The River Ale House (Free House)
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Stephen Harris
Visits Details
08 Aug 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | 4.20 |  | Unexciting like most Tonbridge beers but drinkable after the Bellfield Lucky Spence debacle |
Kent - Brewers Reserve | 5.00 |  | Alas last out of cask, else would have remained on it through the session |
Bellfield - Lucky Spence | 3.50 |  | Lemon juice murk one dimensional, chore to finish. No pre-warning would be a murk |
Tonbridge - Countryman | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Beerblefish - Lady Mildmay | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Single Hop Mosaic Gold | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
06 Aug 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Chapter - 17. Taller Than a House | 3.90 |  | By the second pint really loved this for its a fullness of flavour |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Single Hop Mosaic Gold | 4.90 |  | Good condition but sickly one dimensional lemon juice job |
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Best | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Bad Seed - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Summit | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
Beerblefish - Lady Mildmay | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
05 Aug 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Subpoenaed to a fellow's 55th this was a late evening visit until close.
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Best | 4.10 |  | Uninspiring basic mid brown job |
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Summit | 5.30 |  | |
Bad Seed - Session IPA | 4.00 |  | Bad Seed used to produce some fine beers. With no pre-warning this was a cloud murk brew, ugh |
Saltaire - South Island Pale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
Beerblefish - Lady Mildmay | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
04 Aug 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late visit until close.
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Summit | 5.30 |  | Did not sense its higher ABV |
Beerblefish - Edmonton Best Bitter | 4.30 |  | An OK basic wet dog bitter |
Saltaire - South Island Pale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Merchant's Stout | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Weird Beard - Saltacious Plum | 3.90 | Not Tried | Ran out, that's 36 sold somehow |
03 Aug 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Swannay (formerly Highland) - Scapa Special | 4.20 |  | |
Weird Beard - Mariana Trench | 5.30 |  | I thought the in your face-ness of the hopping had mellowed a little |
Beerblefish - Edmonton Best Bitter | 4.30 |  | New cask on, basic smooth bitter |
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | 4.10 | Not Tried | Ran out |
Saltaire - South Island Pale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Merchant's Stout | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Summit | 5.30 | Not Tried | On very late, primarily for tomorrow onwards |
Weird Beard - Saltacious Plum | 3.90 | Not Tried | Hanging on |
01 Aug 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Weird Beard - Mariana Trench | 5.30 |  | This is too much in your face hopping, only just tolerable as is a higher ABV ale |
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | 4.10 |  | Bit of an unusual backtaste |
Swannay (formerly Highland) - Scapa Special | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Merchant's Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Weird Beard - Saltacious Plum | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - NZ Pale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
30 Jul 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Mystic | 3.60 |  | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Merchant's Stout | 4.00 |  | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Milestone - Summer Breeze | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
Wild Beer Co. - Bibble | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Weird Beard - Saltacious Plum | 3.90 | Not Tried | Delivered in a pin |
29 Jul 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The eternal search for mid-brown English floral hopped bitters continues. I can see what motivates me to seek Abbot when all else fails, as it so often does.
Wild Beer Co. - Bibble | 4.20 |  | Boring citrus |
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Mystic | 3.60 |  | Tolerable citrus |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Milestone - Summer Breeze | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Merchant's Stout | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Weird Beard - Saltacious Plum | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
Bad Seed - Sprint Train | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
28 Jul 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening until close.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Mystic | 3.60 |  | Too citrus for me but could not fault condition |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Merchant's Stout | 4.00 |  | |
Weird Beard - Saltacious Plum | 3.90 |  | Very big disappointment as promised plums and blackberries failed to come through. Just a salty sour sour. And at £6 a pop too! |
Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
East London (ELB) - Foundation Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Milestone - Summer Breeze | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
Bad Seed - Sprint Train | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
26 Jul 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Late visit until close.
Milestone - Summer Breeze | 4.60 |  | Raspberry infused |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 |  | Turned out to be last out of cask |
Milestone - Raspberry Wheat Beer | 5.60 | Not Tried | Ran out |
Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
East London (ELB) - Foundation Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Beerblefish - Viking Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | Amazingly still there |
Bad Seed - Sprint Train | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
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