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The Harp (Fuller Smith & Turner)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterExcellent6
Dark Star - RevelationExcellent1
Saltaire - New World RedExcellent1
Dark Star - Hophead GalaxyExcellent1
Titanic - Plum PorterGood1
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Good1
Atomic - PlanetGood1
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn MildGood1
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Legally BlondeGood1
Portobello - StarGood1
Clarence & Fredericks - Redcurrant StoutAcceptable1
Atomic - BombNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - BrockNot Tried0
Crouch Vale - Brewers GoldNot Tried0
Windsor & Eton - ConquerorNot Tried0
Tiny Rebel - CwtchNot Tried0
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Not Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Winter's TailNot Tried0
Fyne - Vital SparkNot Tried0
Greene King - YardbirdNot Tried0
Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut)Not Tried0
Titanic - StoutNot Tried0
Palmers - Copper AleNot Tried0
Sunny Republic - St Wite's AleNot Tried0
Arbor Ales - Oyster StoutNot Tried0
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - VanguardNot Tried0
B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Dragons GoldNot Tried0
Dark Star - Winter MeltdownNot Tried0
Sambrook's - WandleNot Tried0
Sunny Republic - Beach BlondeNot Tried0
Tring - Mansion MildNot Tried0
Hardknott - CoolfusionNot Tried0
Sambrook's - JunctionNot Tried0
Vale - Black Swan MildNot Tried0
Blue Monkey - 99 Red BaboonsNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Black HarryNot Tried0
Oakham - VagabondNot Tried0
Windsor & Eton - CanberraNot Tried0
Dark Star - Dark Star The OriginalNot Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Jack BlackNot Tried0
Potbelly - Ground HogNot Tried0
First In Last Out (FILO) - Cardinal Sussex PorterNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde MildNot Tried0
Crouch Vale - Blackwater MildNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Harp, Charing Cross, Central London
Picture 2. The Harp, Charing Cross, Central London

Visits Details

22 Feb 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings. Once again arrivals with minutes to go - well after me!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Revelation5.70ExcellentWhat a head above the top of the glass
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90Good
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)4.70Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Blackwater Mild3.70Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Brock4.10Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Sambrook's - Junction4.50Not Tried
Tiny Rebel - Cwtch4.60Not Tried
20 Feb 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. This place is invariably packed. Good chat with the proprietor of one of London's first micro-breweries in the late 1970s.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentMuch cleaner mouthfeel and less fruity than other recent examples.
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)4.70Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Hardknott - Coolfusion4.40Not Tried
Vale - Black Swan Mild3.90Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Black Harry3.90Not Tried
Windsor & Eton - Canberra4.00Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Jack Black4.80Not TriedA black IPA - latest Red Squirrel brew
First In Last Out (FILO) - Cardinal Sussex Porter4.60Not Tried
19 Jan 2013 (Martin the Mildman)
Early doors on a snowy Saturday morning and the pub is filling up fast.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Saltaire - New World Red5.20ExcellentHoppy red ale with maltiness balanced by fruity new world hop flavours. Score 16/20.
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild3.70GoodProbably about as good as this will get, benefitting from good cellaring here. Dry maltiness to start with a little toffee coming through leading to dried fruit in the finish. My score 15/20.
Clarence & Fredericks - Redcurrant Stout5.40AcceptableThe tartness of the fruit unfortunately dominates over the roast malt flavours making this taste a bit "off style" for my taste. My score 14/20.
18 Jan 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close - people still arriving at one minute to midnight such is popularity here.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Good
Dark Star - Dark Star The Original5.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Dark Star - Winter Meltdown5.00Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Sambrook's - Junction4.50Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild3.70Not Tried
Sunny Republic - Beach Blonde3.70Not Tried
Clarence & Fredericks - Redcurrant Stout5.40Not Tried
Saltaire - New World Red5.20Not Tried
17 Jan 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Exceptionally busy in the early evening – I eventually managed to squeeze past the bar to the back, where there was a little more room.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead Galaxy3.80ExcellentWith the hop levels in the regular Hophead having been even further reduced lately, it was good to find this supercharged version, full of Galaxy hops.
Portobello - Star4.30GoodDecent, amber-coloured, straightforward, quite nutty bitter.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Titanic - Stout4.50Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Sambrook's - Junction4.50Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Red Dawn Mild3.70Not Tried
Sunny Republic - St Wite's Ale5.00Not Tried
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Vanguard4.10Not Tried
09 Jan 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Second pub where I saw closing time.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Good
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde Mild3.70Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Atomic - Bomb5.20Not Tried
Sambrook's - Junction4.50Not Tried
Windsor & Eton - Conqueror5.00Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Winter's Tail5.00Not Tried
Greene King - Yardbird4.00Not TriedNot seen this one before. The pump clip describes it as "Crafted Ale". A Suffolk pub website describes it as "Full of hops and with a lasting fruity flavour, this beer is inspired by bold American IPAs"
04 Jan 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening - late 'til close. No early closing here!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00GoodOK but the superb nose and flavours from the head died as the pint went down the glass.
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)4.70GoodAs always very good but I am thinking that Dark Star is being overtaken by some of the more hop extreme tasting American Pale Ales. This resembled sweetish cream soda.
Atomic - Planet4.40GoodDark and rather malty Scots tasting
Dark Star - Dark Star The Original5.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Sambrook's - Junction4.50Not Tried
Potbelly - Ground Hog5.00Not Tried
01 Dec 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Early doors on a Saturday and the pub is filling up fast.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Legally Blonde4.00GoodPale and slightly hazy with dry citrus hop balanced by biscuity malt. My score 15/20.
19 Oct 2012 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Excellent
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)4.70Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Dragons Gold5.20Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Tring - Mansion Mild3.70Not Tried
Sambrook's - Junction4.50Not Tried
Blue Monkey - 99 Red Baboons4.20Not Tried
Oakham - Vagabond5.00Not Tried
06 Oct 2012 (Philip Pirrip)
Last visit of a long day. Crowded as it always is.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExceptionalPurely for the purposes of investigative journalism I tried some Sussex Best that had travelled! Superb with creamy texture but right bitterness
Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)4.70Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Fyne - Vital Spark4.40Not Tried
Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut)4.00Not Tried
Palmers - Copper Ale3.70Not Tried
Arbor Ales - Oyster Stout4.60Not Tried

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About The Harp

The pub sign. The Harp, Charing Cross, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional24
Excellent559
Good279
Acceptable74
Poor7

Website.

The pub is found in Charing Cross, Central London, WC2N 4HS.

Formerly the Welsh Harp, a small narrow long pub on Chandos Place, just a stone's throw from Charing Cross railway station, so very handy for commuters. Hanging baskets at the front are attractive. A steep flight of stairs leads to the toilets and an upstairs room. There is an alley at the rear for smokers. Won the ultimate accolade as CAMRA National Pub of the Year in 2010. In 2011 CAMRA London Cider Pub of the Year, in 2012 CAMRA West London branch Pub of the Year, and again in 2014 as joint branch Pub of the Year and in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021 as branch Pub of the Year once more. Previously privately owned it was sold to Fuller's in mid July 2014 for a reported £7 million so changes expected. Closed for some days in February 2015 for an upgrade to plumbing and electrics, in particular to swap over the Gents and Ladies toilets. Good range of regional and micro breweries beer available through 10 handpumps and a superb range of ciders and perries sold from boxes in the chilled cabinets behind the bar. 10% price discount for card carrying CAMRA members on cask ales.

We have visited this pub 526 times, seen 1061 different beers and tried 428 of them.

Map location

Postcode: WC2N 4HS