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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Burton Ale on the Union (collaboration with The Kernel) |  | 2 |
| Oakham - Cool Eyes | | 2 |
| Lost Pier - Jester Green Hop | | 2 |
| Church End - Goats Milk | | 1 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Bermondsey Pale | | 2 |
| Pig & Porter - Pigs in Blankets | | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Soft Focus | | 1 |
| Elusive - Jan-Ken-Pon (collaboration with Wild Horse) | | 3 |
| Brew York - Fennec Blonde (was 3.7%) | | 1 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | | 3 |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Ordinary Bitter (was 3.7%) |  | 3 |
| Mighty Oak - Bingle Jells | | 2 |
| Redemption - Hopspur | | 1 |
| Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%) | | 1 |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Cornerstone (collaboration with Overtone) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rooster's - All Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Clementine Chameleon | Not Tried | 0 |
| 360° - Double Decker | Not Tried | 0 |
| New Bristol - Cinder Toffee Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titanic - 16 Tons (collaboration with Attic) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Golden Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Southwark - Borough Market Brown Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
28 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for a Saturday and for last 45 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Bingle Jells | 5.20 | | Minus any head and lacing without multiple decants from this Maldon-based winter ale from Essex. A bitter/sweet mouthfeel and a dryness lingering. |
| Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | | Some head and lacing for a short while on this pale from Firle in East Sussex. Very lacklustre in flavouring but for the odd spasmodic lemon-hit. One definitely sufficed. |
| New Bristol - Cinder Toffee Stout | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Southwark - Borough Market Brown Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Pigs in Blankets | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Golden Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried |
27 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with just a few of the usual Friday regulars in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Pigs in Blankets | 3.40 | | Good head and lacing on this session bitter from Tunbridge Wells as fresh on. A very sweet first hit but then followed by a bitter and moreish mouthfeel which made it very palatable. It sailed off with sweet notes into the sunset. The tasting notes tell you muscovado sugar with an aroma of Christmas cake, prunes, currants and dates were all to blame. Glad some Christmas ales with their excess sweetness are especially not with us the rest of the year! |
| Mighty Oak - Bingle Jells | 5.20 | | Minimal head and lacing from this Maldon winter ale. A sweetness hit you first off from its maltiness and fruity hoppiness and with a dryness lingering. I was thankfully minus the Christmas pudding on this occasion to mix it with, and as recommended by the governor's tasting notes. |
| New Bristol - Cinder Toffee Stout | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Titanic - 16 Tons (collaboration with Attic) | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Golden Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried |
24 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Footfall limited to a few hardened regulars.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Burton Ale on the Union (collaboration with The Kernel) | 5.50 | | Missing something. Rather flat and only brought to life with multiple decanting. Overly malty |
| Lost Pier - Jester Green Hop | 5.20 | | Very resinous mouthfeel |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Ordinary Bitter (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Fennec Blonde (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Bermondsey Pale | 3.40 | Not Tried |
24 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Very quiet footfall for seeing in Christmas Day on my arrival at about 10.30pm. Just six hardened regulars in, including me. Governor's barman ended proceedings as in serving at 11pm and we were all out before welcoming in Jesus's birthday. First early closure for such a night since opening in September 2017, just over 7 years ago.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brew York - Fennec Blonde (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | | Fresh on and a good head and lacing. Just so ever lightly hoppy in the mouthfeel with a dryish aftertaste. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Burton Ale on the Union (collaboration with The Kernel) | 5.50 | | Very good head and lacing as literally fresh on today is this dark ruby-red ale from Bakewell, southwest of Sheffield. A malty first hit followed by a barrage of raisins and plums in the mouthfeel and followed by a dry aftertaste. |
| Lost Pier - Jester Green Hop | 5.20 | | A half sampled and enough to get the good head and lacing on its first night on. A touch of marmalade in the flavouring but otherwise a bitter mouthfeel with the odd malty note. No other green hop quite tasted like this one from my earlier recollections. This one is from the brewery in Burgess Hill north of Brighton. |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Ordinary Bitter (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | | Only third night on and minus head and lacing without the decanting involved from this Bermondsey-based brewery. A very bitter, bitter mouthfeel and without much of the tasting notes' description of hop aromas of pine, spice and dark fruits. |
| Anspach & Hobday - Bermondsey Pale | 3.40 | Not Tried |
23 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
A rare Monday visit for last 30 minutes of serving and minus the winter cribbage team or two in. Just a sprinkling of hardened regulars in and one table of the perhaps occasional visitors in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Rock - Soft Focus | 4.50 | | Tried a taster and so went for a half to explore a bit more. Good head and lacing in this IPA from Nottingham. It had a resinous dryness prevailing with pine, lime and lemon undertones. One half sufficed for me! |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Ordinary Bitter (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | | Only the second night on and minimal head and lacing on this Bermondsey-based bitter. Much decanting was needed to get the carbonation. A dry bitterness, some fruitiness, a hint of biscuit and caramel flavouring, and a touch of sourness lingering. |
| Elusive - Jan-Ken-Pon (collaboration with Wild Horse) | 4.80 | | Just a taster and not as good as previous night and so did not proceed although had some head and lacing still on this Wokingham pale ale. |
| Anspach & Hobday - Bermondsey Pale | 3.40 | Not Tried |
22 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | 6.50 | | Needed more conditioning to carry off the strong flavour |
| Elusive - Jan-Ken-Pon (collaboration with Wild Horse) | 4.80 | | A tasty mid brown bitter, not as per the tasting notes |
| Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Ordinary Bitter (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Bermondsey Pale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Cool Eyes | 3.40 | Not Tried |
22 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy for those Sunday regulars in and for last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elusive - Jan-Ken-Pon (collaboration with Wild Horse) | 4.80 |  | A reasonable head and lacing on this Wokingham pale ale. Very amber in colour. A dry, oily mouthfeel with a slight bite to it and a bitterness lingering. |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Ordinary Bitter (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | | Good head and lacing on this Bermondsey beer as fresh on. A very bitter first hit and a bitterness lingering along with some biscuity and caramel flavouring. |
| Anspach & Hobday - Bermondsey Pale | 3.40 | | Good head and lacing for its second night on. A hoppy mouthfeel with a dryness lingering. Slightly lacklustre in flavours. |
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Cool Eyes | 3.40 | Not Tried |
21 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy with many a Saturday evening regular in for last 45 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | 6.50 | | 2nd night on and good head and lacing on this Stoke-on-Trent porter. The first hit was of 100% plums with a slight sweetness pervading. This was followed by a dry mouthfeel with the plums lingering. |
| Anspach & Hobday - Bermondsey Pale | 3.40 | | Fresh on and so good head and lacing. A very lightly hoppy mouthfeel and slightly lacklustre in flavouring. A very dry aftertaste. |
| Oakham - Cool Eyes | 3.40 | | Good head and lacing on this Peterborough pale with its 2nd night on. A very dry first hit with a slight fruitiness in the mouthfeel. A pleasantly dry, oily aftertaste lingering. |
| Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Jan-Ken-Pon (collaboration with Wild Horse) | 4.80 | Not Tried |
20 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy with a good few Friday regulars not there for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | 6.50 | | Very good head and lacing on this Stoke-On-Trent porter. A first hit of 100% plums with a dry and not sweet mouthfeel lingering. |
| Oakham - Cool Eyes | 3.40 | | Good head and lacing on this Peterborough pale. A very hoppy and dry first hit and lingering throughout the mouthfeel. |
| Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Cornerstone (collaboration with Overtone) | 4.80 | Not Tried |
19 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall indeed for last 30 minutes of serving as a choir group in performing Christmas carols out the front. At least 3 staff serving and so not too long a wait and then retreated to the comparative quiet and space of the back seating area.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Church End - Goats Milk | 3.80 | | Good head and lacing on this Nuneaton golden ale and now on its third night for my sampling of it. It was first brewed for the Goat Inn in Frognall, near Peterborough, to help explain its name. Pleasantly hoppy and oily in the mouthfeel with a moreishly dry lingering aftertaste. |
| Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | | Good head and lacing on this amber bitter from Tottenham. It had a sharp sourness in the mouthfeel which made it not very pleasing to my palette. It was very malty with caramel, toffee and honey notes lingering. |
| Rooster's - All Star | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Clementine Chameleon | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Double Decker | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Cornerstone (collaboration with Overtone) | 4.80 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 11 |
| 661 |
| 1554 |
| 453 |
 | 36 |
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 1238 times, seen 1772 different beers and tried 1033 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ