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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! |  | 3 |
| Wantsum - Imperium | | 2 |
| Hop Back - Entire Stout | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 10 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 3 |
| Butcombe - Rare Breed (or Adam Henson's Rare Breed) | | 1 |
| Downton - Elderquad | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Smiler's Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Coppernob | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Gower Wolf | Not Tried | 0 |
| Surrey Hills - Greensand IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Leveson Buck | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Downton Dream | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Butcombe - Original | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | Not Tried | 0 |
| Skinner's (now brewed by Goodh) - Betty Stogs Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Constellation - Draco | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Jubilee | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Surrey Nirvana | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Golden Rule (was 3.5%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Junction | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Gresham Hopper (was 3.7%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Pacific Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
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 |
09 Jul 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. A safe haven from the madness of murk haze beers and lemon juice so called beers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | What the doctor ordered, basic mid brown bitter |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | A slightly sweet one to follow Palmers IPA |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Butcombe - Original | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Red Sky | 4.10 | Not Tried |
02 Jul 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Exactly as it should be |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Smiler's Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Gower Wolf | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Leveson Buck | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pacific Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
27 Jun 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Serendipitously met two London Drinker magazine pioneers and had missed one of the early CAMRA HQ Chairmen by minutes too.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Just a tad off its best |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | Came on at last knockings |
| Titsey - Gresham Hopper (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pacific Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
25 Jun 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. A number of empty tables tonight. Paul McCartney at Glastonbury live on the large TV, for a whistle and sing-a-long.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | In lovely condition |
| Palmers - Dorset Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Jubilee | 4.30 | Not Tried |
11 Jun 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | An appropriate last pint nightcapper |
| Butcombe - Rare Breed (or Adam Henson's Rare Breed) | 3.80 | | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Skinner's (now brewed by Goodh) - Betty Stogs Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Constellation - Draco | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Jubilee | 4.30 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 279 |
| 158 |
 | 22 |
 | 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 217 times, seen 312 different beers and tried 101 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA