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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Whitstable - Kentish Reserve |  | 1 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 3 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | | 2 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 10 |
| High House Barn (formerly High House Farm) - Auld Hemp |  | 1 |
| Dorking - DB Winter Ruby | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bedlam - Benchmark | Not Tried | 0 |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Poachers Moon | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Rising Giant | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Session | Not Tried | 0 |
| RCH - Steam Lovers | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | Not Tried | 0 |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Kings IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Hoodwink | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pilgrim - Luperc Alia | Not Tried | 0 |
| St Austell - Proper Job | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - God's Wallop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Itchen Valley - Itchen Valley Bitter (aka IVB) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Gresham Hopper (was 3.7%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titsey - Leveson Buck | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Pale Beauty | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Whitstable - Single Hop Huell Melon | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - May Bee | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windswept - Weizen | Not Tried | 0 |
| Constellation - Draco | Not Tried | 0 |
| Worsthorne - Blackthorne Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bedlam - Smash | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cotleigh - Albatross | Not Tried | 0 |
| Whitstable - Oyster Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Triple fff - Moondance | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
04 Jun 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. An ale swiggers' paradise here.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Pumpclip badged today as Jubilee IPA. Who needs much more than this as a daily ale |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Lovely nightcapper |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Shepherd Neame - May Bee | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Constellation - Draco | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Bedlam - Smash | 4.20 | Not Tried |
30 Apr 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. I could get hooked on the beer swilling, ale quality and atmosphere here and fast professional service.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | First rate |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | 4½* nearing perfection |
| St Austell - Proper Job | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Gresham Hopper (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Titsey - Leveson Buck | 3.70 | Not Tried |
23 Apr 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. This is a proper ale drinking haunt where excellent real ale is virtually always guaranteed. Worth the bus, tram journey.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | At last found the Palmers certificate above the bar celebrating 1,000,000 pints of this ale sold here. I made my little contribution towards the second million |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | 4½* probably the best Plum Porter I have ever had |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Session | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Hoodwink | 5.30 | Not Tried |
15 Mar 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Good crowd in downing lots of real ale.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Sold by the gallon here |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | 4½* bordering on perfect |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Bedlam - Benchmark | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Rising Giant | 4.80 | Not Tried |
14 Jan 2020 (ChrisE)
12:00 precisely but four others were alredy supping pints by the time that I arrived. A nice friendly pub.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | Not Tried |
12 Oct 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close. Some pretty brutal boxing bouts on TV.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| High House Barn (formerly High House Farm) - Auld Hemp | 3.80 | | Interesting bitter flavours |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 |  | |
| Windswept - Weizen | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Worsthorne - Blackthorne Stout | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Cotleigh - Albatross | 5.00 | Not Tried |
25 Aug 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close. Mainly male clientele enjoying a superb beer venue.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | The fact of the matter is .... who needs more than this mid brown English bitter for total happiness? Superb. |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Superb nightcap |
| Itchen Valley - Itchen Valley Bitter (aka IVB) | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Pale Beauty | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Whitstable - Single Hop Huell Melon | 4.40 | Not Tried |
07 Feb 2015 (ChrisE)
Late afternoon on a Saturday and fairly busy. Just time for a quick pint before heading off to a nearby party. I have not attempted to list all the beers that were on offer.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Westerham - God's Wallop | 4.00 | Not Tried |
28 Feb 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. A drinking chum, Parrot, had walked in before me off the same tram.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitstable - Kentish Reserve | 5.00 | | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| RCH - Steam Lovers | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Kings IPA | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pilgrim - Luperc Alia | 4.80 | Not Tried |
01 Feb 2014 (ChrisE)
Late afternoon pint whilst on my way to a party. A fair crowd in and sport on the television, which was not obtrusive. A really good atmosphere.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | A good traditional bitter in superb condition. |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Whitstable - Oyster Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Triple fff - Moondance | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Winter Ruby | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| King Beer (formerly W.J. King) - Poachers Moon | 4.10 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 279 |
| 158 |
| 22 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 217 times, seen 312 different beers and tried 101 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA