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The Cock Tavern (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Big Smoke - Underworld Milk StoutExcellent1
Short Stack - Mojito Pale AleExcellent1
Wiper and True - Milk Stout (Milk Shake)Excellent1
RedWillow - HeadlessExcellent1
Short Stack - Keller PilsExcellent1
Anspach & Hobday - The Three EEEPAExcellent1
Wylam - A Warning to the CuriousExcellent1
Little Earth Project (formerly Mill Green) - Folly Road 2018Excellent1
Beatnikz Republic - I SMaSH MosaicExcellent1
Big Smoke - Dark Wave PorterExcellent1
Little Earth Project (formerly Mill Green) - Stupid Sexy Suffolk (Blend 2)Excellent1
Short Stack - Table Beer (Vic Secret, Ella)Excellent1
Beartown (latterly part of Manning Brewers) - Créme BearleeExcellent1
Buxton - Axe 'X'Excellent1
Big Smoke - Solaris Session PaleExcellent1
Heavy Industry - Iron Fist Velvet GloveExcellent1
Marble - Little WolfExcellent1
Buxton - Big ClawGood1
Manning Brewers (Born of Man) - Sha ManGood1
Track - Made in the ShadeGood1
Beatnikz Republic - I Heart NZGood1
Beatnikz Republic - I SMaSH SimcoeGood1
Box Social - Hybrid TheoryAcceptable1
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Dinner AleNot Tried0
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Riding AleNot Tried0
Hobsons - Champion MildNot Tried0
Anspach & Hobday - The London ESBNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - FirestarterNot Tried0
Five Points - Railway PorterNot Tried0
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XXNot Tried0
Beer Monkey Brew - Bitter RevivalNot Tried0
Weird Beard - Five O'Clock ShadowNot Tried0
Track - SonomaNot Tried0
Wiper and True - Milk ShakeNot Tried0
Marble - Manchester BitterNot Tried0
Five Points - Five Points PaleNot Tried0
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Tropical DeluxeNot Tried0
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - House IPANot Tried0
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Imperial Stout Fighting AleNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - LazarusNot Tried0
Joseph Holt (see also Holt's) - MildNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - ZephyrNot Tried0
Marble - BitterNot Tried0
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Chocolate StoutNot Tried0
Fyne - JarlNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Cock Tavern, Hackney, Greater London
Picture 2. The Cock Tavern, Hackney, Greater London
Stephen Harris

Visits Details

20 May 2019 (Stephen Harris)
Monday evening but nevertheless quite a crowd in.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Short Stack - Mojito Pale Ale6.30ExcellentFrom key-keg. Brewed downstairs and gorgeous, although in a blind tasting I might not have identified this as beer. Lime and mint.
Beatnikz Republic - I SMaSH Simcoe5.00GoodA hazy-gold, single-hop beer.
Hobsons - Champion Mild3.20Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Riding Ale3.00Not Tried
Track - Sonoma3.80Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Tropical Deluxe3.80Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - House IPA6.90Not Tried
13 May 2019 (Stephen Harris)
Monday afternoon and not crowded.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Beatnikz Republic - I SMaSH Mosaic5.00ExcellentGreat single-hop showcase.
Beatnikz Republic - I Heart NZ4.40GoodHoney gold. A soft and murky hop burst.
Five Points - Railway Porter4.80Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XX5.10Not Tried
Beer Monkey Brew - Bitter Revival3.90Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Tropical Deluxe3.80Not Tried
30 Apr 2019 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening visit.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Anspach & Hobday - The Three EEEPA6.20ExcellentA golden IPA.
Manning Brewers (Born of Man) - Sha Man4.50GoodA passionfruit-flavoured IPA.
Fyne - Jarl3.80Not Tried
Wiper and True - Milk Stout (Milk Shake)5.10Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Riding Ale3.00Not Tried
Beer Monkey Brew - Bitter Revival3.90Not Tried
Anspach & Hobday - The London ESB5.50Not TriedUnfortunately, this ran out.
18 Mar 2019 (Stephen Harris)
BeerABVScoreNotes
Big Smoke - Dark Wave Porter5.00ExcellentRobust, black, rich and chocolatey.
Beartown (latterly part of Manning Brewers) - Créme Bearlee4.80ExcellentBlack, sweet, creamy, vanilla.
Marble - Little Wolf6.30ExcellentA Coffee IPA. A weird idea, but it works.
Joseph Holt (see also Holt's) - Mild3.20Not Tried
Marble - Bitter3.90Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XX5.10Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - House IPA6.90Not Tried
14 Mar 2019 (Stephen Harris)
It's the monthly cheese night tonight and the featured breweries have both supplied only keg beers. So for once I give the handpumps a rest.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Little Earth Project (formerly Mill Green) - Folly Road 20185.80ExcellentWild yeast beer from keg. Zero carbonation. A lot of red wine barrel character.
Little Earth Project (formerly Mill Green) - Stupid Sexy Suffolk (Blend 2)6.50ExcellentFrom keg. A Flemish Red style beer- blended from 8 wild-ferementation barrels. Would not look at all out-of-place in Flanders.
Buxton - Axe 'X'6.80ExcellentSouped-up version of Axe Edge, from keg.
Buxton - Big Claw8.00GoodDIPA from keg. This one a bit fizzy.
Marble - Manchester Bitter4.20Not Tried
Big Smoke - Solaris Session Pale3.80Not Tried
Big Smoke - Underworld Milk Stout5.00Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XX5.10Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Tropical Deluxe3.80Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Dinner Ale5.20Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - House IPA6.90Not Tried
11 Mar 2019 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening and not too crowded.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Big Smoke - Solaris Session Pale3.80ExcellentVery nice. Light, crisp and hoppy.
Big Smoke - Underworld Milk Stout5.00ExcellentSweet, chocolatey Milk Stout.
Short Stack - Keller Pils5.20ExcellentFrom keg. If only all English Lager tasted as good as this.
Marble - Manchester Bitter4.20Not Tried
Five Points - Five Points Pale4.40Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Dinner Ale5.20Not Tried
12 Feb 2019 (Stephen Harris)
Busy in the evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Short Stack - Table Beer (Vic Secret, Ella)3.30ExcellentFrom a keg. The second beer from the latest brewing operation in the cellar here (I missed the first one). It is seriously murky. Pale gold and hop-filled.
Track - Made in the Shade5.60GoodA smooth, chocolatey Porter.
Box Social - Hybrid Theory3.50AcceptableHazy gold. Odd flavours that I could not identify. Not sure that I liked it very much.
Weird Beard - Five O'Clock Shadow6.90Not Tried
Track - Sonoma3.80Not Tried
Wiper and True - Milk Shake5.60Not Tried
03 Feb 2019 (Stephen Harris)
BeerABVScoreNotes
RedWillow - Headless3.90ExcellentYou cannot fault the hop flavours in this.
Wylam - A Warning to the Curious7.40ExcellentA heavy, serious Stout with liquorice and orange and chocolate.
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Imperial Stout Fighting Ale11.50Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Tropical Deluxe3.80Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Dinner Ale5.20Not Tried
02 Jan 2019 (Stephen Harris)
It's very quiet in here tonight. I guess most pubs are on this date.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wiper and True - Milk Stout (Milk Shake)5.10ExcellentA cask version of this beer badged at 4.5%. Thick, creamy and sweet.
Hobsons - Champion Mild3.20Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Firestarter4.20Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XX5.10Not Tried
Beer Monkey Brew - Bitter Revival3.90Not Tried
27 Dec 2018 (Stephen Harris)
A brief stop.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Heavy Industry - Iron Fist Velvet Glove5.70ExcellentA Stout with chocolate and sour cherry.
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Lazarus4.20Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Zephyr4.40Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Chocolate Stout4.80Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Dinner Ale5.20Not Tried

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About The Cock Tavern

The pub sign. The Cock Tavern, Hackney, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional15
Excellent187
Good90
Acceptable28
Poor1

The pub is found in Hackney, Greater London, E8 1EJ.

There was a pub called the Cock in Hackney village as early as the 1650s, and in 1661 it was the venue for ‘Popish Conspirators’, plotting an unsuccessful assassination attempt on King Charles II. Nobody is quite sure if this was the predecessor of today’s pub – but the present pub was certainly around by the 1830s and was rebuilt in its present form by Truman’s Brewery in around 1930. Very much a down-market, high street, strictly ‘no real ale’ sort of place, it closed in early 2012 for refurbishment, and re-opened on 18 July 2012 as a real ale champion, complete with in-house ‘Howling Hops’ micro-brewery (subsequently relocated to larger premises). This pub is sister pub to the Southampton Arms in Kentish Town.

We have visited this pub 124 times, seen 426 different beers and tried 269 of them.

Map location

Postcode: E8 1EJ