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Blythe Hill Tavern (Ei Group (formerly Enterprise Inns))

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Clarence & Fredericks - Best BitterExcellent1
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideExcellent1
Marston's - BassExcellent1
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Excellent2
Westerham - Special Bitter Ale "1965"Good1
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterGood2
Hepworth - Harvest AleAcceptable1
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Best Bitter (use Marston's entry now please)Not Tried0
Dark Star - Hylder BlondeNot Tried0
Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut)Not Tried0
Tring - MoonGazerNot Tried0
Picture 1. Blythe Hill Tavern, Forest Hill, Greater London
Picture 2. Blythe Hill Tavern, Forest Hill, Greater London
Picture 3. Blythe Hill Tavern, Forest Hill, Greater London

Visits Details

19 Feb 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Superb service.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10ExcellentFine form with the old hop essence there
Marston's - Bass4.40Excellent
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00AcceptableJust too fruity and lacking bitterness
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Best Bitter (use Marston's entry now please)4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Tring - MoonGazer4.30Not Tried
10 Jan 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Service always "old fashioned" superb here.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Clarence & Fredericks - Best Bitter4.10Excellent
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Best Bitter (use Marston's entry now please)4.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut)4.00Not Tried
26 Oct 2012 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. Still thriving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentAs it should be
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Best Bitter (use Marston's entry now please)4.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Dark Star - Hylder Blonde4.20Not Tried
13 Oct 2012 (Philip Pirrip)
Quite late into the Evening visit to a dying breed of multi-roomed boozer. Racing on TV - must be from abroad somewhere. Took a little used to sussing the layout and finding a niche. Friendly and attentive service from behind the bar.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentPretty much always reliable
Hepworth - Harvest Ale4.50AcceptableI didn't take to this. Very sour sharp taste but it was not off
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not TriedJust ran out, new cask on which had not yet settled. Clip then turned round
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Best Bitter (use Marston's entry now please)4.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
14 Mar 2011 (Magnus Greel)
I managed to persuade my esteemed friend ChrisE that this pub might be worth the short bus ride (185 Catford bound) from Forest Hill station and it came up trumps. Cracking unspoilt timewarp pub with a small but impressive choice in an otherwise beer desert part of London.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentGreat to see this beer in the London area, didn't disappoint either, worthy of its GBG entry.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Best Bitter (use Marston's entry now please)4.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Westerham - Special Bitter Ale "1965"5.00Not Tried
14 Mar 2011 (ChrisE)
We had never been here before, and we had not really researched it either, so we were absolutely stunned when we entered this superb pub. We sat in the front bar and enjoyed chatting to some very interesting local characters.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Westerham - Special Bitter Ale "1965"5.00Good
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Best Bitter (use Marston's entry now please)4.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried

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About the Blythe Hill Tavern

The pub sign. Blythe Hill Tavern, Forest Hill, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent50
Good92
Acceptable47
Poor8

Website.

The pub is found in Forest Hill, Greater London, SE23 1JB.

On the very busy Stanstead Road served by several London bus routes. A traditional street corner with a superb unspoilt interior. There are still three separate rooms with a public bar on the corner, a saloon to the left and a large room running across the back of the pub. A snug/off-sales has been incorporated into the public bar but that seems the only major change since its 1920s refit. A quirky feature is that customers can cross through the servery from the back room to the saloon. This pub was listed in the CAMRA Regional Inventory for London then in February 2013 the pub was added to CAMRA's National Inventory Part One - a high accolade indeed. Grade II listing followed in 2022. Voted SE London CAMRA branch Pub of the Year in 2012, 2015 and again in 2018. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2015. Handpumps in both public (4) and saloon bar (1) areas. Truly awesome cider / perry range here, all served on gravity dispense from the cellar. Changed hands February / March 2025 when long term licensee Con left.

We have visited this pub 126 times, seen 60 different beers and tried 27 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE23 1JB