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The Butchers Arms (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterExceptional3
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Exceptional6
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESBExcellent1
Dark Star - Over The MoonExcellent3
Dark Star - English Pale AleExcellent1
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Excellent1
Dark Star - SunburstExcellent1
Dark Star - Six HopGood3
Larkins - TraditionalGood1
Belvoir - Beaver BitterNot Tried0
Dark Star - FestivalNot Tried0
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Harvest AleNot Tried0
Hook Norton - Old HookyNot Tried0
Exmoor - GoldNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent
Picture 2. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent

Visits Details

09 Jul 2008 (Andrew)
A brief visit to pick up a 2litre bottle of beer for the evening. One other customer in. I need to come down here for a session some time soon I think.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentThe hop resins in this are superb. That coupled with the refreshing sweet malt make this an excellent pint.
Dark Star - Over The Moon3.80ExcellentNow the recipe has mellowed the hop (or at least I assume it has by the change in the character over the last couple of years) this is an excellent mild. Freshing, light and drinkable.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB5.50Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
25 Jun 2008 (Mick)
Called in for a quick pint on the way home from work, just after 6pm and already a few locals in.It wasn't on the board but Martyn suggested Dark Star Sunburst
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Sunburst4.80ExcellentVery hoppy, pale with lots of citrus and a long finish, more body than hophead with a slight underlying sweetness. Very nice indeed.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB5.50Not Tried
21 Jun 2008 (Andrew)
It late evening and it was time for a pint. I arrived with Jane's mum and sister and found the pub nice and busy. I asked Martyn for a pint of HopHead but he said it was past his serving time. My heart sank but then he smiled and said he wasn't serving because it was now "self-service time". So I went and poured our drinks. Fantastic. Jane's mum told Martyn that we'd just come from visiting my new daughter in hospital so from then on he called her "Gran" and Jane's sister "Auntie". Martyn shook my hand and wouldn't let me pay for the drinks.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExceptionalThe king of hoppy session beers.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Exmoor - Gold4.50Not Tried
14 Jun 2008 (Mick)
We arrived mid evening, the locals were on form with plenty of banter, a superb atmosphere.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExceptionalAn exceptional pint (or three). Perfect condition, with that unmistakable Harveys taste. Superb
14 Jun 2008 (Andrew)
Arrived about 6.30 and there were a good number of people in. I was really in to buy 2 litres of Hop Head but I thought I'd have a half of Over-the-Moon while I was at it. I was just about to finish my half when Martyn passed me a half of something that wasn't on the board. It was the last of the Darkstar APA. Fantastic. One of the things I really like about this pub is that within 20 seconds of arriving Martyn was making me laugh with his stories of the day’s activities.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)4.70ExcellentGreat aroma of lemons. Fantastic light hoppy astringent beer.
Dark Star - Over The Moon3.80ExcellentGreate taste of smooth bitter raisins.
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExcellentSmooth cereal body with that great Dark Star hoppy signiture.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB5.50Not Tried
31 May 2008 (Blair)
Steady stream of people coming in and out. Great atmosphere as always, once again took abuse for being a 'thanetian.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExceptionalDelicious. Very malty with a little caramel. Just stunning really.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB5.50ExcellentBest pint of this I've had. A little fruity and a bit of malt. Really good.
Dark Star - Over The Moon3.80ExcellentLovely dark mild, carmael and chocolate with a slight hop background.
Larkins - Traditional3.40GoodClear copper coloured beer, little bit of toffee and citrus. Quite nice.
Hook Norton - Old Hooky4.60Not Tried
17 May 2008 (Andrew)
Cam visited about 3 hours earlier to buy 4 litres of Hop Head (which was superb). After we'd had some dinner we jumped on the bus and got down there. We walked in and ordered Hop Head - but it wasn't on any more - only Harveys and ESB. Apparently I wasn't the first customer to enquire whether Harveys and ESB was it. Martyn said he had a bottle of something light coloured we could have but he couldn't remember what it was. Well it was excellent. It was definitly a DarkStar and most probably, Martyn thought, Six Hop. Nothing better than pot luck hey!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExceptionalBest session beer (and that's the only kind of beer I really care about) in Britain.
Dark Star - Six Hop6.50ExcellentWell we think it was this and it fits so that's what it was. Light straw coloured beer with a JHB like hop character and a very drying hop finish. Lovely.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB5.50Not Tried
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Harvest Ale11.50Not Tried
18 Apr 2008 (Blair)
Just came in for some 'supplies' for a camping trip out in blean woods. Would have loved to stay for a session but had minimal time to pitch our tents. Jovial as always, I'm already starting to feel like a regular.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExceptionalWhat more can really be said about this beer? Hoppy, fruity, full of flavour and only 3.8%.
Dark Star - Six Hop6.50ExcellentThis beer is outstanding, although I don't remember passed the second pint of it.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Over The Moon3.80Not Tried
Belvoir - Beaver Bitter4.30Not Tried
Dark Star - Festival5.00Not Tried
12 Apr 2008 (Ian)
We caught the bus from Herne Bay to here to get here for opening. Best moments of a great evening were meeting Mick (Lofty) who reads the site, giving Martyn a sample of the Stone Double IPA which I had bottled from the Saxon Shore, the rugby players and the general atomsphere of people enjoying themselves. Oh, yes, and the beer.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExceptionalThis is the best pint of the best session beer in the UK. Hands down. Could have drunk it all night.
Dark Star - Six Hop6.50AcceptableBit disappointed with this (although nothing to do with how Martyn kept it) as at the Thanet BF at Easter the hops were a lot more crunchingly green on the finish. A little bit syrupy in the malts too. But difficult for this beer as I have drunk so much of the Stone DIPA in the past 2 weeks.
12 Apr 2008 (Andrew)
Ian, Martin, Charlie and I were first in. Within 15 minutes the pub was packed. We had a fantastic night chatting with Martyn, Mick and a group of Rugby players from Essex.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40ExceptionalWell, I had 5 pints of this so that says quite a lot. Probably the best session bitter in the UK.
Dark Star - English Pale Ale4.50ExcellentPale brown colour. Some buscuity malt with that distinctive Darkstar hop signiture to it
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not TriedLots of people were drinking this but it wasn't on the board.
Dark Star - Over The Moon3.80Not TriedSold out after an hour.
Dark Star - Six Hop6.50Not Tried

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About The Butchers Arms

The pub sign. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional240
Excellent428
Good92
Acceptable14
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Herne, Kent, CT6 7HL.

In the middle of Herne village in Herne Street, once the Canterbury Beer Shop selling beer straight from the cask. It is now a pub (with the same owner as before) and still does off-sales which is fantastic! Voted CAMRA Kent Pub of the Year in 2008 and East Kent CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2009 (...and not surprisingly). Regarded universally as the first micropub, which has spawned many similar ventures in East Kent and throughout the UK. Real ales are kept on gravity dispense in a cold room to the right and you will view this when you walk through it to the unisex toilet at the rear. Displays a Micropub Association Certificate of Registration warranting, annually, that it adheres to the tenets and ethics of the Association's definition of a micropub. Since post-Covid re-opening in October 2021 now open 5-8 Tuesday to Friday only. The landlord and founder of the Micropub Association, Martyn Hillier, was awarded an MBE in the 2024 New Years Honours list for services to Business and to Hospitality.

We have visited this pub 380 times, seen 164 different beers and tried 135 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CT6 7HL