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Nelson Arms (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Dunham Massey - Chocolate Cherry Mild |  | 1 |
| Hop Back - Citra | | 1 |
| Surrey Hills - Collusion |  | 5 |
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | | 1 |
| Larkins - Premium Bitter | | 3 |
| Larkins - Porter | | 2 |
| Hobsons - Champion Mild | | 1 |
| Gun - American Brown | | 1 |
| Oakham - Fruit Crumble | | 1 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Into Chaos | | 1 |
| Rother Valley - Golden Valley Wheat Beer | | 1 |
| Tiny Rebel - Oh Apricot | | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - KPA Kent Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Milk Stout | | 1 |
| Iron Pier - Export India Porter | | 1 |
| Hobsons - Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Expresso Martini | | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - "25" Gold | | 3 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Hoodwink |  | 1 |
| Larkins - Traditional | | 1 |
| Titanic - Raspberry Pale | | 1 |
| Rother Valley - Blues | | 1 |
| Wilde Child - Dutiful Supremacy | | 1 |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | | 1 |
| Only With Love - Yacht Rock | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Prohibition | Not Tried | 0 |
| Stonehenge - Danish Dynamite | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Taiphoon | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Langham - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goffs - Black Knight | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Lightstorm | Not Tried | 0 |
| Anarchy - Citra Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Langham - Hip-Hop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goffs - Cheltenham Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Memento | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Wild Ones | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Return to Flight | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Start Line | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goffs - White Knight | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Suspended in Eclipse | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Mister Watson's Decade | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - West Coast Light | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Thoroughly Modern Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titanic - Classic Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Valhalla | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Countryman | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Hotline Blend | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
19 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close, on an autumnal night.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey Hills - Collusion | 5.20 | | Amazing depth of flavour, even in the head |
| Larkins - Premium Bitter | 5.50 | | No match for the Collusion tonight |
| Wilde Child - Dutiful Supremacy | 4.00 | | Badged as a Yorkshire Bitter, good condtion but rather bland and thin |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Thoroughly Modern Mild | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Milk Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Valhalla | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Hotline Blend | 4.20 | Not Tried |
07 Sep 2023 (Dosser)
9 beers on. Here for Kent pub of year presentation. Wow. What a pub. Big crowd in. Some unusual beers tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunham Massey - Chocolate Cherry Mild | 3.80 | | Lynne loved this and stayed on it. |
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | | Lovely pint. First pint on my way back from Crete. 2 hours ago. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - "25" Gold | 6.80 | | Powerful stuff. £5,20 a pint. |
05 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit until close. Many conversations with many.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | | Top form |
| Surrey Hills - Collusion | 5.20 | | 4½* Not really sure why I haven't given this a 5* |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - "25" Gold | 6.80 | | 4½* Just a half for the road and really a flavour burst hard hitter. Pumpclip called it Gold but was more mid brown! |
| Larkins - Traditional | 3.40 | | Came across as fobbing on pouring and rather fresh on the palate |
| Dunham Massey - Chocolate Cherry Mild | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Suspended in Eclipse | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Mister Watson's Decade | 5.70 | Not Tried |
29 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Now everyone can acknowledge it is CAMRA Kent Regional Pub of the Year.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Beer Factory - Milk Stout | 4.50 | | The head and lacing retention said it all |
| Surrey Hills - Collusion | 5.20 | | First rate ale |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Expresso Martini | 4.50 | | Coffee infused version of Milk Stout or so it appeared to be to me |
| Langham - Hip-Hop | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Memento | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Wild Ones | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Start Line | 4.20 | Not Tried |
16 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit until close. A busy time yip-yapping at the bar counter.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | 5.00 | | Doesn't get much better |
| Rother Valley - Golden Valley Wheat Beer | 4.20 | | Good condition, not really my beer of choice. Wheat with rather orangey notes |
| Larkins - Premium Bitter | 5.50 | | So very malty |
| Rother Valley - Blues | 5.00 | | Slightly fresh, only put on tonight |
| Hop Back - Taiphoon | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Langham - Best Bitter | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Lightstorm | 4.80 | Not Tried |
08 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Did not realise until later had been talking to the Guv who was seated drinking himself before going home.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | | Straight up astounding. Never had a Citra in this condition. Superb. First ale here of 3 in spot on condition |
| Iron Pier - Export India Porter | 5.90 | | 4½* 3rd absolutely superb ale in a row here. Wow |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - "25" Gold | 6.80 | | 4½* Apparently number increases each year on birthday of the brewer. Gold but really a darker ale than that. A powerful birthday brew from the CA brewer |
| Stonehenge - Danish Dynamite | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Titanic - Raspberry Pale | 4.70 | Not Tried |
01 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Bemused to find the place so busy but it was the reduced beer price night for the members of the exclusive Nelson Arms Crew Team, several of whom engaged me in conversation during most of my stay.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobsons - Best Bitter | 3.80 | | Spot on form |
| Gun - American Brown | 5.00 | | An interesting take on the brown ale style |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Hoodwink | 5.30 | | Good enough but not sure what flavours it was trying to express |
| Titanic - Raspberry Pale | 4.70 | | Overfobbing massively on pouring and tasted rather fresh to me |
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Only With Love - Yacht Rock | 3.80 | Not Tried |
04 Jul 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit until close. A magnificent array of ales for all tastes surely.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey Hills - Collusion | 5.20 | | Another customer had earlier alleged this was in its sweet stage in the cask |
| Larkins - Premium Bitter | 5.50 | | A heady brew new to Larkins this year |
| Oakham - Fruit Crumble | 4.00 | | Superb bittering in this porter |
| Tiny Rebel - Oh Apricot | 4.60 | | Well balanced but one half was quite enough for my palate |
| Tonbridge - Countryman | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Only With Love - Yacht Rock | 3.80 | Not Tried |
21 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Only several in by close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey Hills - Collusion | 5.20 | | 4½* Superb full bodied ale with heavy floral hopping, one to drown in |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | | Very good but overshadowed for condition by the Collusion |
| Goffs - White Knight | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - West Coast Light | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Titanic - Classic Mild | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Into Chaos | 5.40 | Not Tried | 6th day on |
14 Jun 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit until close. The ambience and beer quality make this a difficult place to leave oasis.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobsons - Champion Mild | 3.20 | | A rare beast, a traditional dark nutty mild and a reason to go back to it later in the evening |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Into Chaos | 5.40 | | First out as came on just before last orders time |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - KPA Kent Pale Ale | 5.20 | | Best Canterbury Ales I have had in a very long time |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Goffs - Black Knight | 5.30 | Not Tried | Barman / cellarman too this off near end of sesh as past its best, with no customer prompting |
| Anarchy - Citra Star | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Goffs - Cheltenham Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Best Bitter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Return to Flight | 5.00 | Not Tried | Taster was very pale, thin and citrus so no go |
About the Nelson Arms
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 4 |
| 84 |
| 25 |
 | - |
 | - |
The pub is found in Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1UP.
Beautifully refurbished side street local in Cromer Street, a few minutes walk from Tonbridge station. Features an always interesting selection of cask ales, real ciders and keg beers. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. 10 handpumps plus 2 unused (dummy) ones and 10 keg taps on the back wall. Different rooms with all Nelson linked names. Massive real cider / perry range here too. CAMRA Kent (West) Pub of the Year 2023 then became CAMRA Kent Regional Pub of the Year 2023. Selected as one of the last 4 in the CAMRA National 2023 Pub of the Year competition. CAMRA Kent (West) Pub of the Year 2024 then Kent Regional Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 32 times, seen 180 different beers and tried 88 of them.
Postcode: TN9 1UP