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The Firkin Alehouse (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Root Thirteen |  | 1 |
| Kent - Olicana | | 1 |
| Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%) | | 1 |
| Breakwater - Mongrel | | 1 |
| Holler (formerly Holler Boys) - Loot | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - She Sells Sea Shells | | 1 |
| Kent - Mosaic | | 1 |
| Squawk - Oat Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Alchemy - Tropic Shake |  | 1 |
| Breakwater - The Mogul | | 1 |
| Oakham - Citra | | 2 |
| Breakwater - Hellfire Corner | | 1 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Long Summer Days | | 1 |
| Great Heck - Shankar IPA | | 1 |
| Moor - Nor'Hop | | 1 |
| Ilkley - Joshua Jane | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | | 1 |
| Gloucester - Cascade | | 1 |
| Kent - Cobnut |  | 1 |
| Dark Revolution - Deviant | | 1 |
| Ghost - Reaper | Not Tried | 0 |
| Gun - Velo Dog | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brighton Bier - Heydaze Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Sunburst | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Automaton | Not Tried | 0 |
| Saltaire - Triple Choc (was Triple Chocoholic) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kirkstall - Kirkstall Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Wheelie | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
Michael Croxford. Photos are of the original site, not the later one or one after the second move.
Visits Details
10 Sep 2018 (Jack William)
Stop 3, mid afternoon - a few in. We sat in the window seat and watched the world go by.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holler (formerly Holler Boys) - Loot | 5.50 | | Unfined and very cloudy (I need to get over my prejudice of cloudy beers) - superb grapefruit flavour. Very nice. |
| Ilkley - Joshua Jane | 3.70 | | Rather bland but good condition. |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried |
10 Aug 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until 10pm close. First time in the new premises (next door to the old) and it didn't work for me as well. The Guv is behind a bar counter whereas before he was always out in the middle, this and the different seating layout takes away some of the ambience.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Beer Factory - Long Summer Days | 5.60 | | Good strong taste but soon last condition and mouthfeel |
| Kent - Cobnut | 4.10 | | Too chilled and lacking condition or head |
| Kirkstall - Kirkstall Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Wheelie | 4.00 | Not Tried |
12 Jul 2018 (Jack William)
Lunchtime visit - the new premises are a little larger. Nice welcome for our group of 7 - we tried all 3 beers on offer and had some rather good baqueittes from the Sandwich Shop next door but one.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Mosaic | 4.50 | | Delicious. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | 4.30 | | |
| Alchemy - Tropic Shake | 4.00 | | Billed as a “ mango milkshake” which was rather offputting. A pleasant fruity flavour. |
11 Nov 2017 (Magnus Greel)
Early evening and busy, standing room only however we managed to share a table with a couple of other customers. Rather cramped feel compared to the previous location next door which I preferred.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Root Thirteen | 3.60 | | Light, crisp delicate and thirst quenching pale ale. |
| Kent - Olicana | 4.50 | | Complex bitterness with citrus and tropical fruit |
| Breakwater - Hellfire Corner | 3.90 | | Hoppy with citrus and a bitter dryness |
| Saltaire - Triple Choc (was Triple Chocoholic) | 4.80 | Not Tried |
24 Sep 2017 (ChrisE)
Sunday lunchtime and the last day of operation in the current premises. Neil showed me around the new pub which will open next door the following day.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squawk - Oat Pale Ale | 4.40 | | |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Automaton | 7.00 | Not Tried |
11 Sep 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 9pm close. Quiet but for the heavy footed neighbours above. Plans well advanced to move to the next door building with or without (probably without) the large upturned barrel in the bar.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakwater - Mongrel | 6.10 | | Allegedly a brew that went wrong, having intended to be Mogul but with wrong ingredients employed. A heady very tasty beer |
| Moor - Nor'Hop | 4.10 | | Unfined and in this case very hazy. Not a style to my taste |
| Dark Star - Sunburst | 4.80 | Not Tried |
08 Jun 2017 (Jack William)
Lunchtime - good buzz, very friendly and happy for us to get baguettes from two doors down and eat them in the bar.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucester - Cascade | 4.20 | | Marked up as 4.2%. Very nice fruity malt. |
| Breakwater - The Mogul | 5.60 | | Wonderful flavour but rather cloudy. |
| Dark Revolution - Deviant | 5.60 | | Deliberately very cloudy - heavy citrus, grapefruit. |
03 Apr 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 9pm close plus quite a bit. One stout yeoman impressed by answering one of my mumbling questions about Viv Stanshall before I could spurt it out.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - She Sells Sea Shells | 4.70 | | Really most flavoursome. Gadds' seems to do no wrong |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | | OK but lacking a crispness of mouthfeel that I have had with the beer |
| Brighton Bier - Heydaze Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
11 Jan 2017 (Magnus Greel)
Mid evening and a few others in, unfortunately this was near the end of our crawl today so I was in no fit state to appreciate it!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | | |
| Kent - Cobnut | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Gun - Velo Dog | 5.00 | Not Tried |
26 Aug 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 10pm close. Nice relaxed quiet atmosphere at day-end (for some). Front of building is scaffold clad for roof renovations.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | | |
| Great Heck - Shankar IPA | 5.90 | | Pretty vicious hop bittering from 4 hops with dry hopping with 3 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Root Thirteen | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Ghost - Reaper | 4.40 | Not Tried |
About The Firkin Alehouse
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 26 |
| 79 |
| 67 |
| 41 |
 | 2 |
The pub is found in Folkestone, Kent, CT20 2AY.
Micropub close to Folkestone bus station which opened in November 2012, no music or slot machines and the use of mobile phones is banned with a fine imposed for disturbing the peace. Same level gravity stillage for real ales and ciders from a separate temperature controlled cellar room. Usually at seat service. In its original location had an impressive pumpclip display of beers sold to date in the unisex toilet all laid out by brewery! Ashford, Folkestone & Romney Marsh CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year 2014. Moved overnight 24/25 September 2017 from 18 to 20 Cheriton Place into new premises and now with a bar counter to obtain service. Moved a second time to No 21 other side of street in December 2022 now with high stools and tables at front and lower sofas and seating in a snug area towards the rear.
We have visited this pub 114 times, seen 241 different beers and tried 161 of them.
Postcode: CT20 2AY