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The Bull Inn (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)Excellent1
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Excellent6
Kent - Black GoldExcellent1
Larkins - TraditionalExcellent2
Pig & Porter - Pattern RecognitionExcellent2
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterNot Tried0
Shepherd Neame - Late RedNot Tried0
Shepherd Neame - Spitfire Gold (or Spitfire Golden Ale)Not Tried0
Picture 1. The Bull Inn, Benenden, Kent

Visits Details

28 May 2018 (Wittenden)
Late afternoon on a sweltering Bank Holiday Monday. Several sitting outside.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40GoodInitially mellow,followed by the expected burst of hops.
Larkins - Traditional3.40Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Shepherd Neame - Spitfire Gold (or Spitfire Golden Ale)4.10Not Tried
28 Apr 2018 (Wittenden)
Early evening:a good congregation of drinkers, much cask being consumed.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentCitrus for the soul.
Larkins - Traditional3.40Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
23 Mar 2018 (Wittenden)
Meal with the family in the bar.Lively mixed trade on a March Friday evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Larkins - Traditional3.40ExcellentA cracking pint of Traditional.The hoppiness of the previously consumed Hophead served to bring out the toffee and vanilla notes.Classic.
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentDoesn't seem to have suffered from the change of ownership,though there are many Sussex and Kent Pale Ales that give it a fair run for its money.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
02 Sep 2017 (Wittenden)
Saturday lunchtime:filling up rapidly with diners.I sat in the bay window watching the autumnal cloudscape.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Pig & Porter - Pattern Recognition4.20ExcellentHazy,raspberries,farmyard.Good stuff.
Larkins - Traditional3.40Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
12 Aug 2017 (Wittenden)
Late Saturday afternoon.A few in.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Pig & Porter - Pattern Recognition4.20GoodPale gold.Coarse blackcurrant hops. Sweet malt.Bit of farmyard. Grew on me.
Larkins - Traditional3.40Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
14 May 2017 (Wittenden)
We'd been a dog walk and visited an NGS Garden opening.The pub was packed to the gunnells with a very grand wedding party on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Larkins - Traditional3.40ExcellentA bit cold.Brittle,not chewy, toffee.
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40GoodGood condition, a bit confined.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
15 Apr 2017 (Wittenden)
Early evening.Nursing a dog bite.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kent - Black Gold4.00ExcellentLovely dry dark toasty black bitter.
Larkins - Traditional3.40Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
18 Feb 2017 (Wittenden)
Lunchtime;the pub was humming.I stood out on the verandah with my pint and took the air.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentPerhaps not my favourite session pale nowadays, but wonderfully reassuring.
Larkins - Traditional3.40Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
03 Dec 2016 (Wittenden)
Very quiet late afternoon after a dog walk. I was hoping the Old would be on.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentBack at its citric best.
Larkins - Traditional3.40Not Tried
Shepherd Neame - Late Red4.50Not TriedNot a substitute for .Harvey's Old
12 Nov 2016 (Wittenden)
Late afternoon after a wet dog walk. I sat by the fire with my first Harvey's Old of the season.Things don't get much better.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30ExcellentLovely dark grown up ardent beer.
Larkins - Traditional3.40Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried

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About The Bull Inn

The pub sign. The Bull Inn, Benenden, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional12
Excellent50
Good29
Acceptable5
Poor3

Website.

The pub is found in Benenden, Kent, TN17 4DE.

The pub, in The Street, has 3 rooms (with a restaurant room to the side). The main bar area has an inglenook fire place and a large, seated, bay window. To the side is a slightly sunken room and behind that a small snug with its own bar. The pub has lots of oak and lots of character. Letting rooms here. The owner also owns the former Kitty Fisher (formerly known as King William IV) across the other side of the green here which now converted to his private home.

We have visited this pub 71 times, seen 44 different beers and tried 29 of them.

Map location

Postcode: TN17 4DE