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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Vocation - Golden Ale (collaboration with Fierce) |  | 2 |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Series Bitter | | 2 |
| Five Points - XPA |  | 1 |
| Bexley - Redhouse | | 2 |
| Oakham - Belma | | 1 |
| Goffs - Cheltenham Gold | | 2 |
| Vocation - Victorian Porter | | 4 |
| Oakham - The Final Cut Cask Aged | | 4 |
| Siren Craft - Broken Dream Breakfast Stout | | 1 |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter |  | 1 |
| Elusive - Oregon Trail | Not Tried | 0 |
| Darkland - Off the Lip | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - Midnight Oregon Trail | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - DDH Oregon Trail | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twisted Tree - Citrabloom | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Tempo | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bexley - Golden Acre | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
01 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
The quiz that ran the Sunday before is rumoured to be only monthly if it continues and so did not run this evening. I would not have been there for its early evening start of 7.30pm as too early for me on the average Sunday and do not like quizzes as my brain does not work quickly enough. By all accounts, it was not well attended the Sunday before and so who knows whether it will continue. So just a sprinkling of the usual Sunday regulars in for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vocation - Golden Ale (collaboration with Fierce) | 4.60 | | Fresh on today and presenting a good frothy head and lacing sticking to the glass to the very end on this collaboration between Vocation from Cragg Vale, Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, and Fierce Beer based in Aberdeen, Scotland. They have a history of working together on diverse styles. A lightly fruited first hit. A good dose of hoppiness rising from traditional British hops, likely to be East Kent Goldings or Fuggles, with dry floral notes winning over. The hint of a certain bear's favourite spread in sandwiches ambling up and also aided by modern hop varieties to achieve a sweet orange flavouring. A touch of maltiness to give this golden ale its colouring and likely to be from Maris Otter or Extra Pale Malt. A honey-infused hoppiness padding out and where a natural honey, Wildflower, was actually added to complement the floral notes of its English hops during the brewing at either the end of the boil, "flameout," or during "whirlpool" which is the term for a post-boil process where the wort (unfermented beer) is rapidly swirled in a circular motion, either by a high-velocity pump or by vigorous stirring with a paddle in homebrewing. Very moreish was this collaboration golden ale and so then stuck to it. |
| Bexley - Redhouse | 4.20 | | Only its second day on and presenting a good head and lacing to begin with but now not lasting on this Erith-brewed ruby bitter unlike on the evening before. A very malty first hit. I rapidly came to the conclusion that it was all rather too chewy to go beyond a first pint this evening of this. Still full of a biscuity maltiness with its full hops, English Goldings and Challenger, lending it a bitterness struggling to win through its pervading maltiness from its Crystal malts. |
| Bexley - Golden Acre | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Broken Dream Breakfast Stout | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Darkland - Off the Lip | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - DDH Oregon Trail | 5.80 | Not Tried | Ran out during visit. |
| Elusive - Midnight Oregon Trail | 5.80 | Not Tried |
01 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. No quiz nor themed music tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siren Craft - Broken Dream Breakfast Stout | 6.50 | | A good heady strong ale |
| Vocation - Golden Ale (collaboration with Fierce) | 4.60 | | Apparently honeyed but I did not pick that up. Good condition |
| Bexley - Redhouse | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - Golden Acre | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Oregon Trail | 5.80 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Darkland - Off the Lip | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Midnight Oregon Trail | 5.80 | Not Tried | Came on late on |
31 Jan 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with a mix of Saturday regulars, the hardened and the more occasional in for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Redhouse | 4.20 | | Fresh on and exhibiting very good head and lacing and lasting and named after the historic Red House in Bexleyheath, once the home of William Morris (1834–1896) who was described as a "revolutionary designer, craftsman, writer and socialist activist" who championed hand-craftsmanship over industrial mass production. A bitter fruity first bite off this Erith-brewed ruby bitter from the neighbouring Bexley borough. A very malty bitterness rising with touches of molasses. Such was its maltiness, it was not readily quaffable. A red fruited note winning over with a spiciness emanating from its English Goldings hops, lending it a pleasant hop-bitterness. A malty fruited bitterness slithering down. Slightly over fruited for my taste buds with a toffee and caramel-infused sweetness lingering in the aftertaste. I was very slow to drink it as presenting the consistency of a good thick soup to my taste buds but its appearance certainly did not suggest that. |
| Bexley - Golden Acre | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Broken Dream Breakfast Stout | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Tempo | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Darkland - Off the Lip | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - DDH Oregon Trail | 5.80 | Not Tried |
29 Jan 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A mix of regulars and the more occasional for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Series Bitter | 4.00 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on and exhibiting a very good head and with its lacing staying fully engaged with the glass to the end on this Hampshire bitter brewed in the village of Hardley, on the edge of the New Forest and situated approximately 10 miles away by road (and roughly 3–4 miles as the crow flies across the water) from Southampton. A very dry bitter first bite. A hoppy fruitiness rising from its British-grown Goldings hops. No tropical fruits harmed here in the making. A malty, biscuity touch afforded by its Maris Otter. A dry hoppiness abseiling downwards with a hint of fruitiness to add colour for my taste buds' delight. This is more your subtle, classic English fruitiness rather than a prominent "fruit bomb" flavour that more modern, hop-forward beers have with their tropical and citrus fruit flavourings encapsulated in their hop varieties. Here in excellent condition and so stuck to it but for a decidedly more fruity half of something else to end on. |
| Goffs - Cheltenham Gold | 4.50 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Also fresh on and presenting head and lacing to die for in lasting all the way on this American-hopped golden ale brewed in the town of Winchcombe, within the Cotswolds region of Gloucestershire and about 8 miles north-east of Cheltenham. A lightly fruity first hit. A dryness mixed with juicy hoppiness bounding up from its seven "C" hops, including Cascade, Citra and Chinook with citrus and tropical fruits emanating from this mix. A light malty sweetness getting in on the act with hints of caramel. With no single flavour ruling the roost, it was balanced with a dry fruit-infused hoppy finish. Rather too full of the combinations of fruit flavours for my taste buds and so a mere half sufficed for them. |
| Vocation - Victorian Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Tempo | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - The Final Cut Cask Aged | 6.00 | Not Tried |
29 Jan 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goffs - Cheltenham Gold | 4.50 | | New cask on today. Basic golden ale which I found uninspiring |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Series Bitter | 4.00 | | Good condition but I drank it with hardly noticing. |
| Vocation - Victorian Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Tempo | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - The Final Cut Cask Aged | 6.00 | Not Tried |
28 Jan 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vocation - Victorian Porter | 4.80 | | Constant marking through the last 3 days |
| Oakham - The Final Cut Cask Aged | 6.00 | | Constant mark throughout the last 4 days |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | Not Tried |
27 Jan 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with the fiddlers and a bagpiper out the rear and the hardened regulars out the front for the last half an hour of serving. Not quite a peaceful evening and I am sure the neighbours who live above are grateful that the penetrating bagpipes are seldom heard here.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on and a very good head and with the lacing sticking to the glass as I like to see it. A very hoppy first hit on this East London-brewed tropical session ale from Hackney. A fruit-infused bitterness rising with citrus zest flavouring with hints of grapefruit, lemon and pineapple. A sprinkling of malts from its mix of barley, oats and wheat. A good fruity hoppiness floating out aided by being dry-hopped with Citra and Galaxy and where added to beer on the "cold side" of production, typically during or after fermentation, rather than during the boiling stage. Moreish enough to have another pint! |
| Vocation - Victorian Porter | 4.80 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Only its second day on but head and lacing not lasting for long on this porter from Hebden Bridge, a market town in the Upper Calder Valley of West Yorkshire and west of Halifax. A smoky first hit. A mildly fruited bitterness climbing up with flavours of fresh bread, toffee, chocolate and hedgerow berries. A malty bitterness slithering downwards aided by its Maris Otter malt blended with brown and chocolate malts and earthy, floral British hops. Another could easily have followed as was in perfect nick apart from losing its lacing. |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter | 4.20 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fourth night on and it had to be done since no one else was brave enough again to be leading the way in trying this Manchester-brewed bitter. It was also time to get to the bottom of why a certain regular who never takes their beer back did with this one on the recent Saturday when it was fresh on. I would say only a faint head but lacing certainly not lasting. A strangely fruited note in on its first hit. A hoppy bitterness rising up with piney/woody notes coming to the fore. A fruity hoppiness paddling downwards from hops such as Comet, Ekuanot and CTZ (Columbus, Tomahawk, Zeus). All three hop varieties originate in the United States, and are specifically developed through US breeding programmes and cultivated in the Pacific Northwest region (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho). It has a lemony aroma that might also give it a slightly gone-off flavouring. Berries also play a part in its somewhat uncommon smell for a bitter. Very lightly coloured in appearance and exhibiting a murky consistency that perhaps also does not lend it to being immediately prized or indeed liked! It is according to its literature vegan-friendly with no finings such as isinglass used and so hence it is naturally hazy. A half sufficed for me as far too fruity for a bitter and not malty enough for my liking with its mix of extra pale and pale malts and crystal malt. |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - The Final Cut Cask Aged | 6.00 | Not Tried |
27 Jan 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The fiddlers in the back room had a bagpiper in their midst this week.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vocation - Victorian Porter | 4.80 | | Holding up well after a couple of days on |
| Oakham - The Final Cut Cask Aged | 6.00 | | Keeping condition still |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | Not Tried |
26 Jan 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vocation - Victorian Porter | 4.80 | | New cask on today. Very acceptable |
| Oakham - The Final Cut Cask Aged | 6.00 | | As last night's - good condition but bland on taste. |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twisted Tree - Citrabloom | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | Not Tried |
25 Jan 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A bizarre evening! I had managed to miss the first ever quiz evening here by coming in at my usual time. This quiz had run from 7.30pm by all accounts and finishing a little after 10pm. Those regulars in during the quiz still running reported to me their dismay as had not known about it and did not wish to take part in it. Looking at the size of the speaker set up on a stand, the inhabitants upstairs in their respective apartments would also have heard the questions. It apparently took 6 of them to stage it. The guvnor and his grown-up daughter were in to spectate it alongside our usual Sunday barman. Most of the hardened regulars in just before me had also managed to avoid the quiz. A few of the more occasional still in but not many for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on and very good head and lacing and sticking to the end on this Peterborough-brewed single hop golden pale. This beer takes its name from the Belma hop, and said to be a milder version of the Citra hop. The Oakham Brewery sources exclusively from the Puterbaugh family-run farm in the Yakima Valley, a productive agricultural region in south-central Washington State. It is famous for its leading production of hops, wine and tree fruits. It enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year. Known as the "Hop Capital of the World," the Yakima Valley is said to grow nearly 80% of the United States' hops. A mildly fruited first hit. A fruity hoppiness rising with soft citrus such as clementine flavourings. A sweet red berry or two adding to this. Its fruitiness lingering with a dry hoppy note sailing out. Not quite my cup of tea but not as citrusy hoppy as that from the Citra hop. Perhaps a touch too fresh as just on. |
| Oakham - The Final Cut Cask Aged | 6.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Also fresh on and very good head and lacing and hanging on in there to the end. The Peterborough-brewed cask aged IPA lent a very hoppy first bite care of its two Kiwi hop varieties. Brewed to mark the retirement of Oakham Brewing director, John Bryan, it exuded an immensely tropical fruitiness. My taste buds were doing battle with all the tropical fruits you could imagine alongside lashings of citrus. This brew has gone through the "Krausening" process where fresh yeast is introduced for the final fermentation. A veritable feast of hoppiness cascading downwards care of its New Zealand varieties, Superdelic and Nectaron, along with USA-sourced Citra. This is a hop Oakham's John Bryan pioneered in the UK. The brewery itself was launched in September 1993 in its namesake town of Oakham, Rutland, before moving in 2006 to its current purpose-built production site in the Woodston area of Peterborough to meet increasing demand. A touch too fruited for my taste buds but presented in good condition here. |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Marble - Manchester Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | Could not bring myself to try it following bad reports about this bitter the evening before and with no one else on it this evening. |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Twisted Tree - Citrabloom | 4.10 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 14 |
| 738 |
| 1998 |
| 628 |
 | 58 |
The pub is found in East Greenwich, Greater London, SE10 0RJ.
Micropub in Woolwich Road in a former street corner lingerie and hosiery business premises and which opened on 13th September 2017. Comprises a front room with bar counter and with real ales and ciders served on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled cellar room behind the bar, and a rear room down one step. Each day a pre-prepared paper ale menu sheet, with tasting notes, is provided to every table. Bare-board flooring throughout and all seating at wall mounted high settles and hand made wooden high tables. CAMRA card holders' discount on pints and halves of real ale and cider. Card payments accepted. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2019. Local CAMRA branch 2019, 2022 and 2024 Pub of the Year and its Cider Pub of the Year too in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. CAMRA Greenwich District Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 1582 times, seen 1934 different beers and tried 1142 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ