PubsandBeer
History: Home > Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! |  | 3 |
| Palmers - Down the Thatch | | 1 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 2 |
| Three Acre - Skylark Stout | | 1 |
| Surrey Hills - Gilt Trip | | 1 |
| Wadworth - 6X |  | 1 |
| Otter - Bitter | | 1 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 6 |
| Greene King - Abbot |  | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Bingle Jells | | 1 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Buford Abbey | | 1 |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - North Downs Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pilgrim - Surrey Original Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Three Acre - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Junction | Not Tried | 0 |
| Three Acre - Extra Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Inferno | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Solstice | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Green Hop Goldings | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Moonstruck | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | Not Tried | 0 |
| Moorhouse's - White Witch | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Black Noise | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Velvet Raven | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - Late Red | Not Tried | 0 |
| Exmoor (now brewed by Hogs Back) - Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Summer Perle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Larkins - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Jumbo (collaboration with Kirkstall) | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
15 Dec 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Close darts match on TV screens.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Top notch. Floral hopping came through |
| Surrey Hills - Gilt Trip | 4.60 | | First rate condition. Not my favourite Surrey Hills though as this uses a more sour tasting hop |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Black Noise | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Velvet Raven | 5.20 | Not Tried |
05 Dec 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. The Holy Grail of Palmers Tally Ho! not on. Sighs.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | A lively pint |
| Mighty Oak - Bingle Jells | 5.20 | | Good on taste, flat in glass |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Buford Abbey | 5.00 | | Another one good on flavour, flat in glass |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | Not Tried |
25 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Well patronised as usual.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wadworth - 6X | 4.10 | | Good condition but I felt lacked the depth of flavour 6X has had |
| Otter - Bitter | 3.60 | | Basic job |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | In very good form |
| Oakham - Inferno | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Mighty Oak - Solstice | 4.10 | Not Tried | Came on at last knockings |
12 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Striking initial bitterness |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | Not sure why I bought this. Initial promise faded for a rather tired pint |
| Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer) | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Extra Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
08 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Took the last seat available.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | What I came for and quite as it should be |
| Three Acre - Skylark Stout | 4.60 | | First rate, improvement on one I had in Bromley yesterday |
| Shepherd Neame - Late Red | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried |
31 Oct 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good but not exceptional |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | Very good example of this ale |
| Shepherd Neame - Late Red | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Exmoor (now brewed by Hogs Back) - Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Jumbo (collaboration with Kirkstall) | 6.60 | Not Tried |
22 Oct 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. I was sure I heard the welcome call of the huntsman's horn before I entered.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Exactly what I wanted and exactly what I got |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Expected consistency was delivered |
| Moorhouse's - White Witch | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | 4.10 | Not Tried |
06 Oct 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Slightly unrecognisable flavour |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Green Hop Goldings | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Moonstruck | 5.50 | Not Tried |
20 Sep 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Nightcapped on a bottle of Sambrook's 10.4% Russian Imperial.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Down the Thatch | 4.20 | | New one on me. Lovely dark bitter - rather like Tally Ho! but weaker |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pilgrim - Surrey Original Pale Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried |
08 Sep 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Very good but not quite there |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Very good but not quite there |
| Westerham - Summer Perle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - North Downs Gold | 4.20 | Not Tried | Ran out |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 275 |
| 153 |
| 22 |
 | 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 213 times, seen 310 different beers and tried 101 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA