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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition |  | 1 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - 1838 | | 1 |
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter | | 1 |
| Five Points - Pale | | 2 |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | | 2 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | | 2 |
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) |  | 1 |
| Oakham - Maelstrom Cask Aged | | 2 |
| Five Points - Brick Field Brown | | 2 |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | | 4 |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | | 2 |
| Kent - The Quiet American | | 2 |
| Mighty Oak - Saint | | 1 |
| Siren Craft - Mum's The Word |  | 1 |
| Bexley - Redhouse |  | 1 |
| Kent - Quantum | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | Not Tried | 0 |
| Park - Saw Pit | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sureshot - Small Man's Wetsuit | Not Tried | 0 |
| Verdant - Lightbulb | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Perun | Not Tried | 0 |
| Northern Monk - Sup | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Burntwood Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Cohort | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tiny Rebel - Great Scott | Not Tried | 0 |
| Park - Ballet Loop | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
06 Mar 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - 1838 | 4.50 | | Brewed on the Union Set. Quality Thornbridge ale |
| Five Points - Brick Field Brown | 5.40 | | Dead in the glass. Not a sign of any condition |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Burntwood Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Cohort | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Tiny Rebel - Great Scott | 3.40 | Not Tried | A duty buster ale |
| Park - Ballet Loop | 3.60 | Not Tried |
04 Mar 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving. An evening home-game for Charlton FC had been played and so the usual fans in among the regulars. I just managed to miss the fans' combined time of arrival and so did not need to queue to be served as they were all busy by then toasting their evening's victory with many a real ale being supped!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter | 3.80 | | Fresh on this evening and to welcome the fans back from their game. Very good head and lacing on this Erith-based brewery's bitter. A dry bitter first hit. A maltiness lingered in the mouthfeel and not sweet despite a mention of a biscuity taste. A moreishly dry aftertaste meant I stuck to it apart from a couple of halves of other favourites to end on. |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | | Fourth night on and not as much head and lacing as when first tried on Sunday and did not hold it for long. Still a very sweet and bitter first hit. This fruity barley wine from Maidstone had more than just a touch of sweetness. A pleasant bitterness lingered on. |
| Five Points - Brick Field Brown | 5.40 | | First night on also for this Hackney-based brown ale and came with excellent head and lacing and held it well as I bought it a good 20 minutes before supping. It had a sweet mouthfeel from the demerara and a moreish smokiness lingering. I could not taste the hazelnuts in it but it sounded a good addition to also throw in for extra flavouring. |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Quantum | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Tiny Rebel - Great Scott | 3.40 | Not Tried |
02 Mar 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with some of the Sunday regulars in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | | Second day on for this Maidstone Strong Ale and still with good head and lacing. A very dry first hit. A sweet barley wine mouthfeel about it and lingering. |
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 | | Very good head and lacing on this Essex-based Citra pale from Maldon on its first day on. A very dry, hoppy and citrusy first hit. A sharpness in the mouthfeel with all the fruits erupting including passion fruit, nectarine and orange. A dryness overtook the fruitiness in the lingering aftertaste. |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | | Good head and lacing on its first day on for this Peterborough-based single-hopped IPA. A hoppy and very dry first hit. It was only mildly sweet in the mouthfeel despite the big tropical and citrus hop flavours mentioned in the tasting notes. There was a dry and ever so slightly sweet aftertaste. |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | | Good head and lacing on this Hackney-based pale and now on its second night. Certainly nothing like as fruity as Mighty Oak's Kings with a more subtle citrusy flavouring and resinous notes lingering. |
| Bexley - Redhouse | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Northern Monk - Sup | 3.40 | Not Tried |
02 Mar 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Good to see a pair of 6%+ers on the same menu.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | | Peak condition |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | | Slight woody taste |
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - Redhouse | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Northern Monk - Sup | 3.40 | Not Tried |
01 Mar 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall throughout with many of the Saturday regulars in and for the last hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | | Fresh on today was this Maidstone Strong Ale and a very creamy head with much lacing to it. A sweetish bitter first hit. It had a sweetness like a sherry which I have not done for many a year! A pleasantly dry hoppy mouthfeel and also with a caramelly sweetness from those malts lingering. |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | | Superb in every way after the Bexley. Very good head and lacing on this Hackney pale fresh on today. A hoppy and moreishly dry first hit. A mildly fruity, as in citrusy, first hit with a pleasant oiliness from the hops used. It was also like a beer from the wood with resinous notes in it and was suitably dry in its aftertaste. Another had to follow and much liked by the other Saturday regulars as well and indeed was recommended by them. |
| Bexley - Redhouse | 4.20 | | Not much head and lacing on this Erith-based ruby bitter and soon vanished. The consensus from the Saturday regulars was not to have more than one and I soon came to that conclusion as well! It had a first hit of biscuity and caramelly maltiness but otherwise was hugely lacklustre in flavouring. Little conditioning seemed to be apparent. A shame as fresh on today to be so flat! |
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Perun | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mum's The Word | 5.50 | Not Tried | Eighth night and not surprised still on as definitely an acquired taste! |
| Northern Monk - Sup | 3.40 | Not Tried |
28 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Unbelievably busy in every crevice of this two-roomed micro-pub for last 30 minutes of serving. Maybe a second day of almost constant sunshine has brought everyone out of hibernation after all? I spotted a seat when I came in amongst regulars and got that after ordering a first pint and which like a pint the night before ceased immediately upon asking for it! Just three remaining beers out of normally 6 to 7 on. The governor was having a night off and left it to a sole barmaid to manage the evening's proceedings by all accounts! I cannot recall so few beers on since almost this time last year. There was though the porter from Siren Craft with the hot chili in it and now on 7 nights from last Saturday's first appearance. It shows that I was not the only one to find it rather too hot for the palette!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | 4.20 | | Fresh on and immediately asked the barmaid, how many roughly still left? She assured me it would last its premier night on and with just two other casks on. Came with loads of head and lacing to die for, thankfully! A very hoppy and fresh first hit with a slight bite to it! Not in the least sweet with a moreishly bitter mouthfeel and a lovely dry hoppiness lingering. I was blessed with that joy! |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | Ran out on first getting here and ordering it on just its second night on! |
| Oakham - Perun | 5.50 | Not Tried | Fresh on today is worth noting. |
| Siren Craft - Mum's The Word | 5.50 | Not Tried | Now its seventh night on for this not evidently popular porter with a few helpings of chipotle flavourings! It is apparently used for seasoning, the chili additive that is, in Mexican and Mexican-inspired cooking, and comprising smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper! |
27 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Very busy footfall with the usual regulars and the not so frequent in for last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | Fresh on this evening and a great head and lacing. A lightly hoppy and bitter first hit. This continued into the on-going mouthfeel, and well into the aftertaste of this lightly coloured pale bitter from Maidstone. |
| Kent - The Quiet American | 4.20 | | Got one of the last out of the barrel and second time round I ordered this Kent-brewed pale from Birling, north of West Malling, it ran out. A great shame as was holding its head and lacing well. As for the taste, it was suitably dry and hoppy with a touch of sweetness from being citrusy with a hint of grapefruit flavouring. It was very moreish and only lasted two nights on by all accounts. |
| Mighty Oak - Saint | 3.70 | | Good head and lacing on this Maldon-based golden ale and which was new on since my Tuesday visit. A first hit of real hoppiness. A slightly citrusy mouthfeel lingering. |
| Siren Craft - Mum's The Word | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Park - Saw Pit | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Verdant - Lightbulb | 4.50 | Not Tried |
27 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | Good basic bitter |
| Kent - The Quiet American | 4.20 | | Good despite being one of the last out of the cask |
| Siren Craft - Mum's The Word | 5.50 | | Poured quite flat, only redeeming factor was to pick up the chipotle warmth in the flavouring |
| Park - Saw Pit | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Verdant - Lightbulb | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Saint | 3.70 | Not Tried |
25 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with a number of the regulars in and the more occasional as well.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | | Fresh on this evening was this bitter from the East Peckham-based brewery, north-east of Tonbridge. A very frothy head with good lacing down the side of the glass to follow. A dry and moreish mouthfeel with a bitterness lingering. Almost stuck to it apart from one other recommended by a fellow customer. |
| Oakham - Maelstrom Cask Aged | 5.00 | | Second night on for this Peterborough cask-aged IPA. A hoppy first hit followed by a dry hoppy mouthfeel. It had a slight kick to it and no doubt from its riot of citrus and tropical fruit flavours. A half sufficed. |
| Siren Craft - Mum's The Word | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Park - Saw Pit | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Sureshot - Small Man's Wetsuit | 3.90 | Not Tried |
25 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | | Drank rather without noticing |
| Oakham - Maelstrom Cask Aged | 5.00 | | The tasting notes "flavour-bomb" was not achieved |
| Siren Craft - Mum's The Word | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Park - Saw Pit | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Sureshot - Small Man's Wetsuit | 3.90 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 11 |
| 674 |
| 1642 |
| 475 |
| 38 |
The pub is found in East Greenwich, Greater London, SE10 0RJ.
Micropub in Woolwich Road in a former street corner lingerie and hosiery business premises and which opened on 13th September 2017. Comprises a front room with bar counter and with real ales and ciders served on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled cellar room behind the bar, and a rear room down one step. Each day a pre-prepared paper ale menu sheet, with tasting notes, is provided to every table. Bare-board flooring throughout and all seating at wall mounted high settles and hand made wooden high tables. CAMRA card holders' discount on pints and halves of real ale and cider. Card payments accepted. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2019. Local CAMRA branch 2019, 2022 and 2024 Pub of the Year and its Cider Pub of the Year too in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. CAMRA Greenwich District Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 1298 times, seen 1797 different beers and tried 1045 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ