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The Bowl Inn (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterExcellent8
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 7Good1
Hopdaemon - Skrimshander IPAGood4
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
Adnams - Southwold BitterNot Tried0
St Austell - TributeNot Tried0
Hopdaemon - IncubusNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Bowl Inn, Hastingleigh, Kent
Picture 2. The Bowl Inn, Hastingleigh, Kent

Visits Details

30 Jul 2011 (ChrisE)
Early Saturday afternoon, we had a good chat with the landlord, and were shown his interesting collection of artifacts including enamel signs and an immaculate Fiat 600.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hopdaemon - Skrimshander IPA4.50ExcellentIn superb condition.
Hopdaemon - Incubus4.00Not TriedI did not try this myself, but everyone else said it was every bit as good as it gets.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
19 Jun 2011 (Mick)
A few familiar faces but not to busy.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentNice pint with that Harveys aroma.
Hopdaemon - Skrimshander IPA4.50AcceptableTasted a little past it's best but still OK.
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
29 May 2011 (Mick)
Half a dozen locals chatting at the bar, all friendly and chatty. I like this pub. We sat in the corner and looked at the curios.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentA really nice pint of Harvey's the best i've had for a long time.
Hopdaemon - Incubus4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
21 May 2011 (Mick)
Warm welcome from the Landlord, excellent beer and food, interesting pub full of bits and bobs.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentA nice pint of Harvey's with that unique yeasty edge.
Hopdaemon - Skrimshander IPA4.50ExcellentNice,hoppy and refreshing>
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
23 Apr 2011 (Andrew)
What a friendly characterful pub this is. The interior is as good as any freehouse you'll find with plenty of interesting and eccentric memorabilia. The last time I was here it was raining so this was the first time I've seen the garden, which was lovely. At the end of it was a field with lambs.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hopdaemon - Skrimshander IPA4.50GoodA good pint of a good beer.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
14 Jul 2007 (Ian)
Cycled from the Bowl Inn, Charing via Challock, Boughton Aluph and Wye. Cracking pub. I love the atmosphere. I sat at the bar chatting with various locals as well as Ron and Annie. The home pickled eggs are very good indeed.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00GoodGood but not as good as the previous Sunday where the intensity of flavour blew me away.
03 Jun 2007 (Ian)
Lovely sunny Sunday afternoon. Cricket was being played on the ground at the rear of the pub garden, there was a smattering of locals and I sat in the shade in the garden enjoying a book. Then I ended up in a conversation with the landlord and some bloke about Brian Epstein's mark II Jaguar that had be taken by bailiffs. Good time.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentBrilliant bitter.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80GoodI had a half which I thought was great and then a pint which was also good, but not as good as I had first thought. Still very good session bitter.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Adnams - Southwold Bitter3.70Not Tried
28 May 2007 (Ian)
This is quickly becoming one of my favourite all time pubs. I sat by the real coal fire with a Bill Bryson book and nursed a pint of Harvey's Best for an hour. No one bothered me or thought me strange (as far as I can tell). Landlord and Landlady were both welcoming and both said goodbye separately as I left. Fairly busy with a steady number of customers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentJust fantastic. Great yeasty hoppy aroma, full of character and flavour in mouth, and this biting hoppy finish. Great condition and great flavour.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80Not TriedNice to see this on though.
Adnams - Southwold Bitter3.70Not Tried
14 Apr 2007 (Ian)
I cycled here from Ashford on a Saturday evening. Really very pleasant pub with the garden with Mrs Woo (a European Eagle Owl) and then the cricket pitch behind that. Good beers and I had a good time talking to the landlord's son about different beers. Note to myself, which is that I shouldn't cycle down Wye hill in the dark (even with lights) after 4 pints of Harvey's Best. Thrilling, but not particularly sensible.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentI thought this was brilliant. Character, yeasty, malty and hoppy with very good bitterness on the finish.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Adnams - Southwold Bitter3.70Not Tried
09 Apr 2007 (Ian)
On Andrew's recommendation I cycled up to this pub on Bank Holiday Monday. It was a lovely ride through Wye on the back roads and up past the Devil's Kneading Trough. Good welcome from the landlord and the interior is excellent, very well restored. Pool table in the old tap room doesn't interfere with the rest of the pub. Definitely somewhere I will be coming back to.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentBrilliant. Had all of the things I want in a bitter, yeast, hop and malt and the hop finish is a real kicker. Great.

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About The Bowl Inn

The pub sign. The Bowl Inn, Hastingleigh, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional4
Excellent53
Good26
Acceptable3
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Hastingleigh, Kent, TN25 5HU.

A well proportioned 2 room pub with a long garden at the rear. The smaller of the 2 rooms is taken up with a pool table whilst the other room is larger and L-Shaped. The floors are bare board and the furniture is eclectic. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2017, 2018, 2019 and again in 2022.

We have visited this pub 51 times, seen 49 different beers and tried 34 of them.

Map location

Postcode: TN25 5HU