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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Siren Craft - Memento |  | 2 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Route 1 |  | 1 |
| Brunswick - Black Sabbath | | 1 |
| Oakham - Hooked Up (collaboration with Hook Norton) | | 2 |
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | | 3 |
| Castle Rock - Step On | | 2 |
| Iron Pier - The Importance of Brewing Ernest | | 1 |
| Two by Two - Porter | | 2 |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | | 4 |
| Redemption - American Pale |  | 1 |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | | 1 |
| Bexley - Feather | | 1 |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Spring Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Snake Eyes Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bexley - Golden Acre | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - First Gold & Columbus Joined at the Hop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two Flints - Santiago | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | Not Tried | 0 |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pennine Brewing (Bedale) - Golden Ramble | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Tempo | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Green Mountain | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Citra Idaho 7 Azacca | Not Tried | 0 |
| Castle Rock - Drift Theory | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - Fortina | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
19 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two by Two - Porter | 5.00 | | Good condition 5%er but would have been better with more natural carbonation |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Route 1 | 3.60 | | Lively golden ale with little head or lacing |
| Redemption - American Pale | 4.50 | | Slightly hazy and rather lacklustre |
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Green Mountain | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Spring Pale | 4.60 | Not Tried |
18 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall with just some of the Saturday brigade on parade for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | 1st beer of this visit: Third day on for this Erith-brewed session bitter and still displaying a good head and lacing and holding it well. A lightly hoppy first hit. A fruited hoppiness rising and likely to be from UK hop varieties such as Ernest with hints of stone fruits and floral flavours emanating from apricots, peaches and plums. A maltiness winning over with biscuity, caramelised toffee emanating from its English malted barley. A hop-infused bitterness playing out aided by its Kentish Admiral lending it its bittering taste. Thin tasting given its lesser gravity and also minus the conditioning it had when fresh on two days earlier. |
| Two by Two - Porter | 5.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: This porter from the Byker-based brewery located in the East End of Newcastle and approximately two miles east of the city centre and where it relocated to in 2022 to expand its operation and following being set up in 2014 in Wallsend, Tyneside, was fresh on with very good head and lacing and hanging around almost to the end. A smoky first hit. A malty bitterness rising and likely to be from Maris Otter along with hints of cocoa, espresso and roasted sweet malts climbing. A hoppy presence emerging and most likely from Sabro hops. These are an aromatic American hop variety released in 2018 and unique for being derived from the Neomexicanus subspecies, a wild hop native to the mountains of New Mexico. They provided my taste buds with hints of cedar, mint, cream and vanilla. Likely UK varieties such as East Kent Goldings lending a hedgerow or two of berry fruits to tantalise my taste buds before joining the slide downwards. Served in good form but perhaps a tad too fresh. |
| Two by Two - Citra Idaho 7 Azacca | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Drift Theory | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Fortina | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - American Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
16 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A good few regulars among the lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on was this traditional session bitter from Erith and from the first brewery to open in the Borough of Bexley since the closure in 1956 of Reffells founded in 1874 by Henry Reffell and which grew to become Bexley's oldest industrial establishment.* Very good head and lacing and lasting all the way on this brew. It grew out of one of Bexley Brewery's founder’s home-brewing days and named after the local Bursted Wood. A very fruited first bite from this tawny-coloured bitter. A fruity bitterness rapidly rising aided by its Kentish hops, including Admiral for its bittering. Touches of soft stone fruits with floral flavours for me found in apricots, peaches and plums, are likely to be emanating from modern UK hop varieties such as Ernest to impart its sweet spiciness and peachy flavours. A biscuity maltiness winning over with hints of toffee and caramel from its English malted barley. A good outflow of dry hop-bitterness prevailing in the aftertaste. Perhaps just a tad too fresh. *In June 1956, the business and its 19 tied public houses were bought by Courage & Barclay** and brewing ceased shortly after in 1957. ** Courage & Barclay became a major British brewing entity formed by the 1955 merger of two historic London breweries: Courage & Co. Ltd and Barclay, Perkins & Co. Ltd. |
| Castle Rock - Step On | 4.50 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on was this dry-hopped pale ale from its Nottingham-based brewery set up in 1997 and exhibiting very good head and lacing and lasting to the end. A very tropical and citrusy fruited first hit aided by its Citra hops. A tropical fruitiness rising with hints of passion fruit and grapefruit mixed with blueberry and strawberry. A fruited mango flavouring pervading from its Vista hops for its downwards journey. In very good form but somewhat over fruited for me and so just one sufficed. |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Tempo | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - The Importance of Brewing Ernest | 4.20 | Not Tried |
16 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | New cask on today. Maltier and less bitter than I recall from past samples |
| Castle Rock - Step On | 4.50 | | New cask on today. Good condition but with disappointing blandness |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Tempo | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - The Importance of Brewing Ernest | 4.20 | Not Tried |
14 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A good few of the hardened in among the lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving. No fiddlers to be heard out the back for a change on a Tuesday. By all accounts, they had come in early, strummed their instruments and then drifted off.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siren Craft - Memento | 3.80 | | Fresh on and presenting a foaming head with lacing sticking to the sides of the glass all the way on this Berkshire bitter from the Finchampstead-based brewery set up in 2013. A dry bitter first hit. A hoppy and slightly citrusy fruit-infused bitterness rising with a creamy mouthfeel making it all the more pleasurable. A grassy hint emerging from its traditional English hop varieties with herbal notes coming to the fore. A subtle maltiness winning over with biscuit and caramel flavours. Very moreish in the aftertaste with hints of berry and lemon lingering for me and all aided by its dry hopping using the Cascade hop giving it that extra citrus lift. Served in peak condition with wonderful conditioning and so resolutely stuck to it. |
| Two by Two - Snake Eyes Pale | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Hooked Up (collaboration with Hook Norton) | 4.10 | Not Tried | This very malty amber ale ran out during this visit and having only come on, on Sunday! |
| Iron Pier - The Importance of Brewing Ernest | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - Feather | 3.80 | Not Tried |
14 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siren Craft - Memento | 3.80 | | Pretty bland on taste but condition good |
| Iron Pier - The Importance of Brewing Ernest | 4.20 | | First out of a new cask. Hazy, OK, did not pick up all the promised tasting notes highlights |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | | Well tired but acceptable on flavour still |
| Two by Two - Snake Eyes Pale | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Hooked Up (collaboration with Hook Norton) | 4.10 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - Feather | 3.80 | Not Tried |
12 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with a mix of Sunday regulars and the not so usual for the last half an hour's knockings.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second day on and this Tunbridge Wells-brewed stout pouring a ruby brown and coming with a good head and lacing but not really lasting. A malty first hit aided by its malts including Maris Otter, Roasted Barley and Chocolate. A rising bitterness from its exclusively Willamette hops, named after the Willamette Valley in northwest Oregon, and bred as a high-yield American alternative to the classic English Fuggle hop. A chocolate-infused malty note winning over. A dry bitterness slithering downwards with just the merest of chocolatey notes joining in. Greatly more quaffable than the Oakham and Hook Norton collaboration, Hooked Up. |
| Oakham - Hooked Up (collaboration with Hook Norton) | 4.10 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on this day was this lightly copper-coloured amber ale collaboration with Oakham, Peterborough, the first in the UK to brew a beer using 100% Citra hops, and Hook Norton in the Cotswolds, and one of the UK's last remaining family-owned Victorian tower breweries founded in 1849 and still using a steam engine to power parts of the brewing process and delivering locally via Shire horses. Displaying very good head and lacing and lasting to the end. Not as sweet as the Milestone Cromwell Best Bitter as tried the day before and so a welcome alternative on. A very malty first hit. A rising grapefruit-infused bitterness from its new USA-sourced hop variety, Karma, lending a tropical and stone fruit flavour and joined by new wave UK varieties, Jester and Harlequin. A dark fruitiness winning over with berry flavours joined by subtle orange and lemon citrus hints. Not in the least quaffable due to its maltiness. A malty yeasty outflow downwards with lingering resinous spice and minty herbs. Not one to down in a rush! |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Spring Pale | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - Feather | 3.80 | Not Tried |
12 Apr 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Managed to break a glass when taking my last empty back to the bar counter. Clumsy.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | | Bulk standard stout. Drank without much noticing |
| Oakham - Hooked Up (collaboration with Hook Norton) | 4.10 | | For 4.1% this was a heavy malty brew thus slow to drink. Lots of life, head and lacing |
| Bexley - Feather | 3.80 | | Pre-warned haziness. Little flavour. Disappointing |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | Seen with others - a true murk |
| Two by Two - Spring Pale | 4.60 | Not Tried |
11 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A quiet evening with just a sprinkling of regulars among the more occasional for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on today was this Nottinghamshire-brewed best bitter from the village of Cromwell, approximately 7 miles north of the historic market town of Newark-on-Trent, and displaying good head and lacing and lasting all the way. A dry bitter first bite aided by its English hops: Challenger, Progress, and Goldings. A prominent caramelised maltiness rising from its bready, biscuity mixture, and likely to be emanating from a mix of Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt and Crystal Malt, the latter lending it, its toffee and caramel notes. A fruited hoppiness prevailing. Its recurring toffee-infusions positively erupting on my palate. A dry but caramelised bitterness swanning downwards. Rather too sweet for my taste buds but served in good condition. |
| Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on was this Tunbridge Wells microbrewery’s* Kentish stout with good head and lacing to start with but not lasting all the way. A dry bitter but chocolatey first hit. A maltiness rising with just the merest hint of coffee but certainly not malty-sweet from its mix of Maris Otter, Roasted Barley, Chocolate malt, Flaked Barley, Oats, Crystal, Caragold, and Black malt. A healthy bitterness coming to the fore with subtle notes of elderberry, blackcurrant and hedgerow fruits aided by its Willamette hops**. Not a substantial mouthfeel by any means with just the faintest of chocolatey flavouring prevailing in its outflow of bitterness heading downwards. Perhaps still a touch too fresh for its head and lacing to have vanished soon after being poured on its first day on and in being rather thin-tasting. *Pig and Porter has been brewing on their own 10-barrel plant since 2013. **This is a classic American aroma hop that was released in 1971 by the United States Department of Agriculture's breeding program in Oregon. It was specifically developed as a high-yielding, American-grown alternative to the traditional English Fuggle hop. |
| Bexley - Golden Acre | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Guava Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - First Gold & Columbus Joined at the Hop | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Citra Simcoe Ekuanot | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Spring Pale | 4.60 | Not Tried |
09 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A mix of regulars and the lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick - Black Sabbath | 6.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Good head on being poured but its lacing not lasting on this Derby-brewed dark brown to black ale but for a decant as now its 4th day on. A malty bitterness on the first bite. A dry bitterness rising from its mix of UK hops. A maltiness winning over aided by its blend of dark-roasted malts, and Crystal malt imparting its characteristic toffee and caramel notes. Hints of liquorice, chocolate and spices sliding down. Strangely still quaffable. |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | | 1st beer of this visit: 4th day on since Monday and now with only minimal head and lacing and not lasting on this Northfleet-brewed bitter. A dry bitter first hit. A fruity hoppiness rising aided by its English hops including Goldings from Hukins Hops in Kent. Orange, plum, and spicy flavours coming to the fore. A gentle malty note winning over with a biscuity caramel flavouring joining in with hints of honey and toffee from its malt. A hop-infused maltiness playing out with the odd bitter pitter patter downwards. Not bad for its fourth day on but now lacking much of the conditioning that was there earlier in the week. |
| Milestone - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Scarecrow | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Front Row - Props Apprentice | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pennine Brewing (Bedale) - Golden Ramble | 4.10 | 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