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The Bell Inn (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Triple fff - Alton's Pride |  | 1 |
| Hook Norton - Old Hooky |  | 2 |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Gold Top | | 1 |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | | 2 |
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | | 2 |
| Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Bombardier (now superseded by 4.1% version) | | 1 |
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Golden Amber (Atlas range) | | 1 |
| Cotleigh - Albatross | | 1 |
| Archers - Gold |  | 1 |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 2 |
| Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold | | 1 |
| Plain Ales - Innocence | | 1 |
| Humpty Dumpty - Reedcutter | | 1 |
| Blue Monkey - Evolution Gold | | 1 |
| Cottage - Avro York |  | 1 |
| Salopian - Renaissance | | 1 |
| Goddards - Ale of Wight | | 1 |
| Oxfordshire Ales - Marsh Mead | | 1 |
| Black Wolf (formerly Traditional Scottish Ales (TSA)) - Ben Nevis 80/ |  | 1 |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells - Sovereign Blonde | | 1 |
| Wadworth - Henry's Original IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | Not Tried | 0 |
| Skinner's - Keelover | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thwaites - Wainwright (please now use the Banks's entry) | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
28 Apr 2012 (Magnus Greel)
Afternoon visit, the large village pub soon swallowed up our bus load.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archers - Gold | 4.00 | | |
| Hook Norton - Old Hooky | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Thwaites - Wainwright (please now use the Banks's entry) | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried |
28 Apr 2012 (ChrisE)
This pub always seems to be busy which is good to see in a a rural pub. Like all the pubs on this tour they coped very well with about 35 people turning up at once. I had hoped to some Locale beers here though.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | 3.80 | | |
| Hook Norton - Old Hooky | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | This ran out. |
| Thwaites - Wainwright (please now use the Banks's entry) | 4.10 | Not Tried | This replaced the Doom Bar which ran out. |
| Archers - Gold | 4.00 | Not Tried |
28 Apr 2012 (Philip Pirrip)
Pub large enough to swallow a bus trip full with ease. I have to admit that I do expect to find at least one locally brewed beer in any pub these days so was somewhat disappointed here. Still good to see this house thriving
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook Norton - Old Hooky | 4.60 | | Always good to have with its woody complexion and taste |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Thwaites - Wainwright (please now use the Banks's entry) | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Archers - Gold | 4.00 | Not Tried | Past experience with Archers precludes further trial |
28 Apr 2012 (HSB)
Third pub on a bus tour. Busy and bustling. Shame about the lack of local beers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook Norton - Old Hooky | 4.60 | | |
| Wadworth - Henry's Original IPA | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Archers - Gold | 4.00 | Not Tried |
25 Apr 2011 (Pedro)
Lunchtime
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Bombardier (now superseded by 4.1% version) | 4.30 | | |
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Golden Amber (Atlas range) | 4.50 | | |
| Wadworth - Henry's Original IPA | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2011 (ChrisE)
Stop number three on a Camra mini-bus trip, this pub was extremely busy, a proper village local with a really good atmosphere.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | 4.10 | | My first encounter with this beer, which was in superb condition. It was a bit darker than I expected, very drinkable with a toffee/chocolate flavour. |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | | |
| Wadworth - Henry's Original IPA | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | I did not try this myself, but one of our group did, and he said it was superb. |
30 Jan 2011 (Ian)
Stop no. 3 on Camra minibus trip. Busy Sunday lunchtime. Lovely drive across the Marsh in the sunshine.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | | At last some hops. A little ascetic maybe |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | 4.10 | | Really tasty malts. Lovely dryish malts. Very decent |
| Wadworth - Henry's Original IPA | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried |
03 Jul 2010 (Ian)
Village fete and beer festival on so what else can I do on a Saturday lunchtime? I think the beers suffered somewhat from the very hot weather of the last week, but they did a great job of keeping them cool. Service was excellent too. I sat in the garden and tried as many beers as I could before having to catch the train home from Appledore.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotleigh - Albatross | 6.50 | | Beer of the festival for me. If you wanted to construct an English Strong Ale, this is what you would hope to come out with. Mid gold colour. Good syrupy malt, but not overly sweet/syrupy, peppery English hops on the finish. Sweetish and rich on aroma. Pretty full on in the mouth, but I loved it. |
| Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold | 4.00 | | I did start to worry about the beer at this festival til I had this old favourite. Beautiful hop, just not quite on top form. |
| Humpty Dumpty - Reedcutter | 4.20 | | Gold, thin white head. Not bad. Interesting bit of grapefruit. Pale malts are excellent. Touch of sweet fruit. Very good, I like this, easy drinking, decent fruit and malt and some ok hop. |
| Plain Ales - Innocence | 4.00 | | Gold, slight haze, lasting off white head. Bit of rose fruit, rather a good drinkable fruity blonde beer. Hops are fruity and fragrant, more fruity than hoppy. |
| Blue Monkey - Evolution Gold | 4.30 | | Dark gold, some haze, lasting thin white head. Earthy hop aroma, bit young in mouth. Good beer though, drinkable. Good stinging finish. |
| Goddards - Ale of Wight | 3.70 | | Not had a good track record with this brewery, but this was ok. Pale gold, thick white head. Slight haze. Cracking condition. Slight egg on the aroma, yeast. A very light beer. OK citrusy hop finish. |
| Salopian - Renaissance | 5.00 | | Better at Kent & East Sussex BF, still very good hops on this. |
| Cottage - Avro York | 4.80 | | Hazy ruby, bit of choc and rubber on aroma and some tobbacco rather than liquorice. Very dry on finish. Tobacco is a bit aggressive for me. Some floaters. |
| Black Wolf (formerly Traditional Scottish Ales (TSA)) - Ben Nevis 80/ | 4.00 | | Dark brown, no head. Bit of rubber, some red and hedgerow fruit. Not great. Again found it difficult to finish a half. |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells - Sovereign Blonde | 3.80 | | Paleish gold, thin white head. Some floaters. Touch of bleach, even the pale malts don't taste fully brewed out, like the Best, aroma has slight acid touch. Really needs work, like the Best, I couldn't finish it. |
13 May 2010 (ChrisE)
A very busy evening, the local Camra branch were presenting their Pub of the Year Award. Other events in the village combined to make this a very busy place.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triple fff - Alton's Pride | 3.80 | | This was absolutely wonderful. A lovely hoppy aroma, and a great tasting beer. |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Gold Top | 4.30 | | In very good condition, and I think at least one firkin was consumed tonight. |
| Wadworth - Henry's Original IPA | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2010 (Ian)
3rd stop on the cycle ride. Lovely location. Stopped off for a sandwich and a beer.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Sheep - Best Bitter | 3.80 | | Good session bitter, good condition. Earthy. |
| Oxfordshire Ales - Marsh Mead | 4.70 | | Mid brown, slight haze, decent malts with some fruit. It's a bitter. Some dryness on finish. |
| Wadworth - Henry's Original IPA | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Doom Bar | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Skinner's - Keelover | 4.20 | Not Tried |
About The Bell Inn
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 1 |
| 9 |
| 18 |
| 9 |
| 2 |
The pub is found in Ivychurch, Kent, TN29 0AL.
Lovely pub in heart of village in front of the church. Low ceilinged bar with plenty of seating. Wooden bar has 4 handpulls. Lovely garden to the side of the pub too. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2016.
We have visited this pub 22 times, seen 64 different beers and tried 30 of them.
Postcode: TN29 0AL