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The George & Dragon (Free House)

We believe this building is NO LONGER a pub

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Moor - Nor'HopExcellent1
Windswept - BlondeExcellent1
Hardknott - ContinuumExcellent1
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Bramling CrossExcellent1
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Christmas ClubExcellent1
Moor - RawExcellent1
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - MegalithicExcellent2
Mad Cat - Special Relationship Anglo-American Pale AleExcellent1
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - NeolithicExcellent1
Great Heck - American ClassicExcellent1
Fyne - MaverickExcellent2
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Neanderthal (superseded by 4.4% version)Excellent1
Canterbury Brewers - Single Hopped Pale Ale - Green Hop EKGExcellent1
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Citra (brewed at Kent Brewery)Good1
Full Moon - Red PacificGood1
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - MesolithicGood3
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Prehistoric AmberGood5
Moor - JJJ IPAGood1
Round Tower - CotterAcceptable1
Saltaire - South Island PaleNot Tried0
Summer Wine (SWB) - Barista Expresso StoutNot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)Not Tried0
Tiny Rebel - Boom BoxNot Tried0
Buxton - Moor TopNot Tried0
Mallinsons - MosaicNot Tried0
Hand Drawn Monkey - PΔLE ΔLENot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Bombardier (now superseded by 4.1% version)Not Tried0
Fyne - Vital SparkNot Tried0
Hardknott - AzimuthNot Tried0
Otley - O9 BlondeNot Tried0
Marble - Chocolate MarbleNot Tried0
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - PalaeolithicNot Tried0
Magic Rock - RaptureNot Tried0
Medieval - Holy GrailNot Tried0
Saltaire - Saltaire BlondeNot Tried0
Picture 1. The George & Dragon, Swanscombe, Kent

Visits Details

29 Mar 2014 (thebrewingman)
Comfortable Saturday lunchtime.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Neanderthal (superseded by 4.4% version)4.60Excellent
Windswept - Blonde4.00Excellent
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Bramling Cross2.90ExcellentA golden beer that tasted above its gravity.
Mad Cat - Special Relationship Anglo-American Pale Ale4.80Excellent
Saltaire - Saltaire Blonde4.00Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
09 Jan 2014 (ChrisE)
Afternoon visit and fairly busy. A customer started talking to me about Sam Smiths pubs in London. Caveman Brewery have purchased the bottling plant from Leatherbritches Brewery and this should be installed soon. CCTV footage was being monitored following the theft of the huge George and Dragon sculpture that used to adorn the bar area. I have not listed all the beers that were on sale.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Neolithic4.10Excellent
Great Heck - American Classic5.50Excellent
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Christmas Club6.40Not TriedThis was selling extremely fast until it ran out.
08 Dec 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Christmas Club6.40ExcellentA lovely spiced slow drinking anaesthetic
Round Tower - Cotter4.10Acceptable
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Magic Rock - Rapture4.60Not Tried
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Palaeolithic3.80Not Tried
Medieval - Holy Grail4.80Not TriedOn next - taster definitely uninspiring. Sourish saison flavour
15 Oct 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Great chance to chat to the Caveman brewer about his recent green hop beer exploits and about the trade in general.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Canterbury Brewers - Single Hopped Pale Ale - Green Hop EKG6.00ExcellentNicely rounded and not at all harsh
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Prehistoric Amber4.50Acceptable
Marble - Chocolate Marble5.50Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Palaeolithic3.80Not Tried
30 Jun 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. The Swanscombe Marshes gnats were on a biting spree but most "lost out" to Frank Zappa.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Fyne - Maverick4.20Excellent2nd excellent
Fyne - Maverick4.20Good1st good
Fyne - Vital Spark4.40Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Hardknott - Azimuth5.80Not Tried
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Prehistoric Amber4.50Not Tried
Otley - O9 Blonde4.80Not Tried
06 Jun 2013 (HSB)
My first visit here. Very impressed. Good beer, excellent rolls and a brewery trip.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hardknott - Continuum4.00Excellent
Moor - Raw4.30Excellent
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Prehistoric Amber4.50Excellent
Moor - JJJ IPA9.00GoodAlcohol dominates
Full Moon - Red Pacific4.80GoodExcellent condition but not to my taste at all.
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Bombardier (now superseded by 4.1% version)4.20Not Tried
21 May 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Early evening visit with a colleague. My first visit here in daylight! Brewery view in the cellar shared.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Prehistoric Amber4.50Good
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Mesolithic4.50AcceptableRather hazy. Not my favourite of the Caveman range
Saltaire - South Island Pale3.50Not Tried
Buxton - Moor Top3.60Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Mallinsons - Mosaic4.00Not Tried
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Megalithic5.90Not TriedJust run out. A taster in the cellar although not quite ready was highly flavoursome
Hand Drawn Monkey - PΔLE ΔLE4.00Not Tried
16 May 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Later evening. A joint party for Gravesend & Darent Valley CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2013 presentation and launch of the Caveman Brewery located in the pub's cellar. On the way to the venue, rather like the Daily Telegraph crosswords, prior to D-Day, carrying answers which were D-Day beach codenames I was surprised to find today's The Independent Concise Crossword clue 20A Primitive human = Answer Caveman!! Can no one keep a secret - MI5 are on the case. The pub was packed and the new brews flowed like the confluence of the Tigris and the Euphrates. Good to see Ray from The Door Hinge Micropub in Welling supping and sussing out the range - one can expect his orders to be placed soon.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Megalithic5.90ExcellentPump clip describes as "IPA with big malt and citrus character". For me best of the three and I predict will be the one that gets deepest into the free trade
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Mesolithic4.50GoodPump clip describes as "A pale ale with subtle Australian hop character". I found this beer very dry with a hint of spice. Apparently all the casks of this brew were sprinkled with different dry hop varieties (no two casks the same)
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Prehistoric Amber4.50GoodPump clip describes as "A classic amber ale with added hops". I found it orangey citrus in flavour
Saltaire - South Island Pale3.50Not Tried
Summer Wine (SWB) - Barista Expresso Stout4.80Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
16 May 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Pub packed for the launch of Caveman Brewery and, later, a local CAMRA award presentation. Robert (a Deptford man) thought it normal to see Kentish folk in pubs dressed in animal skins and carrying bones – I thought that perhaps every fancy dress shop for miles around had hired out its Flintstones costumes. Nice to be shown around the somewhat cramped cellar brewery.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Megalithic5.90ExcellentThe star beer of the evening. A really tasty, amber-coloured IPA. Has both bitter and fruity hop tastes.
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Mesolithic4.50GoodGolden and dry, with rather subtle hopping. This one not in the greatest condition.
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Prehistoric Amber4.50GoodAmber in colour. A heavy, slightly grainy malt taste, with some nice hops showing through as the pint went down.
Saltaire - South Island Pale3.50Not Tried
Summer Wine (SWB) - Barista Expresso Stout4.80Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Moor - Nor'Hop4.10Not Tried
Tiny Rebel - Boom Box4.50Not TriedRan out.
12 May 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. A few in. Given a most welcome tour of the now working Cavemen Brewery in the cellar. Surprising how much kit and technology fitted into a small space. First brews now casked and ready for official launch in the pub on Thursday evening coming. A pre-launch taster of the 5.9er in the cellar was a nicely balanced sweet hoppy brew.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Moor - Nor'Hop4.10Excellent
Caveman (latterly a cuckoo at Leatherbritches) - Citra (brewed at Kent Brewery)4.10Good
Saltaire - South Island Pale3.50Not Tried
Summer Wine (SWB) - Barista Expresso Stout4.80Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Tiny Rebel - Boom Box4.50Not Tried

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About The George & Dragon

The pub sign. The George & Dragon, Swanscombe, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional2
Excellent56
Good53
Acceptable18
Poor1

The pub is found in Swanscombe, Kent, DA10 0LQ.

Large pub just a minute's walk from Swanscombe railway station. U shaped bar with seating on all sides. Handy for Ebbsfleet's football ground. A pub brought back from the dead by the current owners who have now installed a brewery, Caveman, in the cellar. Has a small restaurant room which is very popular on Sunday lunchtimes. CAMRA Gravesend & Darent Valley branch Pub of the Year for 2013 and again in 2014. CAMRA West Kent Pub of the Year 2013. Regular beer festivals. 6 handpumps and always has up to 4 ciders in boxes for sale. Extensive range of bottled beers. Closed 31st August 2019 when licensees retired, now future is uncertain. Conversion to a Domino's Pizza franchise apparently authorised by planners.

We have visited this pub 61 times, seen 176 different beers and tried 93 of them.

Map location

Postcode: DA10 0LQ