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The Cock Tavern (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Kernel (The Kernel) - India Pale Ale - Topaz |  | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Poacher |  | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - US Pale XX | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mild Ale (Hopped for Export) | | 2 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Chocolate Stout | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Old London Victorian Stout | | 2 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Old Street Pale | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Imperial Stout | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Ruby Red | | 2 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale - US-Hopped | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Stock Ale – Slovenian Hopped | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - English Light Ale | | 2 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - London Sour – Cherry | | 1 |
| London Brewing Co. - Vista |  | 1 |
| Late Knights - Worm Catcher IPA | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - IPA - Five Hop | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - US Pale (Brew ED 01!) | | 2 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pacific Gold (Brew E.D.02) | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Green Bullet | | 3 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - US Pale (Batch 02) | | 2 |
| Marble - Little Jim | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Gold (Batch No. 1) |  | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Summer | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - American Amber Ale | | 1 |
| Late Knights - Crack of Dawn Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pacifica | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Wild Swan (was 3.5%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Partridge Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Trinity | Not Tried | 0 |
| East London (ELB) - Quadrant Oatmeal Stout (now please use 5.5% entry | Not Tried | 0 |
| Magic Rock - Rapture | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling | Not Tried | 0 |
| Magic Rock - Curious | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pitfield's - Hewitt's Opus No. 5 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ilkley - Mary Jane | Not Tried | 0 |
| Silver Brewhouse (formerly Raw) - Anubis Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| By The Horns - Lambeth Walk | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tiny Rebel - Cwtch | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marble - Little Evelyn | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Festival | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Big Chief | Not Tried | 0 |
| Triple fff - Pressed Rat & Warthog | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
12 Dec 2012 (Stephen Harris)
It’s quite busy here in the early evening, but the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, with nothing of the air of panic that seems to overcome central London pubs at this time of year.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Imperial Stout | 10.50 | | Well-priced at £4 a pint and many people were indulging. I limited myself to a half. It is a black, smooth, liquoricey stout, with a strength that tastes like somebody has slipped a triple brandy in when you weren’t looking. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Stock Ale – Slovenian Hopped | 4.20 | | No surprise really to find that this is a pale and well-hopped beer. |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - London Sour – Cherry | 3.70 | | Mouth-puckering, pink-coloured, sour, cherry beer that is full of brettanomyces. Bang-on the Belgian style, although I kidded myself that I could taste Kentish rather than Schaerbeek cherries. On keg dispense, but the light carbonation and chilling does little harm to this beer style. |
| Triple fff - Pressed Rat & Warthog | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Citra | 3.10 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Partridge Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| East London (ELB) - Quadrant Oatmeal Stout (now please use 5.5% entry | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale - US-Hopped | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - English Light Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
08 Dec 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
A few refugees from the Pig's Ear Beer festival passing through.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - US Pale XX | 5.00 | | A pale hop bomb with five classic USA hops: Citra/Columbus/Cascade/Centennial/Simcoe. Hops do all the work in this with little malt flavour and a huge citrus hop flavour and finish. My score 16/20. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Green Bullet | 4.00 | | Pale with a slight haze. Bitter with a dry citrus hop flavour leading to a dry, hoppy finish. My score 14/20. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - American Amber Ale | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale - US-Hopped | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - IPA - Five Hop | 6.10 | Not Tried |
07 Dec 2012 (Stephen Harris)
I broke away from the Pig’s Ear Beer Festival for an evening drink here – many others doing the same. Throughout the festival week, this pub has featured eight home-brewed real ales alongside eight ciders/perries.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - English Light Ale | 4.50 | | A light amber colour – really fresh and hoppy, with Admiral, First Gold and Bramling Cross hops. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Old London Victorian Stout | 6.50 | | Hugely impressive, smooth stout with burnt/roasty and chocolate tastes. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - IPA - Five Hop | 6.10 | | Fiercely hoppy, strong pale ale. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pacifica | 4.00 | | A yellowish-coloured and very cloudy, single-hop beer. Lemony. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Green Bullet | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - American Amber Ale | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mild Ale (Hopped for Export) | 3.30 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Summer | 4.20 | Not Tried |
23 Nov 2012 (Stephen Harris)
Bustling in the early evening, and a really good, beery atmosphere.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mild Ale (Hopped for Export) | 3.30 | | A dark, malty, chocolaty beer that is also refreshingly hoppy (not quite sure that it ought to be called a mild, but boundaries on these things are increasingly blurred). |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Ruby Red | 5.00 | | Described as a ‘Dinner Ale’. Ruby red in colour. Has both malt sweetness at start and hop bitterness in the finish. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Summer | 4.20 | | A single hop beer using the Summer hop variety from Australia. A very cloudy, gold colour. Bitter, dry and lemony, but this example mostly yeasty. |
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Festival | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - Big Chief | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Chocolate Stout | 5.20 | Not Tried |
13 Nov 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Steady passing trade early on a Tuesday evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mild Ale (Hopped for Export) | 3.30 | | Dark brown/red in colour with quite a high fruity hoppiness that isn't too bitter. The malt gives an extra layer of chocolatey sweetness whilst the finish is of fruity hop flavours. My score 16/20. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Ruby Red | 5.00 | | Colour as expected with plenty of fruity hop flavours of citrus and tropical fruit balanced by some toffee malt flavours. Lingering fruity hop finish. My score 16/20. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Old London Victorian Stout | 6.50 | | Excellent stout that manages to hold a perfect balance of roasty malt flavours and fruity hoppiness. Full bodied with a dry roast finish with a hint of hop. My score 16/20. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - English Light Ale | 4.50 | | Pale bitter with a good balance of hop and malt with hoppy fruitiness just dominating. The finish is clean and fruity. My score 15/20. |
02 Nov 2012 (Stephen Harris)
Very busy on Friday night. Ed the Brewer came and joined our table and it was good to catch up with his brewery news and plans for various beers, including a forthcoming Imperial Stout.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kernel (The Kernel) - India Pale Ale - Topaz | 6.00 | | I was pleased to see this beer again after very much enjoying it at the recent Borefts Bier Festival. Even by Kernel's high standards, this is a stand-out, superb, hoppy strong ale. Here on key keg dispense. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Green Bullet | 4.00 | | The cask version of this beer, also available here in keg form. Very nicely-hopped bitter. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale - US-Hopped | 3.80 | | After plenty of experimentation around the Pale Ale theme, this is apparently the long-term version of this fruity hoppy beer. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - American Amber Ale | 5.10 | | Amber/brown in colour, un-fined, very cloudy and fiercely bitter-hopped. I found this beer a bit too challenging. One of my friends however thought it the best beer he had drank in ages. |
| Ilkley - Mary Jane | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Silver Brewhouse (formerly Raw) - Anubis Porter | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| By The Horns - Lambeth Walk | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Tiny Rebel - Cwtch | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Marble - Little Evelyn | 7.00 | Not Tried |
14 Oct 2012 (Stephen Harris)
Quite busy through the afternoon.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Poacher | 4.00 | | Golden and really smoothly hoppy – a green hop beer using ‘hedgerow’ hops. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Chocolate Stout | 5.20 | | Near black in colour, and very chocolaty indeed. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - US Pale (Batch 02) | 3.80 | | Quite extreme in its paleness and very sharply hoppy character (Columbus, Galena and Willemette hops used). |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Magic Rock - Curious | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Pitfield's - Hewitt's Opus No. 5 | 6.50 | Not Tried |
06 Oct 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Fairly quiet on a Saturday lunchtime, meaning time for an impromptu visit to the brewery in the cellar.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Brewing Co. - Vista | 4.50 | | Amber bitter with good citrus hop character and a little malt balance. My score 15/20. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - US Pale (Batch 02) | 3.80 | | Very pale and slightly hazy from the hops, which were shown as Columbus, Galena and Willamette on the pumpclip. Very hoppy with a grassy citrus bite and some malt balance. My score 15/20. |
15 Sep 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Quiet on a Saturday afternoon with a gradual increase in punters.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pacific Gold (Brew E.D.02) | 5.00 | | Strong pale bitter with good citrus and fruit aroma/taste from Pacific Gem, Pacific Jade and Pacifica hops. Dryish fruity finish. My score 15/20. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Gold (Batch No. 1) | 5.00 | | A rather dry strong pale gold bitter. Strong hop character but little malt backup leading to a dry, hoppy finish. My score 14/20. |
| Late Knights - Crack of Dawn Pale Ale | 3.90 | | A dryish and quite bitter pale ale with a dryish hop finish. Believed to be brewed at Truefitt brewery. My score 14/20. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - US Pale (Brew ED 01!) | 4.00 | | Very pale with a "hop haze" and a big hop bite from Columbus, Galena and Nugget hops. Rather one dimensional for my taste. My score 14/20. |
12 Sep 2012 (Stephen Harris)
Quite a long session in this great pub, which by 9:00pm had become pretty busy. As well as the beer list, we worked our way down the pork pie list.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Old Street Pale | 5.00 | | Very pale in colour. Sweetish, fruity hop tastes. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - US Pale (Brew ED 01!) | 4.00 | | Further experimentation with the Pale Ale recipe has seen a split into US Pale and Pacific Pale – this brew hopped with Columbus, Galena and Nugget to make a very pale, very bitter, dry pint. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Green Bullet | 4.00 | | Howling Hops’ first venture into the popular ‘key keg’ format. Unfiltered and hazy, with just a little tingle of carbonation. Sharply hoppy (although not really ‘musty’ in the way I usually associate with Green Bullet) and very pale. |
| Marble - Little Jim | 6.90 | | A real mix of flavours here. Big and bold, with some citrusy hop and some sweet fruit. Reddish in colour and with a little burn from rye. |
| Late Knights - Worm Catcher IPA | 5.00 | | Described as an IPA. Amber, full-bodied and quite hoppy – offset by a bit of a caramel taste at the end. I do not know in which brewery this beer was brewed. CORRECTION - I've just been told this was brewed at Truefitt Brewery in Middlesborough. |
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Wild Swan (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Magic Rock - Rapture | 4.60 | Not Tried |
About The Cock Tavern
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 15 |
| 187 |
| 90 |
| 28 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Hackney, Greater London, E8 1EJ.
There was a pub called the Cock in Hackney village as early as the 1650s, and in 1661 it was the venue for ‘Popish Conspirators’, plotting an unsuccessful assassination attempt on King Charles II. Nobody is quite sure if this was the predecessor of today’s pub – but the present pub was certainly around by the 1830s and was rebuilt in its present form by Truman’s Brewery in around 1930. Very much a down-market, high street, strictly ‘no real ale’ sort of place, it closed in early 2012 for refurbishment, and re-opened on 18 July 2012 as a real ale champion, complete with in-house ‘Howling Hops’ micro-brewery (subsequently relocated to larger premises). This pub is sister pub to the Southampton Arms in Kentish Town.
We have visited this pub 124 times, seen 426 different beers and tried 269 of them.
Postcode: E8 1EJ