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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB |  | 2 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | | 1 |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Nitro London Stout (cask version) |  | 2 |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | | 1 |
| Kent - Superdelicnectaron | | 3 |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Golden Bitter | | 1 |
| Burning Sky - What Gives? | | 2 |
| Mighty Oak - Medusa IPA | | 2 |
| Church End - Stout Coffin | | 3 |
| Mighty Oak - Arcadian Ale | | 4 |
| Brew York - Maris the Otter |  | 3 |
| Oakham - Oranje | | 1 |
| Oakham - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brass Castle - Bad Kitty | Not Tried | 0 |
| Verdant - Miniature Cymbals | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Evoke | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsbury - Hazy Daisy | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Duality Idaho 7 & Azacca | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Sun City | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Everytime | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
10 Aug 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Just a smidgen of hard-core regulars seemed to be in residence.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | | Always reliable |
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB | 4.10 | | Reasonable head and lacing |
| Church End - Stout Coffin | 4.60 | | Needed more condition to really take off |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Duality Idaho 7 & Azacca | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Sun City | 3.70 | Not Tried |
10 Aug 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for the last 30 minutes of serving with just the merest few of the hardened in among the more occasional. The theme set by the now also more occasional Sunday "musical" barman in the sense he gives us a musical theme the week or so before for tracks to be played was "time". Pink Floyd's Time was played and superb! Parts of it were used in the 1973 tv programme entitled "In Search Of The Perfect Pint" and now found on YouTube and featuring Fyfe Robertson. Look up: 1973: In Search of the PERFECT PINT | Robbie | Classic BBC documentary | BBC Archive. That should find it. In this Robbie extols: "In my self-sacrificing search for the best, I have sampled a lot of beers. And I have found here as in a lot of other places too, my perfect pint, it’s a bitter. Maybe it would not be the best for you, because no one beer could be every man’s perfect pint. Just as no one woman could be every man’s perfect mistress. And the perfect pint needs to be more than beer, it needs the right setting, the warm sun and the proper frame of mind. The best beer can’t taste right if you have got lumps in the liver. This then is my choice: smooth, not too sweet, not too bitter, and it’s the real macoy. Not sterilised into deadness, but still alive but though more than willing to go down the hatch without a struggle. But you’ll need something else first of all, something every wise man should cultivate, the perfect thirst! Cheerio!"
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB | 4.10 | | First day on and wonderful. One of my favourite local microbreweries is this one from Birling, north of West Malling. Very good head and lacing and lasting throughout its performance. A very bitter first bite. A lovely hoppiness rising ably assisted by its Golding and Fuggles hops. A malty note or two joining in to aid its voyage down my appreciative hatch! Very moreish and so stuck with it apart from a half of stout to end on. |
| Church End - Stout Coffin | 4.60 | | Second day on. Not as good as its first day sampled but still pulling a good punch on this stout from Nuneaton, north-east of Birmingham. Church End started in 1994 in an old coffin shop and so hence this ale's name no doubt! Thankfully a lively stout and certainly still holding its head and lacing well and lasting as served at 10.50pm-ish and not sampled until 11.25pm and some 15 minutes before going-home-time. A dry malty first bite with the odd dark berry in on the mix. A moreish bitterness rising. A mildly fruit-infused malty dryness playing out. |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Duality Idaho 7 & Azacca | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Sun City | 3.70 | Not Tried |
09 Aug 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 40 minutes of serving with the hardened Saturday regulars in among some of the footy supporters still in situ from the Charlton FC home-game against Watford FC, beating them 1-0 in the Championship League and which Charlton have just gone up into.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Church End - Stout Coffin | 4.60 | | Fresh on today and a lovely creamy head and lacing and lasting throughout on this Nuneaton stout, north-east of Birmingham. A dry fruity first bite with a hint of dark berries. A moreish bitterness emerging with a good serving of maltiness. A mildly fruit-infused malty dryness sailing off into the sunset. |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.50 | | Also fresh on today, care of those thirsty Charlton supporters in earlier to toast Charlton's first game and win in the Championship League and which they have just been elevated into, is this Bermondsey-brewed hazy pale. Head and lacing, very good, and holding it, good. A grapefuity first bite. A pleasant hoppiness winning over assisted by US hops, Citra and Mosaic, and doing battle with the expressive English variety, Ernest. A dry hopped mix sailing off with the odd grapefruit or two gently bobbing along into the sunset. |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Golden Bitter | 4.00 | | Good head and lacing and lasting throughout on this Bermondsey-brewed golden-coloured bitter and on its first day on. A fruit-infused first bite. A gentle hoppy bitterness rising ably assisted by its two English hops, Ernest and Endeavour. A biscuity maltiness also veering up. Aided by a touch of dried fig and pine, a dry fruity bitterness lasting. |
| Oakham - Green Devil IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Everytime | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Duality Idaho 7 & Azacca | 4.50 | Not Tried |
08 Aug 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall with just a sprinkling of the hardened regulars in among the more occasional for the last 30 minutes of serving. The landlord was also in and getting ready for Saturday's post-match invasion after the home-game for Charlton FC in their new division, having gone up a league to the Championship, in preparing no doubt a good few real ales to stand by on the touchlines back at the micro for after the early game.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brew York - Maris the Otter | 3.90 | | I think this York-based bitter had woken up from its early delivery the evening before. It now presented some head and lacing but not lasting still. A malty first bite. A gentle bitterness rising with a caramel-infused biscuity note. A dry bitter maltiness living on. |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Burning Sky - What Gives? | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Nitro London Stout (cask version) | 4.60 | Not Tried | Just gone when I requested it. Had enjoyed it on Tuesday. No other dark ale ready in its place to end on. |
| Ramsbury - Hazy Daisy | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Duality Idaho 7 & Azacca | 4.50 | Not Tried |
07 Aug 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over with usual Thursday regulars on parade among the more occasional for last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Superdelicnectaron | 5.00 | | Head and lacing to note and now on my third attempt on this visit but a decant or two became necessary along the way on this Birling-based IPA, north of West Malling in Kent. A dry bitter first bite. A malty bitterness rising. This was then followed by an explosion of fruity hoppiness from its New Zealand hops, Superdelic and Nectaron, and so hence its name, erupting with tropical and ripe fruit flavours sailing down my hatch. |
| Brew York - Maris the Otter | 3.90 |  | Head and lacing, poor, and unable to hold it. Unusual for Brew York to be like this as in rather flat. It was only its first night on. A very bitter first bite on this York-brewed bitter. A maltiness rising from its five different malts in on the mix. A dry hoppy bitterness lingering assisted by its three varieties of New World hops, referring to being primarily cultivated in the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand. One sufficed as have had this tasting much better and in better condition and so to others to try. |
| Mighty Oak - Arcadian Ale | 4.00 | | Had the misfortune to have the last Essex amber bitter out of the barrel from this Maldon-based brew. Head and lacing, minimal, and lasting, no chance! Still a malty first bite and a citrus-infused fruitiness rising. A hint of hoppiness lingering from its UK First Gold, with hints of orange, marmalade and spices, and mixed with US Calypso and UK-based fruity Ernest hops. A mere shadow of its former self on Tuesday when last tasted and on good form. |
| Burning Sky - What Gives? | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Nitro London Stout (cask version) | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Ramsbury - Hazy Daisy | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Oranje | 4.10 | Not Tried |
07 Aug 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. After generally unsuccessful ale choices ended with a bottle of Orval in magic condition.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Superdelicnectaron | 5.00 | | Held up quite well after a few days on |
| Brew York - Maris the Otter | 3.90 | | 4th pint out of a cash fresh on. Simply poured flat and stayed flat. No off flavours but a real chore to finish |
| Oakham - Oranje | 4.10 | | Faintest of orange peel taste |
| Burning Sky - What Gives? | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Nitro London Stout (cask version) | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Ramsbury - Hazy Daisy | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Arcadian Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
05 Aug 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall out the front for last couple of hours of serving with a mix of regulars and the more occasional for a birthday party gathering, and with some others perhaps on their first ever visit and complemented by the fiddlers playing their instruments out the back.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Arcadian Ale | 4.00 | | Third night on for this Essex amber bitter from Maldon. I thought it had actually improved since first trying it on Sunday when a tad fresh as had only just come on less than an hour before sampling it then. Head and lacing, still good, and lasting, good. A very malty first hit. A moreish bitterness rising. Its peach and apricot did not for me overly infuse. Its citrusy hints had mellowed and for me it was the better for it. Not so toffee-infused with now the merest hint of burnt caramel remaining. A very bitter mouthfeel with just a touch of fruitiness getting in on the act, ably assisted by its UK First Gold, with hints of orange, marmalade and spices, and mixed with US Calypso and UK-based fruity Ernest hops. A very pleasant maltiness pervading throughout and not in the least overly sweet to my taste buds unlike on Sunday! This amber bitter for me had improved with age but not with too much age I hasten to add, and timely for a birthday gathering for those who love their bitters! |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Nitro London Stout (cask version) | 4.60 | | A chocolate Belgian cake was being passed around the birthday gathering and this Bermondsey stout seemed to be the perfect accompaniment. The stout, only on its second night on, came with a good creamy head and lacing and lasted throughout. Lightly carbonated, it commenced with a moreishly dry bitter first bite. A sweet fruitiness rising up. Its dry bitterness pervading and which ably aided the Belgian chocolate cake to sink its voyage downwards. |
| Burning Sky - What Gives? | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Ramsbury - Hazy Daisy | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Oranje | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Superdelicnectaron | 5.00 | Not Tried |
05 Aug 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Birthday for one regular, back room full of fiddlers, front room packed with many new and newish faces.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Superdelicnectaron | 5.00 | | Very good condition but as a boring citrus job not really one for my palate. A bore |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - Nitro London Stout (cask version) | 4.60 | | How to mark this was a dilemma. I found it lacking condition and natural carbonation making it a chore to finish |
| Burning Sky - What Gives? | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Ramsbury - Hazy Daisy | 3.90 | Not Tried | Looked like real murk |
| Oakham - Oranje | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Arcadian Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
03 Aug 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close with just a handful of faithfuls in situ.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burning Sky - What Gives? | 4.40 | | Usual Burning Sky quality was struggling with condition here |
| Mighty Oak - Arcadian Ale | 4.00 | | Basic citrus bittering |
| Mighty Oak - Medusa IPA | 4.70 | | Fortunately just a half. Poured quite flat |
| Brass Castle - Bad Kitty | 5.50 | Not Tried | Still soldiering on |
| Verdant - Miniature Cymbals | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Evoke | 4.20 | Not Tried |
03 Aug 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
The quietest I can recall for footfall ever for the last 30 minutes of serving apart from my first ever visit back in 2017 days into this micro's opening. Just the hardened Sunday night regulars in. Even with a couple more usual regulars in just after me, still the lowest footfall. Not sure where the current holiday destination is but they are all flocking there it would seem and good luck to them!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burning Sky - What Gives? | 4.40 | | Only its second day on for this East Sussex-based APA from Firle, south-east of Lewes and home to Harvey's real ales. Came with good head and lacing and lasted well. A very fruity kick in its first bite. A good citrusy-fruit flavouring rising up on the palate aided by its pine, citrus and lightly grassy hints. Now we know why the mule had a good kick on this one! It was without doubt a powerfully fruit-infused cocktail and lingering on my taste buds. Not quite my cup of tea to go beyond this mere half! |
| Mighty Oak - Medusa IPA | 4.70 | | Only its third day on was this Essex IPA from Maldon and certainly less of a mule's fruity kick than the Burning Sky's "What Gives?" APA from just outside Lewes. Good head and lacing and lasting well. A hoppy first bite ably assisted by its Columbus (US) and Waimea (NZ) hops. A moderate fruitiness rising up and then suddenly it woke up my taste buds with a mule's lively kick. A fruity sharpness lingering. A half sufficed but good luck to those who sail onboard this one! |
| Mighty Oak - Arcadian Ale | 4.00 | | Fresh on just an hour before getting in and had replaced a very fine Goachers' Fine Light bitter which I had enjoyed since Friday evening. This Essex amber bitter from Maldon came with a lively punch packed with an entertaining fruitiness! But first to the basics: very good head and lacing and lasting as you would hope to expect. A very toffee-infused burnt caramel first bite for my taste buds. Only the tasting notes revealed it was in fact packed with peach and apricot aromas. I prefer to sup rather than sniff my real ales but somehow these fruits managed to seep into its flavouring. A fruity bitterness did indeed manage to rise up with the odd hoppy note playing out aided by its UK First Gold, which is new to me, its US Calypso and UK-based Ernest hops. The latter is said to be renowned by the British Hop Association for its fruity notes, especially apricot, citrus and spice. A pleasant maltiness rising but for me overly sweet to my taste buds! It may just have been that combination of some overly fruited hops leading to its sweetness. |
| Brass Castle - Bad Kitty | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Verdant - Miniature Cymbals | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Evoke | 4.20 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 14 |
| 727 |
| 1935 |
| 610 |
| 58 |
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 1536 times, seen 1907 different beers and tried 1125 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ