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The Capitol (Wetherspoon)
We believe this pub is CLOSED
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Otter - Amber |  | 1 |
| Harviestoun - Haggis Hunter | | 1 |
| Oakham - Inferno | | 1 |
| Elgood's - Blackberry Porter |  | 1 |
| Green Jack - Lurcher Stout | | 1 |
| Purple Moose - Madog's Ale |  | 1 |
| Milestone - Donner & Blitzed | | 1 |
| Reunion - Engage! | | 1 |
| Greene King - Abbot | | 7 |
| Portobello - Hedgerow Pale Ale |  | 1 |
| Hook Norton - Off the Hook | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Southwark - Harvard APA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Scrumdown | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Winter Warmer | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - British Champions Day Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hanlons (formerly O'Hanlon's) - Devon Darkness | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Winter Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | Not Tried | 0 |
| Lymestone - Stone Faced | Not Tried | 0 |
| Milestone - Lion's Pride | Not Tried | 0 |
| Southwark - Bankside Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rudgate - York Chocolate Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Southwark - Routemaster Red | Not Tried | 0 |
| Southwark - SE1 ESB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Brew 882 Seattle Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Last Drop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Redhead | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | Not Tried | 0 |
| Exmoor - Exile Wicked Wolf | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Ruby Abbot (or Abbot Ruby) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Black Sheep - Monty Python's Dead Parrot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin) | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
18 Jan 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | Not usually sold here |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Lion's Pride | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Rudgate - York Chocolate Stout | 5.00 | Not Tried |
21 Dec 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. What a venue really when looking up at the old upper circle and projection areas.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Inferno | 4.00 | | Spot on the mark |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | New cask on three hours earlier but came across too fresh |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Hanlons (formerly O'Hanlon's) - Devon Darkness | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Winter Star | 4.40 | Not Tried |
03 Dec 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit into just across midnight. I wonder how this place exists never having Doom Bar on the pumps.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milestone - Donner & Blitzed | 5.40 | | Dark winter ale, no spicing or distinguishable USP however |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Southwark - Harvard APA | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Winter Warmer | 5.20 | Not Tried |
22 Oct 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit across midnight. Good chat with an ex work colleague, who can still recognise me!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otter - Amber | 4.00 | | In fine form |
| Elgood's - Blackberry Porter | 4.50 | | Good fruit v. hop balance |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Exmoor - Exile Wicked Wolf | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruby Abbot (or Abbot Ruby) | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Monty Python's Dead Parrot | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Hook Norton - Off the Hook | 4.30 | Not Tried |
17 Aug 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. Stood invisibly at the bar for a while, disorganised service.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | Ruined by being too chilled |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | 4.10 | Not Tried |
04 Mar 2020 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. Always amazed by the vast size of this venue.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | |
| Reunion - Engage! | 3.70 | | Very sharp hop bitterness |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Lymestone - Stone Faced | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Redhead | 4.10 | Not Tried |
05 Feb 2020 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | |
| Portobello - Hedgerow Pale Ale | 4.50 | | Tricked by the taster. Bit of a whiff that needed lemonade splashes to mask. End of London Festival stock |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Brew 882 Seattle Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Last Drop | 4.00 | Not Tried |
22 Jan 2020 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harviestoun - Haggis Hunter | 4.30 | | An excellent beer with good taste balance |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | Today's cask |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Southwark - Bankside Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Southwark - Routemaster Red | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Southwark - SE1 ESB | 5.10 | Not Tried |
07 Jan 2020 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Jack - Lurcher Stout | 4.80 | | Last half out of the cask and had still kept its condition |
| Purple Moose - Madog's Ale | 3.70 | | Disappointingly thin |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Lymestone - Stone Faced | 4.00 | Not Tried |
02 Oct 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. Recognised by a former work colleague after 10 years!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | Rather sharp bitterness |
| Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Scrumdown | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - British Champions Day Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
About The Capitol
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 23 |
| 32 |
| 20 |
| 4 |
The pub is found in Forest Hill, Greater London, SE23 3TW.
Located in London Road in Forest Hill not far from the railway station and excellent bus links. The long bar (at what would once have been front of house) is equipped with 2 banks each of 5 handpumps. The Capitol opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929. Later renamed and converted into a bingo hall, the building now bears its original name. A rare survival of a 1920s cinema, The Capitol, on London Road, first opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929, with a screening of Man, Woman and Sin. Renamed the ABC in 1968, the cinema gave its last picture show in October 1973. There were plans to convert and even demolish the building. However, The Capitol opened as a bingo hall in February 1978, closing in the first week of December 1996. It has been a Wetherspoon pub since May 2001. Simply huge and beautifully ornate inside - a feast to the eyes. Placed up for sale by Wetherspoon September 2022 with 31 others. Closed by Wetherspoon on Sunday 15th October 2023 with future uncertain.
We have visited this pub 43 times, seen 156 different beers and tried 61 of them.
Postcode: SE23 3TW