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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale |  | 2 |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | | 1 |
| Elusive - Sunset Oregon Trail |  | 1 |
| Anspach & Hobday - The Ordinary Bitter (was 3.7%) | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | | 1 |
| Burton Bridge - Brewers Gold | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | | 4 |
| Stancill - Cashmere - pale | | 1 |
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | | 4 |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | | 2 |
| Bexley - Black Prince Vanilla Porter | | 2 |
| 360° - Triple Act |  | 1 |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | | 2 |
| Swannay (formerly Highland) - Island Hopping | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Broken Dream Breakfast Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Pride & Joy | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - Midnight Oregon Trail | Not Tried | 0 |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two Flints - Santiago | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - Juku | Not Tried | 0 |
| 360° - Session IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Winter Bloom | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ossett - White Rat | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bexley - XPA (Extra Pale) | Not Tried | 0 |
| North - Vanishing Point | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
14 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over with a sprinkling of Saturday regulars and the more occasional for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | | 2nd beer of this visit: This light brown Hampshire extra special brew from Eastleigh, a railway town north of Southampton, and from a micro-brewery which began brewing in early 2018, was fresh on and presented very good head and lacing and sticking to the glass to the end. Named in honour of the individual who was instrumental in establishing Eastleigh as a town after moving the railway works there, there was a very malty first bite. A touch of fruity sweetness rising with hints of stone fruit among its earthy bitterness and derived from its spicy Goldings and modern fruit-filled UK Jester hops. A blend of bitter maltiness from its Maris Otter, crystal, chocolate and wheat malts winning over with touches of caramel and toffee lingering. In perfectly good nick was this ESB and I think my first sampling from Steam Town Brew Co. |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | 1st beer of this visit: This Maidstone-brewed straw-coloured light session bitter* on its second day on presented still a very good head and lacing and lasting. A slightly fruited first hit. A gentle bitterness rising from its blend of WGV (Wye Gamma Variety) and East Kent Golding hops. A touch of lemon about it for my taste buds in its prevailing fruitiness before taking the final plunge downwards. Perhaps not my favourite of Goacher’s brews but served in good condition here. *Goacher's Brewery is a traditional, family-owned Kent brewery that has been operating since 1983 and uses 100% malted barley and whole Kentish hops for all its beers. |
| Ossett - White Rat | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - XPA (Extra Pale) | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Sunset Oregon Trail | 5.80 | Not Tried | Ran out during this visit. |
| North - Vanishing Point | 3.80 | Not Tried |
12 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over with regulars and the lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving. Of 6 ales on, 4 were citrus-infused. I steered without much persuasion to a traditional extra strong bitter ale exuding English hops and malt to keep my taste buds happy.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | Second day on for this brown-coloured extra special bitter from Maidstone and still with a very good head and its lacing sticking to the end. A fruity bitter first bite with touches of sweet caramel and hints of rum and raisin. A dry but lightly fruit-infused bitterness from dark fruits climbing up. A not overly malty note winning over with biscuit and caramel flavourings from its crystal malt before its slide downwards. A moreishly dry hoppiness from its East Kent Golding hops lingering. All the better perhaps for its second day on although was not in the day before to compare. Perfectly palatable to my taste buds and so stuck to it. |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Session IPA | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Winter Bloom | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Sunset Oregon Trail | 5.80 | Not Tried |
12 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elusive - Sunset Oregon Trail | 5.80 | | Tasty well balanced brew |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | Not at its best at all. Last couple of times this has been on it has not tasted right |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Session IPA | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Winter Bloom | 3.80 | Not Tried |
10 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last half an hour of serving with the hardened regulars alongside members from a local club in after their meeting and the fiddlers out the back and the odd occasional.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | | 2nd beer of this visit: This Maidstone-brewed mild was also fresh on today and presented good head and lacing and lasting well in clinging to the glass to the end. A dry malty first hit. A gentle bitterness rising with a hoppy note climbing up from its Kent Fuggles. A malty finale lingering from its use of roasted black malts and chocolate malt. Thankfully not overly malted or chocolatey to make it a chore to drink and so still quaffable and not like a soup consistency. Its flavouring certainly belies its low gravity. Very moreish in fact! |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 | | 1st beer of this visit: Had a sample and it tasted perfectly fine and so went for a pint of this Sussex Best bitter from originally Sheffield Park, on the edge of the Ashdown Forest, and next to the southern end of the Bluebell (heritage) Railway and some 5 to 7 miles north-west of Uckfield.* It presented a good head and lacing but not lasting. A dry malty first bite from its English malt. A dry bitterness rising with a good fruity hoppiness shining from its East Kent Goldings, Fuggles and Cascade hops and lingering. It became rather flat in appearance but managed another because it presented a good flavour. *The brewing operation has vacated its original Sheffield Park site (the "Bluebell" location) in July 2025 after the brewery deciding not to renew the lease and so the brewing has recently moved to a smaller but undisclosed location. |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 |  | A 3rd offering of this bitter was rejected on the basis of its murkiness that was not present in the other two sampled. I was told it was at the end of its cask at this point and having just come on from the 4pm opening time. Clearly it was well liked by those in earlier. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried |
10 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The back room fiddlers were perhaps more subdued than usual.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | | Basic mild - thin but refreshing |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Holding up well |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 | Not Tried | Ran out but one customer sent back their nearly last out of the cask |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried |
09 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Settled down somewhat since yesterday's |
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | Lost a lot of condition since yesterday's |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried |
08 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet football with only the hardened in and the odd occasional for the last half an hour of serving. Just five real ales on compared to the usual six to seven. The so-called monthly quiz has not yet reared its head again in the month of February following its inaugural January appearance two weeks ago and no notice clearly displayed to suggest when in February if at all on a Sunday evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | 1st beer of this visit: Second day on and better for it was this bitter. Presently perhaps an even better head than the evening before on this Erith-brewed dark amber session bitter from the Bexley borough. Such a shame it was low gravity at just 3.4% as otherwise might have been afforded more flavour, though I was not the only one of the regulars to detect that the range of beers this evening seemed noticeably at a cooler temperature compared to the recent norm. Defiantly, it displayed excellent lacing but for a slightly cooler offering than is usual. Still a very dry bitter first bite which was unmistakable. Still an ever so lightly fruited bitterness. Still that hint of pine, plus hints of stone fruit. Kentish hops lending it a hoppy mouthfeel and Crystal malts adding their flavours, including a subtle biscuity, caramel and toffee infusion. A hop-infused piney touch playing out with a fruity kick afforded. Once again, for being in such good nick appearance-wise with its head and lacing, a pity it was so low gravity since it continued from the evening before in lacking distinct hoppy flavouring to my taste buds. Less watery though than the evening before! |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Fresh on was this Maidstone-brewed pale ale, originally brewed in 1993 to mark the brewery's 10th anniversary, but a touch too fresh in appearance and for my liking on this occasion. A head, yes, but very lacking the normal frothiness of a good head. Its lacing though lasting in its favour. A very lightly fruited first hit. A hoppy bitterness surfacing and prevailing from its East Kent Goldings. A distinct hoppy fruitiness sliding out with a lingering sweetness arising from its Maris Otter floor-malted barley. |
| 360° - Triple Act | 3.90 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second day on for this East Sussex "tri-hopped" American pale ale approximately 5 to 6 miles to the south-east of Uckfield and brewed about 1.2 miles from the village of Fletching. Displaying the merest head and not lasting. A lightly fruited first hit. A distant hoppiness rising with hints of fruitiness from its hops with its Motueka adding a distinct kiwi flair. A very gentle fruited hoppiness sliding downwards also care of its Mosaic and Galaxy hops, before climaxing with a fruity kick in its finale. |
| Bexley - Black Prince Vanilla Porter | 4.60 | Not Tried | A half sufficed the evening before and for me not in the least moreish and so I have let it be! |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | Glad I escaped this as saw one other with this hazy and what looked liked a fruit-juiced concoction in their pint glass. They were a braver man than me! |
08 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | Very good condition and full flavour for a 3.4% ale |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Fresh, green, slight haze. Can be a lot better |
| Bexley - Black Prince Vanilla Porter | 4.60 | | Poured flat, stayed flat in glass. No life |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Triple Act | 3.90 | Not Tried |
07 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Certainly, a change of beers from my last visit on Thursday as Charlton FC had drawn 0-0 at home on Friday evening against Queens Park Rangers FC and so a few beers had been supped before and after the match. Not overly busy this evening with the hardened in among a few of the more occasional for the last three quarters of an hour.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on today with a very good head on this Erith-brewed dark amber session bitter from the Bexley borough. Its lacing staying firmly attached to the glass. A very dry bitter first bite. A lightly fruited bitterness rising with hints of pine and stone fruit, including apricot and plum. Kentish hops providing a traditional home-grown flavouring while the varieties are not listed for this brew. Only a distant hint of maltiness from its combination of Crystal malts for me despite being described as full of malty flavour. A dry piney hoppiness lingering with subtle biscuity, caramel and toffee notes. It was somewhat lacklustre in flavouring I thought and slightly watery as a result. |
| Bexley - Black Prince Vanilla Porter | 4.60 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Second day on for this porter from Erith in the Bexley borough and a creamy head and lacing lasting. It had all the ingredients a box of chocolates would have felt at home with in its first hit. A syrupy malty dryness rising from its mix of brown, chocolate, black and crystal malts, and a dry caramel hint joining in. Flavourings you would expect in such a flavoured ice-cream emerging from vanilla extracts in on the mix alongside hints of coffee, and lingering as this dark porter made its downwards journey. Not overly bittered but likely to have had a measure of Kentish hop varieties, as is standard practice with Bexley brews, to balance its sweetness best they could. Too cloying for me to have more than a half! |
| Stancill - Cashmere - pale | 4.50 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second day on and good head and lacing presented and lasting on this pale from a Sheffield-based micro-brewery in South Yorkshire and founded in 2013. A fruity first bite. A dose of hoppiness climbing up from its Pilgrim hop and experimental hop, #161, from Charles Faram*, which runs an extensive hop development programme designed to be agronomically sound (and where agronomy is the science of soil management and crop production) with exciting new hop varieties that can be produced commercially that are resistant to diseases and resilient to climate change. A hint of lemon and lime rising for me from its very distinct lemongrass flavouring. A lightly fruited hoppiness paddling out. *Successful varieties that have emerged from the programme and are now commercially available are said to include Jester®, Olicana®, Harlequin®, Godiva™, Mystic™, Emperor®, Most™, and Opus®. |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Juku | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Triple Act | 3.90 | Not Tried |
05 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with the regulars on parade among a few of the lesser spotted and for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anspach & Hobday - The Ordinary Bitter (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second day on and presenting a very good head and lacing and lasting on this Bermondsey-brewed bitter. A dry bitter first bite. A gentle hop-infused bitterness rising from its blend of two hops: the classic English East Kent Goldings and the American Chinook, the latter affording it pine, spice and dark fruity notes. Likely to be from Crystal Malt, hints of biscuit and caramel joining in. Even oranges, apples and sultanas bounding up. A lightly fruited hoppiness with its piney, spicy and dark fruited notes swimming out with an ever so gentle roasty chocolate and peppery hint. Its dry finish and smoothly rich mouthfeel for me is aided by the addition of flaked barley and maize in on its mix. Very moreish and belies its 3.4% gravity and so stuck to it. |
| Burton Bridge - Brewers Gold | 4.00 | | 1st beer of this visit: Second day on for this Staffordshire golden ale brewed in Burton-upon-Trent, 11 miles north-east of Derby and still presenting good head and lacing. A fruity first bite. A good dose of fruits hurtling up at my taste buds and giving them a good pounding with the likes of spicy hedgerow berries including blackcurrant plus lemon in on the onslaught. A dry hoppiness winning over from its Brewers Gold hops, developed at Wye College in the UK and known for its high resin content, lending it a gentle bitterness before cascading downwards. |
| Swannay (formerly Highland) - Island Hopping | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Broken Dream Breakfast Stout | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Pride & Joy | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Midnight Oregon Trail | 5.80 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 15 |
| 800 |
| 2194 |
| 741 |
 | 63 |
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 1775 times, seen 2037 different beers and tried 1206 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ