The River Ale House (Free House)
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Stephen Harris
Visits Details
28 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. By last bells just the stalwarts in.
Church End - Vicar's Ruin | 4.40 |  | Another Church End staple in good condition, enough to have two |
Staggeringly Good - Prehistoric Creatures Golden Ale | 4.00 |  | Improved by some double decanting between two pint glasses, brought some head and life to what tasted good |
Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
Gun - Scaramanga Extra Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
27 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy but a seat to be had for earlier than usual visit at about 9.30pm to close.
Church End - Vicar's Ruin | 4.40 |  | More tea vicar as it was very moreish! Very dry aftertaste which I enjoyed along with its maltiness. Had to have a second and expect will soon be gone even though fresh on today. Looks like a pale and so had to ask as did another customer, too, whether it was the bitter after all! Described as straw-coloured so that explains it. |
Staggeringly Good - Prehistoric Creatures Golden Ale | 4.00 |  | Only my second sampling ever of this Portsmouth brew as far as I can recall and from previous evening. One sufficed but still in good form and had a tasty bitterness. |
Gun - Scaramanga Extra Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
Only With Love - Skipper Transatlantic Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
26 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
30 minutes to close. One of the busiest nights in recent visits. Usual jovial locals among visitors perhaps for the first time.
Staggeringly Good - Prehistoric Creatures Golden Ale | 4.00 |  | Very good refreshing taste and conditioning. Not a problem to sink two on arrival. Also helped wash a food roll down. |
Only With Love - Skipper Transatlantic Pale | 4.50 |  | Recommended by a regular and not disappointed. The marmalade twang definitely stood out and all in all it helped me wash down another food roll. New on today and in fine form, taste-wise and in conditioning. |
Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | Yesterday's tasting of the chocolate in it lives on in my memory! |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | Yesterday's tasting sufficed. |
Kent - Local Hero | 3.40 | Not Tried | Tried it yesterday instead but surprised a light-weight has gone so soon as taken off whilst in for remaining 30 minutes of serving. |
Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 | Not Tried | Its slight sourness from day before also lives on in my memory. |
25 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
40 minutes before close. Busier than earlier in the week. Mostly a new line-up of real ales with just 4 by end of evening.
Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 |  | Certainly got the coffee and moreover the chocolate notes from this and in good condition. |
Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 |  | Floral lemon not to my taste but in good shape and hoppy all the same this Golden beer. |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 |  | Just on and so tasted a little fresh but good lacing on side of glass in first one tried. The toffee malts were unmistakeable. Second one I tried had less lacing so decanted to achieve some carbonation again. |
Kent - Local Hero | 3.40 |  | In good condition and not overly flavoured with fruit, this single hop pale. Good hoppy taste about it. |
Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | The one survivor from earlier in the week of beers but soon ran out during my late evening visit. |
25 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 |  | Very zesty mouthfeel. The flavour would not appeal to everyone |
Kent - Local Hero | 3.40 |  | New cask on today. Rather thin and virtually held no head or lacing |
Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | Ran out |
24 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Nowt much on the menu appealed.
Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 |  | Good condition but drank without really noticing |
Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 |  | Needed more condition to overcome its dry bitterness |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Salopian - Symphonic (collaboration with Oakham) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
23 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Half hour before close and quiet. 7 real ales on. Only tried the one.
Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 |  | New on and very much full of hoppiness which went down well and so stuck to it. |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
Salopian - Symphonic (collaboration with Oakham) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
21 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
More in than Saturday but still quiet for 10.15pm visit to close.
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 |  | Extremely moreish and in fine form with a berry fruit and nutty, malty taste. |
New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 |  | Very full of tropical fruit flavours. Good conditioning. Served as a desert after main course of nutty and berry fruit bitter. |
Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
Pig & Porter - Skylarking | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Bexley - Mocha Stout | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
Salopian - Symphonic (collaboration with Oakham) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
21 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close, with low footfall.
Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 |  | Perhaps a unique taste about it |
Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 |  | A very dry bitterness disguised the citrusness |
Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 |  | Not the crispness I expected. Quite a chore to finish |
Pig & Porter - Skylarking | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Bexley - Mocha Stout | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
Salopian - Symphonic (collaboration with Oakham) | 5.30 | Not Tried | Someone with one seemed to have the glass of this milk shake looker evaporate faster than he drank it |
20 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet for a Saturday late evening from 10.15pm.
Downton - Cerberus | 4.20 |  | Almost a cross with a cider as apple-flavoured and so sharp with a bitter, hoppy taste! Good conditioning. |
Anarchy - Citra Star | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Pig & Porter - Skylarking | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Bexley - Mocha Stout | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
Salopian - Symphonic (collaboration with Oakham) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
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