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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Hooked Up (collaboration with Hook Norton) |  | 2 |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | | 2 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. |  | 1 |
| Brew York - Maris the Otter | | 2 |
| Elusive - Cronos | | 1 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Masham Ale (collaboration with Theakston) | | 3 |
| Attic - Ember | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | | 2 |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale |  | 1 |
| Grey Trees - Mosaic Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Jake the Snake | | 1 |
| Oakham - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Calmer Chameleon | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - Whispering Trail | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Naughty & Nice | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Hop Cat Citra Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Golden Plover | Not Tried | 0 |
| New Bristol - Westie | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - The Hare and the Hedgehog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
25 Mar 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. It's LD time.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elusive - Cronos | 4.40 | | Zesty mouthfeel |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | 3.80 | | Had heard tremendous rave reviews for yesterday's but was pretty flat today |
| Grey Trees - Mosaic Pale Ale | 4.20 | | Uninspiring with little condition |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Masham Ale (collaboration with Theakston) | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Whispering Trail | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. | 4.00 | Not Tried |
24 Mar 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Mix of regulars out the front and fiddlers strumming their instruments out the back for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | 3.80 |  | Second evening on and one of the most good-looking and tasty ales as in this East Peckham copper-coloured amber ale 5 miles east of Tonbridge, Kent, that I can recall this year! A truly foaming head that you rarely see anywhere and lacing lasting spectacularly throughout its performance. A dry hoppy first hit. A fruited hoppiness rising from its blend of Kentish varieties including Northdown, Challenger, Golding and Fuggles. A hoppy fruit-infused display on my taste buddies with fruity, herbal and spicy notes and balanced with UK-grown malted barley lending a biscuity and caramel maltiness. A dry moreish hoppiness paddling out. Its unique live yeast strain originally from the historic Barclay Perkins Brewery* in Southwark lending it all the authenticity of a classic old ale. One of the best sampled this year in every way and missed it on its premier evening but perhaps all the better for its extra settling in a day on! *The Barclay Perkins Brewery was a historic, formerly world-largest brewery, and based in Park Street, Southwark. It was established in 1616 as the Anchor Brewery. Taken over by Robert Barclay and John Perkins in 1781, it was renowned for Porter and Russian Imperial Stout. It merged with Courage in 1955, closed in 1986, and was redeveloped into housing, leaving only a small plaque and Anchor Terrace as remnants of the site. |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Grey Trees - Mosaic Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Masham Ale (collaboration with Theakston) | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Cronos | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Whispering Trail | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. | 4.00 | Not Tried |
23 Mar 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Virtually just a small band of regulars in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Above Average J.O.E. | 4.00 | | New cask on today, good condition but no idea quite what the ale was supposed to be |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Was very good yesterday but lost almost all condition today |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Masham Ale (collaboration with Theakston) | 6.50 | | 2nd ale tonight that had lost almost all condition since yesterday's |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Grey Trees - Mosaic Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Cronos | 4.40 | Not Tried |
22 Mar 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Music just a volume too high.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Tastiest Gold Star I have had here for a long time |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Masham Ale (collaboration with Theakston) | 6.50 | | 6.5% heavy that hardly seemed that strong on taste but had good full body |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Maris the Otter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Calmer Chameleon | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
22 Mar 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Moderately busy footfall for the last half an hour of serving with a table of hardened regulars and a small party of occasional veteran drinkers alongside the odd lesser spotted.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Masham Ale (collaboration with Theakston) | 6.50 | | Fresh on and very good head and lacing evident and lasting throughout its liquid performance from Thornbridge Brewery founded in 2005 and now at the Riverside Business Park, Buxton Road, Bakewell, south-east of Manchester, and a collaboration with Theakston Brewery, an independent, family-run brewery founded in 1827 and located in the market town of Masham, North Yorkshire, and one of Britain's oldest established family brewing companies, currently run by the fifth and sixth generations of the Theakston family. This collaborative strong ale with a deep amber to reddish-mahogany hue reimagines a Theakston recipe using Thornbridge's unique Burton Union fermentation system*. A fruited sweetness rising from its exclusive use of Fuggles hops, lending it earthy, herbal and spicy flavours and hints of raisins, dates and prunes. A gentle maltiness winning over from its blend of the finest English malts, including Maris Otter and Crystal malt for colour and sweetness lending it cinder toffee, referring to honeycomb/puff candy, a brittle, aerated confection with a bubbly texture, and caramel flavourings. The odd fruity note constantly bobbing up with hints of dark berries, apricots, and a touch of "sherry-like" sweetness. A touch of liquorice maltiness sliding downwards for me aided by its layers of toffee, toasted brown sugar, and biscuits leading to a dry, lingering sweetened bitterness. Served in top condition on its first day being hatched. *This historic wood-barrel system dating back to the 1800s was rescued and installed at Thornbridge's Riverside Brewery in early 2024 after being retired by Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company (CMBC). The Burton Union is a cleansing system for aiding the yeast to produce bright beer where in the process it flows back down into the barrels by gravity, while the excess yeast is trapped in the trough, effectively "cleaning" the beer and allowing for the harvest of high-quality yeast for future brews. |
| Brew York - Maris the Otter | 3.90 | | Second day on, and a long day being Sunday as open from 1pm, with good head and lacing and now lasting to the end on this Yorkshire English bitter. Still a very dry bitter first bite. Still the same gentle maltiness rearing up. A bready biscuit, fudgy caramel and toffee hint or two on my taste buds. Its Maris Otter barley alongside four other malts prevailing. A good dose of citrus, grapefruit and pineapple from its New World hop varieties with 3 or 4 types from the US and NZ lending it that fruited hoppiness. A malty bitterness lingering. Much more palatable than on the evening before. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Calmer Chameleon | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
21 Mar 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over with a table of Saturday regulars on parade among the more occasional for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brew York - Maris the Otter | 3.90 | | Fresh on and good head and lacing but not lasting on this English bitter brewed by Brew York, a craft brewery based in York*. A dry bitter first bite. A gentle maltiness rising with bready biscuit, fudgy caramel and toffee flavourings from its Maris Otter barley, a celebrated heritage malt that turned 50 years old in 2016, the same year Brew York was founded, and alongside four other malts. A fruited hoppiness winning over from its New World hop varieties with three or four types from the US and NZ lending it subtle layers of citrus, grapefruit and pineapple. A bitter maltiness sailing out. Perhaps a touch too fresh to be at its best but drinkable enough. *A real otter resides in the River Foss directly behind the brewery's city-centre beer garden; the brewery named him Maris. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Calmer Chameleon | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
19 Mar 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Hooked Up (collaboration with Hook Norton) | 4.10 | | I picked up few of the tasting notes attributes. Seemed more malty than hoppy |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | Adequately kept and presented |
| Oakham - The Hare and the Hedgehog | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Hop Cat Citra Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Westie | 5.50 | Not Tried |
19 Mar 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for the last half an hour of serving with a good few regulars on parade among the lesser spotted.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Hooked Up (collaboration with Hook Norton) | 4.10 | | Recommended this copper-coloured amber ale by a fellow regular or two. Presented as fresh on this evening and displaying very good head and lacing and lasting all the way on this collaborative seasonal beer released in March 2026 by Oakham Ales from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, renowned for being one of the first in the UK to champion American and New World hops and established in 1993, and the historic, family-owned Hook Norton Brewery, a regional brewery founded in 1849 and located in the village of Hook Norton, Banbury, Oxfordshire, and one of the few remaining traditional "tower breweries" in the UK, where the brewing process flows logically from floor to floor using gravity. A stationary 25 horse power steam engine, installed in 1899, still powers much of the brewery's machinery. A malty first hit with a hint of berry, tropical and stone fruited notes. A toffee-infused caramelised bitterness rising. I did not overly detect its orange and soft lemon citrus flavours as certainly no citrusy after-effect. The merest hint of resinous spice and minty herbal flavours and a grapefruit bitterness. A biscuity maltiness rising. A fresh hoppiness prevailing with a dry hoppy note on the downwards journey aided by its hop varieties, Karma from the USA, a descendant of Mystic and Cascade, and the UK hops, Jester and Harlequin, the latter noted for providing fruity notes. Very moreish and so stuck to it and as also in excellent condition. |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - The Hare and the Hedgehog | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Hop Cat Citra Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Westie | 5.50 | Not Tried |
17 Mar 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for the last half an hour of serving, comprising just a table of the hardened in among a few of the lesser spotted and coupled with the brigade of fiddlers out the back.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | 4.00 | | Third day on and still displaying a very good head and lacing and lasting all the way which is very welcome on this Bristol-brewed bitter from husband-and-wife team, Noel and Maria, who launched their brewing in 2015 and found in the heart of Bristol’s city centre.* A dry bitter first bite from this gorilla of a bitter. A gentle maltiness at this chimps’ tea party with subtle hints of biscuit and caramel sweetness on the assembled plates laid out. This is balanced with a hoppy bitterness winning over from its Goldings and First Gold hops affording some dark forest fruit flavourings from the odd blackberry, blackcurrant and blueberry thrown in. A very dry bitterness prevailing with a touch of hoppiness swinging off the trees before its jump downwards. Surprised so still full of life on its third day on and an absolute pleasure to do business with! *Their mascot is space-suited in New Bristol’s logo and derived from Alfred the Gorilla at Bristol Zoo in the 1930s and a popular attraction during World War II, and after his death he remained an important mascot to the city with his taxidermic form in Bristol Museum. |
| Mighty Oak - Jake the Snake | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Naughty & Nice | 5.90 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Hop Cat Citra Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Attic - Ember | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Westie | 5.50 | Not Tried |
16 Mar 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attic - Ember | 4.50 | | Good condition with subtle orange / tangerine flavours |
| Mighty Oak - Jake the Snake | 4.00 | | One of first out of a new cask put on. Too fresh |
| Vocation - Naughty & Nice | 5.90 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Hop Cat Citra Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Golden Plover | 3.70 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 15 |
| 800 |
| 2194 |
| 741 |
 | 63 |
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 1775 times, seen 2037 different beers and tried 1206 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ