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The Handsome Sam (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| St Austell - Big Job |  | 1 |
| Four Candles - Citra |  | 1 |
| Kent - Pale | | 2 |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 1 |
| St Austell - Proper Job | | 1 |
| Kent - Prohibition | | 2 |
| St Austell - HSD | | 1 |
| St Austell - Hoptastic | | 1 |
| Rother Valley - Blues | | 1 |
| Rother Valley - Wealden Bitter | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - American Pale |  | 2 |
| Mighty Oak - Fall's Gold | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 1 |
| St Austell - Trelawny | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Cascade IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Session Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Firebrick Red Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sharp's - Special | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | Not Tried | 0 |
| Four Candles - Comet | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - HSBB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rother Valley - Cinque Ports Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| House Beer - Handsome Sam Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rother Valley - Copper Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
16 Jul 2019 (Jack William)
Late lunchtime- one table of regulars having a good session with the guv.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - American Pale | 5.00 | | Quite malty for an APA. |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Four Candles - Comet | 3.80 | Not Tried |
28 May 2019 (ChrisE)
Lunchtime visit, we listened to tales of a recent stag party to Margate and were glad we were not part of the group.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Austell - Trelawny | 3.80 | | |
| Sharp's - Special | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | Not Tried | Just listed on the blackboard as Prohibition, I am assuming it was from Kent Brewery. |
19 May 2019 (Wittenden)
Mid afternoon on a cloudy Sunday.Several in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | | Thundering APA. |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Firebrick Red Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
05 Apr 2019 (Magnus Greel)
Mid to late evening busy with a few folk milling about by the entrance however we managed to perch at the table adjacent to the bar. Excellent atmopshere we stayed far longer than planned as got involved in a conversation about motorbikes with a couple alongside us.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Austell - Proper Job | 4.50 | | I'd like to see this more available on cask |
| St Austell - Hoptastic | 4.20 | | Aptly named box ticking ale.. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Cascade IPA | 6.20 | Not Tried |
08 Nov 2018 (Jack William)
Early lunchtime - our party of 4 doubled the customer numbers. Pleasant as usual - only issue was that the beer board did not include the brewery name.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Austell - Big Job | 7.20 | | Absolutely wonderful. A full bodied, lip-smacking ale in top condition. |
| Rother Valley - Blues | 5.00 | | A very nice smokey porter. |
| Mighty Oak - Fall's Gold | 4.00 | | Fresh but rather cool - rather pleasant hoppy flavour came through as the beer warmed up. |
| Rother Valley - Copper Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried |
02 Sep 2018 (Archie14)
I was planning on attending the Faversham Hop festival and caught the train from Queenborough where vast numbers of people where waiting to board the train to the hop festival.
All groups were armed with trays of Fosters, cheap cider and bottles of Vodka. The train journey from here to sittingbourne then to Faversham was hell! It was at this moment I decided to not get off the train and instead head to whitstable, what a wise and good move.
The Handsome Sam, was both welcoming and relaxing, with a hand few of drinkers just chatting.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | | Not had this for ages and wow! What’s wonderful pint, clean crisp with that distinctive character you get from a premium ale, very much like Hopback Summer lightening. |
10 Jun 2018 (Wittenden)
Early on a Sunday afternoon.Affable clientele of a certain age: I fitted in well.My first visit, though we pass by regularly.A capital micro.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Pale | 4.00 | | Barley straw,rasping,raspberries.Yum. |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | 5.00 | Not Tried |
10 Mar 2018 (Andrew)
Pub 5. Really nice pub. The rugby was on and the pub was quite busy. We got given a bowl of complimentary peanuts which was great.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Pale | 4.00 | | Really tasty beer. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| House Beer - Handsome Sam Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried |
09 Nov 2017 (Jack William)
Early lunchtime on a Whitstable micro tour. One of our party of six was celebrating his 71st birthday. The landlord did the first round for £3 a pint as a treat and joined us for some jolly local banter. Nice.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four Candles - Citra | 4.10 | | Beautiful. |
| Tonbridge - American Pale | 5.00 | | Lovely flavoured beer - first out the barrel and just a little hazy or would have scored higher. |
| Mighty Oak - HSBB | 3.80 | Not Tried | House bitter (Handsome Sam’s Best Bitter) - a good seller apparently and rated well by 3 of our party. |
| Rother Valley - Cinque Ports Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
30 Jun 2017 (ChrisE)
This was pub number one of what was originally going to be a tour of Whitstable and Herne Bay but ended up just being Whitstable. My first visit to this pub and I was pleasantly surprised to find it full at just after Noon. For some reason every beer that we had was charged at £3 although they ranged from £3.20 to £3.50 on the price list. There was a house beer named HSSB (Handsome Sam Special Bitter) at 3.8% which I believe is brewed by Mighty Oak, this ran out before I could try one. It was nice to see pictures of the Maunsell Forts on the wall.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | | |
| St Austell - HSD | 5.00 | | |
| Rother Valley - Wealden Bitter | 3.70 | | First one from a new cask. good. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | 4.40 | Not Tried | This ran out. |
About The Handsome Sam
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 1 |
| 24 |
| 23 |
 | 5 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Whitstable, Kent, CT5 4HJ.
Edge of town centre Micropub which opened on Tuesday 4th November 2014 in a former antiques shop. Located in Canterbury Road just by the railway overbridge. Named after the owner's cat which died exactly 4 years before the pub opened. High ceilinged room which retains some original wooden beams with a temperature controlled cellar room at the back from which real ales and ciders are sold on gravity dispense from a 2 level stillage - this is called the Beer Tent. High tables and bench seats and stools provide the seating. Hops adorn the 2 front bay windows. Unisex toilet at the right rear. Closed Mondays.
We have visited this pub 28 times, seen 81 different beers and tried 47 of them.
Postcode: CT5 4HJ