - Green & Gold | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Green Ernest | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Moor - Bitter | 3.40 | Not Tried | Duty reducer ale |
01 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Lightest footfall I have known despite European football on TV. Where everyone? Soon just one!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Cat - Unsinkable Sam | 5.20 | | Powerful nightcap |
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB | 4.10 | | KGB at its very best |
| Kent - No Kinda Plan | 4.90 | | Glorious. Smooth, magnificent head and lacing. Great to compare with last night's first out of cask gravity pour elsewhere. Excellent in different ways |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 3 | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Triple fff - Pressed Rat & Warthog | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Rother Valley - Alliance | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Devils Dyke Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Moor - Resonance | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Triple fff - Sundown | 4.30 | Not Tried |
17 Sep 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit until close. Half the customers left out within 5 minutes of me entering!! Nightcap provided by a half of keg "A beer for Zelenskyy" at 9.2% from Gyle59.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | 4.40 | | Quite a creamy head |
| Brunswick - Father Mike's Dark Rich Ruby | 5.80 | | Superbly balanced |
| Triple fff - Comfortably Numb (spent a while at 5.4%) | 5.00 | | Indeed a numbing strength and flavour |
| Hop Union (formerly Great Western (GWB)) - Maiden Voyage | 4.00 | | Overly toffee / caramel. Good condition but was the taste right? |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 3 | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Citrus Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Wai-Iti | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Good Chemistry - Chinook Smash | 4.80 | Not Tried |
13 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. By my arrival just one or three in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Cat - Unsinkable Sam | 5.20 | | Stronger dark bitter, time prevented more than an extra half |
| Kent - Old Skool | 4.10 | | Everything was right |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | 4.80 | | Superbly balanced |
| Mad Cat - Big Stik! | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Juice Junkie | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Lakedown - Magic Hour | 3.40 | Not Tried |
02 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Almost everyone out their coats on as soon as the Euro TV football was over! Impressive 20 taps on back bar now for cider and keg beer and still some ciders in boxes too.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ledbury Real Ales - Ledbury Dark | 3.90 | | Top quality condition |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | 4.80 | | A massive flavour hit |
| Two by Two - Nelson IPA | 6.20 | | A massive flavour punch (in a murky beer I would usually choose not to try!) |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Pineapple Dream | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Extra Special Best | 5.40 | Not Tried | |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Dangerous Grounds | 5.80 | Not Tried |
About the Nelson Arms
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 4 |
| 92 |
| 31 |
| 2 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1UP.
Beautifully refurbished side street local in Cromer Street, a few minutes walk from Tonbridge station. Features an always interesting selection of cask ales, real ciders and keg beers. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. 10 handpumps plus 2 unused (dummy) ones and 20 keg taps on the back wall. Different rooms with all Nelson linked names. Massive real cider / perry range here too. CAMRA Kent (West) Pub of the Year 2023 then became CAMRA Kent Regional Pub of the Year 2023. Selected as one of the last 4 in the CAMRA National 2023 Pub of the Year competition. CAMRA Kent (West) Pub of the Year 2024 then Kent Regional Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 36 times, seen 203 different beers and tried 102 of them.
Postcode: TN9 1UP