PubsandBeer
Royal Oak (Harvey's Brewery)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Porter |  | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | | 2 |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | | 2 |
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | | 1 |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) |  | 6 |
| Harvey's - Christmas Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Olympia | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Tom Paine | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Bohemian Way | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Forward's Choice | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
27 Nov 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit. No Best and no Old on a night of a CAMRA regional meeting and a fully packed quiz. Wassup? Did not dally as it was sweatingly hot in here and the noisy quiz using a PA system to boot.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | Refreshing indeed in a sweatbox |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - IPA | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Christmas Ale | 7.50 | Not Tried |
26 Sep 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit. Wot! No Mild. Back to try the Old, sold here before the official seasonal launch.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | First rate. Sweeter and creamier than I recall in the past |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Forward's Choice | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Bohemian Way | 3.70 | Not Tried |
25 Sep 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit. Forgot Wednesday was quiz night and I have never known a louder quiz master and participants, especially when the jackpot stage was played out (unsuccessfully). For the first time ever, in my memory, the ale prices are not shown on the beer blackboard - poor show for trading honesty.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | In lovely cool nick |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | My first sighting of 2019 |
| Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Forward's Choice | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Bohemian Way | 3.70 | Not Tried |
31 Jul 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit. Rather noise intrusive quiz evening in rear room in this normally conversational pub.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Tom Paine | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Olympia | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - IPA | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Bohemian Way | 3.70 | Not Tried |
29 May 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit. Feels less and less like it was under the previous tenanted regime with every visit. No Harvey's Best tonight - sacrilege.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | Tasty and nutty. getting dear at £3.90pp for such low gravity however |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Olympia | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried | After a hiatus Fuller's guests are back |
| Harvey's - IPA | 3.50 | Not Tried |
27 Mar 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit. Subtle and sledgehammer changes taking place. Large blackboard now shows beer range and Chef's food recommendation, daily menu sheets placed on all tables. Harvey's fizz beers fonts are now evident.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Porter | 4.80 | | In lovely nourishing nick |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - IPA | 3.50 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit, my first since the new managed house regime took over from long term tenant licensees Frank and John now retired. All pumpclips replaced with the new style and the long term labelling of Harvey's IPA as Harvey's Sussex Pale Ale has been swept away. No distress purchase Fuller's beer on sale. Subtle changes so far, let's hope no more than a few more take place. Seems to have become a managed house, sensible for what must be a money spinner for the owners.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 |  | Drank without really noticing |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - IPA | 3.50 | Not Tried |
28 Nov 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. CAMRA London's great and good seeping out into the bar after a long meeting upstairs.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | 3.00 | | Superbly refreshing |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried |
23 Oct 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until just shy of 11pm close. The first buds of autumn with Old Ale on pump.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried |
26 Sep 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit, unusually for me still at food time but not for food.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | At the bitter end of this variable beer's taste spectrum |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried |
About the Royal Oak
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 11 |
| 134 |
| 86 |
| 31 |
 | 4 |
The pub is found in Borough, Central London, SE1 4JU.
Harvey's first tied pub in the capital. Corner pub in Tabard Street, near Borough Underground station. Feels like an oasis from the bustle of London Bridge / Borough High Street. Two bare-boarded rooms in a pub with a central bar and an off-sales hatch. Superb John Harvey Room upstairs may be used for meetings and functions and is freely available. Lots of dark wood and cream walls. 4 handpumps on each bar counter so 8 in all. Comfortable atmosphere. Also has comprehensive selection of Harvey's beer in bottles. Became a managed house after the departure, to retirement, of long term tenant licensees in January 2019. Local CAMRA branch Overall Pub of the Year 2023 having been runner-up in 2022.
We have visited this pub 151 times, seen 51 different beers and tried 29 of them.
Postcode: SE1 4JU