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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Copper Ale |  | 1 |
| Wantsum - Becket's Brown Ale | | 1 |
| Hop Back - Entire Stout | | 1 |
| Downton - Chimera IPA | | 4 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 10 |
| Otter - Bitter | | 1 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 6 |
| Hop Back - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Cantium Strong Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Courage Directors (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Theakston - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Hopoholic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Shropshire Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Old Man | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Five Claw | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cellar Head - Session Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cellar Head - Fireside | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
12 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downton - Chimera IPA | 6.80 | | After being on several days once again this ale has even changed for the better to develop a fuller bitterness, albeit a more mellow one |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 |  | |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | 4.80 | Not Tried |
10 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. The big TV football crowd had mainly left.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otter - Bitter | 3.60 | | Fresh and clean |
| Downton - Chimera IPA | 6.80 | | Newish cask on, sharp bitterness and strong |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good but seemed to have a sourish hopped note, unusual for IPA |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | 4.80 | Not Tried |
07 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Consistently excellent here |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Almost last out of old cask and superb still. None left when tried to order an extra half at last knockings |
| Downton - Chimera IPA | 6.80 | | Been on a few days but still as fresh as a few days before |
| Theakston - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Hopoholic | 4.00 | Not Tried |
06 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Pleasing to see some The River Ale House regulars trying out this venue.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Theakston - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Chimera IPA | 6.80 | Not Tried |
05 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. As always being well patronised with footfall every night.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | The usual top form |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Came on yesterday and so very nourishing |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Theakston - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Chimera IPA | 6.80 | Not Tried |
03 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As one would expect here, top notch |
| Downton - Chimera IPA | 6.80 | | Not at all the menacing ale its ABV suggested but very very sharp bitterness made for sipping |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Cellar Head - Fireside | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Courage Directors (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | 4.80 | Not Tried |
27 May 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spot on |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Superb |
| Hop Back - Entire Stout | 4.50 | | Nourishing in this condition |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Cellar Head - Fireside | 5.20 | Not Tried |
26 May 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As it should be |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | 4½* First day on of a new cask and exceptional all round |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Cellar Head - Fireside | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Cantium Strong Mild | 4.80 | Not Tried |
19 May 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | | In fine form |
| Wantsum - Becket's Brown Ale | 4.50 | | Unusual dark ale but in top notch condition |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | I took the last half pulled from the old cask for my IPA fix. New cask not ready until tomorrow |
| Cellar Head - Session Pale Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Cellar Head - Fireside | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Five Claw | 5.10 | Not Tried |
15 May 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | 2nd last and last out of cask and still excellent - but noticed a more liquorice flavour coming through |
| Salopian - Shropshire Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Old Man | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Five Claw | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Becket's Brown Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 260 |
| 115 |
 | 15 |
 | 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 184 times, seen 271 different beers and tried 85 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA