PubsandBeer
History: Home > The George
The George (Free House)
[Back to most recent] [Previous Visits] [More Visits]
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Armada Ale |  | 1 |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter | | 1 |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | | 1 |
| Moorhouse's - Pendle Witches Brew |  | 1 |
| Plain Ales - Sheep Dip | | 1 |
| B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Dragon Slayer | | 1 |
| Plain Ales - Arty Farty | | 1 |
| Adnams - Broadside | | 2 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | | 5 |
| B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Black Dragon Mild | | 1 |
| St. George's - Shakesbeer | | 1 |
| York (now brewed by and at Black Sheep) - Centurion's Ghost Ale | | 1 |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | | 3 |
| Woodforde's - Nelson's Revenge | | 1 |
| Wadworth - St. George & the Dragon | | 1 |
| Arundel - St Georges |  | 1 |
| Skinner's (now brewed by Goodh) - Keelover | | 1 |
| Hadrian and Border - Flotsam | | 1 |
| Coach House - Farrier's Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Coach House - St George's Ale | | 1 |
| Titanic - Port & Starboard | | 1 |
| Coach House - Gunpowder Strong Mild |  | 1 |
| Westerham - British Bulldog "BB" (was 4.3%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Gale's - Trafalgar Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Beacon Hill (was Beacon) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hook Norton - 303AD (aka Generation) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
24 Apr 2013 (ChrisE)
The bus from Tenterden was full of screeching school children so we decided to alight at Bethersden and try the newly re-opened butchers shop opposite, plus have a couple of pints in here. We had a good chat with the lady behind the bar.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | O.K. but not moreish. |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | 3.40 | | |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried |
06 Feb 2013 (ChrisE)
Mid afternoon visit, I sat in the public bar and chatted with a few of the regulars.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain Ales - Arty Farty | 3.90 | | |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | 3.40 | Not Tried |
14 Nov 2012 (Trevor)
Only a few in when we visited at lunchtime. However the OAP meal was very good with pleasant service too.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain Ales - Sheep Dip | 3.80 | | Thought that I ought to try this and it was nothing like its name might suggest with a zesty start tending to a dry hoppy finish. |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | 3.40 | Not Tried |
19 Oct 2012 (Trevor)
Only 3 others in when we arrived for our lunchtime celebration meal with a friend on this very wet Friday. We all had the Dover Sole special which was excellent and the service was good as well.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | 4.10 | | Very good condition rich dark brown bitter with a smooth toffee flavour. |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | 3.40 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2011 (ChrisE)
Opening time on a Sunday lunch time, the pub soon became quite busy. We enjoyed some very hot roast potatoes.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | 3.40 | | A tasty session ale. |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | 4.10 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2011 (Ian)
Here with a minibus of local Camra chaps. Pub opened a bit early for us and supplied us with roast potatoes. Relaxed village local.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | 3.40 | | Fresh yeasty and hoppy and enormously drinkable |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Lovely Harveys aroma. Good flavour. Decent condition |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | 4.10 | Not Tried |
09 Dec 2010 (ChrisE)
Early afternoon, a good crowd of locals at the bar, and music from the 1950s and 1960s being played on the juke box. The landlord placed a large bowl of chips on the bar for general consumption.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Harveys as it should be. |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter | 3.70 | | In very good condition. |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | 3.40 | Not Tried |
09 Mar 2010 (Wittenden)
Good village pub, with reputation for excellent food. The locals invited me into their conversations.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | All this talk of gold and hoppy-this knocks most of them into a cocked hat! |
| Brakspear (at Marston's Wychwood then at Banks's) - Bitter | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter | 3.70 | Not Tried |
20 Apr 2007 (Ian)
Their 4th St George's Day festival. I hadn't been on the first day before and the beers were very fresh and all in excellent condition. It was a lovely spring evening with the marquee in the garden containing the stillage and beer plus some seating and the area for the band.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Dragon Slayer | 4.50 | | I thought this used to be stronger than 4.5%. On its day one of my favourite golden beers. This was a little muted and hazy, but still with decent hop kick. Drinkable. |
| B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Black Dragon Mild | 4.30 | | Ruby with disappearing beige head. Not so much a mild, more a dark best bitter. Bit more roasted malt, touch of charcoal and decent hop finish. Very nice mild although it isn't a mild. |
| St. George's - Shakesbeer | 4.30 | | Sherberty hop aroma, standard bitter in mouth, some spice/herb/sherbert hop on end. Fresh tasting and I rather liked it. |
| Wadworth - St. George & the Dragon | 4.50 | | Amber with lasting beige creamy head. Herby earthy hop, slighty yeasty. Hey, it's an English bitter. Some good hedgerow fruit. I would miss this type of beer though if I couldn't have it again. |
| Adnams - Broadside | 4.70 | | Very yeasty fruity version. Fruits are christmas cakey, but lifted by the yeastiness. But still the malty fruit comes through. Just lacks something. |
| Coach House - St George's Ale | 4.90 | | Straw coloured with bubbly white head. Slightly sweet golden ale. Bit sickly. Hop is citrusy and pleasing, but the pale malts are a bit sickly. I mean it's fine and in decent condition. Sub Hop Back Summer Lightning. |
| Arundel - St Georges | 4.60 | | I mean I don't have anything against English bitters and this is a not bad version, some decent malt fruit, but seriously, give it a bit more character fellas. |
21 Oct 2006 (Ian)
I've been to the St George's Day and Summer beer festivals here and enjoyed them both, so I decided to come out here for their Trafalgar Day beer festival. The 400 bus conveniently goes from Ashford town centre and drops off right outside this pretty pub in the very attractive village of Bethersden. After a brief stroll around the churchyard, I settled myself into the saloon bar as the weather looked a bit grim and the beers were out in a marquee in the garden. 14 beers on offer from Waverley TBS. Music, Morris men and a BBQ were also on offer across the weekend. The marquee had hay bales to sit on and this created a very nice atmosphere. A group of cyclists from West Kent arrived to have lunch too. A good festival at a pub that does something a bit different.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | | One of my favourite Harvey's beers. I love the mix of Harvey's yeast with the marmalade fruit and dry hop finish. Excellent. |
| Adnams - Broadside | 4.70 | | Bit yeastier than I remember. Good fruity malt in mouth still. Hoppy finish. Not as full or with such dominant flavours as I remember. |
| Woodforde's - Nelson's Revenge | 4.50 | | Clear copper colour, thin off white head. Yeast and herby hop aroma. Lovely hop actually. Moderate malt juicyness in mouth. Earthy hop finish. Nice mix of yeasty aroma, malt fruit in mouth and hop dryness on end. Good bitter. |
| Moorhouse's - Pendle Witches Brew | 5.10 | | Copper colour with lasting off white head. Attractive malt/hop balanced aroma. Full in mouth, juicy, moderate malty fruit. Balanced drying hop finish. Excellent premium bitter. Very drinakble. |
| York (now brewed by and at Black Sheep) - Centurion's Ghost Ale | 5.40 | | Deep dark brown/ruby with tan head. Dark malt aroma, choc, but also hop too. Nicely full in mouth. Nicely roasted malt. Doesn't drink it's strength. Good dark strong beer. |
| Coach House - Farrier's Best Bitter | 3.90 | | Orange/copper colour with no head. Some bitterness, bit watery, some dry hop on finish. Fine, if not exciting |
| Skinner's (now brewed by Goodh) - Keelover | 4.20 | | Clear copper colour, thin off white head. Flowery earthy hop aroma. Bit of fruit. Fine in mouth. Bit of muddy dryness on end. OK bitter, with nice subtle aroma. |
| Hadrian and Border - Flotsam | 4.00 | | I believe that this is my first beer from this brewery. Pale copper with beige head. Bit rubbery on aroma, bit of smoke. Earthy bitter. Fine. OK, slightly citrusy. Hop finish is quite nice. |
| Titanic - Port & Starboard | 4.20 | | Hazy gold, lasting bubbly white head. Decent hop aroma, but then just a bit muddied, maybe not quite ready yet. Quite rich in mouth, like a lot of Titanic beers, but a bit of green apple too. Decent hop finish. Will be very drinkable in a day or two. |
| Coach House - Gunpowder Strong Mild | 3.80 | | Bit of diacetyl spoils what is a good mild. Butter/caramel over a bitter burnt malt. |
| Westerham - British Bulldog "BB" (was 4.3%) | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Gale's - Trafalgar Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Beacon Hill (was Beacon) | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Hook Norton - 303AD (aka Generation) | 4.00 | Not Tried |
About The George
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 4 |
| 9 |
| 27 |
| 26 |
| 5 |
The pub is found in Bethersden, Kent, TN26 3AG.
Two bar pub in The Street, in a pretty Kent village south of Ashford, located not far from the C of E church. Lounge bar on the left has tables for food as well as seating at the bar. Public bar has the stillage for the gravity dispense beers and also a pool table and juke box. Low ceilings lined with hops add to the cosy feel. Large beer garden to the side. Three handpumps plus the gravity beer. Selection of regional brewers. This pub closed for business on Sunday 18th October 2020. Future unknown. Good news December 2022 - successful local community buy-out with hope to reopen late spring 2023 and did re-open on Friday 26th May 2023 to great local fanfare. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2025.
We have visited this pub 23 times, seen 71 different beers and tried 56 of them.
Postcode: TN26 3AG