PubsandBeer
The Hope (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Rock - Dark Arts |  | 1 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Awesomestow IPA | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 1 |
| Hardknott - Continuum | | 1 |
| Otley - Dark-O |  | 1 |
| Surrey Hills - Albury Ruby | | 1 |
| Windsor & Eton - Conqueror | | 2 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Old Street Pale | | 1 |
| Moorhouse's - Black Cat Mild | | 1 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Black Eel | | 1 |
| Redemption - Port & Brandy Porter | | 1 |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Horsham Best Bitter | | 2 |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Little Cracker | | 1 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mild |  | 1 |
| East London (ELB) - Pale Ale | | 1 |
| White - White Gold | | 1 |
| Kissingate - Valley Mild | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Victorian Ruby Mild | | 1 |
| Two Bridges - Inkpen Mild | | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Black Gold Mild | | 1 |
| Hop Back - Old Master | | 1 |
| Boggart - Dark Mild | | 1 |
| Summer Wine (SWB) - Resistance Dark Mild | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Thoroughly Modern Mild |  | 1 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Old Chap | | 1 |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Kings Royal Mild | | 1 |
| Oakleaf (now see Fallen Acorn entries) - Blake's Heaven | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titanic - White Star (superseded by 4.5% version - see separate entry) | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
29 Mar 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
A beer festival in progress, showcasing London brewers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Old Street Pale | 5.00 | | Strong pale bitter with sweetish citrus and fruity hop flavours. Sweetish, fruity finish. My score 16/20. |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Black Eel | 5.00 | | A black IPA with a good combination of dark malt and citrus hop flavours. Full bodied with a fruity hop finish. My score 16/20. |
| Redemption - Port & Brandy Porter | 5.80 | | A lot of Port and Brandy went into this festival special to raise the ABV by 0.7%. Dark malts just temper the flavour of the fortifications. My score 16/20. |
| Boggart - Dark Mild | 4.00 | | Malty dark brown brown mild with a sharpish fruity finish. |
| Summer Wine (SWB) - Resistance Dark Mild | 3.70 | | A little hazy, possibly too fresh, not quite as flavoursome as usual. My score 15 with B for quality. |
| East London (ELB) - Pale Ale | 4.00 | | This version was specially dry hopped with Citra for the beer festival with the inevitable results. My score 15/20. |
28 Jan 2012 (thebrewingman)
Busy Saturday lunchtime with people taking advantage of the beer festival. Superb selection with beers going off and coming on. Excellent community pub. I've only listed those beers I've tried.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Rock - Dark Arts | 6.00 | | Superb stout. |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Awesomestow IPA | 7.00 | | Wow. Does not drink like 7% |
| Hardknott - Continuum | 4.00 | | Very hoppy brew. |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | | |
| Surrey Hills - Albury Ruby | 4.60 | |
01 Sep 2011 (Martin the Mildman)
Visit by the Thursday evening mild drinkers where we were made to feel very welcome and provided with some excellent beer.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moorhouse's - Black Cat Mild | 3.40 | | Top condition here with a good chocolate and liquorice malt character and a dryish finish. My score 16/20. |
| Castle Rock - Black Gold Mild | 3.80 | | Dark brown with a dark chocolate malt character and also a little hop bitterness in the finish. My score 15/20. |
| Windsor & Eton - Conqueror | 5.00 | | Hoppy black IPA with a good mix of dark malts and citrus hops. My score 15/20. |
19 May 2011 (Martin the Mildman)
First day of the pub's Mild for May festival with 9 casks of mild on stillage.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Victorian Ruby Mild | 6.00 | | Strong ruby mild with lots of malt flavours of roast and toffee with some nuttiness. Some hop bitterness evident in the finish. My score 15/20. |
| Hop Back - Old Master | 4.30 | | Dark brown stronger mild with nutty and chocolate malt flavours and some hop bitterness in the finish. My score 15/20. |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mild | 3.70 | | Just plain "Mild", this is a lighter brew, red/amber in colour with a fruity flavour. Some malt eveident and a little citrus hop in the finish. My score 15/20 with B for quality as it was a little hazy. |
| Kissingate - Valley Mild | 4.00 | | Dark brown mild with some roasty malt flavours and a slight yesty flavour. The finish is quite dry. My score 15/20 with B quality as there was some hazyness. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Thoroughly Modern Mild | 6.00 | | Full flavoured amber strong mild with quite a lot of bitter malt flavours and rather high hoppiness for a mild, but it is a modern one I suppose. My score 14/20. |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Kings Royal Mild | 3.60 | | Amber in colour, some malt character but also quite a lot of bitterness. The finish is bitter and quite dry. My score 14/20. |
12 Dec 2010 (ChrisE)
A busy Sunday lunchtime with a good mix of drinkers and diners.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | I had to wait while they flushed the lines, and put a new cask of, but it was worth it. Hophead at its very best. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Little Cracker | 5.00 | | |
| Windsor & Eton - Conqueror | 5.00 | | A superb black IPA full of flavour. |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Horsham Best Bitter | 3.80 | | |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Old Chap | 4.20 | |
16 Sep 2010 (Martin the Mildman)
An already busy locals pub was further swelled by the ranks of the Thursday evening mild drinkers club.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| White - White Gold | 4.90 | | Well balanced strong golden ale with a fairly bitter hop finish. My score 15/20. |
| Two Bridges - Inkpen Mild | 3.50 | | Black and very malty with a burnt caramel/toffee and toast flavour just a little over dominant. Dryish finish. My score 15/20. |
07 Sep 2010 (thebrewingman)
Early evening visit before football at Carshalton Athletic. Fairly quiet with a smattering of Tonbridge Angels real ale fans.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Horsham Best Bitter | 3.80 | | A tasty pint of of bitter that looked like a bitter. |
| Otley - Dark-O | 4.00 | | A very distinct taste which grew as the pint was supped. Slightly smokey with hints of liquorice. |
| Oakleaf (now see Fallen Acorn entries) - Blake's Heaven | 7.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Titanic - White Star (superseded by 4.5% version - see separate entry) | 4.80 | Not Tried |
About The Hope
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 12 |
| 48 |
| 33 |
| 6 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Carshalton, Greater London, SM5 2PR.
Town pub in West Street with an island bar surrounded by several distinct drinking areas. Handy for Carshalton Athletic FC. CAMRA Greater London Regional Pub of the Year 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023 and in 2025 too. Last 4 finalist of the CAMRA National Pub of the Year competition 2013. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2016. Most recently local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2022, 2023 and 2025. 7 handpumps but with an increasing propensity to sell craft keg beers. Initially run by a share-owning co-operative (32 shareholders) on a 20 year free of all tie lease from Punch Taverns. Reported in June / July 2015 CAMRA London Drinker magazine that the freehold had now been purchased.
We have visited this pub 27 times, seen 119 different beers and tried 79 of them.
Postcode: SM5 2PR