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The Rifleman (Greene King)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Greene King - Hardys & Hansons Rocking RudolphGood1
St Austell - TributeNot Tried0
Timothy Taylor - LandlordNot Tried0

Visits Details

10 Jan 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over for my early afternoon visit and very much a Tardis of an old pub laid out for drinking rather than dining. A traditional bar greets you as you come in from the front and with a friendly barmaid immediately on hand. What appear to be its regulars in the front bar and with darts being played to one of side of the bar counter. There is a back bar as well with a pool table, roaring open fire and lots of historic framed photographs on display. The rear bar is said to be the old sergeants' mess. It has survived many a modern make-over that has befallen pubs with its old ceiling beams still very much in evidence.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Greene King - Hardys & Hansons Rocking Rudolph4.20GoodVery good head and lacing presented and lasting on this Hardy & Hanson's winter ruby ale, now brewed by Greene King at Bury St Edmunds. A gentle bitter first hit. A dark fruited bitterness rising from its mix of First Gold, Pilgrim and Goldings hops. A malty note or two bounding up with red-fruited, sherry-like properties from its redcurrant and blackcurrant flavours. A dry moreish bitterness sliding downwards with a malted toffee touch.
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried

About The Rifleman

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent-
Good1
Acceptable-
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3LZ.

Said by local West Kent CAMRA to be the last example in Sevenoaks of a two-bar back street local, it is located at 30 Camden Road, Sevenoaks. It is the only remaining pub in the St Johns’ area of the town. The saloon bar was originally the sergeants’ mess for the local barracks, so giving rise to the pub's name, and is considerably older than the public bar at the front. There is a framed photograph on display in the back bar of the West Kent Yeomanry at the Sevenoaks’ Camp dated 1912. The three changing beers are sourced from the Greene King approved list. On a January 2026 visit, there were three cask on: St Austell Tribute, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and Hardy & Hanson’s Rocking Rudolph. The rear older part of the pub with an open fire on the same visit backs onto an enclosed garden with capacity for 100 people. Kent's archival website for public houses, dover-kent.com, suggests the pub’s first recorded licensee is dated 1871 and so part of the pub at least was built from about this time.

We have visited this pub once, seen 3 different beers and tried 1 of them.

Map location

Postcode: TN13 3LZ