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The Capitol (Wetherspoon)
We believe this pub is CLOSED
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Lacons - Affinity |  | 2 |
| Wooha - Off-Kilter | | 1 |
| Dorking - Black Noise |  | 1 |
| Bowman - Yumi | | 1 |
| Enfield (branded as Enefeld) - Enefeld London Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | | 1 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Old Growler | | 1 |
| Purity - Saddle Black | | 1 |
| Burton Bridge - Burton Porter | | 1 |
| Westerham - Audit Ale | | 1 |
| Mordue - Winter Tyne | | 1 |
| Greene King - Abbot |  | 3 |
| St Peter's - Plum Porter | | 1 |
| Saltaire - Cascade Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Wantsum - Imperium | | 1 |
| Wantsum - Hurricane | | 1 |
| Wantsum - Dynamo |  | 1 |
| Rooster's - Distant Sun | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Pale Beauty | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wimbledon - SW19 Summer Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Weltons - Old Cocky | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Guardsman | Not Tried | 0 |
| Southwark - Bermondsey Best | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Father Thames | Not Tried | 0 |
| Coach House - Coachman's Autumn Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Inveralmond - Bàrd | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wychwood (now brewed at Banks's) - Dirty Tackle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Red Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Banks's - Young Henrys Stayer | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Conqueror Black IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Fortitude (was 4.2%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Silent Knight of the Garter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Parklife | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Junction | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Winter Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Windsor Knot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Fat Sprat | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - George and the Flagon | Not Tried | 0 |
| Weltons - American Graffiti Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Banks's - Ringwood Fortyniner | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
02 Sep 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lacons - Affinity | 4.80 | | Second one was a tad cooler and the better for it. It became a gulpable beer - as good a test of condition as I know |
| Lacons - Affinity | 4.80 | | First one was very palatable |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Weltons - Old Cocky | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Southwark - Bermondsey Best | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Coach House - Coachman's Autumn Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried |
11 Jul 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. 2 staff on counter were struggling to keep up and at one time customers formed a queue.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | Rather acidic bitterness which several splashes of lemonade quelled |
| St Peter's - Plum Porter | 4.60 | | Not a well balanced fruit addition |
| Banks's - Ringwood Fortyniner | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Guardsman | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Pale Beauty | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Wimbledon - SW19 Summer Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
23 Apr 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorking - Black Noise | 4.50 | | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | Apple notes so not quite as it should be |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | Temporarily off sale "someone has kicked the cask" |
| Adnams - Fat Sprat | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - George and the Flagon | 4.50 | Not Tried |
19 Mar 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burton Bridge - Burton Porter | 4.50 | | |
| Wantsum - Dynamo | 4.30 | | Ugh - new cask on and fobbed a lot on pouring but within minutes had lost all head and condition. Did not seem fully fermented out, or just a bad batch |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Fortitude (was 4.2%) | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Honey Dark | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Bowman - Yumi | 3.90 | Not Tried |
11 Feb 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity - Saddle Black | 5.10 | | Got well stuck into this |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Wychwood (now brewed at Banks's) - Dirty Tackle | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Windsor Knot | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Banks's - Young Henrys Stayer | 3.80 | Not Tried |
23 Jan 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. For much of the stay someone seemed to be playing a hand held game which produced an occasional high pitched whistle sound.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enfield (branded as Enefeld) - Enefeld London Pale Ale | 5.00 | | Delicious light coloured bitter |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | | Not a patch on the same beer in the Brockley Barge yesterday |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Guardsman | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Father Thames | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Inveralmond - Bàrd | 4.60 | Not Tried |
14 Jan 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - Audit Ale | 6.20 | | A very dry tasting bitter |
| Wantsum - Hurricane | 4.50 | | Bland and tired, a chore to finish |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Weltons - American Graffiti Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Rooster's - Distant Sun | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | Not Tried |
08 Jan 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wooha - Off-Kilter | 4.00 | | Scotch Ale - I rather liked this one |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | 5.00 | | Good English hops nose |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Windsor Knot | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Conqueror Black IPA | 5.00 | Not Tried |
27 Dec 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. Well populated until the very end.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mordue - Winter Tyne | 3.90 | | |
| Bowman - Yumi | 3.90 | | |
| Wantsum - Imperium | 4.00 | | Tired or first out for a while. From a pump on the right hand end of the bar which is less often visited |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Parklife | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Winter Star | 4.40 | Not Tried |
06 Dec 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. Once again cosy and warm here, one of the bar staff indicated that maybe the heating had been fixed.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Old Growler | 5.00 | | Good lip bitterness |
| Saltaire - Cascade Pale Ale | 4.80 | | Hazy and tired but drinkable |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Ruddles Best (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Red Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Conqueror Black IPA | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Silent Knight of the Garter | 3.80 | Not Tried | Presume an Xmas name take on the usual brew |
About The Capitol
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 23 |
| 32 |
| 20 |
| 4 |
The pub is found in Forest Hill, Greater London, SE23 3TW.
Located in London Road in Forest Hill not far from the railway station and excellent bus links. The long bar (at what would once have been front of house) is equipped with 2 banks each of 5 handpumps. The Capitol opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929. Later renamed and converted into a bingo hall, the building now bears its original name. A rare survival of a 1920s cinema, The Capitol, on London Road, first opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929, with a screening of Man, Woman and Sin. Renamed the ABC in 1968, the cinema gave its last picture show in October 1973. There were plans to convert and even demolish the building. However, The Capitol opened as a bingo hall in February 1978, closing in the first week of December 1996. It has been a Wetherspoon pub since May 2001. Simply huge and beautifully ornate inside - a feast to the eyes. Placed up for sale by Wetherspoon September 2022 with 31 others. Closed by Wetherspoon on Sunday 15th October 2023 with future uncertain.
We have visited this pub 43 times, seen 156 different beers and tried 61 of them.
Postcode: SE23 3TW