PubsandBeer

History: Home > Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)

Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)

[Back to most recent] [Previous Visits] [More Visits]

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Surrey Hills - CollusionExcellent1
Titanic - Plum PorterExcellent2
Surrey Hills - Gilt ComplexExcellent1
Tonbridge - American PaleExcellent1
Palmers - IPA (Best)Excellent7
Palmers - 200 Premium AleExcellent4
Palmers - Tally Ho!Excellent3
Hop Back - CitraGood1
Timothy Taylor - LandlordGood1
Wadworth - 6XNot Tried0
Sharp's - Sea FuryNot Tried0
Ringwood - BoondoggleNot Tried0
Robinsons - TrooperNot Tried0
Dorking - Pilcrow PaleNot Tried0
Oakham - CitraNot Tried0
Tonbridge - RusticNot Tried0
Dorking - Aldhurst OriginalNot Tried0
Westerham - Alt EgoNot Tried0
Otter - BitterNot Tried0
Surrey Hills - Ranmore AleNot Tried0
Westerham - British BulldogNot Tried0
Dorking - Extra Pale Ale XPA (was 3.8%Not Tried0
Tonbridge - CoppernobNot Tried0
Downton - Chimera IPANot Tried0
Anarchy - Blonde StarNot Tried0
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red SkyNot Tried0
Picture 1. Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House), Addiscombe, Greater London

Visits Details

14 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - 200 Premium Ale5.00ExcellentAs it should be
Surrey Hills - Gilt Complex4.60ExcellentTried this for a change from Palmers IPA and well rewarded
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Westerham - British Bulldog4.10Not Tried
Dorking - Extra Pale Ale XPA (was 3.8%3.40Not Tried
Westerham - Alt Ego4.50Not Tried
11 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentAs normal - excellent
Palmers - 200 Premium Ale5.00GoodNew cask on and compared with the usual 200 this was rather thin and fresh
Otter - Bitter3.60Not Tried
Surrey Hills - Ranmore Ale3.80Not TriedRan put
Surrey Hills - Collusion5.20Not Tried
Dorking - Pilcrow Pale4.00Not TriedNew cask came on
Westerham - Alt Ego4.50Not Tried
10 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - 200 Premium Ale5.00ExcellentPerhaps because followed a Surrey Hills Collusion this seemed very malty
Surrey Hills - Collusion5.20ExcellentSuperb but a much drier bitterness than I recall when had elsewhere before
Otter - Bitter3.60Not Tried
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Surrey Hills - Ranmore Ale3.80Not Tried
Westerham - Alt Ego4.50Not Tried
07 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentAs expected
Palmers - 200 Premium Ale5.00ExcellentLovely stuff, drownable in
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
Oakham - Citra4.20Not TriedRan out
Tonbridge - Rustic4.00Not Tried
Dorking - Aldhurst Original3.50Not Tried
Westerham - Alt Ego4.50Not TriedCame on late
01 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close, plus a bit. Well packed with an engagement party at the back end with karaoke.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - Tally Ho!5.50ExcellentSpiffing pints
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30GoodGood but lacking that little something
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Anarchy - Blonde Star4.10Not TriedRan out
Robinsons - Trooper4.70Not Tried
Dorking - Pilcrow Pale4.00Not Tried
30 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Excellent
Palmers - Tally Ho!5.50ExcellentVery very downable
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
Ringwood - Boondoggle4.20Not Tried
Anarchy - Blonde Star4.10Not Tried
Robinsons - Trooper4.70Not Tried
26 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Excellent
Tonbridge - American Pale5.00ExcellentUnusually a stronger Tonbridge jobbie and very good one too
Hop Back - Citra4.00Good
Ringwood - Boondoggle4.20Not Tried
Sharp's - Sea Fury5.00Not Tried
Robinsons - Trooper4.70Not Tried
24 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Any plans to visit elsewhere abandoned by pure ale quality here tonight.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Excellent
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90Excellent
Wadworth - 6X4.10Not Tried
Hop Back - Citra4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Sea Fury5.00Not TriedFor some perverse reason selling well tonight
Tonbridge - American Pale5.00Not Tried
23 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. More tram disruption truncated the session start by 25 minutes.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Excellent
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90ExcellentWould be difficult to serve this much better
Wadworth - 6X4.10Not Tried
Hop Back - Citra4.00Not Tried
Tonbridge - American Pale5.00Not Tried
20 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Trams terminating at Addiscombe tonight did not affect journey there or back.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentRather rushed it down to get my hands on the Tally Ho!
Palmers - Tally Ho!5.50ExcellentBlissful enough
Tonbridge - Coppernob3.80Not Tried
Downton - Chimera IPA6.80Not Tried
Anarchy - Blonde Star4.10Not Tried
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky4.10Not Tried

[Back to most recent] [Previous Visits] [More Visits]

About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)

The pub sign. Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House), Addiscombe, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional5
Excellent279
Good158
Acceptable22
Poor1

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 217 times, seen 312 different beers and tried 101 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CR0 7AA