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) |
|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Copper Ale |  | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 10 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 3 |
| Skinner's (now brewed by Goodh) - Betty Stogs Bitter | | 1 |
| Wantsum - Imperium | | 2 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 2 |
| Hop Back - Entire Stout | | 1 |
| Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale |  | 1 |
| Surrey Hills - Greensand IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Crop Circle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Downton Dream | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Leveson Buck | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Five Claw | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Surrey Nirvana | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Old Man | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bowland - Boxer Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| St Austell - Anthem | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Extra Pale Ale XPA (was 3.8% | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Elderquad | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Apple Blossom Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - American Red Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
03 Sep 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Aha Tally Ho! on to bring an immediate smile on entering.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 |  | One word - superb. 4½* |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | One word - superb. 4½* |
| Hop Back - Crop Circle | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Apple Blossom Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Downton Dream | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - American Red Ale | 4.60 | Not Tried |
31 Aug 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Top notch |
| Skinner's (now brewed by Goodh) - Betty Stogs Bitter | 4.00 | | Not so far in taste away from the Palmers IPA |
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | 5.00 | Not Tried | Tempted but the much adored mid brown bitters were too good |
| Downton - Apple Blossom Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Elderquad | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - American Red Ale | 4.60 | Not Tried |
24 Aug 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spot on |
| Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale | 3.90 | | Condition good but not a whiff of the floral hop nose it probably ought to have |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Extra Pale Ale XPA (was 3.8% | 3.40 | Not Tried |
20 Aug 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | 4½* could hardly be bettered |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Made a pair of 4½* ales here tonight. This stuff was just glug glug glug |
| Long Man - Old Man | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Leveson Buck | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Bowland - Boxer Blonde | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| St Austell - Anthem | 3.80 | Not Tried |
16 Aug 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Faultless |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | | Different to the IPA but excellent quality in an obviously professional brew |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Leveson Buck | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Five Claw | 5.10 | Not Tried |
05 Aug 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Fast selling and always reliable |
| Hop Back - Entire Stout | 4.50 | | Held head and lacing throughout |
| Wantsum - Imperium | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Surrey Hills - Greensand IPA | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Downton Dream | 4.80 | Not Tried |
29 Jul 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As consistent as ever |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Great contrast to the IPA being so much drier |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Very last pint of cask and not quite the excellence of the previous one, but the barman had offered me to have it or not |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Elderquad | 4.00 | Not Tried |
23 Jul 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As it should be |
| Wantsum - Imperium | 4.00 | | Some pubs seem to muck up Wantsum, not here though |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried |
19 Jul 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The cold blowers were effective tonight giving me a dry brow.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Lovely |
| Wantsum - Imperium | 4.00 | | Not in the same class as Palmers but excellent condition |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | 4.00 | Not Tried |
16 Jul 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Looked more on lager tonight than ale.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Predictably excellent |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Perhaps rather woodier than usual |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Hogs Back - Surrey Nirvana | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | 4.10 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 5 |
| 268 |
| 141 |
 | 19 |
 | 1 |
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 202 times, seen 295 different beers and tried 96 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA