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The Market Porter (Market Taverns)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Westerham - Puddledock Porter (superseded by 4% version) |  | 1 |
| York (now brewed by and at Black Sheep) - Nelson Sauvin |  | 1 |
| Saltaire - Winter Ale | | 1 |
| Acorn - Hailstorm | | 1 |
| Old Bear - Solmonath | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Spectrum - Dark Fantastic |  | 1 |
| Mauldons - Mole Trap | | 1 |
| Spectrum - 42 | | 1 |
| Riverhead - March Haigh Special Bitter | | 1 |
| Beowulf - Gutlusty | | 1 |
| Wentworth - Oyster Stout | | 1 |
| Spectrum - 4X | | 1 |
| Theakston - Paradise Ale | | 1 |
| Wem (formerly Hanby) - Black Magic Mild | | 1 |
| Arundel - Trident | | 1 |
| Acorn - Yorkshire Pride | | 1 |
| Wem (formerly Hanby) - Cascade Bitter |  | 1 |
| Millstone - Ye Olde Vic | | 1 |
| Rudgate - Sword Blow | | 1 |
| Wem (formerly Hanby) - Premium Bitter | | 1 |
| Saltaire - Crystal Red | | 1 |
| RCH - Firebox | | 1 |
| Black Country - Fireside Bitter | | 1 |
| Harviestoun - Game Bird | | 1 |
| Wentworth - Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Saltaire - Rye Smile | | 1 |
| Houston - Blonde Bombshell | | 1 |
| Springhead - Beijing Gold | | 1 |
| Tipple's - Redhead | | 1 |
| Acorn - Willamette IPA | | 1 |
| Okell's - St. Nick | | 1 |
| Rebellion - Bailout | | 1 |
| Hop Back - Groovy Mover (superseded by 4.4% version) | | 1 |
| Tipple's - Lady Evelyn | | 1 |
| Tirril - Balls Up | | 1 |
| Hydes - Owd Bill | | 1 |
| Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - Still Intact |  | 1 |
| Breconshire - Sarn Eluned | | 1 |
| Wooden Hand - Gribben Ale | | 1 |
| Windsor Castle (see also Sadler's entry) - Sadler's Jack's Ale | | 1 |
| Newby Wyke - Deck-Aid | | 1 |
| Wooden Hand - Pirate's Gold | | 1 |
| Houston - Auld Humdinger | | 1 |
| Beowulf - Chasewater | | 1 |
| Milestone - Will Scarlet |  | 1 |
| Nelson - Loose Cannon | Not Tried | 0 |
| Nelson - Cat O' Nine Tails | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bazens' - Wass Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Honey Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mordue - Pudding Bowl | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bryson's Brews - Westmoreland Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - All A Quiver | Not Tried | 0 |
| Acorn - Snowstorm | Not Tried | 0 |
| Theakston - Lightfoot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rudgate - Battle Axe | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
26 Feb 2009 (Ian)
Sometimes the beer here can be a little muddy in the flavours, or not quite in the right condition. However, the last couple of times I've been, it has been excellent. Sat at the bar, next to John Bratley, famous London beer scooper who has had a hair cut.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saltaire - Winter Ale | 4.90 | | Light russet colour, lasting beige head. Good tasting ESB. Lovely fruity malt, good mouthfeel. Rather good. A little sweet maybe, but nice enough. Actually this is excellent. I arrived feeling a little jaded, but this got my mouth up and dancing. Some hop on end, but not aggressive. |
| Mauldons - Mole Trap | 3.80 | | Competent quite tasty bitter with that Mauldon's biting hop finish. Very moreish bitter. |
| Spectrum - Dark Fantastic | 3.50 | | Pale chestnut colour, thin beige head. Lovely roasty toasty bitter. After not having a dark bitter in ages, I've had a few recently. Very good rich roasty toasty malts. Good beer. Tasty. |
| Spectrum - 4X | 4.60 | | Badged as "It's.....XXXX" Chestnut colour, lasting beige head. Decent best bitter, quite fruity really. It's rather good. I like Spectrum beers. Simple, basic, but good flavours, good balance. Almost some cherry. Very good dryness on finish. Good condition, bit of chocolate on the malts. |
| Tipple's - Redhead | 4.20 | | Reddy chestnut, lasting thin ivory head. Muddy earthy bitter. Very earthy, does leave a dry aftertaste of mud. Some reddish fruit. Not very pleasant to me, but it's fine, just not my thing. |
| Tipple's - Lady Evelyn | 4.30 | | Pale gold, lasting thin white head. Decent pale gold bitter. Bit of farty yeast on aroma, but then some fullness in the mouth. Decent sherbert biting hop on finish. Fine. |
| Saltaire - Rye Smile | 3.90 | | I got the last half out of the barrel, so a bit hard to say. Hazy old gold, lasting thick cream. Quite heavy on the rye, good woody taste. No condition. OK, should be quite interesting when in good nick. |
| Windsor Castle (see also Sadler's entry) - Sadler's Jack's Ale | 3.80 | | Paleish gold, thin beige head. Farty aroma. Quite ascetic on the lemon fruit. Fart/cardboard runs through it. Just not very nice. Good condition, some lemon on finish, but overall not very good and I left some of it. |
19 Feb 2009 (Ian)
I'd had a conversation a couple of days before with someone who was saying that due to the high turnover of beers at this pub, they never get the chance to settle and condition in the cellar. Today though was one of those days where everything was perfect. There was a spare seat in the corner at the far end of the bar where I like to sit, a good bunch of IT people from Lloyds TSB behind me and a couple of great Kiwis behind the bar, one of which was kind enough to write down all the beers on the other bar. Sometimes the noise and bustle here is intoxicating.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acorn - Hailstorm | 4.50 | | Pale gold, lasting white head. I'm guessing there is ome Willamette hop here somewhere as I am getting a blackcurrant edge. Good creamyness in mouth. A bit soapy hop citrus edge. Blackcurrant edge gives it character. |
| Old Bear - Solmonath | 4.10 | | Copper colour, lasting off white head. This is an interesting bitter, good condition. It's got everything I want, biscuity malt, decent biting bitterness on finish, good body. One of the more interesting bitters of the day and quite brilliant. |
| Arundel - Trident | 5.00 | | Gold, lasting off white head. Wow, a bit like a white wine I know, but can't place. Definite white wine varietal. Good though. Decent aroma, grapey white wine. Wish I could place it. At a stab I'd say unoaked chardonnay. Solid beer though. |
| Rebellion - Bailout | 4.20 | | Attractive chestnut colour, lasting mid beige head. It's an ok bitter. Touch of butter on aroma. Fine, if a touch boring. |
| Millstone - Ye Olde Vic | 4.20 | | Pale gold, lasting white head. Sherberty hoppy beer. It's a golden ale. The body lacks a bit and the hops are a little acidic. OK, just a little empty. |
29 Jan 2009 (Ian)
Met up with Chris from Ratebeer here. We weren't that impressed with the beer line up, nor the quality of the beers. This does sometimes happen at this pub where the turnover of beer can be fast.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acorn - Yorkshire Pride | 3.70 | | Very pale gold, thin off white head. Decent golden ale, more hops than most beers in this style. Only a touch of soapy hop, mostly good sherbert. OK golden ale. I like Acorn. Decent spritzey condition. |
| Wooden Hand - Pirate's Gold | 4.00 | | Old gold, lasting cream head. Diacetyl all over it. A bitter with butter, not a good combo. |
| Wooden Hand - Gribben Ale | 4.10 | | Nasty acidic aroma. Gold, no real head. Not great, bit thin, bit acidic, poor. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Theakston - Lightfoot | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Rudgate - Battle Axe | 4.20 | Not Tried |
17 Jan 2009 (Ian)
I had a ticket for the Thornbridge brewery tasting at The Rake for 15.00, so I wanted to come up and have a look round the local pubs first. Bought some bottles in Utobeer and then came and propped up the bar here. Was joined by Chris_o from Ratebeer. Busy as always with a mix of regulars, tourists, scoopers and football fans.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | I'd had a bit of a late night on Friday and wanted to ease my way back into drinking and there can be no better way than Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter. Felt much better after a half of this. |
| Wem (formerly Hanby) - Black Magic Mild | 3.30 | | Very dark brown/mahogany. Some charred choc. Some malt, some smoothness, some decent sour dark fruit. A rather decent dark mild. |
| Wentworth - Oyster Stout | 4.80 | | Black with dark brown edges, thin tan head. Very tasty stout, full, rich, may even have oysters in it, it is that rich. Very good. |
| Wem (formerly Hanby) - Cascade Bitter | 4.50 | | Gold, no real head. Slightly farty aroma. Some ok citrusy fruits in the mouth. Clean, fresh if a little boring and not very cascadey. |
| Wem (formerly Hanby) - Premium Bitter | 4.60 | | Quite a rich sweet creamy premium bitter. But it's not overly interesting. |
| Wentworth - Best Bitter | 4.10 | | It's a yeasty bitter, with good earthy hop on finish. Yeasty ok bitter. Nice earth and dry hop on finish. |
29 Dec 2008 (Dubbel)
Having organised a reunion meet-up with some former university pals at The Rake, we arrived to find it shut. Damnation. Luckilly the steady Market Porter was open for business as usual, bodies filled the place with no sign of a post-Christmas/credit crunch slowdown. We gathered around a barrel by the front bar directly under a heater. It got very hot.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - Puddledock Porter (superseded by 4% version) | 4.50 | | This was so lusciously full-bodied and morish that I did something I have never done in the Market Porter before; I had the same beer twice in a row. |
| Riverhead - March Haigh Special Bitter | 4.60 | | Nice and rich, full palate, well conditioned "best" bitter. |
| RCH - Firebox | 6.00 | | Very strong and phenolic. Combined with the hot air from above I found the experience very "warming". |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | House regular. |
| Bazens' - Wass Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Honey Porter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Mordue - Pudding Bowl | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Bryson's Brews - Westmoreland Bitter | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - All A Quiver | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Acorn - Snowstorm | 4.00 | Not Tried |
27 Nov 2008 (Ian)
Managed to squeeze in at the bar around the corner and had a few halves. Busy as ever, with a changing beer list as ever. Yet, still people come in and drink Fosters and Guinness. Unbelievable.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum - 42 | 4.20 | | Copper, lasting beige head. Malty bitter, decent best bitter, good malts and overall another good beer from a brewery I do like. |
| Beowulf - Gutlusty | 4.70 | | Chestnut colour, lasting beige head. Smells of pork, but the beer is quite good. Pork crackling and apple sauce. Yeast/pork aroma, good condition, ok malts and good earthy hops. Different and porky, plus the hops are good. |
| Okell's - St. Nick | 4.50 | | Reddish amber. Bubbly off whtie head. Decent bitter, bit sweet maybe, some herbyness on finish. Decent sweetish red fruits. Sweet strawberry. |
| Beowulf - Chasewater | 4.40 | | Lager gold colour, thin white head. Eggy yeasty aroma. In mouth, its still eggy and a not very intense blond ale. Dull and the aroma isn't great. |
30 Oct 2008 (Ian)
Met up with Chris_o here. We got a table, but the beer range was a little disappointing. Still one of the best scooping pubs in London.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theakston - Paradise Ale | 4.20 | | Gold, thin beige head. It's a slightly earthy citrusy bitter. Earthy fruit. Actually pretty good. |
| Hydes - Owd Bill | 4.50 | | Pale chestnut colour. Slightly minty. What an odd beer. Fine, but got a minty mouthfeel on finish |
| Rudgate - Sword Blow | 3.90 | | Copper colour, malty aroma. A malty bitter. OK, nothing special, some toffee. OK bitter. |
| Newby Wyke - Deck-Aid | 4.00 | | Pale gold, ascetic citrus aroma. Plasticky ascetic flavour and a bit soapy, some rubber. |
26 Sep 2008 (Ian)
I met up with a couple of Danish Ratebeerians in Borough and we came here for a couple before heading off to a beer tasting in NW London.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston - Blonde Bombshell | 4.00 | | Decent citrusy golden ale, with some juicy fruit finish. Good hop, nice juicy raspberry, dry finish which has underlying juiciness. Some yeast on aroma develops. Overall quite interesting especially the raspberry. |
| Acorn - Willamette IPA | 5.00 | | Gold, thin white head. Not in great condition, some earthy hop. Bit one dimensional, some blackcurrant on finish. Decent. |
| Saltaire - Crystal Red | 4.40 | | Red/russet, lasting beige head. A fruity bitter, dark red, black fruits. It's got good condition. Really good fruity hop bitterness on finish. Fruity malt on aroma. You expect it to be quite juicy, but the hop on the end is aridly drying. Surprising. |
| Houston - Auld Humdinger | 4.20 | | Actually pretty awful, poor aroma, cheesy flavour in mouth, some manure. Improves slightly, but still too cheesy. |
| Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - Still Intact | 4.00 | | It's a slightly dull dusty bitter. Not enormously bitter, some reasonable fruit in mouth. Just a bit stale and sweaty. |
| Milestone - Will Scarlet | 3.60 | | Full of diacetyl and horrible. |
09 Aug 2008 (Blair)
Absolutely packed, a lot of lager lout types in which was a little irritating. But it was nice to stand in the street and watch the world go by.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Country - Fireside Bitter | 5.00 | | Malty and refreshing. Not terrible exciting but nothing really to complain about. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Nelson - Loose Cannon | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Nelson - Cat O' Nine Tails | 4.40 | Not Tried |
03 Aug 2008 (Ian)
Just about the first one in on a Sunday lunchtime. I got a table, did the Independent Su Doku from Saturday and tried some of the beers. Really quite quiet in the pub. The roast lamb lunch looked good though.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| York (now brewed by and at Black Sheep) - Nelson Sauvin | 4.00 | | Gold, thin beige head. That slight sweaty sox hop aroma you get from Sauvin. Reminds me of Thornbridge Kipling that uses the same hops. It’s an ok pale ale underneath with these sauvin hops singing over it. Juicy and gorgeous. Some nettle and rhubarb. |
| Harviestoun - Game Bird | 4.10 | | Copper, with thick lasting beige head. Bit of tea, otherwise a decent hoppy bitter. Nice lasting bitterness. Just a bit too much tea for me. OK bitter. |
| Springhead - Beijing Gold | 4.20 | | Yes, it’s a standard golden ale. Some dry citrus hop on the finish. Just not very interesting. |
| Hop Back - Groovy Mover (superseded by 4.4% version) | 4.60 | | Copper coloour with lasting beige head. Some dustyness to a fruity best bitter. It’s alright, some good fruit salad. Some decent malts, just a bit better than average. Bit earthy on finish. |
| Tirril - Balls Up | 3.90 | | Looks like a brown session bitter, tastes like a brown session bitter, a little yeasty, some ok malt fruit, some ok hop. |
| Breconshire - Sarn Eluned | 4.50 | | Looks like a brown session bitter, tastes like a brown session bitter, a little yeasty, some ok malt fruit, some ok hop. |
About The Market Porter
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 4 |
| 130 |
| 270 |
| 240 |
| 41 |
The pub is found in Southwark, Central London, SE1 9AA.
Famous pub opposite Borough Market in Stoney Street. Central bar has many beers which change on a regular basis and are mostly from UK micros. Can be extremely busy. Refurbishment some time ago and now there is one main room with a side area with seating as well. Many customers use the pavement outside to stand and enjoy their drinks. Really a must for anyone taking in London pubs. Sports 12 handpumps with 6 in each of the 2 distinct bar serving areas plus a further 4 for cider dispense at the far rear. Upstairs restaurant bar area too, mainly for lunchtime use. In 2019 the real ale choice was drastically reduced to 4 and the cider was withdrawn. Downstairs toilets. Card payment only, cash not accepted here.
We have visited this pub 283 times, seen 815 different beers and tried 647 of them.
Postcode: SE1 9AA