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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Hell Bent Cask Aged |  | 1 |
| Brass Castle - Bright |  | 1 |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | | 3 |
| Mighty Oak - Brock Mild | | 2 |
| Mighty Oak - Birchwood Bitter | | 2 |
| Goacher's - Silver Star | | 1 |
| Five Points - Best | | 3 |
| Oakham - White Dwarf | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | | 2 |
| Redemption - Hopspur |  | 3 |
| Redemption - Trinity | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Ernest | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Sanctum Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - American Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Paper Room | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Siren | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two Flints - Santiago | Not Tried | 0 |
| Indie Rabble - Sensible Beer Name | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ossett - Trip Hop #4 | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
09 May 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall but for a handful of the Saturday regulars on parade for the last 45 minutes of serving and the odd lesser spotted.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Hell Bent Cask Aged | 5.00 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Fresh on and presenting very good head and lacing and lasting on this Peterborough-brewed cask aged coffee porter from Cambridgeshire. A very dry bitter first hit. Its Maris Otter, Brown and Black malts greatly complementing a prevailing flavouring of ground roasted coffee. Produced in collaboration with a local artisan coffee roastery. A hoppy spicy bitterness descending from its Amarillo from the USA alongside British Challenger, Goldings and Jester. Presented in top form. |
| Oakham - White Dwarf | 4.30 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second day on and still presenting good head and lacing and lasting on this Peterborough-brewed golden ale. A lightly hoppy first bite. A dry hoppiness rising. A fruity, zesty flavouring emerging. A complex hoppiness all derived from its Pioneer, Goldings and Challenger from the UK and a citrusy Cascade from the USA. In sliding downwards, it is balanced with a touch of malt from Maris Otter and a touch of wheat lending it a bready flavouring. Served in good nick. |
| Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | | 1st beer of this visit: Its fourth day on for this North London bitter from Tottenham and now not much head and lacing to note. A dry hoppy first bite. A gentle biscuity maltiness rising with hints of caramel, toffee, honey and hazelnut. A fruited bitterness winning over aided by its American hops. A malty hoppy mix sliding out. A loss of conditioning since trying on Thursday and so one sufficed. |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Indie Rabble - Sensible Beer Name | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Ossett - Trip Hop #4 | 4.00 | Not Tried |
07 May 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with a mix of the hardened in and the less frequent for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | | 1st beer of this visit: Very good head and lacing presented on this North London bitter from Tottenham and lasting all the way on its second day on. A malty first hit derived from its British malt base. A caramelised-infused hoppiness from its American hops. A biscuity maltiness winning over with hints of caramel, toffee, honey and hazelnut all in on the act. A hoppy maltiness sailing out. |
| Mighty Oak - Brock Mild | 4.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Head and lacing presented but not lasting on this Essex dark mild ale from Maldon on its fourth day on. A malty first hit with a hint of dark chocolate. A gentle bitterness rising and doing battle with its heavily toasty malt derived from its Chocolate Malts. A dry hoppiness prevailing and likely to be from traditional English foundational hops like Challenger or Northdown lending it a certain bitterness to aid overcoming its malty sweetness. A final malty touch descending from its Barley Malt. A tad tired as minus its conditioning that was there on Tuesday. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Indie Rabble - Sensible Beer Name | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Brass Castle - Bright | 4.30 | Not Tried |
07 May 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Some loss of edge since yesterday's |
| Redemption - Hopspur | 4.50 | | Malty bitter. Not much condition |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Indie Rabble - Sensible Beer Name | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Brock Mild | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Brass Castle - Bright | 4.30 | Not Tried |
06 May 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Not advertised but word of mouth said it was newly on. Not my favourite Goacher's Ale but liked it this time |
| Brass Castle - Bright | 4.30 | | Rather thin for its ABV and virtually no head or lacing |
| Goacher's - Silver Star | 4.20 | Not Tried | Warned off for being flat |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 | Not Tried |
05 May 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A good few regulars on parade for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Silver Star | 4.20 | | 1st beer of this visit: Second day on and very good head and lacing and lasting on this Maidstone-brewed Kentish pale ale. A not too fruity first hit. A very quaffable hoppiness rising from its Kent Fuggles and prevailing with earthy, woody and grassy flavourings. A lingering hoppy floral fruitiness in the mouthfeel. Served in good condition. |
| Mighty Oak - Brock Mild | 4.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Good head and lacing and sticking all the way to the sides of the glass on this Essex mild from Maldon on its second day. A very malty first bite with a good measure of dark chocolate flavouring. A dry bitterness rising and most likely from its Challenger or Northdown bittering hops to do battle with its malty sweetness. A pleasantly malty, dry bitter finish. Served in good nick. |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Brass Castle - Bright | 4.30 | Not Tried |
03 May 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Loud music encouraged shouty conversation.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 | | Good but virtually no head or lacing |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | | Tired, little condition |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Paper Room | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Mighty Oak - Siren | 4.00 | Not Tried |
03 May 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with two tables of the lesser spotted no less among the usual suspects for the last 40 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 | | Second night on for this Hackney-brewed best bitter and still exhibiting head and lacing and lasting. A dry bitter first hit. A fruited hoppiness rising from its Fuggles hops sourced from Hukins Hops in Kent, lending for me an earthy, herbal and grassy flavouring. A dry maltiness winning over from its Maris Otter lending a bready touch. Its Crystal malt aiding its caramelised toffee infusions and its Amber malt a dry biscuity hint. This is all pitched against recently added hops to the recipe as in Ernest and Challenger giving rise to a fruit-salad flavouring. A dry hoppy fruitiness paddling out. Slightly thin on the taste buds with a loss of conditioning from just the evening before but still holding its head and lacing. |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Paper Room | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Siren | 4.00 | Not Tried |
02 May 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with a contingent of Saturday regulars, the hardened and the lesser spotted for the last hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 | | First night on for this Hackney-brewed best bitter from its East London brewery set up in 2013 and tapped shortly before my arrival and so exhibiting good head and lacing and lasting as you would expect. A bitter, sweet first hit. A dry hoppiness rising from its Fuggles sourced from Hukins Hops in Kent, lending it earthy, herbal and grassy notes. Its hoppy sweetness derived from its Ernest hops, behind its apricot and nectarine, mango and passionfruit and citrus peel, grapefruit and orange zest hints. Its Challenger hops behind its fruit-salad flavours of lemony marmalade, banana and berries to my taste buddies. A gentle malty note joining in from its Maris Otter aiding its bready flavours, Crystal malt behind its caramelised toffee infusions and Amber malt presenting a dry biscuity touch. A dry hoppy bitterness descending without my taste buds’ protest in the least as served in top condition but perhaps just a tad too fresh. |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - American Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Siren | 4.00 | Not Tried |
30 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with many a regular on parade among some of the lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second night on for this Hampshire extra special bitter from Eastleigh, some 5–6 miles north of Southampton, and named after Ralph Dutton, the Chairman of the London and South Western Railway Company who moved his railway works to Eastleigh in 1891. Presenting a very foamy head and lacing and lasting well. A malty first hit from its Maris Otter mixed with Crystal, Chocolate and Wheat malts. A gentle bitterness rising from its earthy Goldings with dark fruits evident, and mixed with UK Jester hops lending a citrusy edge. Its maltiness prevailing on the sail out. It was like a soup in its consistency and not really at all quaffable and so a half sufficed, as I was lucky to be able to decant from this pint glass into my now empty Birchwood Bitter glass before donating the rest of it. |
| Mighty Oak - Birchwood Bitter | 3.90 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on was this Essex bitter from Maldon and so very good head and lacing and sticking all the way. A very dry bitter first bite aided by its UK Targett hops. A fruited maltiness rising with hints of sage and pepper in on the act. Its Maris Otter malt behind its biscuity flavours, Crystal malt behind its hint of sweetness and Caramalt behind its caramel touches. A slightly fruity citrusy kick detected. A hoppy bitterness paddling out. Presented in good form on its first night on but perhaps just a tad too fresh and somewhat too sweet for my preferences. |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Ernest | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Sanctum Gold | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - American Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
30 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | | New cask on today. Very malty and hardly displayed any of the tasting notes' characteristics |
| Mighty Oak - Birchwood Bitter | 3.90 | | Some bitterness but not a lot |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Ernest | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Sanctum Gold | 4.20 | Not Tried | Taster was sharply acidic |
| Redemption - American Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 16 |
| 834 |
| 2246 |
| 772 |
 | 64 |
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 1832 times, seen 2061 different beers and tried 1229 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ