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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter |  | 4 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | | 5 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | | 2 |
| Mighty Oak - Here Comes Summer | | 2 |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | | 1 |
| Oakham - Krush | | 2 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | | 3 |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter |  | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Wife of Bath's Ale | | 1 |
| Five Points - Pale | | 1 |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | Not Tried | 0 |
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Superdelic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Cypher | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - First Brew: Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
06 Jul 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | | Had much much better |
| Oakham - Krush | 4.40 | | The bold flavours lingered long |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Wife of Bath's Ale | 3.90 | | Basic citrus with little life |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 | Not Tried |
06 Jul 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with mostly hardened regulars in and joined by the odd Sunday regular.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Krush | 4.40 | | Others in were raving about this Peterborough-based pale and so curiosity nearly killed this cat! It came with exceedingly good head and lacing and lasting. A hop-infused fruity first hit. A hoppy fruitiness just kept rising on my palate from the new US hop variety that it is named after. Like a good mule, it was leaping up with a very stubborn fruity kick about it aided by its citrus-orange infusions and tropical fruits such as guava. Blow me down, its fruitiness just kept sailing on with the odd berry or two and stone fruit bobbing up and down. Only a half sufficed for me, my hearties, as not quite my cup of tea or rum when at sea! |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 | | Fourth night on really and still some head and lacing to start with on this amber best bitter from Chartham, south-west of Canterbury. It quickly lost this and so many decants became necessary. A dry malty first bite. A moreish bitterness rising. A dry bitter hoppiness lingering alongside the odd malty note or two playing out. It turned out that this bitter did not see out the following evening and so proved greatly more popular than a bitter before it which took the best part of week. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Wife of Bath's Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried |
05 Jul 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over with a few of the Saturday regulars on parade among the more occasional for last 45 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 | | First night on officially but we have been given the odd pint or two of this since Thursday evening, and just one on Friday. Sill good head and lacing presented and lasting, good. A dry malty first bite on this amber best bitter from Chartham, south-west of Canterbury. A gentle bitterness rising up on my palate alongside the merest hint of caramel. A very moreishly bitter dryness prevailing. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Wife of Bath's Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Krush | 4.40 | Not Tried |
04 Jul 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A cluster or two of the more occasional regulars in among the hardened for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Here Comes Summer | 3.90 | | Now the third night on for this Essex golden pale ale from Maldon. Head and lacing, still good, and lasting, still fair. A dry hoppy first bite. A citrusy note or two still playing. But it has developed a citrusy kick to it that may score many a goal but was somewhat out of the blue for my liking. Mildly fruity otherwise and lingering with the odd hoppiness pervading. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 | | Second day supposedly on but not advertised as on, on a blackboard until too late as just after 11pm as on, was this amber best bitter from Chartham, south-west of Canterbury. Not as good as its tasting the night before. Was offered it after first bell and as only one pint maximum. Its head and lacing, still good. Lasting, good. A bitter first bite. A malty bitterness rising up and a moreish honey-infused dryness lingering. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - First Brew: Pale Ale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | Very unusual for a bitter, as only ever one on at a time, still to be on, and on its 7th day. |
03 Jul 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with a mix of regulars on parade among the more occasional.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 |  | Fresh on, not advertised on a blackboard yet, was this amber best bitter from Chartham, south-west of Canterbury, and so very good head and lacing to die for and clinging onto the sides of the glass like a limpet. A dry bitter first hit. A hint of fruitiness rising up, with a gentle sweetness aided by its honey malts, and lingering in its moreish bitterness. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Third night on for this Maidstone-based strong pale ale. Head and lacing and holding onto it, fair. A hoppy bitter first bite. Its hoppiness gently rising up aided by its English hops. A bitterness prevailing and a sweet maltiness sailing off into the sunset. |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Now its sixth night on and so about to hit the buffers in terms of being at its all-time best for this Hackney porter. Some head and lacing still prevailing and lasting. A dry bitter first bite with a hint of roasted coffee. A hoppy undertone veering upwards aided by its 100% British Goldings from Hukins Hops. A malty chocolatiness, supported by seven different malts, rising up and lingering. |
| Mighty Oak - Here Comes Summer | 3.90 | | Second night on for this Essex golden pale ale from Maldon and head and lacing, good, and lasting, fair. A dry hoppy first bite. A hoppiness gently rising, with the odd fruit-infused citrusy note or two playing, and prevailing into the summer sunset. |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Cypher | 4.10 | Not Tried |
03 Jul 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Kentish Best | 3.70 | | New cask on, not even advertised on beer boards |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | A few days on, tired |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Here Comes Summer | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Cypher | 4.10 | Not Tried |
02 Jul 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. A handful in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Good condition but not one of my favourite Goacher's ales |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | | Little life, basically poured flat |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Here Comes Summer | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | 3.40 | Not Tried |
01 Jul 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy for last 30 minutes of serving with a local club nearby in after their meeting and even the fiddlers out the back ordered a second beverage by all accounts due to the heatwave. Just a handful of regulars on parade.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Now fourth night on and still holding a good head and lacing but not lasting as well on this Hackney-based porter as on my most recent tasting of it on its second night on. A few decants came into play. A smoky chocolatey first bite made it rather lovely. A hint of coffee-flavouring veering up in its maltiness. A dry maltiness prevailing mixed in with a moderate hoppiness thanks to its East Kent Goldings. Not again in the least sweet and the same dry moreishly malty bitterness as on Sunday lingering. |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | | First night on and presenting some head and lacing but keeping it, only fair, on this Hackney pale. A very fruity first bite. A citrusy fruit-infused hoppiness rising up. A dry hoppy bitterness prevailing and lingering aided by its Amarillo, Cascade and Citra hops from the West Coast of the USA. Slightly too fruited for my taste buds but stuck with it before hitting the buffers with the same brewery's porter. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Superdelic | 4.20 | Not Tried |
29 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy on arriving for last 30 minutes of serving with a mix of regulars in and then three separate Aladdin groups of the less frequent comprising about four in each group being rubbed by a genie until closing. Managed to time my visits to the bar with masterly co-ordination so as to avoid a queue or two which formed towards the end of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Out of the trio this evening this was the best as echoed from the previous night's late visit. Second night on and still holding a good head and lacing and lasting on this Hackney-based porter. Still an unmistakably liquid-chocolatey first bite. Coffee-infused flavourings veering up in its maltiness. Only seven different malts to blame and competing with its one moderately hoppy note or two rising up from its East Kent Goldings. Not as overly-sweet as in the previous evening's tasting. A dry moreishly malty bitterness lingering. |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | 4.80 | | This collaborative Downlands from north-west of Brighton and Evening Star was still puffing well with good head and lacing and lasting on this retro American pale ale now on its second day on. Still a dry and mildly fruity first bite. Its dry full-blown fruitiness prevailing on the mouthfeel. A very strong moreishly hoppy dryness lingering. Did not taste like a 4.8% whereas some can punch above their weight. Notably, this boxer of a pale was punching well below it! |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | | Now second night on and still only momentary head and lacing barely visible as was the case the evening before on this amber bitter from this Cromwell-based brewery north of Newark-on-Trent and south-west of Lincoln. Still tasted ok in spite of its appearance and so lack of conditioning. Same malty hoppiness from its first bite aided by its exclusively English hops. A dry maltiness in the first slurp. A bitterness pervading the mouthfeel. Caramel biscuity notes rising and good. A bitter maltiness sailing off into the sunset and lingering. Opted again for another as some other alternatives were strong and also perhaps very fruity-infused. Same poor head and lacing evident on second pint and so the general synopsis is drinkable but does not quite look all the ticket! |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
29 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Good head and lacing |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | 4.80 | | Basic citrus job with great clarity |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 14 |
| 727 |
| 1935 |
| 610 |
 | 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 1536 times, seen 1907 different beers and tried 1125 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ