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Fuggles Beer Cafe (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Kernel (The Kernel) - India Pale Ale - Mosaic (KeyKeg)Exceptional1
Partizan - HommelbierExceptional1
Ilkley - Hickory RedcapExceptional1
Westerham - Gold Rush (superseded by 5% entry)Excellent1
Cloudwater - DDH IPA Enigma ChinookExcellent1
Five Points - Five Points PaleExcellent1
Magic Rock - Hedonic EscalationExcellent1
Kent - SimcoeExcellent1
Kent - PorterExcellent1
Lakedown - Kicking Donkey Best BitterExcellent1
Harbour - Light AleExcellent1
Black Iris - Let the Devil inExcellent1
Temperance Union - Vfm SoftyExcellent1
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Excellent1
Brew By Numbers - 01/01 Saison CitraExcellent1
Alpha State - Sol Over GudhjemGood1
Saltaire - Dark MatterGood1
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - Brigid FireGood1
Affinity - AprilGood1
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Devils Dyke PorterGood1
Kent - Beyond the PaleNot Tried0
Kent - Altered StatesNot Tried0
Ilkley - SummerNot Tried0
Adnams - Tally-HoNot Tried0
Tonbridge - Alsace GoldNot Tried0
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Common Ancestor (brown clip 6.5% version)Not Tried0
Westerham - Single Hop SovereignNot Tried0
Oakham - CitraNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - JaipurNot Tried0
Brass Castle - Session Mini-IPA (was 3.5%)Not Tried0
Abbeydale - HeathenNot Tried0
Tonbridge - CoppernobNot Tried0
Tonbridge - RusticNot Tried0
Dark Star - RevelationNot Tried0
Saltaire - Saltaire BlondeNot Tried0
Picture 1. Fuggles Beer Cafe, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Picture 2. Fuggles Beer Cafe, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Picture 3. Fuggles Beer Cafe, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Visits Details

17 May 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit - my first here but having walked past twice having memorised map, almost. As a nightcap has a ⅓ of 10.5% Tom's Tap Barleywine 2022 off a keg tap - very Christmas seasonal!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Lakedown - Kicking Donkey Best Bitter4.20ExcellentFine basic bitter. Some confusion as its old name previous pumpclip in use showing ABV 4.4%
Black Iris - Let the Devil in5.50ExcellentImpressive being well rounded and smooth with no harsh citrus tones
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
Abbeydale - Heathen4.10Not TriedTaster was a lemon juice job
15 Apr 2018 (Stephen Harris)
Very pleasant. I while away a good part of the afternoon and early evening in here, doing something important on the computer at a corner table over a few beers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Cloudwater - DDH IPA Enigma Chinook6.50ExcellentFrom a key-keg. Cloudwater are masters of this kind of thing. Cloudy gold and hop-filled. Another with a long, bitter finish.
Magic Rock - Hedonic Escalation6.70ExcellentFrom some kind of keg and a bit over-fizzed. Murky gold. A full-throttle IPA.
Affinity - April4.40GoodNice to see an Affinity beer in cask. It’s a cloudy amber colour, with a good mix of citrusy hops and caramel malt, with a long, bitter finish.
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur5.90Not Tried
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
Brass Castle - Session Mini-IPA (was 3.5%)3.60Not Tried
22 Nov 2015 (Alenomore)
13:00 visit. Small crowd in. Came to Tun. Wells to find a new bicycle, then here for lunch, first visit to T. Wells for maybe 4 years. This place opened two years ago. A most impressive 'brown' type cafe, Belgian style bar, with a big range of Foreign, Craft Keg and Real Ales on. Had a loaded cheese toastie, with three types of onion and leeks, and laced with Orval! Very nice too. I could be in seventh heaven here under different circumstances....great place.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Temperance Union - Vfm Softy1.00ExcellentGood value.
10 Mar 2015 (thebrewingman)
Late Tuesday evening. Not as busy as I would have expected.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ilkley - Hickory Redcap5.60ExceptionalA pecan porter. Divine.
Kent - Simcoe4.50Excellent
Oakham - Citra4.20Not Tried
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
02 Mar 2015 (thebrewingman)
Early afternoon with a couple of groups in and a few strays.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Five Points - Five Points Pale4.40ExcellentA very slight hop haze but excellent flavour.
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Devils Dyke Porter5.00Good
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
Westerham - Single Hop Sovereign4.00Not Tried
04 Feb 2015 (thebrewingman)
Wednesday lunchtime. First port of call.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.80ExcellentI thought they have used a different hop in this brew.
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Devils Dyke Porter5.00Not Tried
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Common Ancestor (brown clip 6.5% version)6.50Not Tried
15 Jan 2015 (thebrewingman)
First bar in a mini crawl of TW. A few in standing around the bar. Thistly Cross cider on hand pump.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kent - Porter5.50Excellent
Harbour - Light Ale3.70Excellent
Adnams - Tally-Ho7.00Not Tried
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
Tonbridge - Alsace Gold4.00Not Tried
26 Jul 2014 (Ian)
Saturday lunchtime and an extremely pleasant afternoon getting drunk. First time here. Loved the bar the staff the beer. I drank all keg and keykeg beers
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kernel (The Kernel) - India Pale Ale - Mosaic (KeyKeg)7.10ExceptionalI sat and drank 8 other beers and than I had this and it blew everything else away. The tropical fruit the poise the elegance. Stunning.
Brew By Numbers - 01/01 Saison Citra5.70ExcellentTropical fruit saison. Lovely
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
Kent - Beyond the Pale5.40Not Tried
Kent - Altered States4.70Not Tried
Ilkley - Summer4.00Not Tried
24 May 2014 (oz11)
Afternoon visit to this little gem. Also tried on keg: Wild Beer Solera (4.4%), Kernel Pale (Cascade, Centennial, Citra) (5.3%), Five Points Hook Island Red (6%), Summer Wine Diablo (6%), Siren/To Øl 10 Finger Discount (7.2%?). Kernel, Summer Wine and Siren were the pick of the keg beers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Saltaire - Dark Matter3.80Good
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - Brigid Fire6.30Good
Saltaire - Saltaire Blonde4.00Not Tried
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
02 May 2014 (Stephen Harris)
I really liked this place, a great new asset to the town centre. Late afternoon / early evening visit saw the transition from quiet to really quite busy.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Partizan - Hommelbier5.10ExceptionalOn key-keg dispense and wonderfully brewery fresh. Great flavours, the hoppy freshness instantly reminding me of a sunny Sunday morning many years ago, drinking Hommelpap in a north France farmyard.
Westerham - Gold Rush (superseded by 5% entry)4.00ExcellentGolden-coloured. Plenty of fruity US hop flavours on a firm malt base. Not as hop-forward as some in this style. I enjoyed it.
Alpha State - Sol Over Gudhjem7.00GoodOn key-keg dispense, with some natural carbonation. A cloudy, amber colour. Heavily smoked, plus a big hit of Mosaic hops. Almost too much going on in this beer I fear.
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
Tonbridge - Rustic4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Revelation5.70Not Tried

[More Visits]

About the Fuggles Beer Cafe

The pub sign. Fuggles Beer Cafe, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional3
Excellent20
Good10
Acceptable-
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2AP.

Located in a former shop unit in Grosvenor Road, this is a Café Bar style outlet with bare boards and a mix of sofas and tables and chairs. 6 handpumps and 16 keg lines on the rear wall dispense an interesting range of local, national and international beers with an emphasis on smaller "craft" producers. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2017.

We have visited this pub 17 times, seen 53 different beers and tried 32 of them.

Map location

Postcode: TN1 2AP