PubsandBeer
The Hope (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Green Hop IPA |  | 1 |
| Tillingbourne - Black Troll | | 1 |
| Kent - Green Giant | | 1 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Big MoFo Stout | | 1 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Citra | | 2 |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter |  | 2 |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | | 1 |
| Magic Rock - High Wire NZ | | 1 |
| Marble - Pint (was 3.9% then 3.4% for a while) | | 1 |
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | | 2 |
| Arbor Ales - Hoptical Delusion | | 1 |
| Magic Rock - Human Cannonball | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut) | | 1 |
| Marble - Earl Grey IPA | | 1 |
| Kissingate - Smelter's Stout | | 2 |
| Downton - New Forest Ale | | 2 |
| Hastings - Handmade 11 | | 1 |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 1 |
| Arbor Ales - Yakima Valley | | 1 |
| Magic Rock - Dark Arts | | 1 |
| Kent - Altered States | | 2 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Shoreditch Sunshine | | 1 |
| Clarence & Fredericks - Golden Ale |  | 1 |
| Ascot - Rhino Rye | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Vale - Black Swan Mild | | 1 |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | | 1 |
| Windsor & Eton - Guardsman | | 1 |
| Kent - Cobnut |  | 1 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - DogBolter Dark Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Magic Rock - High Wire | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - London Fields Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - Diggin' Up The King | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kissingate - Stout Extreme Jamaica | Not Tried | 0 |
| Triple fff - Pressed Rat & Warthog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Buxton - Moor Top | Not Tried | 0 |
| Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Crouch Vale - Summit | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
01 Jul 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Meaning to come here for some time with all its declared accolades.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | | Best beer of the Carshalton evening crawl and all the better for a pub branded lined glass |
| Downton - New Forest Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - London Fields Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - Diggin' Up The King | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Kissingate - Stout Extreme Jamaica | 6.00 | Not Tried |
03 May 2014 (thebrewingman)
Saturday lunchtime. Good bunch in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | 5.10 | | |
| Magic Rock - Dark Arts | 6.00 | | |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Shoreditch Sunshine | 3.80 | | |
| Kent - Altered States | 4.70 | | |
| Downton - New Forest Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Magic Rock - High Wire | 5.50 | Not Tried |
14 Dec 2013 (thebrewingman)
Early Saturday evening to celebrate a win at Sutton. Busy with drinkers and made very welcome.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marble - Pint (was 3.9% then 3.4% for a while) | 3.90 | | |
| Marble - Earl Grey IPA | 6.00 | | |
| Hastings - Handmade 11 | 5.40 | | A black IPA made with Ella hops. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - DogBolter Dark Porter | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - New Forest Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | Not Tried |
31 Aug 2013 (HSB)
16:00 75th Birthday party for one of the pub's shareholders. Packed, the beers were changing regularly.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kissingate - Smelter's Stout | 5.10 | | |
| Kent - Altered States | 4.70 | | |
| Ascot - Rhino Rye | 5.00 | | |
| Kent - Cobnut | 4.10 | | |
| Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - New Forest Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Crouch Vale - Summit | 4.30 | Not Tried |
07 Feb 2013 (HSB)
Lunch time session before getting a train over the Leigham loop. This is a great pub.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Big MoFo Stout | 10.50 | | Wonderful. |
| Tillingbourne - Black Troll | 3.70 | | |
| Arbor Ales - Yakima Valley | 7.00 | | |
| Arbor Ales - Hoptical Delusion | 3.80 | | |
| Dark Star - Best Bitter | 4.00 | |
18 Dec 2012 (HSB)
Pre Christmas gathering for one of the number of groups I go drinking with. We had one end of the pub to ourselves.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Citra | 3.10 | | |
| Kent - Green Giant | 6.00 | | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | | |
| Downton - New Forest Ale | 3.80 | |
18 Dec 2012 (ChrisE)
A fair sized crowd of us met up here, and had a most enjoyable afternoon. The barman was extremely knowledgeable about the beers, and even managed to play the piano for us between pulling pints.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Citra | 3.10 | | |
| Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut) | 4.00 | | |
| Downton - New Forest Ale | 3.80 | | |
| Magic Rock - Human Cannonball | 6.30 | | |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | |
18 Oct 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Busy with locals and a visit from the Thursday evening mild drinkers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Rock - High Wire NZ | 5.50 | | High Wire brewed with new Zealand hops giving a fruity tropical fruit character to the beer. My score 16/20. |
| Vale - Black Swan Mild | 3.90 | | Dark brown mild with a dryish malty character and a little hoppiness giving a slight bitterness in the finish. My score 15/20. |
| Clarence & Fredericks - Golden Ale | 3.80 | | Good well balanced pale gold bitter with soft peach hop character and some biscuity malt. Fairly fruity finish. My score 15/20. |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild | 3.70 | | Red/brown mild with a dry malt character and low hop character. Little sweetness from the malt giving a rather harsh dry finish. My score 14/20. |
10 Oct 2012 (Stephen Harris)
The Hope is CAMRA’s Greater London Pub of the Year. Tonight is the presentation night and the pub is very crowded. The presentation itself is running late and Kev and I have to leave before the speeches are made and everyone gets stuck in to the free beer and buffet set out in a marquee out the back.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Green Hop IPA | 6.50 | | Possibly the best of this year’s big haul of green-hopped beers that I have tried so far. Big and bold and hoppy. |
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | 5.10 | | Lovely, moreish, chocolaty, black porter. |
| Windsor & Eton - Guardsman | 4.20 | | Brown and fruity and tangy. |
| Kissingate - Smelter's Stout | 5.10 | | A notably well-roasted, black stout. |
| Triple fff - Pressed Rat & Warthog | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - New Forest Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Cobnut | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Buxton - Moor Top | 3.60 | Not Tried |
01 Sep 2012 (ChrisE)
Saturday afternoon, and a great range of interesting beers on. Beers were turning over very fast indeed, it seemed that every time I went to the bar all the pump clips had been changed for a new ale. Unfortunately I was unable to make a list of all the beers that were on offer.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | |
About The Hope
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 12 |
| 48 |
| 33 |
| 6 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Carshalton, Greater London, SM5 2PR.
Town pub in West Street with an island bar surrounded by several distinct drinking areas. Handy for Carshalton Athletic FC. CAMRA Greater London Regional Pub of the Year 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023 and in 2025 too. Last 4 finalist of the CAMRA National Pub of the Year competition 2013. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2016. Most recently local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2022, 2023 and 2025. 7 handpumps but with an increasing propensity to sell craft keg beers. Initially run by a share-owning co-operative (32 shareholders) on a 20 year free of all tie lease from Punch Taverns. Reported in June / July 2015 CAMRA London Drinker magazine that the freehold had now been purchased.
We have visited this pub 27 times, seen 119 different beers and tried 79 of them.
Postcode: SM5 2PR