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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Caravan (was 3.6%) |  | 1 |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | | 1 |
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB |  | 3 |
| Iron Pier - Rosherville Red | | 2 |
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | | 1 |
| Monkey - Tollhouse | | 2 |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | | 2 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | | 3 |
| Chiltern - Kop Hill Ale | | 1 |
| Kent - Victrix (collaboration with Moot) | | 1 |
| Oakham - Mohawk |  | 1 |
| Five Points - Gold | | 1 |
| Oakham - Citra | | 1 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Citropolis | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Saffron Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | Not Tried | 0 |
| Park - Killcat Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - XPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Azacca Mosaic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Southpaw IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
14 Sep 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | 4.30 | | Same as yesterday's, full-on malt flavour |
| Anspach & Hobday - Citropolis | 4.50 | | Rather wishy-washy Citra dominated pale |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Rosherville Red | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Got The Face On | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Gold | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Southpaw IPA | 6.20 | Not Tried |
13 Sep 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Usual Sunday regulars on parade among a few of the odd lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | 4.30 | | 1st beer of this visit: First night on and exuding a very good head and lasting lacing on this bitter from a venture launched officially in 2013 in a railway arch in Bermondsey, South London. Leaving their taproom, The Arch House, still to operate on the Bermondsey Beer Mile, they relocated their main brewing to Croydon in 2020. Launched in July 2026 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the legendary Borough Market pub, The Rake, a very dry but fruited bitterness in its first bite. A slight maltiness joining in with hints of caramel and toffee from its Crystal malt and joined by Clear Choice, Extra Pale, Maize and Flaked Barley. A dark bitter fruitiness from its all-British hops, Admiral, Ernest and Bramling Cross, lending touches of toasted oak, vanilla, marshmallow, woody spice and tannin. A very dry and slightly sweet, woody fruited bitterness sailing out. Served in top nick. |
| Iron Pier - Rosherville Red | 4.80 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on either Friday or Saturday and presenting good head and lacing and lasting on this red ale from just outside Gravesend at Northfleet, Kent, and founded in March 2017 with its first beers brewed in January 2018. A very spicy first hit on this very murky red. A citrusy fruitiness rising from its Citra and Mosaic hops. A touch of specialised rye malt in on the act behind its spicy kick amongst traditional red malts lending a lingering sweet caramel touch with a deep roastiness. A piney, bitter finish on its outflow. Served in good order. |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Gold | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Southpaw IPA | 6.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Saffron Gold | 4.60 | Not Tried | Ran out. |
13 Sep 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anspach & Hobday - Oak | 4.30 | | Good malt heavy brew from cask put on today |
| Iron Pier - Rosherville Red | 4.80 | | Irish red style, OK |
| Five Points - Gold | 3.40 | | Drank with hardly noticing |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | Is the week up |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Southpaw IPA | 6.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Saffron Gold | 4.60 | Not Tried | Ran out as I ordered one |
12 Sep 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with the regulars on parade among the more occasional for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pig & Porter - Caravan (was 3.6%) | 3.40 | | Fresh on and presented with very good head and lacing and lasting all the way. A dry fruited first bite from this bitter from brewing set up in 2013 at Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, following on from various microbreweries across Sussex and Kent. A gentle bitterness rising. A fruitiness joining in from its tangerine infusions alongside orange and marmalade-on-toast flavours from its English hops, East Kent Goldings and First Gold. A light roasted maltiness emerging from its Maris Otter, Munich, Caragold, Crystal and Melanoidin with hints of caramel and toffee. A subtle liquorice note for me on its bitter finish. Served in top nick. |
| Park - Killcat Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | Ran out. |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Rosherville Red | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Gold | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Southpaw IPA | 6.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Saffron Gold | 4.60 | Not Tried |
10 Sep 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
A handful of regulars in amongst the not so regular for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monkey - Tollhouse | 3.80 | | Fresh on with very good head and long-lasting lacing on this New Forest bitter from brewing set up in 2021 in Lymington, Hampshire, next to a historic 18th-century tollhouse and so lending this bitter its name. A dry fruited first hit. A hoppy bitterness rising from its Challenger hops lending subtle hints of plums for me alongside an earthiness, cedar, green tea and a dash of herbal spice. A malty sweetness emerging with a touch of caramel flavouring from its Pale and Crystal malts, flaked oats and Chocolate malt. A hoppy bitterness ebbing out with a touch of light citrus reminiscent of orange marmalade. Served in good order but slightly without conditioning I thought as perhaps a tad too fresh. |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Azacca Mosaic | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Victrix (collaboration with Moot) | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Mohawk | 4.40 | Not Tried |
10 Sep 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Victrix (collaboration with Moot) | 3.90 | | Good head on pour and lacing. Good condition and full of flavour |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | | Basic Citra, OK condition |
| Oakham - Mohawk | 4.40 | | Experimental hop job |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Azacca Mosaic | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Tollhouse | 3.80 | Not Tried |
09 Sep 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Just after 10pm the émigrés from the local Charlton Athletic home match 0-0 draw swelled the footfall.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | 5.00 | | A good flavour oomph |
| Monkey - Tollhouse | 3.80 | | Quite OK but unexceptional |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Mohawk | 4.40 | Not Tried |
08 Sep 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for the last half an hour of serving with a mix of the regulars, the odd lesser spotted and the fiddlers playing their instruments out the back.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on and exhibiting a good-looking head and lasting lacing on this Northfleet stout with brewing just outside Gravesend named after the town's historic pier, the oldest remaining cast-iron pier in the world. Production of its first beer took place in January 2018. A chocolatey first hit. A dry bitter maltiness rising from its 7 different malts: Simpsons Finest Pale Maris Otter, Dextrin Malt, Amber Malt, Brown Malt, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley, and TMM Jumbo Oat Flakes. Delighting my taste buddies were the flavours of dark bread, sweet vanilla, dark chocolate, and a milky bitter coffee thrown in with a hint of liquorice. A distant hoppy note calling out from the addition of Admiral behind orange peel, citrus and fresh orange flavours mixed with an earthy herbal spice, resin and a subtle woodiness, before the sail downwards with a roasty bitterness lingering. Served in top nick. |
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB | 4.10 | | 1st beer of this visit: Now its third night on and still exhibiting good head and lacing and lasting well on this Kentish bitter named after one of its hops, Kent Golding, from brewing which began in 2010 with the opening of their own dedicated 10-barrel plant in Birling, Kent. A dry hoppy first hit. A bitter hoppiness bounding up with Fuggles also in on the mix alongside some locally sourced malts lending flavours of toasted bread crusts and crisp biscuits, and a toffee-infused and light caramelised sweetness. A floral hoppiness prevailing with lavender and fresh springtime herbal flavours hitting my taste buds. A mildly fruited hoppy note waving on its paddle out. Served in good form still and holding its conditioning throughout. |
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Owens Court Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
06 Sep 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Usual Sunday regulars on parade among a few of the odd lesser spotted for the last half an hour of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB | 4.10 | | 1st beer of this visit: Fresh on today and showing off a good head and lasting lacing on this Kentish bitter named after one of its hops, Kent Golding, in the ingredients from brewing which began in 2010, briefly out of Larkins Brewery at Chiddingstone, Kent, before opening their own dedicated 10-barrel plant in Birling, Kent, in October of that year. A dry hoppy first hit from also its other hop, Fuggles, in on the mix alongside some locally sourced malts. A bitter hoppiness bounding up with its Goldings hops behind lavender and fresh springtime herbal notes, alongside a hint of sweet honey and a touch of thyme and light kitchen spices, and its Fuggles hops behind earthy and woody flavours including of damp soil, wood, and autumn leaves, and a hint of green grass and mint. A touch of maltiness for good measure from locally sourced malts lending flavours of toasted bread crusts and crisp biscuits, from its traditional English pale and amber base malts, a touch of caramelized crystal malt providing a layer of toffee and light caramel sweetness, and the specialty malts giving the beer its amber colour. A floral fruited hoppiness prevailing and waving on its paddle out. Served in top nick with perfect conditioning. |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Third day on and exhibiting a lasting head and lacing on this porter from East London’s Hackney where brewing was founded in 2013 in a railway arch underneath the Hackney Downs train station before moving their main production facility to a larger site on Mare Street in Hackney. A sweet smoky first blast to whet my whistle with a sliver of marmalade-like fruitiness with its sweet orange-peel flavouring ringing my bell. A dry malty bitterness rising aided by its 100% British hops, East Kent Goldings, sourced from Hukins Hops in Kent, lending a touch of lavender, rose and honey, plus herbs and an earthiness, a touch of freshly cut grass, along with a spiciness reminiscent of white pepper, subtle cedar wood and light mint. A chocolatey bitterness winning over with hints of coffee and emanating from its 7 different malts, Maris Otter, Brown, Crystal, Chocolate, Munich, Dark Crystal and Black, before its shunt down my tunnel with its smokiness lingering. Served still in very good nick. |
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Chiltern - Kop Hill Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
06 Sep 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The pub Guv was in charge tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Always reliable porter |
| Chiltern - Kop Hill Ale | 3.70 | | Subtly citrus amber ale. Quite liked it |
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB | 4.10 | | New cask on today. May condition better by tomorrow |
| Kent - Brewers Reserve | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Session IPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Two by Two - Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 16 |
| 833 |
| 2246 |
| 770 |
 | 64 |
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 1831 times, seen 2058 different beers and tried 1227 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ