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The Hoptimist Taproom & Bar (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Kent - The Quiet American |  | 2 |
| Kent - Black Gold | | 1 |
| Kent - Green Giant | | 1 |
| Kent - Session Pale | | 1 |
| Kent - Sunset | | 1 |
| Musket - Gracious | | 1 |
| Three Legs - Mosaic Pale | | 1 |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Countryman | | 1 |
| Hop Fuzz - American | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Das Kölner |  | 1 |
| Triple fff - Comfortably Numb (spent a while at 5.4%) | | 1 |
| Milestone - Lion's Pride | | 1 |
| Three Legs - New Zealand | | 1 |
| Musket - Trigger | | 1 |
| Milestone - Honey Porter | | 1 |
| Romney Marsh - Amber Ale | | 1 |
| Kent - Café Brasilia | | 1 |
| Kent - Winter Ale | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - She Sells Sea Shells | | 1 |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Cosmic Jive (now use 3.4% entry) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Northdown - Tidal Moon | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Skylarking | Not Tried | 0 |
| Buxton - Right to Roam | Not Tried | 0 |
| Northern Whisper - Beltie | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Gresham Hopper (was 3.7%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Three Legs - Pale #2 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Musket - Powder Burn | Not Tried | 0 |
| Musket - Ball Puller | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
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 |
11 May 2023 (Jack William)
Second-Thursday bus-pass outing. They opened early at noon for the six of us. A very enjoyable session and the place was very busy by mid afternoon. Danny continues to be a very good host.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Black Gold | 4.00 | | |
| Musket - Gracious | 5.30 | | |
| Triple fff - Comfortably Numb (spent a while at 5.4%) | 5.00 | | Chalked up at 5.4% |
| Musket - Trigger | 3.60 | | A bit hazy, drank well though. |
23 Feb 2023 (Jack William)
Afternoon visit, a raft of familiar faces, lively conversation. Excellent way to while away an hour or so before my train home.
Excellent best bitter from Parkway - Grand Slam - at 4.2%
And a “peanut butter stout” from 4 T’s at 4.8% called Squirrel’s Heaven. I wasn’t tempted.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hop Fuzz - American | 4.20 | | |
| Pig & Porter - Skylarking | 4.00 | Not Tried | Appropriate beer for the time of year. A group of skylarks is an exultation! |
06 Jan 2023 (Jack William)
Late afternoon- pleased to get this excellent pub on my 2023 list already. I knew 3 people and recognised a few more - Network Rail Martin, Polish Tony and oop north Saul. I really must learn people’s surnames sometime!
Talked about the revamped Thirtsy Scarecrow- now Staggered Inn and thought I ought to give it a try.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Legs - Mosaic Pale | 4.50 | | Superb unfined pale ale. |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Musket - Powder Burn | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Musket - Ball Puller | 4.00 | Not Tried |
13 Oct 2022 (Jack William)
Bus pass Thursday group. Five of us just about doubled the customer numbers for about three hours. The locals were very friendly, Danny the landlord welcoming and still very engaging and enthusiastic about his beers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Green Giant | 6.00 | | |
| Kent - The Quiet American | 4.20 | | |
| Milestone - Lion's Pride | 3.80 | | |
| Milestone - Honey Porter | 4.90 | |
08 Sep 2022 (Jack William)
Mid afternoon- swift one between buses. Nicely busy.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - She Sells Sea Shells | 4.70 | | |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster Stout | 6.20 | Not Tried | Selling well at £4 a pint. |
| Tonbridge - Countryman | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Three Legs - Pale #2 | 3.70 | Not Tried | #3 same strength |
06 May 2022 (Jack William)
Late afternoon- sunny Dover. Good crowd in - and I bumped into (separately) two old Dovorians who have both recently moved back. Up and coming town, Dover.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Special House Ale | 3.80 | | Splendid amber ale - recommended by a local. |
| Northern Whisper - Beltie | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Gresham Hopper (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried |
26 Mar 2022 (Jack William)
Stop 2. First time in the sun-trap that is the back yard. Bustling Saturday fast.
Pub & Porter, Forever Lost also on cask at 5.3%
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Café Brasilia | 4.30 | | Heavy coffee notes. |
| Pig & Porter - Skylarking | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Buxton - Right to Roam | 3.80 | Not Tried |
22 Feb 2022 (Jack William)
Very busy for a Tuesday afternoon. Guvnor told me that the local CAMRA branch can’t decide on a venue for the White Cliffs beer festival next year - he thinks that the town hall is closed for refurbishment until 2025.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - The Quiet American | 4.20 | | Very pale, lovely aftertaste. |
| Kent - Sunset | 4.30 | | Top condition, full bodied. |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Northdown - Tidal Moon | 5.80 | Not Tried |
About The Hoptimist Taproom & Bar
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 28 |
| 25 |
 | 3 |
 | - |
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.
We have visited this pub 28 times, seen 87 different beers and tried 51 of them.
Postcode: CT16 1JH
This pub was formally know as the The Mash Tun.