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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Dorset Gold |  | 1 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 2 |
| Long Man - Old Man | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 5 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 1 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam) |  | 3 |
| Larkins - Green Hop Best | | 2 |
| Wadworth - OT (Old [Father] Timer) | | 1 |
| Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | | 1 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Mysteries of the Galaxy | | 1 |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Stanza XPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sharp's - Sea Fury | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Ebony Moon | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Winter's Coming | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | Not Tried | 0 |
| St Austell - Tribute | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Honey Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Oatmeal Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Abbot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Junction | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Firkin Freezin | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Autumn Red | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
20 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam) | 4.30 | | Lost some condition since Monday's |
| Wadworth - OT (Old [Father] Timer) | 5.80 | | Dark and mysterious, good for a nightcap |
| Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale | 5.00 | | Just a half, good enough |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Sea Fury | 5.00 | Not Tried |
18 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam) | 4.30 | | Better than last week's by half a mark. This was the third cask of three sold. Could not fault |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | 4.50 | | Full of life |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Firkin Freezin | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | Not Tried |
15 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close. Pleased to see my quest for Landlord Dark was a goer.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam) | 4.30 | | Good to see this (was Ram Tam) getting around. Might have held head and lacing a little better |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Firkin Freezin | 4.10 | Not Tried |
13 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As expected almost without exception |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Did I just perhaps find the second one a tad better than the first, slightly creamier. Whatever, an apt nightcap |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Firkin Freezin | 4.10 | Not Tried |
11 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spot on as expected here |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | | Such a difficult ale to judge owing to variation at different venues. This one in very good condition |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Oatmeal Stout | 4.20 | Not Tried |
08 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Could not fault - very good indeed |
| Long Man - Old Man | 4.30 | | Most enjoyable nightcap |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| St Austell - Tribute | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Honey Blonde | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Oatmeal Stout | 4.20 | Not Tried |
01 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Had all its attributes competently |
| Tonbridge - Ebony Moon | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Winter's Coming | 4.50 | Not Tried |
25 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | In good form |
| Larkins - Green Hop Best | 4.00 | | Good not one of the best of the 2024 green hopper crop |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Stanza XPA | 3.80 | Not Tried |
23 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As expected here |
| Larkins - Green Hop Best | 4.00 | | Good enough to have a second one |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Stanza XPA | 3.80 | Not Tried |
18 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good but have had much better |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Mysteries of the Galaxy | 4.50 | | Heavy in your face hopping |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Autumn Red | 4.40 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 260 |
| 115 |
 | 15 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 184 times, seen 271 different beers and tried 85 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA