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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop |  | 3 |
| Long Man - Old Man | | 2 |
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 4 |
| Larkins - Traditional | | 2 |
| Surrey Hills - Gilt Complex | | 1 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 4 |
| Larkins - Porter |  | 2 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 2 |
| Downton - Downton Dream | | 1 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | | 1 |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Anarchy - Blonde Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brains - The Rev James Original | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Courage Best Bitter (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Lavender Hill (originally exclusively for Nicholson's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Junction | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Great Newsome - Maillot Jaune | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wadworth - Blazing Hop | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
15 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Closed the evening with a bottle of Sambrook's Imperial Russian Stout.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Man - Old Man | 4.30 | | Delightful ale in prime condition |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Sometimes lacks just that little something |
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried |
14 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Man - Old Man | 4.30 | | Great condition, head and lacing |
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | | Been on a few days, not helped by having 2 porters available at same time |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | An odd tasting pale wherever I try it |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried |
11 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | | A great ale |
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | | A rather bitter porter holding good head and lacing |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Anarchy - Blonde Star | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Wadworth - Blazing Hop | 4.50 | Not Tried |
09 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. A young child just learnt to walk did just that and kept walking to the front door (to leave?).
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As usual here - spot on |
| Surrey Hills - Gilt Complex | 4.60 | | A real subtle flavour hit |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Great Newsome - Maillot Jaune | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Wadworth - Blazing Hop | 4.50 | Not Tried |
07 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | | Very fine indeed. Never disappoints |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | | On a few days, just had a half and good |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Great Newsome - Maillot Jaune | 3.80 | Not Tried |
05 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Just as it should be |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | 2nd day cask on - in peak condition |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
31 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | | Spot on - a pleasing bitter sweetness |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Very zingy mouthfeel |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Lavender Hill (originally exclusively for Nicholson's) | 4.50 | Not Tried |
29 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until clear.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Traditional | 3.40 | | Lost just a teeny something since last night's 4½* mark |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Nearing end of cask but no loss of condition |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Says something when the very last half out of the cask is pulled and is still up there |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried |
28 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Traditional | 3.40 | | 4½* Best of this ale I have ever had. For something of 3.4% it reeked of malts and hops, literally |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | 2nd day of this cask. Ideal condition |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Courage Best Bitter (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Downton Dream | 4.80 | Not Tried |
25 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | 5.00 | | If only it was served like this everywhere |
| Downton - Downton Dream | 4.80 | | Drank without really noticing |
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | Another suggested this was fresh on |
| Brains - The Rev James Original | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Courage Best Bitter (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | 4.00 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 268 |
| 141 |
 | 19 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 202 times, seen 295 different beers and tried 96 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA