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Royal Oak (Harvey's Brewery)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)Excellent1
Harvey's - Elizabethan AleExcellent1
Harvey's - Bonfire BoyExcellent1
Harvey's - Sussex Wild HopExcellent1
Harvey's - Christmas AleGood1
Harvey's - Sussex Pale AleGood9
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterGood5
Harvey's - Tom PaineNot Tried0
Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown AleNot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Two HalvesNot Tried0
Harvey's - St Richard's AleNot Tried0
Harvey's - Armada AleNot Tried0
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)Not Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSBNot Tried0
Harvey's - KissNot Tried0
Harvey's - PorterNot Tried0
Harvey's - Georgian DragonNot Tried0
Harvey's - Knots of May Light MildNot Tried0
Harvey's - Copperwheat BeerNot Tried0
Picture 1. Royal Oak, Borough, Central London
Picture 2. Royal Oak, Borough, Central London
Picture 3. Royal Oak, Borough, Central London
Stephen Harris

Visits Details

14 Aug 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. SPBW's second in command Alistair was quiet in the corner until disturbed!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Good
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50AcceptableDisappointing. It quickly lost its edge as the pint went down
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown Ale4.80Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Two Halves3.50Not Tried
Harvey's - St Richard's Ale5.00Not Tried
30 Jul 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Early evening. Numbers swelled by diners and a London Regional CAMRA meeting.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50GoodTad fresh I thought
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Copperwheat Beer4.80Not Tried
Harvey's - Tom Paine5.50Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB4.80Not TriedRan out
Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop3.70Not Tried
11 Jun 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Some Irish fiddle players were entertaining us. Unusually depleted beer range - oh the heat does it, the heat.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentMoreish
Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop3.70Excellent
Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Georgian Dragon4.70Not Tried
28 May 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50Excellent
Harvey's - Elizabethan Ale7.50ExcellentLovely nightcap
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild3.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB4.80Not TriedRan out
Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop3.70Not Tried
12 Apr 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Afternoon. Rare daylight visit - just not the same as at night.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50AcceptableFresh, yeasty and chilled
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Porter4.80Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB4.80Not Tried
Harvey's - Georgian Dragon4.70Not Tried
26 Mar 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Guv John was in fine form reminiscing about his hotel trade career and the characters who formed the dynasties in those days.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Excellent
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50ExcellentFuller bodied, perhaps, than usual
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not TriedRan out
Harvey's - Porter4.80Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB4.80Not TriedRan out
12 Feb 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Excellent
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50ExcellentCan knock Best into a cocked hat - did tonight
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not TriedRan out
Harvey's - Kiss4.80Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB4.80Not TriedRan out
29 Jan 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Good
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50GoodPerhaps too fresh
Harvey's - Christmas Ale7.50GoodNicely rounded. The hit came later
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB4.80Not Tried
11 Dec 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Acceptable
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50Acceptable
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB4.80Not Tried
Harvey's - Christmas Ale7.50Not TriedLower abv than previous years but £5.50 pp
28 Nov 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Bonfire Boy5.80ExcellentStarve a fever feed a cold. So I did just that with this superb full bodied food
Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale3.50Excellent
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB4.80Not TriedRan out

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About the Royal Oak

The pub sign. Royal Oak, Borough, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional11
Excellent139
Good108
Acceptable33
Poor4

Website.

The pub is found in Borough, Central London, SE1 4JU.

Harvey's first tied pub in the capital. Corner pub in Tabard Street, near Borough Underground station. Feels like an oasis from the bustle of London Bridge / Borough High Street. Two bare-boarded rooms in a pub with a central bar and an off-sales hatch. Superb John Harvey Room upstairs may be used for meetings and functions and is freely available. Lots of dark wood and cream walls. 4 handpumps on each bar counter so 8 in all. Comfortable atmosphere. Also has comprehensive selection of Harvey's beer in bottles. Became a managed house after the departure, to retirement, of long term tenant licensees in January 2019. Local CAMRA branch Overall Pub of the Year 2023 and 2025, having been runner-up in 2022.

We have visited this pub 166 times, seen 54 different beers and tried 31 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE1 4JU