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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Brew York - Tonkoko |  | 1 |
| Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Demockracy | | 1 |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | | 2 |
| Iron Pier - Truckin' to Ypres | | 2 |
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | | 3 |
| Lost Pier - Snitches Get Stitches | | 1 |
| Verdant - Lamanva Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Siren Craft - Circle Back (collaboration with Birrificio Italiano) | | 1 |
| Southwark - Bermondsey Best | | 2 |
| Elusive - Handheld (collaboration with Hand Brew) | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | | 1 |
| Five Points - Brick Field Brown | | 4 |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Bitter | | 2 |
| Loddon - Citra Quad |  | 1 |
| Vibrant Forest - Paper Room | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Suspended in Superdelic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Outhouse (cuckoo at Jolly Boys') - Safari Juice | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Hopfest | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | Not Tried | 0 |
| Southwark - Mayflower Session IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Zig Zag | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
06 Apr 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for Sunday for last 30 minutes of serving with just a handful of hardened regulars in and compared to the week before. Perhaps the Easter holidays are already under way for many and they are taking advantage of the sunny weather on top?
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Pier - Truckin' to Ypres | 5.80 | | This Northfleet Belgian Blonde from just outside Gravesend came with good head and lacing and hung on to it. A fruity first hit. A bitter and mildly spicy mouthfeel and lingering. |
| Southwark - Bermondsey Best | 4.40 | | Only its second night on for this Southwark Best Bitter but minimal head and lacing on being served it and any remaining soon legged it out of the glass. A very malty first hit. A bitterness winning through. I was left with a sweet maltiness but also a strangely watery finish as if it had been starved of the usual flavourings you get in the majority of bitters. |
| Five Points - Brick Field Brown | 5.40 | | Third day on and minus its head and lacing for long on this Hackney-based brown ale. A malty first hit. A bitterness winning over in the slightly sweet mouthfeel. A maltiness was then presented in its aftertaste. |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Hopfest | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | 4.20 | Not Tried |
06 Apr 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brew York - Tonkoko | 4.30 | | Kept head and lacing pretty much |
| Five Points - Brick Field Brown | 5.40 | | Soon went flat in the glass |
| Iron Pier - Truckin' to Ypres | 5.80 | | Belgian yeast character. OK but a half was more than enough |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Hopfest | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Southwark - Bermondsey Best | 4.40 | Not Tried | Others' pints looked flat |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | 4.20 | Not Tried |
05 Apr 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy for last 45 minutes of serving with many a Saturday regular in and the more occasional punter in, too.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwark - Bermondsey Best | 4.40 | | Fresh on and came with some head and lacing but this did not hang about for long. A first hit of malty caramel. A dry bitter mouthfeel then presented itself alongside its honey-infused hops. A maltiness then got in on the act in its dry aftertaste. |
| Five Points - Brick Field Brown | 5.40 | | Only its second night on for this Hackney-based brown ale but came with minimal head and lacing. A sweet malty first hit aided by demerara sugar flavourings. A bitter and malty mouthfeel came to the fore and lingered in its aftertaste. |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Hopfest | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Tonkoko | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Truckin' to Ypres | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Handheld (collaboration with Hand Brew) | 5.60 | Not Tried |
04 Apr 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with many a Friday regular on parade.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Brick Field Brown | 5.40 | | Fresh on and so head and lacing on this Hackney-based brown ale but not holding it for long. A very malty first hit. Minimal sweetness in the mouthfeel and so the dry maltiness won over. There was though the merest hint of demerara in its aftertaste. |
| Verdant - Lamanva Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Fresh on and came with good head and lacing on this bitter from Penryn in Cornwall. A very dry first hit. A bitterish mouthfeel followed and though a mention of toffee and a biscuity finish, it held a dry and not sweet aftertaste. |
| Southwark - Mayflower Session IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Zig Zag | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Handheld (collaboration with Hand Brew) | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | 7.00 | Not Tried |
03 Apr 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Mix of regulars and the more occasional visitor for last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elusive - Handheld (collaboration with Hand Brew) | 5.60 | | Good head and lacing on this Elusive pale from Wokingham and a collaboration with Worthing-based Hand Brew. A very hoppy first hit. A dryish mouthfeel with an explosion of hops on the palate. A lightly sweet maltiness coming to the fore but a hoppy dryness winning over in the aftertaste. |
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | 7.00 | | Good head and lacing on this New Forest porter. A very dry first hit. Then a maltiness coming to get you with 7 malts involved according to the tasting notes. A very moreish mouthfeel and would not guess its strength in the least and with a long-lasting malty dry aftertaste. |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Bitter | 4.00 | | Third night on for this New Forest-based bitter and still holding its head and lacing. Taste-wise, still a bitter first hit. Greatly more drinkable than when fresh on a few evenings ago. A dryish malty mouthfeel and lingering. |
| Loddon - Citra Quad | 4.40 | Not Tried | Went off when another customer in front of me requested it. |
| Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Demockracy | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Outhouse (cuckoo at Jolly Boys') - Safari Juice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
03 Apr 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | 7.00 | | Inevitably holding up well as a 7%er |
| Loddon - Citra Quad | 4.40 | | Poorly presented with haze and and underwhelming hop taste. Soon ran out |
| Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Demockracy | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Handheld (collaboration with Hand Brew) | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Outhouse (cuckoo at Jolly Boys') - Safari Juice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
02 Apr 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close with a boisterous birthday party in one corner of the front room.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Demockracy | 3.80 | | Just another citrus job with no USP |
| Vibrant Forest - Crosswinds | 7.00 | | Baltic Porter which held good head and lacing throughout |
| Loddon - Citra Quad | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Handheld (collaboration with Hand Brew) | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Outhouse (cuckoo at Jolly Boys') - Safari Juice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
01 Apr 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy for last 30 minutes of serving with a mix of regulars and others in, including the fiddlers playing out the back.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 | | It was up on the blackboard as a golden and also recommended by a fellow regular. This Maldon ale from Essex was according to the tasting notes a Citra pale. Came with superb head and lacing on its second night on. A very hoppy first hit. Only a mild fruitiness in the mouthfeel despite a mention of passion fruit, nectarine and orange peel. Its dry hoppiness won the contest for me thankfully and lingered in its aftertaste. It was very moreish! |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Bitter | 4.00 | | This New Forest traditional bitter is perhaps a touch too fresh to my taste as just on this evening, but with very good head and lacing. A powerfully bitter first hit. A very fruity mouthfeel and a biscuity sweetness from its Maris Otter malts. Left with a sort of chewy aftertaste which was not very welcome! It certainly looked the part if not quite tasting it! One sufficed for me. |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | Just ran out on requesting it. |
| Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Demockracy | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Handheld (collaboration with Hand Brew) | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Outhouse (cuckoo at Jolly Boys') - Safari Juice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
30 Mar 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A very busy turnout of regulars and the not so regular for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Only its second night on and so presented with a good head and lacing. A malty chocolatey first hit. Roasted coffee flavours among a dark chocolatey bitterness coming to the fore. A very malty mouthfeel lingering with seven different malts deployed in the making of this Hackney-based porter. |
| Siren Craft - Circle Back (collaboration with Birrificio Italiano) | 4.40 | | Third night on for the new barrel of this Italian bitter and a collaboration with Berkshire-based Siren Craft. Still holding its head and lacing well. A lightly bitter first hit. A full bitterness coming to the fore with a slight sharpness hitting the aftertaste. |
| Vibrant Forest - Paper Room | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Lost Pier - Snitches Get Stitches | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Suspended in Superdelic | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Outhouse (cuckoo at Jolly Boys') - Safari Juice | 4.50 | Not Tried | A new brewery on me and from Salford but was not brave enough to try having read about its mango, blueberry, tropical and citrus notes. It looked quite a murky concoction! |
30 Mar 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Front room was a packed house.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | An always reliable choice |
| Lost Pier - Snitches Get Stitches | 4.30 | | Basic pale with no USP |
| Vibrant Forest - Paper Room | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Circle Back (collaboration with Birrificio Italiano) | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Suspended in Superdelic | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Outhouse (cuckoo at Jolly Boys') - Safari Juice | 4.50 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 14 |
 | 728 |
| 1943 |
| 613 |
 | 58 |
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 1542 times, seen 1909 different beers and tried 1127 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ