Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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Visits Details
05 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 |  | IPA back to form? Best I've had for a long time |
Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 |  | A tasty drop |
Theakston - Old Peculier | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
Timothy Taylor - Golden Best (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
Robinsons - Citra Pale Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
15 Jan 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Pretty much a full house after earlier TV football.
Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 |  | Best example of TEA I have had in a long while |
Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 |  | Always changing balance of fruitiness and bitterness with every brew |
Theakston - XB (was 4.6%) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Southwold Bitter | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's Seafarers Ale | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
08 Jan 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Low footfall.
Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 |  | Just a half. OK+ |
Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 |  | |
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | 4.10 |  | So difficult to judge these days being so variable in taste |
Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Marston's - Courage Directors (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | 4.80 | Not Tried | Still living as a brand surprisingly |
20 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
Palmers - Tally Ho! Ho! Ho! | 5.50 |  | Allegedly matured for longer than Tally Ho! in the brewery. Good enough to have a second one
|
Butcombe - Chris Moose | 4.10 |  | Dark ale, nothing special in flavouring |
Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde Mild | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
Mighty Oak - Tina Tinsel | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
13 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. One anonymous ale on handpump to guess at. Clue hinted was of a Palmers trial brew.
Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam) | 4.30 |  | Always good to resume a relationship with Ram Tam |
Larkins - Pale | 4.20 |  | Basic pale job |
St Austell - Step Into Christmas | 4.50 |  | Unexceptional dark ale |
Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Black Sheep - Blitzen | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
09 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
Robinsons - Tom & berry | 4.40 |  | Winter fare with well balanced fruit flavouring |
Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 |  | OK but have had much much better |
Purity - Pure Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | On gravity from a cask on the bar counter |
Wantsum - Black Prince | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
Wantsum - Hurricane | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Marston's - Courage Directors (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
06 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. A lady had had a nasty fall in the pub and an ambulance had been called. Eventually paramedics treated her and she was able to go home, with help, under her own steam.
Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 |  | No need to move on to any other ales here tonight |
Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Purity - Pure Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | On gravity dispense on the bar counter |
Wantsum - 1381 | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Wantsum - Black Prince | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Morland Old Golden Hen | 4.10 | Not Tried | Ran out |
Robinsons - Trooper | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
03 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until close. Near packed after a Crystal Palace away match on TV.
Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 |  | Had better |
Wantsum - UXB? | 4.60 |  | Raspberry porter, a tasty brew |
Greene King - Fireside | 4.50 | Not Tried | A 7th ale - this one in gravity on the bar counter |
Wantsum - 1381 | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Greene King - Morland Old Golden Hen | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Robinsons - Trooper | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
20 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
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.
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 | |
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