PubsandBeer
History: Home > The River Ale House
The River Ale House (Free House)
[Back to most recent] [Previous Visits] [More Visits]
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best |  | 3 |
| Milestone - Newark Castle Brown | | 1 |
| Oakham - Davy Jones |  | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - KPA Kent Pale Ale | | 3 |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | | 1 |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | | 1 |
| Siren Craft - Mythic Harmony (collaboration with Fuller's) | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Blarney Stone | | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Tilt | | 1 |
| Vibrant Forest - Kick-Start | | 3 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - West Coast IPA | | 2 |
| Mighty Oak - Top Hat | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | | 1 |
| Kent - Prohibition | | 2 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Green Mountain |  | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kent Pale | | 1 |
| Oakham - Below Zero | Not Tried | 0 |
| Nuttycombe - Cotleigh Kiwi | Not Tried | 0 |
| Nene Valley - Business Time | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Rubus | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Aussie Aussie Aussie | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Paradox | Not Tried | 0 |
| Verdant - Lightbulb | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Session Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
07 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy for last 30 minutes of serving with a rain shower or two putting off only the brave.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 | | Good head and lacing. Still in very good condition and from first tasting the evening before. A dryish and very bitter, bitter mouthfeel. Nothing sweet about it despite the tasting notes mentioning honey malts. Certainly though a maltiness lingering and highly moreish. |
| Milestone - Newark Castle Brown | 4.50 | | Fresh on this evening from Newark, north-east of Nottingham. Good head and lacing on this brown ale. A very malty and bitter first hit with a maltiness lingering in the mouthfeel. It looks like an ESB but minus the sweetness of most strong bitters I have sampled and not a hint of it. A very dry, moreish but not overly malty finish. |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Kick-Start | 5.70 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - KPA Kent Pale Ale | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Tilt | 4.20 | Not Tried |
06 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Closed on first arriving but let in for last 30 minutes of what would be normal serving time. A faulty glass washer was to blame for fusing the electrics about an hour earlier. I was amused that there was one pale on called Lightbulb on such an occasion and from Verdant Brewery in Penryn, west Cornwall.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 | | In very fine form. A head and lacing to die for. A pleasantly hoppy mouthfeel with a dryish bitter aftertaste. |
| Vibrant Forest - Kick-Start | 5.70 | | Some head and lacing on this stout from Hardley, south of Southampton. A chocolatey first hit. A pleasantly dry mouthfeel and lingering but ever so marginally medicinal in the aftertaste. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - KPA Kent Pale Ale | 5.20 | | Good head and lacing. A first hit of hoppiness. A slightly burnt caramel flavouring to it. A mildly sweetish aftertaste. |
| Verdant - Lightbulb | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Paradox | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Tilt | 4.20 | Not Tried |
06 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. When I arrived pub was closed and in a darkness. Another customer arriving at same time helped by isolating the faulty tripping circuit and faulty attached device and so the pub re-opened for the few.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 | | Well balanced basic bitter |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - KPA Kent Pale Ale | 5.20 | | A stronger Canterbury ale |
| Castle Rock - Tilt | 4.20 | | Deliberately hazy. Low on hop flavouring |
| Vibrant Forest - Kick-Start | 5.70 | Not Tried | |
| Verdant - Lightbulb | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Paradox | 3.80 | Not Tried |
04 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrant Forest - Kick-Start | 5.70 | | Rich coffee stout |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - KPA Kent Pale Ale | 5.20 | | Very dry stronger bitter |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Green Mountain | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Aussie Aussie Aussie | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mythic Harmony (collaboration with Fuller's) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Paradox | 3.80 | Not Tried |
04 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for last 30 minutes of serving but a few regulars including the more occasional in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrant Forest - Kick-Start | 5.70 | | At least not medicinal and minus the kick I had just had from the Canterbury IPA. This stout, called Kick-Start and from the New Forest, began with some head and lacing but not for long. A very dryish first hit with a hint of expresso. A slightly sweet mouthfeel with a touch of roasted chocolate lingering. The most acceptable out of the trio on this visit and I would not readily do any of them again! £4.80 with CAMRA discount for this 5.7%. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Green Mountain | 4.30 | | Good head and lacing on this pale from Derbyshire. Was not sure about it from the start as would have sought a bitter but this was flat on asking the barman and on only its third night on. Think of a tropical fruit cocktail and the story continues. A mango, pineapple and guava-fruited mouthfeel exploded on the first few sips of it. Not overly sweet at least but certainly not my cup of tea. As it was a modest 4.3%, I was appalled by the price of £5.00 a pint that included the CAMRA 30p discount. One sufficed! See prices and strengths of the other beers I tried as a comparison. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kent Pale | 5.20 | | Presented with some head and lacing. It had a medicinal kick to it throughout. I was sorry I did not bring my mule along to have the same kick as this hoppy and oily tasting IPA from Canterbury. Right to the end it gave me a medicinal kick in the very dry aftertaste. £4.70 with CAMRA discount for this 5.2%. |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Aussie Aussie Aussie | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mythic Harmony (collaboration with Fuller's) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Paradox | 3.80 | Not Tried |
02 Feb 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | | As it should be |
| Siren Craft - Mythic Harmony (collaboration with Fuller's) | 4.50 | | Uninspiring golden ale, one could say boring |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Aussie Aussie Aussie | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Top Hat | 4.30 | Not Tried |
02 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A very quiet footfall for my 25 minutes of being served. One very belated party of four arrived just minutes before last orders.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | | Served with good head and lacing. A first hit of citrusy hops on this APA from Birling, north of West Malling. A dryish mouthfeel with no fruitiness involved. I was left with a pleasantly dry aftertaste. |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 | | Very good head and lacing on this East Sussex bitter, north-west of Uckfield. A malty first hit. Almost too malty for anymore. Two sufficed. It had a lasting bitterness. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Aussie Aussie Aussie | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mythic Harmony (collaboration with Fuller's) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Top Hat | 4.30 | Not Tried |
31 Jan 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with a good group of the Friday regulars in, plus more occasional regulars as well.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | Very good head and lacing on first being served this Canterbury ruby bitter. A very malty first hit. A good bitterness in the mouthfeel and lingering. A sweetness also from the toffee malts but not overly with a dryness also lingering. A bit of decanting was required on the ones ordered before last bell and some 15 to 30 minutes onwards. |
| Mighty Oak - Top Hat | 4.30 | | One of the smallest of tasters on record for me. It was though enough to have a good swish of this Maldon porter and detect the sweet chocolatey malt in it which persuaded me not to have a half of it afterall. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Davy Jones | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Below Zero | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mythic Harmony (collaboration with Fuller's) | 4.50 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | | Almost complete loss of condition after a few days on. No off flavours |
| Oakham - Davy Jones | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Below Zero | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mythic Harmony (collaboration with Fuller's) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Top Hat | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Nuttycombe - Cotleigh Kiwi | 3.90 | Not Tried |
29 Jan 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Very busy footfall for last 40 minutes of serving. At least one table of drinkers I joined was from another local micropub which has recently had to close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | 4.40 | | My first pint of this was fine with head and lacing on this red bitter from the Ramsgate Brewery, known as Gadds'. It had sweet and fruity notes. A very moreish bitterness lingering and so asked for another. This one was completely murky and so at the end of its barrel and was taken off just to prove it. |
| Oakham - Davy Jones | 5.00 | | Good head and lacing still on this amber ale from Peterborough and some 30 minutes after being served. It was very light-coloured to be called an amber. A very dry, hoppy mouthfeel. It had a slight fruitiness lingering in the dryness. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | | Good head and lacing holding well on this Ramsgate IPA as supped some 30 minutes after being served. A very dry first hit followed by a dry, hoppy mouthfeel to die for. Its dryness persisted in the aftertaste and made it very moreish. |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | 4.00 | | Fresh on and replaced the Gadds' and came with good head and lacing. This Bristol Bitter had a very dry first hit. A very bitter, bitter with the dryness lingering. Nothing sweet about it and contrasted with the toffee in the Gadds' just before. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Blarney Stone | 4.30 | | Very good creamy head and lacing on this stout from Ramsgate. A very malty mouthfeel and a dryness lingering. |
| Nene Valley - Business Time | 4.30 | Not Tried | Ran out. |
| Nuttycombe - Cotleigh Kiwi | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Rubus | 4.50 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 11 |
| 674 |
| 1644 |
| 475 |
 | 38 |
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 1299 times, seen 1797 different beers and tried 1045 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ