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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! |  | 3 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 6 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 2 |
| Butcombe - West Coast |  | 1 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | | 2 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 3 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | | 1 |
| Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer) | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong |  | 1 |
| Timothy Taylor - Knowle Spring | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Sidekick | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pilgrim - Saracen Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Summer Sun | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Cerberus | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Courage Best Bitter (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Summer Perle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Abbot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Wolf of the Woods | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rooster's - This is England | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Light Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Lemon Dream | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Light | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Pomelo | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Pedigree | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Theakston - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
12 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | 4½* Near perfect and head and lacing until the end, to boot |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | I am beginning to prefer this to the ubiquitous Palmers IPA here |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pilgrim - Saracen Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Summer Sun | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Courage Best Bitter (was brewed at Banks's for a while) | 4.00 | Not Tried | Brewed at Marston's Burton-on-Trent or is it really. Anyway all Carlsberg now |
05 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Tally at its best |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | With its unique twang |
| Marston's - Pedigree | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Theakston - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Sidekick | 3.40 | Not Tried |
28 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Made up for the relative disappointments of the other 2 beers tonight |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Had better, taste not balanced enough |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | | OK but lacking the bite expected of a 6.5%er. Not sure why this pub persists on selling one ale on gravity on the bar - always flatter and not as cool as from the cellar |
| Salopian - Lemon Dream | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pomelo | 5.20 | Not Tried |
24 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Sustaining the good form |
| Butcombe - West Coast | 4.60 | | Good try at a rather unexciting style |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Light Ale | 3.20 | Not Tried |
21 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Just as it should be |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good session opener |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | 3.50 | Not Tried |
14 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | 4½* After what I thought was a quality lull from the brewery this was up there with the very best |
| Timothy Taylor - Knowle Spring | 4.20 | | Good on taste, little head or lacing |
| Westerham - Summer Perle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | Not Tried | Served on gravity in a cask on the bar counter |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | Not Tried |
07 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Few of the locals I converse with there for once.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Back to form |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | Spot on fruit / bitterness balance |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | Not Tried | In a cask on counter top |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Cerberus | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | 4.10 | Not Tried |
24 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. At last full tram service operating again.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Very very fruity concoction, much more so that usual. Had to have two |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | | Pretty much always reliable |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | On gravity dispense on bar counter top |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | 4.40 | Not Tried |
10 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer) | 4.00 | | Good condition but an unremarkable beer |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | Last out of a cask served on gravity on bar counter. Obviously tired |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Near end of cask. OK |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Light | 4.50 | Not Tried |
30 Apr 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Trams back running at last.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | I must admit something has changed of late with IPA. A loss of most of its floral hop nose? Not pub's fault obviously! |
| Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale | 5.00 | | A powerful bitter in which one can feel its strength |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | On gravity dispense on bar counter top |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Wolf of the Woods | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Rooster's - This is England | 3.80 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 260 |
| 115 |
| 15 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 184 times, seen 271 different beers and tried 85 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA