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The River Ale House (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Stancill - Summer BreezeExcellent2
Oakham - Dragon Cask AgedGood3
Kent - Session PaleGood3
Oakham - Green Devil IPAGood2
Kent - CobnutGood3
Oakham - Kingdom StoutGood4
Mighty Oak - Captain BobGood1
Kent - ZingiberAcceptable1
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!Acceptable2
Vocation - Bread & ButterNot Tried0
Siren Craft - LuminaNot Tried0
Vibrant Forest - EvokeNot Tried0
Titanic - Idaho PaleNot Tried0
Oakham - Green Devil IPA Cask AgedNot Tried0
Iron Pier - Into the Woods Ernest & BullionNot Tried0
Kent - RakauNot Tried0
Iron Pier - Chinook & Bullion Joined at the HopNot Tried0
Picture 1. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Picture 2. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Picture 3. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Stephen Harris

Visits Details

20 Sep 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A mix of regulars and the more occasional for last 50 minutes of serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Captain Bob3.80GoodFresh on by just a few hours earlier into the evening was this Essex amber bitter from the Maldon-based brewery set up in 1996. Head and lacing, very good, and lasting, good. A very bitter first bite. A good dose of maltiness rising and a hoppy bitterness winning over, aided by its New Zealand hops. A slight fruitiness getting in on the act care of its grape, elderflower and gooseberry infusions. A dry moreish bitterness sailing downwards. A touch too fresh and so a slight fizz on the tongue but moreish enough to stick with it!
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00Not Tried
Stancill - Summer Breeze4.00Not Tried
Iron Pier - Into the Woods Ernest & Bullion4.80Not Tried
Kent - Rakau4.50Not Tried
Iron Pier - Chinook & Bullion Joined at the Hop3.80Not Tried
19 Sep 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Good mix of stalwarts and the lesser spotted for last 30 minutes of serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kent - Cobnut4.10ExcellentSecond day on for this Kentish ruby bitter from Birling, north of West Malling, and in better form than trying within minutes of its first appearance the evening before. Head and lacing, very good, and this time lasting to the end. A very malty bitterness in its first bite. A pleasantly bitter hoppiness rising but won over by the lasting maltiness playing out with its odd smoky note ably assisted by its sweet molasses. Very moreish and so stuck to it on this session.
Kent - Session Pale3.70Not Tried
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00Not Tried
Stancill - Summer Breeze4.00Not Tried
Iron Pier - Into the Woods Ernest & Bullion4.80Not Tried
Kent - Rakau4.50Not Tried
18 Sep 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with many a regular on parade among the more occasional for last 30 minutes of serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Stancill - Summer Breeze4.00ExcellentFresh on was this Sheffield pale, brewed north of the city, and presenting very good head and lacing and lasting to the end. A dry hoppy first bite to it. A mildly fruited hoppiness rising aided by its US Citra hops. Very moreish and so another was also sampled. Stancill set up brewing in 2014 having rescued the kit and a well regarded Barnsley bitter arising from the closure in 2013 of Oakwell Brewery in Barnsley.
Kent - Cobnut4.10GoodFresh on literally was this Kentish ruby bitter from Birling, north of West Malling. Good head and lacing to start with but perhaps because so fresh on, this legged it out of the glass. A very malty first bite. A dry bitterness rising the heights before navigating downwards with a touch of smokiness and sweetness from molasses in on the mix. Very moreish but also like a soup in its very heavy maltiness slowing it down from being readily quaffable!
Kent - Session Pale3.70GoodFourth night on now for this Kentish light pale ale from Birling, north of West Malling. Surprisingly, still presenting good head and lacing and holding onto it to the end. The same dry hoppy first hit as when tried on Tuesday. A touch of mild fruitiness detected aided by its citrus and elderflower flavourings. As when last sampled earlier in the week, a dry bitterness prevailing and lingering.
Oakham - Dragon Cask Aged5.00Not TriedRan out whilst here.
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00Not Tried
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!4.00Not TriedRan out whilst here.
Iron Pier - Into the Woods Ernest & Bullion4.80Not TriedFresh on during my visit.
18 Sep 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kent - Cobnut4.10GoodNew cask today. not as clean tasting as previous Cobnut samples
Stancill - Summer Breeze4.00GoodNew cask today, condition good but the taste just bored me
Kent - Session Pale3.70Not Tried
Oakham - Dragon Cask Aged5.00Not TriedRan out
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00Not Tried
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!4.00Not TriedRan out
Iron Pier - Into the Woods Ernest & Bullion4.80Not Tried
17 Sep 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oakham - Dragon Cask Aged5.00GoodHolding good condition still
Kent - Session Pale3.70AcceptableLittle condition and head and lacing absent
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!4.00PoorFlat brown liquid - unappetising
Vibrant Forest - Evoke4.20Not Tried
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00Not Tried
Titanic - Idaho Pale4.30Not Tried
16 Sep 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy medley of regulars and the less frequent and with a fiddler or two playing out the back for last 30 minutes of serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kent - Session Pale3.70GoodSecond night on for this Kentish light pale ale from Birling, north of West Malling. Still presenting a good head and lacing and lasting throughout. A dry hoppy first hit. A mild fruitiness aided by hints of citrus and elderflower rising with the odd kick to it but rescued by a dry bitterness winning over and lingering.
Oakham - Dragon Cask Aged5.00GoodThis golden cask aged IPA from Peterborough in Cambridgeshire is fresh on this evening and so very good head and lacing and lasting throughout. First brewed in 2018, it has returned with a very fruity, rather sour, and fiery first hit aided by its Slovenian hops, Dragon and Aurora. Flavouring not quite to my liking as bursting with astringent tropical fruit, plus grapefruit, lemon, lime and apple. If that was not quite enough, hints of woody resin also battle through and linger. An almighty fruity kick to it! Just a half sufficed for me!
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00Acceptable4th night on and so now struggling to hold onto its head and lacing and not lasting on this Peterborough cask aged* stout. A dry malty first hit as noted on Saturday when first tried. Its dry bitterness still there. A spicy, floral and herbal note or two still evident. Hanging onto its hoppiness from its UK hops, Challenger and Fuggles. A good maltiness playing out. *With it being cask aged, following the initial fermentation, the tired yeast cells are removed to eradicate undesirable aromas and flavours. Fresh yeast is introduced to follow the “Krausening” method. The beer is racked in casks and "aged" for at least 6 weeks and cellared like a fine wine to allow development of its flavours and conditioning.
Vibrant Forest - Evoke4.20Not Tried
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!4.00Not Tried
Titanic - Idaho Pale4.30Not Tried
16 Sep 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oakham - Dragon Cask Aged5.00GoodNew cask on. Really lively and lots of mouthfeel
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00AcceptableNoticeable loss of condition since yesterday's
Kent - Session Pale3.70Not Tried
Vibrant Forest - Evoke4.20Not Tried
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!4.00Not Tried
Titanic - Idaho Pale4.30Not Tried
15 Sep 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oakham - Green Devil IPA6.00GoodSlight loss of edge since yesterday's
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00GoodHeld same condition as yesterday's
Kent - Session Pale3.70Not Tried
Vibrant Forest - Evoke4.20Not Tried
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!4.00Not Tried
Titanic - Idaho Pale4.30Not Tried
14 Sep 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over with the Sunday regulars on show for last 30 minutes of serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!4.00GoodFresh on and good head and lacing but not lasting on this Tunbridge Wells' bitter from High Brooms, just north-east of Tunbridge Wells. A very malty bitter first bite. A dry bitterness rising with a biscuity maltiness. Hints of toffee and dried berry fruit emerging onto my palate. A moreishly pleasant hoppiness, aided by its Bramling Cross and Fuggles hops, sailing out.
Kent - Zingiber4.10Not Tried
Vocation - Bread & Butter3.90Not Tried
Oakham - Green Devil IPA Cask Aged6.00Not Tried
Siren Craft - Lumina4.20Not Tried
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00Not Tried
14 Sep 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oakham - Green Devil IPA6.00GoodZingy and full on aroma
Oakham - Kingdom Stout5.00GoodTasty stout
Kent - Zingiber4.10AcceptableI could not detect any ginger in taste. Near flat with no head or lacing
Vocation - Bread & Butter3.90Not Tried
Siren Craft - Lumina4.20Not Tried
Pig & Porter - Yes, No, Wait, Sorry!4.00Not Tried

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About The River Ale House

The pub sign. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional15
Excellent754
Good2040
Acceptable662
Poor58

Website.

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 1630 times, seen 1966 different beers and tried 1158 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE10 0RJ