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The Butchers Arms (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Exceptional4
Larkins - PorterExceptional4
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - KiplingExcellent1
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper TopExcellent4
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Silver TopExcellent3
Adnams - MildExcellent4
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESBExcellent1
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5Excellent2
Adnams - BroadsideExcellent5
Dark Star - FestivalGood1
Dark Star - Over The MoonNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent
Picture 2. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent

Visits Details

14 May 2011 (Mick)
In early, a small group of regulars in tonight, much banter, a good evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Broadside4.70ExcellentI like this, malty and rich but with just enough bitterness.
Adnams - Mild3.20ExcellentEverything a mild should be.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB5.50Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10Not Tried
12 Apr 2011 (Ken)
Beer and banter up to the mark as usual and a couple of pints of Larkin's Porter produced only the best quality tabbing.......Or so I seem to recall.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Larkins - Porter5.20ExceptionalPure nectar from the man reputed to talk to his hops to get the best out of them
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10Excellent
08 Apr 2011 (Mick)
First in tonight, heard the Larkins was on, just time for a quick one but had to try the Adnams as well.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Larkins - Porter5.20ExceptionalAndrew said it all really. Sublime.
Adnams - Broadside4.70ExcellentSuper, possibly my desert island beer.
Adnams - Mild3.20ExcellentLooks like a mild, not sure it tastes like a mild, a touch of Over the Moon? To fruity for a Mild but very nice.
Dark Star - Festival5.00Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10Not Tried
08 Apr 2011 (Andrew)
Ah the Butchers Arms. Plenty of folk in, including Glynn and KB. Conversation was revolving around the fun you can have at a swimming pool without needing to necessarily be in the water.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Larkins - Porter5.20ExceptionalOh yes. The Daddy of Porters is back. Just stunningly good. Stunningly good. Initial flavours are fruity with hints of burnt perspex. The main body is milk powder, roasted malt, slightly sour, slightly acidic. The finish is of acrid milk. Just lovely.
Adnams - Mild3.20ExcellentThis had an intriguing taste to it that I couldn't quite put my finger on. My synaesthesia told me it was green. Why? I've no idea.
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Dark Star - Festival5.00Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10Not Tried
06 Apr 2011 (Blair)
Gorgeous, sunny day so we decided to hike it over to the butchers. Great line-up, great atmosphere. awesome.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Larkins - Porter5.20ExceptionalThe perfect porter, end of.
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentJust the beer to coolf off after the stroll here.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10ExcellentStill a gorgeous beer, not as dark as I remember.
Adnams - Mild3.20ExcellentI really like this beer and I like the fact it's only 3.2% even more!
Dark Star - Festival5.00GoodNot my favourite dark star beer but still a jolly good pint.
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Dark Star - Over The Moon3.80Not Tried
02 Apr 2011 (Andrew)
A flying visit to pick up some take-out. It was busy with pork pies being consumed in large quantities. Convivial as always.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExceptionalWoohoo!
Adnams - Broadside4.70ExcellentLovejoy again popped into my mind. Bit of Tinker too. Clearly an evocative beer.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10ExcellentA Kent classic.
Dark Star - Over The Moon3.80Not Tried
Dark Star - Festival5.00Not Tried
26 Feb 2011 (Mick)
First in tonight but things soon picked up. To many to choose from tonight, not helped by knowing they would all be in excellent condition.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40ExcellentReally nice, a top quality bitter, malt and hops, in the peak of condition.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Silver Top4.50ExcellentSuper, rich malt and chocolate with a tart balance.
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling5.20Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10Not Tried
25 Feb 2011 (Ian)
Glad to see Martyn and the regulars who make the pub such a great place to go to finally getting the media recognition they all deserve. I had another great evening, sitting drinking great beer, chatting and meeting up with Andrew.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExceptionalCompared with the pint in the Dean Swift I had the following day, this was so much better. A beer I think that works better on gravity than on cask.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40ExcellentI love this beer. From the malty biscuit aroma, to the fullness in the mouth with more malt and the malty peppery hoppy finish.
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling5.20ExcellentThe right balance of Nelson Sauvin hops on this.
25 Feb 2011 (Ken)
Have you seen all the recent international acclaim about this award winning pub? I understand it's no longer just a great pub but apparently it's now a 'destination' pub. Which is good in a way because when you get there you know you were meant to be there. But that's enough philosophy for one day. The company was good, the beer was great and the banter was up to its usual standard. All that was missing was the presence of the world famous number one google search,'a fat local called simon'.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Broadside4.70Exceptional
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB5.50Excellent
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Silver Top4.50ExcellentA dark malty beer full of warming flavours.
25 Feb 2011 (Andrew)
Is there any point in making a comment about the Butchers Arms given the national press coverage recently? Well probably not but I'm going to anyway. Not having much time tonight I banged them back kind of sharpish which is actually the best way. Met Ian as planned and sat drinking a varying assortment of top quality beers. Got the bus home with Glyn-the-Roof and talked about hockey, beer, and why Martyn's boozer's probably the best there is. All in all a top quality night out.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Broadside4.70ExcellentI once stayed in a hotel in East Anglia that had a stable bar that served Broadside. I got cained. Have very fond memories of Broadside and this half brought it all back. I am now going to watch some Lovejoy on Youtube to get back in that grove, man.
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentGood stuff. Very fragrant, lots of grapefruit, very nice.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10ExcellentA brown bitter. Excellent, fruity, malty bitter.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Silver Top4.50ExcellentMilky with a slightly tart/sour edge to it and some roasted malt.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling5.20Not Tried

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About The Butchers Arms

The pub sign. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional239
Excellent424
Good92
Acceptable14
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Herne, Kent, CT6 7HL.

In the middle of Herne village in Herne Street, once the Canterbury Beer Shop selling beer straight from the cask. It is now a pub (with the same owner as before) and still does off-sales which is fantastic! Voted CAMRA Kent Pub of the Year in 2008 and East Kent CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2009 (...and not surprisingly). Regarded universally as the first micropub, which has spawned many similar ventures in East Kent and throughout the UK. Real ales are kept on gravity dispense in a cold room to the right and you will view this when you walk through it to the unisex toilet at the rear. Displays a Micropub Association Certificate of Registration warranting, annually, that it adheres to the tenets and ethics of the Association's definition of a micropub. Since post-Covid re-opening in October 2021 now open 5-8 Tuesday to Friday only. The landlord and founder of the Micropub Association, Martyn Hillier, was awarded an MBE in the 2024 New Years Honours list for services to Business and to Hospitality.

We have visited this pub 378 times, seen 164 different beers and tried 135 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CT6 7HL