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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Green Hop |  | 1 |
| Salopian - Darwin's Origin |  | 2 |
| Five Points - Derailed Porter | | 5 |
| Salopian - SY State of Mind | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | | 2 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Jumbo (collaboration with Kirkstall) | | 1 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | | 3 |
| Five Points - Best | | 2 |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | | 3 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Harvest | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star |  | 1 |
| Five Points - Best Fuggles Hops | | 1 |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | | 1 |
| Five Points - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - XPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Sun Drift | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Turning Point - Astral Voyage | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Milk Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titanic - Hop Noir (collaboration with Oakham) | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
26 Oct 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A handful of Sunday regulars for the last half hour of serving on parade and a birthday boy with family and friends celebrating.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | 6.50 | | Second night on and still good head and lacing to begin with but not lasting on this porter from Burslem, north of Stoke-on-Trent. Again, a very plumy first hit. A hint of chocolate in among the dry malty bitterness for my taste buds to savour. A malty kick to it paddling out with a good helping of port thrown in. |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | 4.00 | | Second night for this golden-coloured bitter, brewed north-east of Bristol's city centre, and still presenting some head and lacing but again not lasting as was the case on its premier night. No longer so fresh in having time to mature. A very hop-infused bitter first hit. The odd hoppy fruitiness veering up to tackle the bitter maltiness in the scrum. Its Gold and Goldings hops lending it a moreishly dry hoppy bitterness on its descent down the hatch. |
| Five Points - Gold | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Sun Drift | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Jumbo (collaboration with Kirkstall) | 6.60 | Not Tried |
26 Oct 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | 6.50 | | A good strong taste. Had a better recipe of this ale before |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | 4.00 | | Basic bitter with little condition. Flat in glass |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.50 | | Hazy job - not sure what this ale is supposed to be. Little condition |
| Five Points - Gold | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Sun Drift | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Jumbo (collaboration with Kirkstall) | 6.60 | Not Tried |
25 Oct 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over for the last 30 minutes of serving with some of the Saturday regulars in and a few of the more occasional.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanic - Plum Porter Grand Reserve | 6.50 | | Fresh on was this porter from Burslem, north of Stoke-on-Trent, but not presenting much head and lacing and not holding. An immediate hit of plums coming at you in all directions from this stronger limited edition brewed for the wintertime. A fruity bitterness rising with an extra flavouring or two from its infusion of sweet port lingering in the mouthfeel from its 21 days of maturing. |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | 4.00 | | Fresh on and good head and lacing but not lasting on this golden-coloured bitter, brewed north-east of Bristol's city centre by a team of 10 who grew from just two, ten years ago in 2015 when brewing started. A tad fresh perhaps? A very bitter first hit. The odd fruity note rising from its hint of dark fruits and a bitter maltiness competing for my taste buds' attention. A dry hoppy bitterness aided by its Gold and Goldings hops sailing out. Its hazy appearance is a natural result of yeast and other compounds. The former is a fungus that converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. It also creates other key flavour compounds like esters which provide the fruity notes, and phenols which are behind the spicy notes. Apart from the yeast, the other compounds are organic molecules, many of which are products of yeast metabolism and fermentation. The yeast and other compounds can be removed by fining agents like isinglass, a gelatin-like substance made from fish swim bladders. The above is used as a fining agent to clarify beer, meaning to settle out yeast and other particles. This makes the beer suitable for vegans. Many modern brewers are moving away from the use of isinglass in favour of vegan alternatives like Irish moss which is a seaweed. |
| Five Points - Gold | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Sun Drift | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Anspach & Hobday - Jumbo (collaboration with Kirkstall) | 6.60 | Not Tried |
23 Oct 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close with any seat at all at a premium.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salopian - SY State of Mind | 4.50 | | Seemed good but no idea what this ale was supposed to be |
| Anspach & Hobday - Jumbo (collaboration with Kirkstall) | 6.60 | | Subdued hopping in a 6.6%er. New cask on, still hazy, seemed not to have settled |
| Salopian - Darwin's Origin | 4.30 | | New cask on - little condition |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Derailed Porter | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Turning Point - Astral Voyage | 3.40 | Not Tried |
23 Oct 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Packed to the gills which is unusual for the last 30 minutes of serving. A few hardened regulars seated and others not so seated among a local club that ends up here evidently on a Thursday over recent weeks.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salopian - Darwin's Origin | 4.30 | | Fresh on and so thankfully showing off its head and lacing and also lasting which is a bonus. This Shrewsbury-brewed bitter, first launched in 2009, and whose brewery started in 1995 and north of Shrewsbury itself, I cannot recall trying before. So named to celebrate Shrewsbury’s most famous son, Charles Darwin, born there in 1809. A very fruity bittered first bite from hop ingredients from three continents. A hoppy bitterness ambling up to you with a note from fruits like lemon, lime and orange coming to find you. A pleasantly dry bitterness lingering. None of the murkiness evident in recent "fresh-on" beers and so definitely a plus. |
| Five Points - Derailed Porter | 5.50 | | Now its fifth night on and not so smiley is this porter from Hackney, East London. Head and lacing, barely, and lasting, not a chance. Still a dry bitter first bite. A hoppy note from its Goldings hops. A malty kick and bitterness getting the better of you. Its dark fruits veering up at you. A dry bitterness drifting out with the odd red berry or two. Tired as you would expect on its fifth night. All good porters have their day! |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | Another to leave to those who like notes of mango and passion fruit. |
| Turning Point - Astral Voyage | 3.40 | Not Tried | A tropical juice unlikely to try unless dying of thirst! |
| Salopian - SY State of Mind | 4.50 | Not Tried | This pale sounds better than others not tried as in having ripe bitterness, fruity hops and biscuity malt. |
| Anspach & Hobday - Jumbo (collaboration with Kirkstall) | 6.60 | Not Tried | One for breakfast with notes of pithy marmalade, sweet malt and bitter grapefruit. A tablespoon of this Bermondsey IPA on my grapefruit perhaps at 6.6%! |
21 Oct 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A very vibrant contingent of hardened regulars on parade for the last half an hour of serving and minus any of the occasional apart from a brother of one of the regulars and the fiddler brigade out the back and who exit looking like something out of The Lady Killers starring Alec Guinness. We were generally addressing each other as drinking comrades no less!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | Second night on for this Maidstone-brewed Best Dark and the sediment that must have made it hazy from being there the first night on had subsided evidently. I missed its first night conveniently. Very good head and lacing and lasting throughout. A dry bitter maltiness on its first bite. If you do not like malty beers, steer clear! Personally, the more dry bittered and malty, the better for my taste buds. A malty kick came soon after my first few gulps with its maltiness competing with its dry bitterness. Its biscuity and caramel flavourings detected. A very good healthy maltiness playing out. Wonderful it was, this first brew still in production from Goacher's and when they launched in 1983! Back then it marked the first time a pint of Goacher’s was sold to the public. I still have it on my palate in putting this together and minus the citrusy attack on my stomach from many a pale or IPA supped but thankfully not on this visit! |
| Five Points - Derailed Porter | 5.50 | | On its third night and still smiling in every way was this porter from Hackney, East London. Great head and lacing and lasting to the end. A dry bitter first bite. A moreish hoppiness rising from its Goldings hops. A malty bitterness winning over with a good infusion of dark fruits veering up including its red berries undoubtedly starring! A dry bitterness descending with a lovely moreish maltiness to boot. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Turning Point - Astral Voyage | 3.40 | Not Tried |
20 Oct 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Derailed Porter | 5.50 | | Holding up nicely |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | New cask on today. Something wrong, murky and lacking its proper taste balance. Bordering on poor. Not recognisable as Goacher's Dark |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Turning Point - Astral Voyage | 3.40 | Not Tried |
19 Oct 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with just the hardened regulars in among a few of the more occasional.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Derailed Porter | 5.50 | | Despite being fresh on this porter from East London's Hackney did actually chuff into the station with very good head and lacing and lasting on its whole journey over the points. Whilst the beer itself was not making a rhythmic sound as in chuffing, the barman on was let loose on this micro's sound system with some encouragement from the custom in. Back to the porter, it presented a malty bitterness as it clattered over the tracks and climbed the odd gradient. This porter is said to be an extra special version of the brewer's Railway Porter and aged on wild yeast for a minimum of nine months. It was definitely a wild night for the micro's jukebox! The porter made its final journey for me before shunting into the sidings with a good spurt of dark fruits and red berries steaming out of its funnel. |
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 | | Second day on for this best bitter from East London's Hackney and a resounding improvement. It was far too fresh on its first night sampled as I noted. I had to try a sample first to be sure it had improved this evening. This time good head and lacing and definitely lasting in the glass. A bitter and hoppy first hit combined. A fruit-infused hoppiness rising from its Fuggles, Challenger and Ernest hops, giving it that same fresh herbal hint. A hoppy bitterness getting in on the act with caramel and biscuit flavourings before its final descent. It still seemed to lack the flavours on its earlier incarnations which I found to be extremely moreish. It was always one I readily enjoyed. It seems they have brewed it somewhat differently. My motto is do not try to fix something that is not broken. Many a brewer does of course want excitement too from the odd variation on a theme but caution should be applied instead of trying to change or improve a well-liked beer style. Perhaps I am in the minority but others also commented that its change of taste did not accord with them. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Turning Point - Astral Voyage | 3.40 | Not Tried |
19 Oct 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until closure. The request music over the Tannoy perhaps too loud tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Derailed Porter | 5.50 | | Tasty and very lively |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Should not be hazy. I hardly recognised this as Gold Star |
| Five Points - Best Fuggles Hops | 4.10 | | Disappointing. A thin shadow of this ale from previous encounters |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Turning Point - Astral Voyage | 3.40 | Not Tried |
18 Oct 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy with the usual Saturday regulars on parade for the last half an hour of serving. Not much evidence of the earlier Charlton FC fans staying the course and whose team played at home at 3pm beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1. Charlton FC now has fifth standing in their Championship (2nd division) league. Needless to say, those supporters in earlier were thirsty as 4 beers lined up as on now were taken off as no doubted completely supped. 3 substitutes now on in their place. Were the ones I tried scoring sufficiently?
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Green Hop | 3.90 | | Fresh on and very good head and lacing and lasting for longer than on the other green hopped pale tried this evening. A dry hoppy first bite on this Maidstone-based brew. A moreish hoppiness erupting onto my taste buds. A touch of hoppy oiliness emanating from its Target hops sliding downwards. I much preferred this to the Bermondsey green hopped pale. |
| Anspach & Hobday - Hop Pickers' Harvest | 4.00 | | Good head and lacing but not lasting on this green hopped pale from Bermondsey despite being fresh on today. The brewery's first ever green hopped beer according to this micro's tasting notes. A fruit-infused first bite. A heavily hopped fruitiness rising and playing out aided by its freshly picked Ernest hops from Hukins Hop farm in Tenterden, Kent. |
| Five Points - Best | 4.10 | | Fresh on was this best bitter from East London's Hackney with good head and lacing but not holding in the glass. A fruited bitterness in its first hit. A bitterness pervading and persisting to the end with hints of caramel and biscuit flavours. Its accompanying hoppiness, lent by its Fuggles, Challenger and Ernest hops, afforded it a fresh herbal hint or two. Only one sufficed as a tad too fresh it would seem for me. |
| Bristol Beer Factory - Milk Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Titanic - Hop Noir (collaboration with Oakham) | 4.70 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 15 |
| 800 |
| 2194 |
| 741 |
 | 63 |
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 1775 times, seen 2037 different beers and tried 1206 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ