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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Cat on a Hop Tin Roof (collaboration with Fat Cat) |  | 1 |
| Kent - Cobnut | | 2 |
| Kent - Loral |  | 2 |
| Kent - Pale | | 2 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | | 1 |
| Moor - Stout | | 6 |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | | 1 |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | | 4 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale |  | 1 |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk |  | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two Flints - Daydream | Not Tried | 0 |
| Purity - Bunny Hop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Sidewinder | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - White Dwarf | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Three Acre - Session Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
06 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
An almost full contingent of the Friday regulars alongside many of the hardened regulars in for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Cat on a Hop Tin Roof (collaboration with Fat Cat) | 4.10 | | Fresh on today and yet only managed to buy one before it ran out at about 10.40pm. This amber pale clearly hit all the right notes with earlier punters, and being Friday open from 2pm rather than 4pm Monday to Thursday. A hoppy and mildly fruity first hit. A dry hoppiness rising up in the mouthfeel from the two German hop varieties mixed with Maris Otter malts. A subtle fruitiness from mandarin and lemon citrus. A very moreishly oily hoppy dryness lingering. A collaboration between the Peterborough-based brewery and Fat Cat from Norwich. Only one pint did I manage to sample as evidently all 72 pints consumed from 2pm if indeed it was on then. A great record for beer consumption in one session! |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | | Fresh on and so good head and lacing from this bitter from Canterbury, just outside and south-west, and nearer Chartham. A fruity bitter first hit. A berry, rather than beery, fruit-infused hoppiness rising up in the mouthfeel. A mildly malty aftertaste with the odd nut or two in the mix. Not overly flavoursome so one sufficed for me. |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | | Some head and lacing but not lasting on this Gravesend IPA on its second day on. A very fruity first hit. Many regulars remarked on the murkiness of it in appearance. Packed to the brim with fruit flavours such as tropical, citrus and piney hop. Slightly overly fruity for my palate but persevered as you do. |
| Moor - Stout | 5.00 | | Sixth night on, and I should have known better, for this stout and from behind Bristol's Temple Meads Rail Station. Now holding no head and lacing. The dry smokiness that greeted me the night before also gone! A fruitiness and maltiness surviving just. A malty bitterness just about living on in the aftertaste but a sourness now kicking in. Very little condition in it and very tired it was by now! |
| Purity - Bunny Hop | 3.40 | Not Tried | Ran out just before the Oakham/Fat Cat collaboration of Cat On A Hop Tin Roof did likewise. |
| Two by Two - Sidewinder | 6.00 | Not Tried | Fresh on but according to another customer, very murky. |
05 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Loral | 4.50 | | A not too citrus single hopper |
| Moor - Stout | 5.00 | | More condition lost since last one on 1st. Needs condition to make this high flavour ale quaffable and not a chore |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | Not Tried | There forever? |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Purity - Bunny Hop | 3.40 | Not Tried |
05 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Moderately busy footfall with the usual regulars in and the more occasional visitor for last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moor - Stout | 5.00 | | Fifth night on for this stout and from behind Bristol's Temple Meads Rail Station. Not now holding head and lacing. A dry smokey first hit. A subtle hint of fruitiness mixed in with the dry maltiness. A dry malty bitterness lingering. For a 5.0% stout, it is very reasonably priced at £4.80 with the 30p CAMRA discount. |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | | Fourth evening on for this Peterborough-based pale and holding good head and lacing to begin with but did not last as well as it did on Tuesday. A hoppy first hit. A hint of citrus-infused hoppiness presenting on the taste buds. A hoppy dryness rising up and lingering. This pale is only 4.0% and yet even with the 30p CAMRA discount applied, it is £4.80 a pint. |
| Kent - Loral | 4.50 | | Second night on and came with good head and lacing on this Kentish pale from Birling, north of West Malling. A very fruity first hit. A citrus fruit-infused explosion on the palate. A dryish hoppiness then pervading and lasting. A touch too fruity for me! |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | Not Tried | Now its fifth night on since Sunday. |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Purity - Bunny Hop | 3.40 | Not Tried |
03 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Certainly busier footfall than the week before on Tuesday and with the fiddlers back and strumming out in their backroom part of the micro and with a sprinkling of hardened regulars in the front part and for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moor - Stout | 5.00 | | Third night on for this stout and from 2014 behind Bristol's Temple Meads Rail Station. It also has a London-based taproom in Enid Street, London SE16, and on the continuation of the so-called Bermondsey Beer Mile that starts in Druid Street. Still holding head and lacing and lasting throughout. A dry smokey first hit. A mildly fruit-infused bitterness rising up and the odd malty note getting in. A dry bitterness lingering. Reasonably priced for 5.0% at £4.80 with the 30p CAMRA discount. |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | | Second evening on and served with good head and lacing and lasted throughout. A hoppy first hit. A hint of citrus coming to the fore in the mouthfeel but nothing too severe for this Peterborough-based pale. Not in the least overly fruity and a pleasant hoppiness lingering on the palate in the aftertaste. Somewhat overpriced for a pale at 4.0% and with the 30p CAMRA discount applied, still meaning £4.80 a pint. |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried |
03 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The fiddlers in the back room were louder than usual. A dire ale range to my palate had me end on Toffee Apple Cider again.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | | A little better than yesterday - not so fresh |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Moor - Stout | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried |
02 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening until close. Very quiet in both rooms.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 | | Little life. A chore to down |
| Oakham - OPA Original Pale Ale | 4.00 | | 2nd out of new cask. Very fresh and went flat in glass almost immediately |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | Not Tried | Holding on there |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Moor - Stout | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried |
01 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A good few regulars in for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moor - Stout | 5.00 | | First day on and presenting with good head and lacing on this stout originally from the Levels and Moors area of Somerset where the brewery originated and relaunched in 2007 and from 2014 based behind Bristol's Temple Meads Rail Station. A smokey coffee-infused and dark chocolatey first hit. A dry bitterness dominating the mouthfeel with the odd malty note joining in with hints of liquorice and dark fruit. A moreish bitterness lingering on. |
| Kent - Pale | 4.00 | | Good head and lacing and almost lasting on this Kent-based pale from Birling, north of West Malling, and on its second night on. A hoppy first hit. A subtle fruitiness presented itself alongside its hoppiness. A dry hoppy bitterness pervaded the mouthfeel and lingered on. |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | | Fresh on today was this Tottenham bitter and came with some head and lacing but this soon legged it out its pint glass. A fruity first hit. A fruity sourness pervaded the mouthfeel, not unlike rhubarb, and made it not that appetising to my taste buds. It appeared murky to look at though not described as unfined. I did try taking it back unsuccessfully due to its murkiness but it was flagged up by the barman as just fresh on and fruity! A far cry from the Kent Cobnut I had so much enjoyed recently. A medicinal aftertaste and one sufficed. Will only drink again after trying a sample first of Redemption. |
| Oakham - White Dwarf | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Daydream | 4.50 | Not Tried |
01 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Pale | 4.00 | | Less crisp than I have known it |
| Moor - Stout | 5.00 | | Full bodied |
| Oakham - White Dwarf | 4.30 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | Not Tried | Much criticised by another |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Daydream | 4.50 | Not Tried | Ran out |
30 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall with just a few regulars in including a few of the Friday regulars and the less occasional out the back for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Cobnut | 4.10 | | Second night on for the second barrel of this ruby ale from Birling in Kent, and north of West Malling, and still maintaining very good head and lacing and keeping to the end. Have not tried much else since its first barrel's appearance last Sunday and so know the script pretty well by now! A malty first hit. A bitter maltiness reigning on the taste buds. A moreishly bitter dryness coupled with a sweetness from those molasses it was made with lingering on. Unusual for two barrels of the same to follow consecutively but certainly a fan of this dark malty bitter! |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - White Dwarf | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Whispering Grass | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | It was off when I got here as confirmed by a fellow regular who was really enjoying it. It then appeared after closing for serving and having been taken off due to the barman admitting it was shaken up due to it being accidentally nudged by him and so reawakening its sediment. The regular's comment was: "You stupid boy, Pike!" The barman was too young to make the connection with Dad's Army! |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried |
29 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with just a couple of handfuls of regulars in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Cobnut | 4.10 | | New barrel of this ruby ale from Birling in Kent, north of West Malling, on this evening and so very good head and lacing presented and lasting well without a single decant needed. It has just replaced its twin barrel that was put on Sunday for Charlton FC's victory at Wembley. A superbly malty first hit. A bitterness rising up alongside a subtle sweetness from its molasses flavouring. A bitter and malty-infused dryness lingering. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Second night on for this Maidstone pale ale and holding its head and lacing well some half an hour after being served. A dry hoppy first hit from its East Kent hops. A malty hoppiness pervading the mouthfeel aided by its Maris Otter malts and lingering. |
| Oakham - White Dwarf | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Three Acre - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Funky Claude Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 13 |
| 701 |
| 1796 |
| 537 |
 | 44 |
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 1419 times, seen 1858 different beers and tried 1084 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ