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Rack of Ale (Free House)

We believe this building is NO LONGER a pub

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Rudgate - Jorvik BlondeExcellent1
Pig & Porter - Strangely BrownExcellent1
Titanic - Plum PorterExcellent2
Nottingham - Rock MildGood1
Wantsum - 1381Good1
Ripple Steam - Original Best BitterGood1
Hop Fuzz - 1914 Lest We ForgetGood1
Hop Back - SnoutGood1
Time and Tide - Spratwaffler Pale AleGood1
Hop Fuzz - DriftwoodAcceptable1
Wantsum - More's Head (previously 3.4%)Acceptable1
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Summer TopNot Tried0
Wantsum - Verve (house beer)Not Tried0
Hopdaemon - Golden BraidNot Tried0
Hop Fuzz - Supergrass (house beer)Not Tried0
Kent - PaleNot Tried0
Bank Top - Dark MildNot Tried0
Eden River (formerly Eden) - Eden GoldNot Tried0
East London (ELB) - Pale AleNot Tried0
Magic Dragon (formerly New Plassey) - Midnight MildNot Tried0
Tonbridge - Blonde AmbitionNot Tried0
Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale AleNot Tried0
Pig & Porter - Gothic Imperial StoutNot Tried0
Dark Star - RevelationNot Tried0
Northumberland - Strawberry BlondeNot Tried0
Nelson - RevengeNot Tried0
Burton Bridge - Draught Burton AleNot Tried0
Hop Fuzz - GoldsmithNot Tried0
Picture 1. Rack of Ale, Dover, Kent
Picture 2. Rack of Ale, Dover, Kent

Visits Details

24 Sep 2015 (Jack William)
Early evening - good crowd in. Interesting move towards some serious heavy Eurpean brews - Brugge Tripel today at 8.5%
BeerABVScoreNotes
Rudgate - Jorvik Blonde3.80ExcellentVery good body for a 3.8, fruity with a good hoppy bite.
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90ExcellentYummy plums - could have passed for a dessert.
Nottingham - Rock Mild3.80Not Tried
05 Sep 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Quiet on trade, surprised to hear background music playing in a Micropub.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90ExcellentThe very best of the fruit porters in lovely nick here
Nottingham - Rock Mild3.80Not Tried
Wantsum - Verve (house beer)4.20Not Tried
Hop Fuzz - Supergrass (house beer)3.80Not Tried
26 Aug 2015 (ChrisE)
Fairly busy, I had a good chat with the chap who is planning to open the Drunken Scarecrow micropub in Dover. The Rack of Ale is currently in the process of being extended to the side of the kitchen area at the back and once completed will have two toilets, a dart board and room for folk evenings. There are no plans to change the existing pub area.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wantsum - More's Head (previously 3.4%)3.50Acceptable
Nottingham - Rock Mild3.80Not Tried
Hop Fuzz - Goldsmith4.00Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Summer Top3.60Not Tried
21 Aug 2015 (Jack William)
A few in including one rather tired looking older gent - I recognised him as an old school chum - not bad after more than 40 years. He had walked from Canterbury - 18 miles on the North Downs Way.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wantsum - 13813.80Good
Hop Fuzz - Driftwood4.20AcceptableBit bland
06 Jun 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Brisk trade. Pity that music from the washing and serving area broke the human conversation only sounds expected in a Micropub.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Nottingham - Rock Mild3.80GoodOdd beer to have as a house ale - used to be a Ripple Steam Best Bitter from down the road
Dark Star - Revelation5.70Not Tried
Northumberland - Strawberry Blonde4.00Not Tried
Nelson - Revenge4.00Not Tried
Burton Bridge - Draught Burton Ale4.80Not Tried
07 Feb 2015 (Ian)
After the beer festival this was a slow down. Only one other in. But free crisps and 2 new beers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hop Back - Snout3.80GoodTasty light stout
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20Not Tried
06 Feb 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit as a pre-festival appetite whetter. New loyalty card scheme has been introduced.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Time and Tide - Spratwaffler Pale Ale3.70Good
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20Not Tried
Ripple Steam - Original Best Bitter4.10Not Tried
Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Hop Back - Snout3.80Not Tried
Pig & Porter - Gothic Imperial Stout7.40Not Tried
17 Dec 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening late. Lovely smell of fermenting beer in the air upon entering. Finished off on a half of East Stour chilli cider to remind myself that I had burnable tonsils!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hop Fuzz - 1914 Lest We Forget4.50Good
East London (ELB) - Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Ripple Steam - Original Best Bitter4.10Not Tried
Magic Dragon (formerly New Plassey) - Midnight Mild4.20Not Tried
09 Dec 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening late. 3 others in.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ripple Steam - Original Best Bitter4.10GoodQuite a sharp bitterness
Bank Top - Dark Mild4.00Not Tried
Rudgate - Jorvik Blonde3.80Not Tried
Eden River (formerly Eden) - Eden Gold4.20Not Tried
22 Oct 2014 (Brian)
Missed my train connection by 1 minute so had an hour to kill. A few in.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Pig & Porter - Strangely Brown4.40ExcellentIt's black, with green hop. Very good and in perfect condition.
Hopdaemon - Golden Braid3.70Not Tried
Kent - Pale4.00Not Tried
Ripple Steam - Original Best Bitter4.10Not Tried

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About the Rack of Ale

The pub sign. Rack of Ale, Dover, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent20
Good24
Acceptable9
Poor-

The pub is found in Dover, Kent, CT16 1DF.

First Micropub in Dover, as a conversion of a former shop in Park Place just off Ladywell - previously Kenneth Bird Opticians. Opened on Thursday 10th October 2013. A long narrow venue with wall mounted high bench seats on both side walls and high slatted tables to match. Several lower tables and chairs towards the rear. Brightly lit washing up area at the back leads to the real ales and ciders gravity stillage room for the casks. In autumn 2015 a further area of comfortable sofa seating was added at the very rear - called the Back Rack. Real ale menu takes the form of oval blackboards for each ale on rear wall plus a larger oblong menu board for ciders and other availables. Heavíly hop adorned high on the walls and even some hops in the unisex toilet. Operates a loyalty card scheme for multiple purchases for all, and gives a healthy Monday to Thursday CAMRA discount on real ales and ciders in pints and halves. Ceased trading after close of business on Saturday 2nd December 2017 allegedly after a proposed rent hike which was unacceptable to the licensee.

We have visited this pub 34 times, seen 104 different beers and tried 38 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CT16 1DF