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The Hoptimist Taproom & Bar (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Hop Fuzz - English |  | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - She Sells Sea Shells | | 1 |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - New Zealand Pale | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Countryman | | 1 |
| Three Legs - Harlequin | | 1 |
| Black Country - Citra Sublime | | 2 |
| Kent - Session Pale | | 2 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Dr Sunshine's Special Friendly English Wheat Ale | | 1 |
| Kent - Prohibition | | 1 |
| Dorking - Platinum ESB | | 1 |
| Romney Marsh - Amber Ale |  | 1 |
| Titanic - Chocolate & Vanilla Stout | | 1 |
| Kent - Winter Ale | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Das Kölner | | 1 |
| Broadtown - Spring Back | | 1 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - AM:PM | | 1 |
| Titsey - Gresham Hopper (was 3.7%) | | 1 |
| Three Legs - New Zealand | | 1 |
| Broadtown - Best | | 1 |
| Time and Tide - Spratwaffler Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Tiny Rebel - Cwtch |  | 1 |
| Hop Fuzz - Black Udder | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Estate | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Cosmic Jive (now use 3.4% entry) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Black Country - Plum Pig | Not Tried | 0 |
| Black Country - Chain Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Gower Wolf | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - DogBolter Dark Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Crown Imperial Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Buxton - Right to Roam | Not Tried | 0 |
| Leatherbritches - Bohemian Dark | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
06 Jun 2024 (Jack William)
Late afternoon visit. A good sprinkling of regulars. Warm welcome from guv Danny as always.
Parkway “One for the road” also on, 3.9
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - New Zealand Pale | 4.50 | | Absolutely delicious. £4.20 a pint. |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Estate | 4.80 | Not Tried |
03 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Dr Sunshine's Special Friendly English Wheat Ale | 4.20 | | Shows exactly how good gravity dispensed cask ale can be served. Soooo very bitter I forgot it was a wheat beer |
| Hop Fuzz - English | 4.00 | | The last pint of some top notch Kent brewed bitters tonight, this one included |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Fuzz - Black Udder | 4.50 | Not Tried |
14 Mar 2024 (Jack William)
Opened at 1220 for our bus pass group of 6. Locals had got wind of it and some were also in before the normal 1 pm opening. Danny very welcoming and enthusiastic about his ales. A real gem.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Legs - Harlequin | 4.20 | | I really liked this fruity, unfiltered ale despite its opaque style. |
| Titanic - Chocolate & Vanilla Stout | 4.50 | | Only a sip of this - too sweet and chocolatey for me - but it clearly does what is says in the name. Went down very well with some of our group. |
| Broadtown - Spring Back | 3.80 | | Golden ale - nothing special but good condition. |
| Broadtown - Best | 4.00 | | Full bodied traditional best bitter. |
05 Mar 2024 (Magnus Greel)
Late afternoon and buzzing with activity yet friendly and welcoming, we purloined a recently vacated table and enjoyed our beer. I think this place has changed names a few times since I was last here!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | | All my APA expectations satisfied. |
| Time and Tide - Spratwaffler Pale Ale | 3.70 | | Wheaty with a sweet tang. |
| Buxton - Right to Roam | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Leatherbritches - Bohemian Dark | 5.90 | Not Tried |
21 Feb 2024 (Jack William)
Mid afternoon visit, a few familiar faces. Beers turning over while I was here. Very pleasant.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | | Fresh on |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - AM:PM | 4.50 | | |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | Replaced by the Kent |
| Goacher's - Crown Imperial Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | Going well. |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried |
08 Feb 2024 (Jack William)
Late afternoon- finally got out of Deal. Usual good ambience in here.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - She Sells Sea Shells | 4.70 | | Spot on. |
| Tiny Rebel - Cwtch | 4.60 | | Not really to my taste. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - DogBolter Dark Porter | 5.60 | Not Tried | Went down very well with my companion. |
| Three Legs - Harlequin | 4.20 | Not Tried |
15 Dec 2023 (Jack William)
One for the road after my liar dice session. Late afternoon, nicely busy. Two ales fresh on since yesterday.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Country - Citra Sublime | 4.50 | | |
| Black Country - Chain Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Black Country - Plum Pig | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Gower Wolf | 4.00 | Not Tried |
14 Dec 2023 (Jack William)
Bus pass outing to Dover. Just the five of us but a very enjoyable session in this super pub. All ales served in oversize glasses - a full pint and a good head.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Country - Citra Sublime | 4.50 | | |
| Dorking - Platinum ESB | 5.20 | | A good strong bitter, not sure why they name it thus. |
| Titsey - Gresham Hopper (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | | |
| Black Country - Plum Pig | 4.30 | Not Tried |
22 Nov 2023 (Jack William)
Mid afternoon- just stopped in for a swift one after a pensions meeting. Too many familiar faces and good beer made it difficult to leave.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | | |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | 4.90 | | |
| Romney Marsh - Amber Ale | 4.20 | | |
| Kent - Winter Ale | 5.50 | |
31 Aug 2023 (Jack William)
Afternoon visit. Lots of familiar faces. Chatted to BR Martin who recalled a visit to the Crown Posada in Newcastle with Chris Excell a good few years back - thanks to this site I was able to tell him that it was probably 7 January 2015 and that Elvis Presley was playing on the vintage record player.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Countryman | 4.00 | | A wry good traditional style bitter. |
| Tonbridge - Das Kölner | 4.30 | | |
| Three Legs - New Zealand | 4.80 | | A fruity, unfined pale ale. |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Cosmic Jive (now use 3.4% entry) | 3.60 | Not Tried |
About The Hoptimist Taproom & Bar
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 1 |
| 35 |
| 31 |
| 5 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Dover, Kent, CT16 1JH.
In Bench Street in premises previously occupied by Pier Three and The Mash Tun micropubs. Re-opened on Thursday 19th December 2019 and said, in advance, to be run much more like a bar or taproom than a micropub. The proprietor is a former manager of the Breakwater Brewery taproom. Usually 4 cask ales which are dispensed on gravity from a rear chilled room. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2025.
We have visited this pub 36 times, seen 112 different beers and tried 66 of them.
Postcode: CT16 1JH
This pub was formally know as the The Mash Tun.