The River Ale House (Free House)
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Stephen Harris
Visits Details
17 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Elusive - Marin | 5.60 |  | Unimaginative Citra essence but condition was very good being fresh on today |
Mighty Oak - Gorgeous George | 4.20 |  | Awful brown toffee tasting concoction which made it a chore to finish |
Kent - Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Vibrant Forest - Summerlands (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Five Points - Citrus Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
Rooster's - Easy-Going Assassin | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
17 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 40 minutes of serving with many of the Sunday regulars in.
Mighty Oak - Gorgeous George | 4.20 |  | 2nd night on and holding a good head and lacing. Once again an instant toffee hit and "bittersweet" as the tasting notes point out. Too sweet for my liking to have more than one. |
Pig & Porter - Apparition Stout | 4.40 |  | Good head and lacing. A smokey flavour with a dry, moreish mouthfeel. One half of it quickly became a pint on first sipping it. |
Elusive - Marin | 5.60 |  | Very good head and lacing. First hit was the Citra hoppiness and with a bit of a kick to it! |
Kent - Pale | 4.00 |  | Minimal head and no lacing at all. A slightly fruity taste with a sour lingering mouthfeel. One sufficed. |
Vibrant Forest - Summerlands (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Five Points - Citrus Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Rooster's - Easy-Going Assassin | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
16 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 45 minutes of serving with usual regulars and some SE London CAMRA members also in to round off day's visit to some of SE London's first pubs in the Good Beer Guide, and others also, and to mark 50 years of the local branch in 2024.
Kent - Pale | 4.00 |  | Good head and lacing. Slight fruit flavours with a dry, bitter lingering aftertaste. |
Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter | 3.80 |  | For almost the last one out of the barrel, it was still holding its head and lacing well. Had a pleasantly malty lingering mouthfeel with a bitter aftertaste. |
Mighty Oak - Gorgeous George | 4.20 |  | This replaced the earlier bitter from Bexley. Good head and lacing. An instant toffee hit and so too sweet for my taste-buds. A malty aftertaste. |
Vibrant Forest - Summerlands (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Staggeringly Good - Bru 3 (collaboration with Little Monster) | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
Kent - Tech Noir | 6.10 | Not Tried | |
Rooster's - Easy-Going Assassin | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
15 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall with just a few regulars in until a late night group of some 8 turned up within the last 10 minutes.
Oakham - King at Arms | 4.20 |  | Cannot recall trying this one before. Superb head and lacing as first day on. A first hit of hoppiness and not fruity in the least. A dry, moreish aftertaste and the head and lacing hanging on like a trooper! |
Kent - Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Vibrant Forest - Summerlands (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Staggeringly Good - Bru 3 (collaboration with Little Monster) | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
Kent - Tech Noir | 6.10 | Not Tried | |
Rooster's - Easy-Going Assassin | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
14 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall but with usual regulars for the last 30 minutes of serving.
Kent - Pale | 4.00 |  | Very good head and lacing. Slightly fruity mouthfeel with a dry, hoppy aftertaste. |
Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter | 3.80 |  | Very good head and lacing. A slightly less bitter taste than I favour as an ever so slightly sweet, malty mouthfeel with a dry finish. |
Kent - Tech Noir | 6.10 |  | Good head and lacing and a dry first hit. A slightly fruity, sweet mouthfeel with a lingering dryness persisting. |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Stour Valley Gold | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Little Monster - Yul | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
14 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Kent - Tech Noir | 6.10 |  | A heavy slow drinking porter |
Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter | 3.80 |  | New cask on today. A nice refreshing pint |
Kent - Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Stour Valley Gold | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Little Monster - Yul | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
12 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with fiddlers out the back and a few regulars among others in the front seating area.
Vale - Red Kite | 4.30 |  | Superb long-lasting head and lacing and also fresh on this evening. A very bitter first hit. A hint of chestnut with a not too malty mouthfeel and a pleasantly dry, bitter aftertaste. |
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Stour Valley Gold | 4.20 |  | Fresh on and came with a lasting head and lacing. It was very thirst-quenching but without a lot of flavouring. |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Southwark - Mayflower Session IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Bexley - Spike Island | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
Little Monster - Yul | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
12 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Irish fiddlers in back room seem teetotal from drinks being bought (or not).
Vale - Red Kite | 4.30 |  | Always wary of red ales as being overly malty but this was a good traditional bitter |
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Stour Valley Gold | 4.20 |  | Very zingy golden ale which held head and lacing well |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Pardoner's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Southwark - Mayflower Session IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Bexley - Spike Island | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
Little Monster - Yul | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
10 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
Five Points - Green Hop Cascade | 3.70 |  | A very zesty green hopper - good enough to have a second one |
Bexley - Spike Island | 5.30 |  | Poured flat, impossible to revive with multiple decantings so a chore to finish. Imagine this would be a grand ale with decent condition |
Bexley - Golden Acre | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Vibrant Forest - Kaleidoscope | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
Southwark - Mayflower Session IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Bexley - Old Mill Autumn Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
10 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for last 30 minutes of serving and minus usual Sunday evening barman who sets music theme and this time, history, which is then carried over to his next Sunday on. Wishing him well.
Bexley - Old Mill Autumn Ale | 4.50 |  | 3rd night on. Still got the head and lacing. Sweet mouthfeel with the odd toffee and caramel flavouring. Very malty aftertaste and one pint sufficed. |
Bexley - Spike Island | 5.30 |  | Still holding its flavours of coffee and chocolate third night on. But little head and lacing but restored with multiple decantings. Left with a lingering bitterness. |
Five Points - Green Hop Cascade | 3.70 |  | Good head and lacing. Also third night on. A very oily first hit with a very dry, moreish mouthfeel and a piney aftertaste. |
Bexley - Golden Acre | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Vibrant Forest - Kaleidoscope | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
Southwark - Mayflower Session IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
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