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The Butchers Arms (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Porter |  | 1 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Extra Stout | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 5 |
| 1648 - 3 Threads |  | 1 |
| Oakham - JHB | | 2 |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | | 2 |
| 1648 - Signature | | 1 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Garton - Chocolate Frog Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
17 May 2007 (Ian)
Came here with Phil for a few beers and a chat. Martyn was a little hungover from Wednesday, but still on fine form. Good conversation between the locals as they came and went. The pickled eggs are a sight to behold, especially the snooker ball coloured ones.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | Stunning, brilliant. The benchmark for all other 3.8% blond hoppy beers and this is kept as well as any pint of this beer I've had. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Mild | 3.60 | Not Tried | Phil had this and thought it was excellent. |
10 Feb 2007 (Ian)
Not sure where everyone was today, most pubs Andrew and me visited across west Kent were thin on numbers. I was amazed that Martyn didn't have more customers. Great outlet for Dark Star beers that feature here regularly.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | I bought 7 pints of this as take away and had one on Saturday evening and one on Sunday. Both were brilliant. The hop aroma is worth buying this beer for alone. Lovely grapefruit. |
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | 4.20 | | Black colour with thin tan head. made with coffee beans and you can smell them in the aroma. Some oilyness too. full in mouth with more coffee and dark choc. Juicy and powdery at the same time. Sharp bitterness of espresso coffee on finish. For an espresso fiend like myself, this is great. |
10 Feb 2007 (Andrew)
The last stop on Ian and my beer tour. It was empty when we arived so we had a chat with Martyn.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | 4.20 | | Coffee bitterness with rich body and roasted coffer bitter finish. An excellent beer. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried |
11 Jan 2007 (Ian)
This is just such a delightful pub. No matter who you meet in there you end up chatting with them due to the intimate atmosphere. Stunning pub with exceptionally good beer kept well and served brilliantly by Martyn. Had a pint of Dark Star Hophead and bought some take home beer too.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Extra Stout | 6.00 | | Deep ruby colour, almost black with a lasting tan head. Smokey chocolate coffee aroma. Reminds me a bit of imperial stouts, but maybe not quite so intense. This is a fantastic beer. The finish in particular has a decent dose of hops, but the dark/milk chocolate mix, the coffee bean, espresso flavour and this full grainy dryness is unbelievable. The alcohol just doesn't get in the way, until you try to stand up after a pint or so and you can't feel your legs. Brilliant |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | That citric hop aroma is absolutely to die for. The fact that it is only 3.8% means that you can keep supping it. Difficult to find fault in it. The finish is so tangy with citrus fruits and drying hop that it makes you want to take another sip. Great session beer. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | I didn't try it, but the guy opposite me thought that it was fantastic. |
| 1648 - 3 Threads | 4.30 | Not Tried | Badged as BSA |
02 Dec 2006 (Ian)
Andrew and me came here for opening on Saturday evening. And it is still a stunning place. I had a pint of JHB whilst we got some beer for the evening to take away in the bottles. I can't think of a pub in Kent that has such well conditioned beer. It is kept perfectly and this allows the full flavours of the beers to express themselves. Martyn, the landlord, was as usual on top form.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | | This used to be one of my favourite beers. But so many pubs serve a bad pint, muddy, poor condition etc, that it has slipped down the list. This however was phenomenal. Crystal clear amber colour with thin white head. Great caramel malt and fresh citrus hop aroma. Intense flavours, but balanced. Has everything, bit of sweaty sox hop too on end. Tangy hoppy finish. Superb all round bitter. |
| Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | | Had all of the elements, grapefruit/tangerine fruit, citrus hops that leave a bitter taste in the mouth. It just lacked a little depth from perfection. |
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin) | 4.50 | Not Tried |
02 Dec 2006 (Andrew)
Ian and I went over to have a chat with Martyn and to buy some beer. The second the pub was open people were coming in. Great place.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | | Very very dark red brown in colour. Smelt of apple peel. Black currents and applecore flavours in the front of the mouth with acrid burnt sugar at the back. If you run it down the middle of the tounge there's a lot of raspberry in it. Basically this beer is brillant. |
| Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin) | 4.50 | Not Tried |
23 Nov 2006 (Ian)
Big thanks to Phil for driving us up here from Ashford. Martyn (the landlord) and Stuart (who runs their website www.micropub.co.uk) were both on top form. Also on top form was the Dark Star Hophead. A wonderful pub that makes you wish this was next door to your house. Also, try the pickled onions.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | So drinkable, I didn't notice that I had drunk 3 and a half pints of it. Fantastically aromatic hop aroma, never gets too soapy, and then good pale malt body and a gorgeous lasting hop finish. One of my favourite all time beers. |
| 1648 - 3 Threads | 4.30 | | Badged as BSA (Butcher's Special/Supreme Ale). Very deep chestnut colour, some white head. It's got a kind of sourness, some blackberry fruit. Dark fruit aroma, rich malt, but agile too in mouth. Then the finish is like a porter or stout. Really rather stunning and almost un-pigeon-hole-able. |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin) | 4.50 | Not Tried |
29 Jul 2006 (Andrew)
Popped in at lunch time to pick up a brew. Saw they had Dark Star hophead on the board but it had sold out (probably because Ian had been there the night before and drank it all)
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1648 - Signature | 4.40 | | Initial strong bite to it of herbs but as you get into the pint a rich syrup starts to dominate |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB | 5.50 | Not Tried |
01 Jul 2006 (Andrew)
Popped in a lunch time to pick-up some take-out beer. No one else was in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | | Some of the best Goacher's mild I've had. I noticed that he poured it from a 32pint barrel so I'm guessing this was a week or so old. Anyway, it smelt of chocolate and tasted of chocolate and coffee with a strong bitter finish. Great |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | He'd run out of JHB but had this on (which was good as I prefer this to JHB). Nice and clean tasting with lots of grapefruit and that signiture Darkstar taste |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Garton - Chocolate Frog Porter | 8.00 | Not Tried |
27 Jun 2006 (Ian)
Stopped off on my way home for a pint of JHB and to see if the Dark Star American Pale Ale was tapped. Which it was. So I picked up a bottle for Martin and 2 for me. A smattering of locals in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | | Slightly woody strong citric hop aroma and flavour. Malts hold up well under the attack of the strong hops. But still one of my favourites. The bottle tonight may be even better..... |
| Oakham - JHB | 3.80 |  | It was probably better than this, but to me it seemed to lack a bit of citric intensity |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Garton - Chocolate Frog Porter | 8.00 | Not Tried | An 8% Porter!!!!!!!! |
About The Butchers Arms
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 240 |
| 428 |
| 92 |
 | 14 |
 | - |
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.
Postcode: CT6 7HL