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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! |  | 4 |
| Larkins - Traditional | | 1 |
| Palmers - Down the Thatch | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Cascade IPA |  | 2 |
| Westerham - Audit Ale | | 1 |
| Theakston - Peculier IPA | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 5 |
| Timothy Taylor - Boltmaker (formerly Best Bitter) | | 1 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 1 |
| Joseph Holt (see also Holt's) - Mild |  | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | Not Tried | 0 |
| Moorhouse's - White Witch | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Downton Dream | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - New Zealand Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Darwin's Origin | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Buffalo Buffalo | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Rising Giant | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Wonderwall | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Summer Perle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Lavender Hill (originally exclusively for Nicholson's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Larkins - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Three Acre - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - North Downs Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Robinsons - Dizzy Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pilgrim - Surrey Original Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Block Party | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Junction | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Apple Blossom Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Surrey Nirvana | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Green Hop Goldings | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Gorgeous George | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Moonstruck | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
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 |
16 Aug 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Great stuff. If anything a bit like Palmers IPA used to be with hints of sweetness |
| Theakston - Peculier IPA | 5.10 | | A new one on me. Suspected yet another lemon juicer hazy job but was in fact a lovely subtle dry bitter |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Buffalo Buffalo | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Wonderwall | 3.80 | Not Tried |
28 Jul 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Traditional | 3.40 | | Lovely condition and full flavoured |
| Mighty Oak - Cascade IPA | 6.20 | | Good nightcapper |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Downton Dream | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - New Zealand Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | Ran out |
23 Jul 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Very large superb high definition TV showing women's Euro football semi-final. A customer told two of us how a pint is precisely measured in weights and measures terms.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Lasting head and lacing |
| Mighty Oak - Cascade IPA | 6.20 | | Strong nightcappy sort of bitter |
| Downton - Apple Blossom Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Hogs Back - Surrey Nirvana | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Gorgeous George | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Robinsons - Dizzy Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried |
14 Jul 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Absolute delight |
| Timothy Taylor - Boltmaker (formerly Best Bitter) | 4.00 | | Good to have this on occasionally. Slightly sweet aftertaste |
| Joseph Holt (see also Holt's) - Mild | 3.20 | | Rather flat, somewhat disappointing |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | 4.80 | Not Tried |
25 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good but drank with hardly noticing |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Lavender Hill (originally exclusively for Nicholson's) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Robinsons - Dizzy Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Block Party | 5.50 | Not Tried |
04 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Noisier than usual with an excitable corner group.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Everything I wanted |
| Westerham - Audit Ale | 6.20 | | Perfect nightcap |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Darwin's Origin | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Rising Giant | 4.80 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 271 |
| 146 |
| 19 |
 | 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 207 times, seen 301 different beers and tried 98 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA